6:1 約伯回答說:
6:2 惟願我的煩惱稱一稱,我一切的災害放在天平裡;
6:3 現今都比海沙更重,所以我的言語急躁。
6:4 因全能者的箭射入我身;其毒,我的靈喝盡了;上帝的驚嚇擺陣攻擊我。
6:5 野驢有草豈能叫喚?牛有料豈能吼叫?
6:6 物淡而無鹽豈可吃嗎?蛋青有甚麼滋味呢?
6:7 看為可厭的食物,我心不肯挨近。
6:8 惟願我得著所求的,願上帝賜我所切望的;
6:9 就是願上帝把我壓碎,伸手將我剪除。
6:10 我因沒有違棄那聖者的言語,就仍以此為安慰,在不止息的痛苦中還可踴躍。
6:11 我有甚麼氣力使我等候?我有甚麼結局使我忍耐?
6:12 我的氣力豈是石頭的氣力?我的肉身豈是銅的呢?
6:13 在我豈不是毫無幫助嗎?智慧豈不是從我心中趕出淨盡嗎?
6:14 那將要灰心、離棄全能者、不敬畏上帝的人,他的朋友當以慈愛待他。
6:15 我的弟兄詭詐,好像溪水,又像溪水流乾的河道。
6:16 這河因結冰發黑,有雪藏在其中;
6:17 天氣漸暖就隨時消化,日頭炎熱便從原處乾涸。
6:18 結伴的客旅離棄大道,順河偏行,到荒野之地死亡。
6:19 提瑪結伴的客旅瞻望;示巴同夥的人等候。
6:20 他們因失了盼望就抱愧,來到那裡便蒙羞。
6:21 現在你們正是這樣,看見驚嚇的事便懼怕。
6:22 我豈說:請你們供給我,從你們的財物中送禮物給我?
6:23 豈說:拯救我脫離敵人的手嗎?救贖我脫離強暴人的手嗎?
6:24 請你們教導我,我便不作聲;使我明白在何事上有錯。
6:25 正直的言語力量何其大!但你們責備是責備甚麼呢?
6:26 絕望人的講論既然如風,你們還想要駁正言語嗎?
6:27 你們想為孤兒拈鬮,以朋友當貨物。
6:28 現在請你們看看我,我決不當面說謊。
6:29 請你們轉意,不要不公;請再轉意,我的事有理。
6:30 我的舌上豈有不義嗎?我的口裡豈不辨奸惡嗎?
Then Job replied:
2 “If
only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!
3 It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.
4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
my spirit drinks in their poison;
God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
5 Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow[a]?
7 I refuse to touch it;
such food makes me ill.
8 “Oh,
that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,
9 that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10 Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.
11 “What
strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?
12 Do I have the strength of stone?
Is my flesh bronze?
13 Do I have any power to help myself,
now that success has been driven from me?
14 “Anyone
who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,
as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice
and swollen with melting snow,
17 but that stop flowing in the dry season,
and in the heat vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go off into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look for water,
the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
20 They are distressed, because they had been confident;
they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
21 Now you too have proved to be of no help;
you see something dreadful and are afraid.
22 Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
23 deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?
24 “Teach
me, and I will be quiet;
show me where I have been wrong.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what do your arguments prove?
26 Do you mean to correct what I say,
and treat my desperate words as wind?
27 You would even cast lots for the fatherless
and barter away your friend.
28 “But
now be so kind as to look at me.
Would I lie to your face?
29 Relent, do not be unjust;
reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.[b]
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern malice?
*************
提幔人以利法的話聽到約伯的耳中,約伯的心裡當然不高興!因為覺得自己並不如他所說的狀況,自己並沒有得罪上帝也沒有得罪人,卻平白無故受到這樣的災難,讓他心中也非常不能接受,所以約伯的回應,也有兩章的篇幅。
約伯首先提到自己是無端遭變故,心中當然想要問上帝為什麼要將這樣的災害臨到他呢?因為他已經做好一切敬畏上帝的行為,包括是為自己的兒女做的,上帝好像不領情一般,並沒有保守他免除一切的災害。不僅如此,還要受不明就裡的朋友教訓一段,讓他的心靈感到十分傷害!
因此我們會說天災和人禍是不會選擇好人和壞人的,受到傷害的人不一定是壞人,不可以隨便批評受到災害的人。要是認為是因為他做傷天害理的事情,所以才受到天災和人禍的報應!這樣對當事人是二次傷害,更是給他陰影離不開苦難!
就像最近美國川普總統染上的新冠病毒的肺炎,站在上帝僕人的立場,應該是禱告上帝祈求他可以得著痊癒。而不是論斷他個人的道德,認為他作惡端會有今天。一般人這樣講話都會被人責備沒有良心,更何況基督徒更不可以這樣說的!
從約伯了經歷,我們學習到:要將人生遇到災禍與道德行為的好壞分開!尤其是我們去探訪或安慰在苦難中的人,我們要對人說:「我知道您的狀況讓你心中很難過,您可以勇敢將心中的疑惑和難處向上帝祈求,上帝也曾經面對到祂的愛子耶穌基督,被釘十字架而死的景況,祂了解您目前的苦境,祂會差遣聖靈來安慰的!」
然而約伯並不完全失望,正如他所說:「我因沒有違棄那聖者的言語,就仍以此為安慰,在不止息的痛苦中還可踴躍。」
可見遵行上帝的話語所帶來的肯定和確信,是上帝藉以支持約伯的力量!其實我們對上帝的信靠,更是支取上帝的力量面對苦難與考驗之管道,正如保羅說:「我們這至暫至輕的苦楚,要為我們成就極重無比、永遠的榮耀。」(哥林多後書4:17)
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