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英文原文
Job had sometimes complained of his friends that they were so eager in disputing that they would scarcely let him put in a word: "Suffer me that I may speak;" and, "O that you would hold your peace!" But now, it seems, they were out of breath, and left him room to say what he would. Either they were themselves convinced that Job was in the right or they despaired of convincing him that he was in the wrong; and therefore they threw away their weapons and gave up the cause. Job was too hard for them, and forced them to quit the field; for great is the truth and will prevail. What Job had said (Job 26:1-14) was a sufficient answer to Bildad's discourse; and now Job paused awhile, to see whether Zophar would take his turn again; but, he declining it, Job himself went on, and, without any interruption or vexation given him, said all he desired to say in this matter. I. He begins with a solemn protestation of his integrity and of his resolution to hold it fast, Job 27:2-6. II. He expresses the dread he had of that hypocrisy which they charged him with, Job 27:7-10. III. He shows the miserable end of wicked people, notwithstanding their long prosperity, and the curse that attends them and is entailed upon their families, Job 27:11-23.
1-6
Job's Protestation of His Sincerity (1520 BC)
约伯记第二十七章
约伯自辩真诚（主前1520年）
¹ 约伯接着说他的比喻，说：
² 我指着夺去我理的神起誓，就是那使我心苦恼的全能者，指着他起誓说：
³ 只要我的呼吸尚在我里面，神的灵仍在我的鼻孔内，
⁴ 我的嘴唇决不说非义之言，我的舌头也不说诡诈之语。
⁵ 我断不以你们为是；我至死必不以自己为不正。
⁶ 我持守我的义，必不放松；我在世的日子，我的心必不责备我。
约伯在此的讲论被称为*「比喻」（mashal）——所罗门箴言的题目——因它庄重、分量十足、极有教益；他说话如同有权柄的人。这字源于「治理」或「掌权」；有人以为它暗示约伯此时胜过他的对手，说话如同已经挫败他们的人。我们论一位出色的传道人，说他知道如何 dominari in concionibus——驾驭他的听众。约伯正是如此。约伯与朋友之间久有争辩；他们似乎有意让事情妥协；所以，既然「起誓为证，本是结束各样争论的」（来 6:16）*，约伯在此以庄严的誓证明他所说维护自己正直的一切话——为要止息反驳，并若他口是心非便将责任完全归己。请观察：
一、他起誓的形式（伯 27:2）：*「我指着夺去我理的神起誓。」
1. 他论神说得极高，称他为*「活的神」（意即「永远活着的」——永恒的神——生命在他里头），并以他为独一的主宰和审判者向他申诉。我们不能指着更大的起誓，指着别的起誓便是冒犯他。 2. 然而他论神说得苛刻、不相宜，说他「夺去了自己的理」——即拒绝在此争论中为他主持公道、不肯出来为他辩护；又藉着延续他的苦难——朋友们据此定他的罪——夺去了他本希望早日得以自辩的机会。以利户为此话责备他（伯 34:5）；因为神在他一切所行的尽都公义，绝不夺去任何人的理。但请看：我们若未立即蒙恩惠，便何等易于绝望——我们灵何其薄弱，又何其快对等候神的时间感到厌倦。他也向神指控他「使自己的心苦恼」*——不仅未为他出面，反倒出面反对他；又因加诸他如此重的苦难，使他的人生及其一切安慰都变得苦涩。我们因自己的不耐烦，苦了我们的心，却怪神苦了它。然而请看约伯对自己事业之善、对自己神之善的信心——虽然神似乎向他发怒，目前似乎与他作对，他仍能欣然将自己的事业交托给他。
二、他起誓的内容（伯 27:3-4）
1. 他决不说「非义之言」，也不说「诡诈之语」——即总而言之他决不容自己走说谎的路；正如在此争辩中他始终照自己所想的直说，他决不背良心说话。** 他决不维护任何道理、断定任何事实，除非他相信是真的；也决不否认真理——无论真理多么对他不利。朋友们既指控他是假冒为善的，他便准备好在起誓之下回答他们一切盘问（若被召如此行）。一方面，他若知己有罪，断不否认指控——无论如何都不——必述真理、全真理、唯独真理，并自取假冒为善之羞。另一方面，他既良心见己正直、并非朋友们所描述的那样，便决不出卖自己的正直，也决不自加所未犯之罪。他不被人——甚至不被他们不公 论断的刑罚——勉强作假见证诬告自己。我们既不当向邻舍作假见证，便不当向自己作。 2. **他必一生持守这决心（伯 27:3）：「只要我的呼吸尚在我里面。」* 我们对罪的决心当如此恒常——一生之久的决心。** 在疑惑无关紧要的事上，如此武断并不安全。我们不知将来会看见什么理由改变心意：神或向我们显明我们现在所不觉的。但在如此 明确的事上，我们说自己决不说非义之言，再武断也不为过。此处隐含其决心的一项理由——我们的呼吸不会常在我们里头。我们不久便要断气；所以我们趁有呼吸之时，决不说非义和诡诈，也决不容自己说或作任何将来断气之时对我们不利的事。我们里头的呼吸被称为*「神的灵」*——因他将它吹入我们；这是另一项我们不可说非义之语的理由。是神赐我们生命气息，所以我们有气息之时当赞美他。
三、他起誓的解释（伯 27:5-6）：「我断不以你们为是」——即不藉承认自己是假冒为善的来「认同你们对我无爱心的论断；不，我至死必不以自己为不正；我持守我的义，必不放松。」
1. 他必始终作诚实的人，必持守他的正直，必不咒诅神——如撒但藉他妻子所催的（伯 2:9）。 约伯在此想到死、想到为死作准备，所以决心永不放弃自己的信仰——虽他在世上失了一切。请留意：为死最好的预备，是在正直中坚忍到死。「至死」——即*「虽因这苦难而死，我决不因此对自己神和自己信仰失望。「「他虽杀我，我仍信他」（伯 13:15直译）。」 2. 他必始终自认是诚实的人；他不放弃、不舍去正直的良心、安慰和名誉；他决心维护它到底。「神知道、我自己的心也知道，我向来心存好意，不容自己忽略任何已知的本分，也不容自己犯任何已知的罪。这是我的喜乐，无人能夺去；我决不说谎攻击我的义。」* 正直人被论断、被定为假冒为善的，这向来是他们的分；但他们正宜大胆抵挡这些论断，不被它们所灰心、也不因此而看轻自己——如使徒（来 13:18）：「我们在各样善事上良心无亏，愿意按正道而行。」
