Chapter 1

Job lived in Southern Israel. He had 7 sons and 3 daughters.
He owned thousands of animals.  He loved God and was a good man.

Satan, one of the fallen angels, challenged God to let Job be put to the test. God gave permission to Satan to test Job.

On the same day, all Job's animals were captured by raiders, and all his children died in a storm.

Job tore his clothes, shaved his head, bowed to the ground and prayed:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
naked I shall return to the womb of the earth.
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back.
Blessed be the name of the Lord."

第 1 章  

约伯住在以色列南部。他有七个儿子和 三个女儿。
他拥有数以千计的家畜。 他爱神并且是一个好人。  

撒旦，其中一个堕落天使，挑战神让约伯面临试探。 
神准许撒旦试探约伯。  

在同一日，约伯所有的家畜被突袭者夺取，而他所有的孩子在风暴中死去。  

约伯撕裂他的衣服，剃去头发，拜倒在地并祈祷：

“我赤身出于母胎，也将赤身回归，主赐的，主收回，愿主的名受赞美。"  

Dear God, please give us courage and faith when life is difficult

 亲爱的神，当生活困难时请给我们勇气和信心

Chapter 2
Satan asked permission from God to test Job even further.
God gave permission.

Satan struck Job with sores and ulcers from the soles of his feet
to the top of his head.

Job scraped himself with a piece of pot.

His wife told him to curse God and die. But Job replied
"If we take happiness from God's hand, must we not take
sorrow too?"

News of Job's situation reached three of his friends: Eliphaz,
Bildad and Zophar and they decided to visit Job.

When they drew near to Job, they did not recognize him.

They wept, tore their clothes and sat on the ground beside Job
for 7 days without speaking, stunned and saddened by Job's appearance.

第 2 章  

撒旦请求神允许更进一步试探约伯。 
神准许。  

撒旦使约伯从脚底到头顶长疮和溃疡 。  

约伯用瓦片刮自己。  

他的妻子告诉他诅咒神和死去。 但是约伯回答：
“如果我们从神的手取幸福，我们不应该也拿不幸么？”  

约伯的状况，消息传到他的三个朋友：
厄里法次、彼耳达得和左法尔，他们决定探访约伯。  

当他们走近约伯时，他们认不出他。  

他们哭，扯破他们的衣服，和在约伯旁边坐在地上七天没有讲话，为约伯的外貌震惊和难过。  

Dear God, please help me imitate Job's trust and faith

 亲爱的神，请帮助我仿效约伯的信任和信心

Chapters 3 - 7

Job broke the 7 day silence by wishing that he had never been
born. He added "For me, there is no peace, no sleep. My
suffering doesn't let me rest."

Eliphaz then spoke and reminded Job that God corrects those whom he loves.

Job replied that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, so why was he being punished?  He added: "Lying in bed I wonder 'When will it be day?'  During the day I think 'How slowly night comes.'
Neither day nor night offers me any relief from my suffering."

第 3 -7 章  

约伯打破七天的沉默，他希望从没有出生。 
他补充说：“对我来说，没有安宁，没有睡眠。 
我的苦难没让我休息。”  

厄里法次然后发言和提醒约伯神纠正他爱的人。  

约伯回答，他没有犯错，所以为什么他被惩罚？  
他补充说：“躺在床上我想知道‘何时天亮？' 在白天我想‘黑夜来得那么慢'。
无论白天或夜晚都没给我任何缓解我的痛苦。”  

Dear Lord, please give courage and peace
to people who are suffering great pain or distress

 亲爱的主，请将勇气和安宁
给遭受剧痛或悲伤的人

Chapters 8 - 10

Bildad then spoke of God's justice and the fate of people who forget God.

Job agreed and said how God was sole creator and judge of the world:
He and no other stretched out the skies.
The Bear, Orion, the Pleiades and the Mansions of the South - all were made by him.

"Challenging God is unthinkable.
Yet I know I am innocent and I'm being punished unjustly.

