15:1 提幔人以利法回答說：
15:2 智慧人豈可用虛空的知識回答，用東風充滿肚腹呢？
15:3 他豈可用無益的話和無濟於事的言語理論呢？
15:4 你是廢棄敬畏的意，在上帝面前阻止敬虔的心。
15:5 你的罪孽指教你的口；你選用詭詐人的舌頭。
15:6 你自己的口定你有罪，並非是我；你自己的嘴見證你的不是。
15:7 你豈是頭一個被生的人嗎？你受造在諸山之先嗎？
15:8 你曾聽見上帝的密旨嗎？你還將智慧獨自得盡嗎？
15:9 你知道甚麼是我們不知道的呢？你明白甚麼是我們不明白的呢？
15:10 我們這裡有白髮的和年紀老邁的，比你父親還老。
15:11 上帝用溫和的話安慰你，你以為太小嗎？
15:12 你的心為何將你逼去？你的眼為何冒出火星，
15:13 使你的靈反對上帝，也任你的口發這言語？
15:14 人是甚麼，竟算為潔淨呢？婦人所生的是甚麼，竟算為義呢？
15:15 上帝不信靠他的眾聖者；在他眼前，天也不潔淨，
15:16 何況那污穢可憎、喝罪孽如水的世人呢！
15:17 我指示你，你要聽；我要述說所看見的，
15:18 就是智慧人從列祖所受，傳說而不隱瞞的。
15:19 （這地惟獨賜給他們，並沒有外人從他們中間經過。）
15:20 惡人一生之日劬勞痛苦；強暴人一生的年數也是如此。
15:21 驚嚇的聲音常在他耳中；在平安時，搶奪的必臨到他那裡。
15:22 他不信自己能從黑暗中轉回；他被刀劍等候。
15:23 他漂流在外求食，說：哪裡有食物呢？他知道黑暗的日子在他手邊預備好了。
15:24 急難困苦叫他害怕，而且勝了他，好像君王預備上陣一樣。
15:25 他伸手攻擊上帝，以驕傲攻擊全能者，
15:26 挺著頸項，用盾牌的厚凸面向全能者直闖；
15:27 是因他的臉蒙上脂油，腰積成肥肉。
15:28 他曾住在荒涼城邑，無人居住、將成亂堆的房屋。
15:29 他不得富足，財物不得常存，產業在地上也不加增。
15:30 他不得出離黑暗。火焰要將他的枝子燒乾；因上帝口中的氣，他要滅亡（原文是走去）。
15:31 他不用倚靠虛假欺哄自己，因虛假必成為他的報應。
15:32 他的日期未到之先，這事必成就；他的枝子不得青綠。
15:33 他必像葡萄樹的葡萄，未熟而落；又像橄欖樹的花，一開而謝。
15:34 原來不敬虔之輩必無生育；受賄賂之人的帳棚必被火燒。
15:35 他們所懷的是毒害，所生的是罪孽；心裡所預備的是詭詐。
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Would
a wise person answer with empty notions
or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
3 Would they argue with useless words,
with speeches that have no value?
4 But you even undermine piety
and hinder devotion to God.
5 Your sin prompts your mouth;
you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;
your own lips testify against you.
7 “Are
you the first man ever born?
Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Do you listen in on God’s council?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
9 What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?
10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
men even older than your father.
11 Are God’s consolations not enough for you,
words spoken gently to you?
12 Why has your heart carried you away,
and why do your eyes flash,
13 so that you vent your rage against God
and pour out such words from your mouth?
14 “What
are mortals, that they could be pure,
or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
15 If God places no trust in his holy ones,
if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
16 how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,
who drink up evil like water!
17 “Listen
to me and I will explain to you;
let me tell you what I have seen,
18 what the wise have declared,
hiding nothing received from their ancestors
19 (to whom alone the land was given
when no foreigners moved among them):
20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment,
the ruthless man through all the years stored up for
him.
21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;
when all seems well, marauders attack him.
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;
he is marked for the sword.
23 He wanders about for food like a vulture;
he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Distress and anguish fill him with terror;
troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
25 because he shakes his fist at God
and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
26 defiantly charging against him
with a thick, strong shield.
27 “Though
his face is covered with fat
and his waist bulges with flesh,
28 he will inhabit ruined towns
and houses where no one lives,
houses crumbling to rubble.
29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,
nor will his possessions spread over the land.
30 He will not escape the darkness;
a flame will wither his shoots,
and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31 Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless,
for he will get nothing in return.
32 Before his time he will wither,
and his branches will not flourish.
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,
like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
34 For the company of the godless will be barren,
and fire will consume the tents of those who love
bribes.
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil;
their womb fashions deceit.”
*************
第一輪的對話完成，現在進入第二輪了，一開始又是提幔人以利法上場，讓我再一次來複習這個人的名字的意義：「以利法」的意思是「我的神是精金」，或是「金子之神」。也因為這個名的緣故，讓人由他的發言感覺他自視甚高！又是批評約伯的講話是沒有智慧、虛空無意義，甚至認定約瑟是充滿罪孽之人，沒有敬虔的心！
還指責約伯：「我們這裡有白髮的和年紀老邁的，比你父親還老。上帝用溫和的話安慰你，你以為太小嗎？你的心為何將你逼去？你的眼為何冒出火星，使你的靈反對上帝，也任你的口發這言語？人是甚麼，竟算為潔淨呢？婦人所生的是甚麼，竟算為義呢？」
不僅如此還為上帝說話呢！正如他所說：「上帝不信靠他的眾聖者；在他眼前，天也不潔淨，何況那污穢可憎、喝罪孽如水的世人呢！」
這可不得了了！他這樣一說，沒有一個人可以開口說話了！可是他卻忘幾，自己也是人子，也是「那污穢可憎、喝罪孽如水的世人」！怎麼可以這樣批評別人，而沒有想到自己的狀況呢？之後還更是批評約伯沒有一點好，「他必像葡萄樹的葡萄，未熟而落；又像橄欖樹的花，一開而謝。原來不敬虔之輩必無生育；受賄賂之人的帳棚必被火燒。他們所懷的是毒害，所生的是罪孽；心裡所預備的是詭詐。」
連我們這些沒有像約伯一樣遭受大災大難的人，都聽不下去了，還何況是受到大災大難的約伯！這是哪門子的朋友的安慰與鼓勵呢？好像展現他很棒很好、很有智慧，理當受上帝賜福，而約伯是罪有應得、該受這樣的大災大難！
想想如果牧師或長執道發生苦難或事故的家庭探訪說這樣的話合宜嗎？有幫助到弟兄姊妹嗎？當然是沒有！若對方修養好或許會聽完，修養不好的必定會將講這樣話的人轟出去！這也是給牧養或治理教會的人，一個很重要的提醒，讓我們知道不可以說這樣的話或態度來對待弟兄姊妹，這樣實在是不溫柔呢！
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