约伯曾大抱怨朋友的毁谤；但（他说）「我的心不责备我」——即*「我永不给我的心责备我的理由，却要保守无亏的良心；既如此行，我决不许我的心责备我。」——「谁能控告神所拣选的人呢？有神称他们为义了。」（罗 8:33）* 我们若给心理由责备我们、却仍决心不让它责备，便是冒犯神——良心是神的副手——也是亏负自己；因为人犯罪时，心中有东西击打他，是好事（撒下 24:10）。但既持守自己的正直、又决心不让心责备自己，便是挫败恶者的诡计（他诱惑好基督徒质疑自己儿子的名分——「你若是神的儿子」——太 4:3），也是与圣灵的运行相和——他为儿子名分作见证。
英文原文
Job's Protestation of His Sincerity (1520 BC)
¹ Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
² As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
³ All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
⁴ My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
⁵ God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
⁶ My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Job's discourse here is called a parable (mashal), the title of Solomon's proverbs, because it was grave and weighty, and very instructive, and he spoke as one having authority. It comes from a word that signifies to rule, or have dominion; and some think it intimates that Job now triumphed over his opponents, and spoke as one that had baffled them. We say of an excellent preacher that he knows how dominari in concionibus—to command his hearers. Job did so here. A long strife there had been between Job and his friends; they seemed disposed to have the matter compromised; and therefore, since an oath for confirmation is an end of strife (Heb 6:16), Job here backs all he had said in maintenance of his own integrity with a solemn oath, to silence contradiction, and take the blame entirely upon himself if he prevaricated. Observe,
I. The form of his oath (Job 27:2): As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment. Here, 1. He speaks highly of God, in calling him the living God (which means everliving, the eternal God, that has life in himself) and in appealing to him as the sole and sovereign Judge. We can swear by no greater, and it is an affront to him to swear by any other. 2. Yet he speaks hardly of him, and unbecomingly, in saying that he had taken away his judgment (that is, refused to do him justice in this controversy and to appear in defence of him), and that by continuing his troubles, on which his friends grounded their censures of him, he had taken from him the opportunity he hoped ere now to have of clearing himself. Elihu reproved him for this word (Job 34:5); for God is righteous in all his ways, and takes away no man's judgment. But see how apt we are to despair of favour if it be not shown us immediately, so poor-spirited are we and so soon weary of waiting God's time. He also charges it upon God that he had vexed his soul, had not only not appeared for him, but had appeared against him, and, by laying such grievous afflictions upon him had quite embittered his life to him and all the comforts of it. We, by our impatience, vex our own souls and then complain of God that he has vexed them. Yet see Job's confidence in the goodness both of his cause and of his God, that though God seemed to be angry with him, and to act against him for the present, yet he could cheerfully commit his cause to him.
