36:1 以利戶又接著說:
36:2 你再容我片時,我就指示你,因我還有話為上帝說。
36:3 我要將所知道的從遠處引來,將公義歸給造我的主。
36:4 我的言語真不虛謊;有知識全備的與你同在。
36:5 上帝有大能,並不藐視人;他的智慧甚廣。
36:6 他不保護惡人的性命,卻為困苦人伸冤。
36:7 他時常看顧義人,使他們和君王同坐寶座,永遠要被高舉。
36:8 他們若被鎖鍊捆住,被苦難的繩索纏住,
36:9 他就把他們的作為和過犯指示他們,叫他們知道有驕傲的行動。
36:10 他也開通他們的耳朵得受教訓,吩咐他們離開罪孽轉回。
36:11 他們若聽從事奉他,就必度日亨通,歷年福樂;
36:12 若不聽從,就要被刀殺滅,無知無識而死。
36:13 那心中不敬虔的人積蓄怒氣;上帝捆綁他們,他們竟不求救;
36:14 必在青年時死亡,與污穢人一樣喪命。
36:15 上帝藉著困苦救拔困苦人,趁他們受欺壓開通他們的耳朵。
36:16 上帝也必引你出離患難,進入寬闊不狹窄之地;擺在你席上的必滿有肥甘。
36:17 但你滿口有惡人批評的言語;判斷和刑罰抓住你。
36:18 不可容忿怒觸動你,使你不服責罰;也不可因贖價大就偏行。
36:19 你的呼求(或譯:資財),或是你一切的勢力,果有靈驗,叫你不受患難嗎?
36:20 不要切慕黑夜,就是眾民在本處被除滅的時候。
36:21 你要謹慎,不可重看罪孽,因你選擇罪孽過於選擇苦難。
36:22 上帝行事有高大的能力;教訓人的有誰像他呢?
36:23 誰派定他的道路?誰能說:你所行的不義?
36:24 你不可忘記稱讚他所行的為大,就是人所歌頌的。
36:25 他所行的,萬人都看見;世人也從遠處觀看。
36:26 上帝為大,我們不能全知;他的年數不能測度。
36:27 他吸取水點,這水點從雲霧中就變成雨;
36:28 雲彩將雨落下,沛然降與世人。
36:29 誰能明白雲彩如何鋪張,和上帝行宮的雷聲呢?
36:30 他將亮光普照在自己的四圍;他又遮覆海底。
36:31 他用這些審判眾民,且賜豐富的糧食。
36:32 他以電光遮手,命閃電擊中敵人(或譯:中了靶子)。
36:33 所發的雷聲顯明他的作為,又向牲畜指明要起暴風。
Elihu continued:
2 “Bear
with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
4 Be assured that my words are not false;
one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
5 “God
is mighty, but despises no one;
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive
but gives the afflicted their rights.
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
he enthrones them with kings
and exalts them forever.
8 But if people are bound in chains,
held fast by cords of affliction,
9 he tells them what they have done—
that they have sinned arrogantly.
10 He makes them listen to correction
and commands them to repent of their evil.
11 If they obey and serve him,
they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
and their years in contentment.
12 But if they do not listen,
they will perish by the sword[a]
and die without knowledge.
13 “The
godless in heart harbor resentment;
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die in their youth,
among male prostitutes of the shrines.
15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
he speaks to them in their affliction.
16 “He
is wooing you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious place free from restriction,
to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts
sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,
to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,
which you seem to prefer to affliction.
22 “God
is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed his ways for him,
or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
24 Remember to extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
25 All humanity has seen it;
mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out.
27 “He
draws up the drops of water,
which distill as rain to the streams[c];
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers fall on mankind.
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders from his pavilion?
30 See how he scatters his lightning about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations
and provides food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;
even the cattle make known its approach.
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以利戶繼續延伸他的論點,就是上帝是永遠公平正直的,是永不改變的!反倒是人不可以自傲,不可以自以為是,要在上帝面前做一個謙卑受教的義人。即使上帝讓苦難臨到我們的生命,也是在教導和管教我們,事對我們有益處的!
保羅曾經說過:「我們曉得萬事都互相效力,叫愛上帝的人得益處,就是按他旨意被召的人。」(羅馬書8:28)又說:「誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢?難道是患難嗎?是困苦嗎?是逼迫嗎?是飢餓嗎?是赤身露體嗎?是危險嗎?是刀劍嗎?如經上所記:我們為你的緣故終日被殺;人看我們如將宰的羊。然而,靠著愛我們的主,在這一切的事上已經得勝有餘了。因為我深信無論是死,是生,是天使,是掌權的,是有能的,是現在的事,是將來的事,是高處的,是低處的,是別的受造之物,都不能叫我們與上帝的愛隔絕;這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。」(羅馬書8:35-39)
因此,我們再苦難中要想到基督的愛是永不改變,沒有甚麼事叫我們與上帝的愛隔絕!更如保羅在哥林多後書12章9節,提到主對他說:「我的恩典夠你用的,因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」
也因為這樣保羅不懼怕面對人生負面的事情,他說:「所以,我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱,好叫基督的能力覆庇我。我為基督的緣故,就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦為可喜樂的;因我甚麼時候軟弱,甚麼時候就剛強了。」(哥林多後書12:9b-10)
相信以利戶要對約伯說的,正是保羅從主領受的「得勝秘訣」!讓我們也靠聖靈的引導相信主的應許:「我的恩典夠你用的,因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」