I also know that God knows I'm innocent.
So why am I being punished?  This is my question."

第 8 - 10 章  

彼耳达得然后谈到神的公义和那些忘记神的人之命运。  

约伯同意和说神如何是唯一的世界创造者：
“惟有他展开天空。
北斗，参宿，昂星和南极星辰–全是他创造的。  

“挑战神是难以想象的。
然而我知道我是无辜的，而我不公正地被惩罚。  

我也知道神知道我是无辜的。
所以为什么我被惩罚？ 这是我的疑问。”  

Dear God, please save us in time of trial

 亲爱的神，请在审判时拯救我们 

Chapters 11 - 14

Zophar then said that Job must still have some secret sins of which he had not repented.

Job sarcastically replied:
"No doubt you are the voice of the people
and when you die, wisdom will die with you.

I am only too aware that God knows everything.
How could I hide anything from him?

God, why do you hide your face?
Why do you look on me as an enemy?"

第 11 - 14 章  

左法尔则说约伯应该还有一些他仍未悔过的秘密罪行。  

约伯讽刺地回答：
“无疑你是人民的声音
那么，你们一死，智慧也与你们一同丧亡。 

我非常清楚，神知道一切。
我怎能瞒着他什么呢？  

神，你为什么隐藏你的脸？
你为什么把我看作你的敌人？"    

Dear God, please give us trust and courage in time of trial

亲爱的神， 请在审判时给我们信任和勇气

Chapters 15 - 17

Eliphaz then said that Job's own words condemned him
since he was in fact challenging God.

Job replied that he was sick and tired of listening to his friends' speeches.  He also said he felt death was not far away:

"My breath grows weak, I am ridiculed by everyone, every fiber of my heart is broken.  I have no hope."

第 15 - 17 章

厄里法次则说约伯自己的说话谴责了他，因为他其实在挑战神。

约伯回答，他生病和厌倦听他朋友的讲话。他也说他觉得离死不遥：

“我的气息渐渐变弱，我被大家嘲笑，我心的每个纤维巳坏。 我没有希望。”

Lord, help of the helpless,
please help people who feel their situation is hopeless

主，帮助无助的人，
请帮助自觉处境绝望的人

Chapters 18 - 19

Bildad then said that Job's suffering was caused by his sins.

Job repeated that he was innocent of any wrong-doing.
He added:
"I am sure of three things:
my God lives,
my God will rescue me,
and I will see my God's face."

第 18 - 19 章

彼耳达得则说约伯的痛苦是由他的罪过造成。  

约伯重复他是无辜的。
他补充说：
“我肯定三件事情：
我的神活着，
我的神将拯救我，
和我将看到我的神的脸。”

Dear God, I believe you live
and that someday I will see your face

亲爱的神，我相信你活着
并有一天我将看到你的脸

Chapters 20 - 21

Zophar then said it was unreasonable for Job to think that his situation was an exception as regards God's justice.

Job replied:
"I can't help asking why do wicked people prosper while good people suffer?"

第 20 - 21 章

左法尔然后说约伯认为他的情况在神的公义方面是一个例外是不合理的。

约伯回答：
“我不禁要问，为什么坏人繁荣，而好人受苦？"

Dear God, please help us to understand 
the mystery of good and evil

亲爱的神，请帮助我们懂得
善与恶的奥秘

Chapters 22 - 24

Eliphaz then said that God was punishing Job because justice demanded that Job be punished for his sins.

Job replied:
"I know that God sees everyone and everything.
God sees every step I take.
But I cannot contact him.

He has filled my life with sadness and fear
and yet he doesn't answer my prayer."

第 22 - 24 章

厄里法次接着说神在惩罚约伯，因为正义要求约伯为他的罪过受惩罚。

约伯回答：
“我知道神看见每个人和一切。
神看到我所走的每一步。
但是我不能会见他。

他将我的生命装满了悲哀和害怕，
然而他不回答我的祈祷。”

Dear God, in times of darkness, with Jesus we pray
"My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

亲爱的神，面临黑暗，我们与耶稣祈祷  
“我的神，我的神，你为什么抛弃我？”

Chapters 25 - 31

Bildad then reminded Job that God's power is beyond human understanding.  No one should question God's actions.