II. The matter of his oath, Job 27:3,4. 1. That he would not speak wickedness, nor utter deceit—that, in general, he would never allow himself in the way of lying, that, as in this debate he had all along spoken as he thought, so he would never wrong his conscience by speaking otherwise; he would never maintain any doctrine, nor assert any matter of fact, but what he believed to be true; nor would he deny the truth, how much soever it might make against him: and, whereas his friends charged him with being a hypocrite, he was ready to answer, upon oath, to all their interrogatories, if called to do so. On the one hand he would not, for all the world, deny the charge if he knew himself guilty, but would declare the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and take to himself the shame of his hypocrisy. On the other hand, since he was conscious to himself of his integrity, and that he was not such a man as his friends represented him, he would never betray his integrity, nor charge himself with that which he was innocent of. He would not be brought, no, not by the rack of their unjust censures, falsely to accuse himself. If we must not bear false witness against our neighbour, then not against ourselves. 2. That he would adhere to this resolution as long as he lived (Job 27:3): All the while my breath is in me. Our resolutions against sin should be thus constant, resolutions for life. In things doubtful and indifferent, it is not safe to be thus peremptory. We know not what reason we may see to change our mind: God may reveal to us that which we now are not aware of. But in so plain a thing as this we cannot be too positive that we will never speak wickedness. Something of a reason for his resolution is here implied—that our breath will not be always in us. We must shortly breathe our last, and therefore, while our breath is in us, we must never breathe wickedness and deceit, nor allow ourselves to say or do any thing which will make against us when our breath shall depart. The breath in us is called the spirit of God, because he breathed it into us; and this is another reason why we must not speak wickedness. It is God that gives us life and breath, and therefore, while we have breath, we must praise him.
III. The explication of his oath (Job 27:5,6): "God forbid that I should justify you in your uncharitable censures of me, by owning myself a hypocrite: no, until I die I will not remove my integrity from me; my righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go." 1. He would always be an honest man, would hold fast his integrity, and not curse God, as Satan, by his wife, urged him to do, Job 2:9. Job here thinks of dying, and of getting ready for death, and therefore resolves never to part with his religion, though he had lost all he had in the world. Note, The best preparative for death is perseverance to death in our integrity. "Until I die," that is, "though I die by this affliction, I will not thereby be put out of conceit with my God and my religion. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." 2. He would always stand to it that he was an honest man; he would not remove, he would not part with, the conscience, and comfort, and credit of his integrity; he was resolved to defend it to the last. "God knows, and my own heart knows, that I always meant well, and did not allow myself in the omission of any known duty or the commission of any known sin. This is my rejoicing, and no man shall rob me of it; I will never lie against my right." It has often been the lot of upright men to be censured and condemned as hypocrites; but it well becomes them to bear up boldly against such censures, and not to be discouraged by them nor think the worse of themselves for them; as the apostle (Heb 13:18): We have a good conscience in all things, willing to live honestly.
Job complained much of the reproaches of his friends; but (says he) my heart shall not reproach me, that is, "I will never give my heart cause to reproach me, but will keep a conscience void of offence; and, while I do so, I will not give my heart leave to reproach me." Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. To resolve that our hearts shall not reproach us when we give them cause to do so is to affront God, whose deputy conscience is, and to wrong ourselves; for it is a good thing, when a man has sinned, to have a heart within him to smite him for it, 2Sa 24:10. But to resolve that our hearts shall not reproach us while we still hold fast our integrity is to baffle the designs of the evil spirit (who tempts good Christians to question their adoption, If thou be the Son of God) and to concur with the operations of the good Spirit, who witnesses to their adoption.
