約伯記28:1-28

 

28:1 銀子有礦；煉金有方。
28:2 鐵從地裡挖出；銅從石中鎔化。
28:3 人為黑暗定界限，查究幽暗陰翳的石頭，直到極處，
28:4 在無人居住之處刨開礦穴，過路的人也想不到他們；又與人遠離，懸在空中搖來搖去。
28:5 至於地，能出糧食，地內好像被火翻起來。
28:6 地中的石頭有藍寶石，並有金沙。
28:7 礦中的路鷙鳥不得知道；鷹眼也未見過。
28:8 狂傲的野獸未曾行過；猛烈的獅子也未曾經過。
28:9 人伸手鑿開堅石，傾倒山根，
28:10 在磐石中鑿出水道，親眼看見各樣寶物。
28:11 他封閉水不得滴流，使隱藏的物顯露出來。
28:12 然而，智慧有何處可尋？聰明之處在哪裡呢？
28:13 智慧的價值無人能知，在活人之地也無處可尋。
28:14 深淵說：不在我內；滄海說：不在我中。
28:15 智慧非用黃金可得，也不能平白銀為它的價值。
28:16 俄斐金和貴重的紅瑪瑙，並藍寶石，不足與較量；
28:17 黃金和玻璃不足與比較；精金的器皿不足與兌換。
28:18 珊瑚、水晶都不足論；智慧的價值勝過珍珠（或譯：紅寶石）。
28:19 古實的紅璧璽不足與比較；精金也不足與較量。
28:20 智慧從何處來呢？聰明之處在哪裡呢？
28:21 是向一切有生命的眼目隱藏，向空中的飛鳥掩蔽。
28:22 滅沒和死亡說：我們風聞其名。
28:23 上帝明白智慧的道路，曉得智慧的所在。
28:24 因他鑒察直到地極，遍觀普天之下，
28:25 要為風定輕重，又度量諸水；
28:26 他為雨露定命令，為雷電定道路。
28:27 那時他看見智慧，而且述說；他堅定，並且查究。
28:28 他對人說：敬畏主就是智慧；遠離惡便是聰明。

 

There is a mine for silver
    and a place where gold is refined.
² Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.
³ Mortals put an end to the darkness;
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.
⁴ Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
⁵ The earth, from which food comes,
    is transformed below as by fire;
⁶ lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
⁷ No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.
⁸ Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.
⁹ People assault the flinty rock with their hands
    and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
¹⁰ They tunnel through the rock;
    their eyes see all its treasures.
¹¹ They search^[a] the sources of the rivers
    and bring hidden things to light.

¹² But where can wisdom be found?
    Where does understanding dwell?
¹³ No mortal comprehends its worth;
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.
¹⁴ The deep says, “It is not in me”;
    the sea says, “It is not with me.”
¹⁵ It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
¹⁶ It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
¹⁷ Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
¹⁸ Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
¹⁹ The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.

²⁰ Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?
²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.
²² Destruction^[b] and Death say,
    “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
²³ God understands the way to it
    and he alone knows where it dwells,
²⁴ for he views the ends of the earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵ When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,
²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain
    and a path for the thunderstorm,
²⁷ then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.
²⁸ And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil is understanding.”

 

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    約伯這段像詩一般的智慧論述，讓我們可以看到他的結論和箴言的作者是一樣的：「敬畏主就是智慧；遠離惡便是聰明。」

 

    這一章的重要論述是在23-27節，用《現代中文譯本修訂版》來閱讀是：「只有上帝知道那條路，知道哪裏去找智慧；因為他的眼睛看到地極，觀察天下的萬事萬物。當上帝賜威力給風，為海洋決定容量，定下降雨的季節，劃定雷電的路線，那時候，他已經看見智慧，也立定它，測驗出它的價值。」

 

    可見上帝是智慧和聰明的源頭，人離了上帝就無法得著！這也為什麼人需要領受聖靈，因為人有了聖靈以後，才能得著與明白上帝的啟示，才有真正的靈明和能力！然而人如何能領受聖靈？唯有信靠耶穌基督為救主，奉祂的名受洗，人才可以領受上帝所賜的聖靈，成為上帝的兒女！

 

    然而信靠耶穌基督為救主怎麼會有這樣的結果呢？因為耶穌基督是上帝和人之間唯一的中保，是完全的上帝也是完全的人！耶穌基督耶也說：「我就是道路、真理、生命；若不藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去。」(約翰福音14:6)