Job replied:
"I swear by God who denies me justice that as long as I have breath, I will live a life of innocence.

I remember how I have always lived as a friend of God:
how I helped the poor, the orphan, the dying, the widow, the blind, the lame.

I remember how I made a pact with my eyes
not to linger on any other woman but my wife.

I remember how I have never put my trust in riches or fame.
I have always trusted only in the Lord.

Yet now people laugh at me and make fun of me.
They avoid me and even spit on me.

When will God answer me?"

第 25 - 31 章

彼耳达得然后提醒约伯，神的权能在人的理解之外。没人应该质询神所做之事。

约伯回答：
“我对神发誓我将过清白的生活，只要我有一口气他就拒绝给我公正。

我记得我怎样作为神的一位朋友过日子：我怎样帮助穷人，孤儿，垂死的人，寡妇，盲人，跛子。

我记得我怎样跟我的眼睛立下约定，
不逗留在任何其他女人除我的妻子外。

我记得我从来没信赖过财富或名声。
我一直只信任主。

而现在人们嘲笑我和拿我开玩笑。
他们回避我，甚至对我吐口水。

神将何时回答我？"  

Dear God, please help me to imitate Job's way of life

亲爱的神，请帮助我仿傚约伯的生活方式

Chapters 32 - 39

Job's three friends had no more to say.
But a young  man named Elihu, decided to join the conversation.

He said to Job "How can you claim to be innocent and yet say that God is persecuting you without cause?"

As Elihu continued his speech, suddenly  the voice of God himself was heard.

God asked Job "Have you ever given orders to the morning for day to begin? Have you ever arranged the stars in the sky?

Was it you who gave all the animals their various powers?
Who do you think you are?"

第 32 - 39 章

约伯的三位朋友无话可说。
但是一位年轻人厄里乌，决定加入对话。
他对约伯说“你怎么能自称是无辜的，还说神是无故迫害你？"

当厄里乌继续他的讲话，突然听到神的声音。

神问约伯“你何曾命令晨光为一天开始？
你曾否安排星星在天空？

那是否你给动物各种能力？
你认为你是谁？”

Dear God, when we are confronted
by the mystery of suffering and evil,
please help us realize that these things do not come from you

亲爱的神，当我们遇到
不可理解之苦难和邪恶时，
请帮我们明白，这些事情不是来自你

Chapters 40 - 42

Job said to God " My words have been frivolous. I will not say anything else."

God then reminded Job how God was creator of everything, including amazing animals like the hippo and crocodile.

Job then said to God "I know you are all-powerful. I have been speaking about things I don't fully understand. I retract all I have said and in dust and ashes I repent."

God then praised Job for his fidelity.
God restored Job to good health.

God restored Job's possessions, more than he had before:
10 more children and thousands of animals.
Job lived to be 140 years old and died full of peace.

第 40 - 42 章

约伯对神说：“我的话已无意义。 我不会再说什么。”

神然后提醒约伯神如何是万物的创造者，包括令人惊讶的动物如河马和鳄鱼。

约伯然后向神说：“我知道你是全能的。我一直在谈论我不完全理解的事情。 我收回我刚说的所有话和我深切忏悔。”

神然后为约伯的忠心赞扬他。
神恢复约伯的健康。

神归还约伯的财产，超过他以前所有的：
另外十个孩子和数以千计的家畜。
约伯活到一百四十岁并平静去世。

Dear God, you never really answered Job's questions
about the mystery of evil and suffering
....but I know your Son Jesus gave us the answers

亲爱的神，你真的永不回答约伯的问题关于不可理解之邪恶和苦难
....但我知道你的儿子耶稣给了我们答案