7-10
Condition of Hypocrites (1520 BC)
假冒为善者之境况（1520 BC）
⁷ 愿我的仇敌如恶人一般；愿那起来攻击我的如不义之人一样。 ⁸ 因为假冒为善的人虽然得利，神夺其命时，还有什么指望呢？ ⁹ 灾祸临到他，神岂听他的呼求呢？ ¹⁰ 他岂以全能者为乐，常常呼求神呢？
约伯既郑重声明自己在正直上的满足，为进一步澄清自己，便在此表达他对被发现是假冒为善者的畏惧。
一、他告诉我们他对此如何震惊，因为他视假冒为善者与恶人的境况为任何人都可能落入的最悲惨境况（伯 27:7）：「愿我的仇敌如恶人一般」——这是一句俗语，如（但 4:19）「愿这梦归于恨你的人」。约伯非但不放纵自己于任何恶道之中、在其中自慰，反而若是蒙准许向他世上最坏的仇敌许愿他所能想到的最大恶事，他便愿以恶人的分为分，因他知道再没有比这更坏的可许了。这不是说我们可以合法地愿任何人作恶人，或愿任何非恶人被当作恶人对待；而是我们都当拣选作乞丐、被褫夺公权的人、划船的奴隶——什么都肯——而不愿作恶人，纵然有极大的排场与外在兴旺。
二、他给我们其中的原因。
1. 因为假冒为善者的盼望不得加冕（伯 27:8）：「假冒为善的人的指望是什么呢？」比勒达曾定罪它（伯 8:13-14），琐法也曾定罪（伯 11:20）；约伯在此与他们同心，以同样笃定的口气宣判假冒为善者之盼望的死刑；这正合宜地作为他不肯放掉正直、仍紧紧持守的理由。当记取：想到恶人尤其是假冒为善者的悲惨境况，当激励我们为人正直（因为我们若不如此，便永远完了，永远完了），并促使我们得着正直的安慰凭据；因为这件大事若悬而不决，我们怎能安心？约伯的朋友要劝他相信，他一切的盼望不过是假冒为善者的盼望（伯 4:6）。「不，」他说，「我绝不愿在这般腐朽的根基上建造，纵有天下一切也不愿；因为『假冒为善的人的指望是什么呢？』」请看，（1）假冒为善者受骗。「他虽然得利」，又有盼望；这是他光彩的一面。无可否认，他借假冒为善得了利——得了人的称赞美誉，得了这世代的财富。耶户借假冒为善得了一个国，法利赛人借假冒为善得了许多寡妇的家。他在这利上建立他的盼望——其实是怎样的一种盼望。他盼望自己在另一个世界里境况不错，因为他发觉自己在今世境况不错，他便在自己的道上自祝。（2）假冒为善者被解骗。他至终必见自己被可悲地欺骗了；因为，〔1〕神必「夺去他的灵魂」，极其违反他的意愿。路 12:20：「你的灵魂必要收回。」神作为审判官，把它取去受审，并判它进入永远的状态。那时他必落入永生神的手中，立即受祂对付。〔2〕那时他的盼望将如何？必归于虚妄与谎言；必毫无帮助。他所指望的这世代财富，他必全数留下（诗 49:17）。他所指望的另一个世界的福乐，他必确切错过。他盼望进天堂，却必可耻地失望；他要以自己外表的认信为自己辩护、特权与善行，但他一切的辩诉必被驳回，视为无稽：「离开我吧，我不认识你们。」所以，按整个看来，可以断言：形式的假冒为善者，连同他一切的利和一切的盼望，在临终之时必是悲惨的。
2. 因为假冒为善者的祈祷不蒙垂听（伯 27:9）：「神岂听他的呼求，灾祸临到他的时候？」不，祂不听；也不能指望祂听。他若真诚悔改临到他，神必听他的呼求并悦纳他（赛 1:18）；但他若继续不悔改、不变更，便不可妄想从神蒙恩。当观察，（1）灾祸必临到他——这是肯定的。世上的灾祸常使那些最稳保无扰兴旺的人惊讶。无论如何，死亡必到，灾祸随之而来——那时他必须离开这世界和其中的一切快乐。审判大日的审判必到；「惊惶必临到假冒为善的人」（赛 33:14）。（2）那时他必向神呼求——必祈祷，恳切地祈祷。在兴旺时轻看神的人，或不祈祷，或祈祷冷淡疏忽；灾祸临到时便转向祂，恳切地呼求。但是，（3）那时神岂听他吗？在今生的烦恼中，神已告诉我们：祂不听那些「心中注重罪孽」（诗 66:18）、把偶像立在其中（结 14:4）之人的祈祷，也不听那些「掩耳不听律法」（箴 28:9）之人的祈祷。「你们去追求你们所事奉的神吧」（士 10:14）。在将来的审判中，可以肯定，神不听那些活着死了都在假冒为善中之人的呼求。他们哀凄的悲叹都必无怜。你们的灾祸，我必发笑。他们迫切的请愿都必被弃绝，他们的辩诉都被驳回。不可弯曲的公义不能被偏袒，不可逆转的判语不能被撤回。见太 7:22-23；路 13:26；并愚拙童女的案例（太 25:11）。
3. 因为假冒为善者的宗教既不安慰也不持久（伯 27:10）：「他岂以全能者为乐？」不，任何时刻都不——因为他的喜乐在于世上的利与肉体的乐，多于在于神——尤其在遭难之时不。「他岂常常呼求神？」不，兴旺之时他不呼求神，反倒轻看祂；逆境之时他不呼求神，反倒咒诅祂；当他不能借此得利，或恐有失，他便厌倦自己的宗教。当记取，（1）凡虽然认信宗教、却既不以之为乐、也不恒持的人，便是假冒为善者——他们视宗教为差役苦工，为烦恼之事，对之嗤之以鼻；只在有用途时利用之，用途既达便搁置之；只在合时兴时、或虔诚之突发持续之时呼求神，一旦落入别的伙伴之中、或一时热度已过，便放下它。（2）假冒为善者之所以不在宗教上恒持，是因为他们在其中无乐。不以全能者为乐的人，不会常常呼求祂。我们在宗教中越得安慰，便越紧紧依偎它。在神里无乐的人，易被感官之乐诱骗，从而被引离自己的宗教；又易被今生的十字架冲倒，从而被赶离自己的宗教，于是不会常常呼求神。
英文原文
Condition of Hypocrites (1520 BC)
⁷ Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
⁸ For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?
⁹ Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
¹⁰ Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
Job having solemnly protested the satisfaction he had in his integrity, for the further clearing of himself, here expresses the dread he had of being found a hypocrite.
I. He tells us how he startled at the thought of it, for he looked upon the condition of a hypocrite and a wicked man to be certainly the most miserable condition that any man could be in (Job 27:7): Let my enemy be as the wicked, a proverbial expression, like that (Da 4:19), The dream be to those that hate thee. Job was so far from indulging himself in any wicked way, and flattering himself in it, that, if he might have leave to wish the greatest evil he could think of to the worst enemy he had in the world, he would wish him the portion of a wicked man, knowing that worse he could not wish him. Not that we may lawfully wish any man to be wicked, or that any man who is not wicked should be treated as wicked; but we should all choose to be in the condition of a beggar, an out-law, a galley-slave, any thing, rather that in the condition of the wicked, though in ever so much pomp and outward prosperity.
II. He gives us the reasons of it.
1. Because the hypocrite's hopes will not be crowned (Job 27:8): For what is the hope of the hypocrite? Bildad had condemned it (Job 8:13,14), and Zophar (Job 11:20), and Job here concurs with them, and reads the death of the hypocrite's hope with as much assurance as they had done; and this fitly comes in as a reason why he would not remove his integrity, but still hold it fast. Note, The consideration of the miserable condition of wicked people, and especially hypocrites, should engage us to be upright (for we are undone, for ever undone, if we be not) and also to get the comfortable evidence of our uprightness; for how can we be easy if the great concern lie at uncertainties? Job's friends would persuade him that all his hope was but the hope of the hypocrite, Job 4:6. "Nay," says he, "I would not, for all the world, be so foolish as to build upon such a rotten foundation; for what is the hope of the hypocrite?" See here, (1.) The hypocrite deceived. He has gained, and he has hope; this is his bright side. It is allowed that he has gained by his hypocrisy, has gained the praise and applause of men and the wealth of this world. Jehu gained a kingdom by his hypocrisy and the Pharisees many a widow's house. Upon this gain he builds his hope, such as it is. He hopes he is in good circumstances for another world, because he finds he is so for this, and he blesses himself in his own way. (2.) The hypocrite undeceived. He will at last see himself wretchedly cheated; for, [1.] God shall take away his soul, sorely against his will. Lu 12:20, Thy soul shall be required of thee. God, as the Judge, takes it away to be tried and determined to its everlasting state. He shall then fall into the hands of the living God, to be dealt with immediately. [2.] What will his hope be then? It will be vanity and a lie; it will stand him in no stead. The wealth of this world, which he hoped in, he must leave behind him, Ps 49:17. The happiness of the other world, which he hoped for, he will certainly miss of. He hoped to go to heaven, but he will be shamefully disappointed; he will plead his external profession, privileges, and performances, but all his pleas will be overruled as frivolous: Depart from me, I know you not. So that, upon the whole, it is certain that a formal hypocrite, with all his gains and all his hopes, will be miserable in a dying hour.
2. Because the hypocrite's prayer will not be heard (Job 27:9): Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him? No, he will not; it cannot be expected he should. If true repentance come upon him, God will hear his cry and accept him (Isa 1:18); but, if he continue impenitent and unchanged, let him not think to find favour with God. Observe, (1.) Trouble will come upon him, certainly it will. Troubles in the world often surprise those that are most secure of an uninterrupted prosperity. However, death will come, and trouble with it, when he must leave the world and all his delights in it. The judgment of the great day will come; fearfulness will surprise the hypocrites, Isa 33:14. (2.) Then he will cry to God, will pray, and pray earnestly. Those who in prosperity slighted God, either prayed not at all or were cold and careless in prayer, when trouble comes will make their application to him and cry as men in earnest. But, (3.) Will God hear him then? In the troubles of this life, God has told us that he will not hear the prayers of those who regard iniquity in their hearts (Ps 66:19) and set up their idols there (Eze 14:4), nor of those who turn away their ear from hearing the law, Pr 28:9. Get you to the gods whom you have served, Jdg 10:14. In the judgment to come, it is certain, God will not hear the cry of those who lived and died in their hypocrisy. Their doleful lamentations will all be unpitied. I will laugh at your calamity. Their importunate petitions will all be thrown out and their pleas rejected. Inflexible justice cannot be biassed, nor the irreversible sentence revoked. See Mt 7:22,23, Lu 13:26, and the case of the foolish virgins, Mt 25:11.
3. Because the hypocrite's religion is neither comfortable nor constant (Job 27:10): Will he delight himself in the Almighty? No, not at any time (for his delight is in the profits of the world and the pleasures of the flesh, more than in God), especially not in the time of trouble. Will he always call upon God? No, in prosperity he will not call upon God, but slight him; in adversity he will not call upon God but curse him; he is weary of his religion when he gets nothing by it, or is in danger of losing. Note, (1.) Those are hypocrites who, though they profess religion, neither take pleasure in it nor persevere in it, who reckon their religion a task and a drudgery, a weariness, and snuff at it, who make use of it only to serve a turn, and lay it aside when the turn is served, who will call upon God while it is in fashion, or while the pang of devotion lasts, but leave it off when they fall into other company, or when the hot fit is over. (2.) The reason why hypocrites do not persevere in religion is because they have no pleasure in it. Those that do not delight in the Almighty will not always call upon him. The more comfort we find in our religion the more closely we shall cleave to it. Those who have no delight in God are easily inveigled by the pleasures of sense, and so drawn away from their religion; and they are easily run down by the crosses of this life, and so driven away from their religion, and will not always call upon God.
11-23
Heritage of the Wicked (1520 BC)
恶人的产业（主前1520年）
¹¹ 关于神的手所行的，我必指教你们：关于全能者的事，我不隐瞒。
¹² 看哪，你们自己也都见过；你们为何全然成为虚空呢？
¹³ 恶人在神那里所得的分，强暴人在全能者所领受的产业，就是如此。
¹⁴ 倘若他的儿女增多，还是为刀剑：他的后裔必不得饱食。
¹⁵ 他所遗留的人必死在瘟疫之中而被埋葬；他的寡妇也不哀哭。
¹⁶ 他虽积蓄银子如尘沙，预备衣服如泥土；
¹⁷ 他可以预备，义人却要穿上；无辜的人要分取银子。
¹⁸ 他建造房屋如虫所作，又如守望者所搭的棚。
¹⁹ 富足人必躺卧，却不得收存；他睁开眼睛，自己就不在了。
²⁰ 惊恐如众水把他抓住；暴风在夜间把他偷去。
²¹ 东风把他带走，他就离去；又如风暴把他从本处猛烈刮去。
²² 因为神要向他射箭，并不怜恤；他情愿逃离神的手。
²³ 人要向他拍掌，并要发嘶声赶他离开本处。
约伯的朋友们看见了恶人（尤其是欺压人者）所遭遇的许多愁苦和毁灭；约伯在辩论激烈时也曾如此肯定地说过他们兴旺的事；但如今战火几乎止息，他愿意承认自己在多大程度上与他们同意，并他与他们意见的不同之处何在。1. 他与他们同意：恶人乃是愁苦之人，神必向残忍的欺压人者算账，或早或晚、或此或彼，他的公义必为他们向神所发的一切轻慢、向邻舍所行的一切欺压施行报应。这一真理因连这些怒气争辩者也完全同意而大得印证。但是，2. 他们在「这一点上」不同——他们认为这些应得的审判如今已经明显地降在恶人欺压人者身上：「他们终生疼痛」，「在兴旺之时毁灭者忽然临到」，「他们不得富足」，「他们的枝子也不青翠」，「他们的日期未到之先必被成就」（以利法如此说，伯15:20,21,29,32），「他们力量的步伐必被窄狭」，「四面的惊恐要使他们害怕」（比勒达如此说，伯18:7,11），他自己「要吐出所吞的财物」，「他在饱足丰满之中必有缺乏」（琐法如此说，伯20:15,22）。如今约伯却认为，在许多情形里，审判并不迅速临到他们身上，而是被延迟一时。报应之击打缓慢，他已说明（伯21:1-34；24:1-25）；如今他要说明这击打必定且严酷，缓刑并非赦免。
一、约伯在这里着手把这事置于真光之中（伯27:11,12）：「我必指教你们。」我们不可轻看从病人、穷人学，甚至从暴躁的人学——只要他们所讲的又真又善。请注意，1. 他要指教他们什么：「关于全能者的事」，那就是说，「神关于恶人的谋略和旨意，这些向人是隐藏的，你们不可仓促判断；以及他护理之工待他们的常法。」约伯说，这些事「我不隐瞒」。神所没有向我们隐瞒的，我们不可向我们当尽本分指教的人隐瞒。「所启示的事，是属于我们和我们子孙的」（申29:29）。2. 他要怎样指教他们：「关于神的手所行的」，那就是说，借着他的力量和帮助。凡立志教导别人的人，必须仰望神的手来引导他们，开他们的耳朵（赛50:4），并开他们的口。神用大能的手所教导的人，最能教导别人（赛8:11）。3. 他们有何理由要学他即将教导他们的事（伯27:12），就是这些事已被他们自己的观察所印证——「你们自己也都见过」（但我们所听过、看过、知道过的事，仍需要别人教导，好使我们在所学之课中纯全），并且这些事能纠正他们对他的判断——「你们为何全然成为虚空，因我受苦就把我定为恶人呢？」真理若被正确理解和应用，就能治好我们因错误而生的心中虚妄。他如今特别要摆在他们面前的，是「恶人在神那里所得的分」，特别是「强暴人」所得的分（伯27:13）。比较伯20:29。他们在世上所得的分可能是财富和高升，但他们在神那里所得的分乃是毁灭和愁苦。他们或许不受任何地上权势所管，但全能者能对付他们。
二、他这样行，借着说明恶人可能在某些实例中兴旺，但毁灭却在那同样的事上跟随他们；那就是他们的分，那就是他们的产业，那就是他们必须承担的。
1. 他们在儿女身上可能兴旺，但毁灭伴随他们。「他的儿女」（伯27:14）或许多起来（或被高举，有人如此译），人数众多且被抬举得尊荣和大产业。属世的人被称为「有儿女成满」（诗17:14和合本意），如那里旁注所说，「他们的儿女也成满」。父母盼望在他们里面存活，在他们高升的事上得尊荣。但他们留下的儿女越多，所留给他们的兴旺越大，他们留下给神审判之箭射中的目标和记号也就越多越大——他三样重灾：「刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫」（撒下24:13）。〔1.〕他们中间有些人必死于刀下——也许是战争的刀剑（他们抚养他们靠刀剑度日，如以扫，创27:40，凡如此行的人通常迟早要死于刀下）；或因罪受公义之刀刑；或为产业的缘故被杀人之刀所害。〔2.〕他们中间别的人必死于饥荒（伯27:14）：「他的后裔必不得饱食。」他以为自己为他们留了大产业，但可能他们要沦落贫穷，以致没有生活的必需品，至少不能舒适度日。他们要穷到一个地步，连必需的食物都不得足够；又要贪婪，或满腹牢骚，以致他们所有的也不能满足，因为不像从前那样多，或不如从前那样精美。「你们吃，却不得饱」（该1:6）。〔3.〕「他所遗留的人必死在瘟疫之中而被埋葬」，那就是说，必死于瘟疫——瘟疫称为「死亡」（启6:8），并且一死便私下急忙地被埋葬，毫无仪节，「与驴一样被埋葬」；连他们的「寡妇也不哀哭」；她们无力为他们穿上丧服。或者这是表明这些恶人活着时无人喜爱，死时也无人哀悼，连他们的寡妇也庆幸摆脱了他们。
2. 他们在产业上可能兴旺，但毁灭也伴随其中（伯27:16-18）。〔1.〕我们假设他们在金银器皿、衣物家具上富足。「他们积蓄银子如尘沙，预备衣服如泥土」；他们身边的衣服堆积如泥堆一样多。或者这是暗示他们衣服如此众多，甚至成为他们的重担。「他们为自己堆积厚泥」（哈2:6原文之意）。请看属世之人的心思和本分是什么——堆积世上的财富。多有还要更多，直到银子长了锈，衣服被虫咬了（雅5:2,3）。但结果如何呢？他自己永远不能因此得好处；死要剥去他，死要抢他，若他没有更早被抢被剥的话（路12:20）。不，神要如此安排，以致「义人要穿上他的衣服，无辜的人要分取他的银子」。〔一〕他们要得着它，并彼此分受。护理之工要借着某种方式如此安排，使善人诚实地得着恶人不义所得的财富。「罪人为义人积存资财」（箴13:22）。神随自己的旨意处置人的产业，常使他们的遗嘱违背他们的意愿。他所恨恶所逼迫的义人，必管辖他一切劳碌所得的，并在适当时候带着利息收回他所强暴夺去的。埃及人的珠宝成为以色列人的工价。所罗门观察（传2:26），神使罪人作义人的苦工；因为「神使罪人劳苦收集堆聚，好赐给神所喜悦的人」。〔二〕他们要用它行善。无辜的人不像那积攒的人那样把它囤积起来，倒要分给穷人，「分给七人，也分给八人」，这就是积攒最好的把握。钱财如同肥料，若不散布便一无是处。神使善人富足之时，他们必须记得自己不过是管家，并且要交账。恶人因不善得财使家族受咒诅，善人却因善用钱财使家族得福。「人以不义之财增加财物的，必为那顾惜穷乏人的人积攒」（箴28:8）。〔2.〕我们假设他们为自己建造了坚固宏伟的房屋；但这些房屋却如同蛀虫在旧衣服里为自己所作的窝一样，很快就要被抖出来（伯27:18）。他在其中十分安然，如同蛀虫，毫无危险的预感；但这房屋却要如「守望者所搭的棚」一样短命，很快就要被拆去归无，他的本处也不再认识他。
3. 毁灭伴随他们的本人，尽管他们长久活在健康安逸之中（伯27:19）：「富足人必躺卧」睡眠，在自己财富的丰盛中安息（「灵魂哪，你只管安逸」），在其中躺卧如同他在坚固城里，在别人看来十分快乐、十分安逸；「但他却不得收存」，那就是说，他不能使自己的心思安然、稳定、收聚，来享受自己的财富。他并不像别人所想的那样安然入睡。他「躺卧」，「他的丰盛却不许他睡觉」，至少不如「劳碌的人」睡得那样香甜（传5:12）。他躺卧，却辗转反侧直到天明，然后「睁开眼睛，自己就不在了」；他看见自己和自己一切所有，仿佛眨眼之间急速离去。他的忧虑加增他的恐惧，两者一同使他不安；所以，当我们陪他到床上时，并不发现他在那里是快乐的。但在末了，我们被唤去注意他的结局，看他在死亡时和死后是何等悲惨。
〔1.〕他在死亡中是悲惨的。死亡对他而言是「惊吓之王」（参伯18:14原文之意）。当某种致命的疾病抓住他，他是何等惊恐！「惊恐如众水把他抓住」，仿佛他被涨潮的水所包围。他一想到要离开这个世界就战抖，更想到要迁到另一个世界。这把「忧愁和愤怒」掺杂在他的病中，正如所罗门所观察（传5:17）。这些惊恐使他要么〔一〕陷入沉默阴郁的绝望中；那时神忿怒的暴风、死亡的暴风，可说是「在夜间把他偷去」，无人察觉、无人留意。要么〔二〕陷入公开喧嚷的绝望中；那时他可说是被「刮去」，被风暴从本处「猛烈刮去」，如同东风，猛烈、喧嚷、十分可怕。对敬虔人而言，死亡如同把他送到天国的顺风；但对恶人而言，它如同东风、风暴、暴风，在混乱和惊恐中把他刮去归于毁灭。
〔2.〕他在死后是悲惨的。〔一〕他的灵魂落在神公正的震怒之下；正是那震怒的可畏，使他在死亡的临近前陷入这样的惊惶（伯27:22）：「因为神要向他射箭，并不怜恤。」他活着时曾享受怜悯宽容之恩；但如今神宽容的日子已经过去，他不再怜恤，倒要把他忿怒的满碗倾倒在他身上。神所倾倒下来的，无人能逃避、无人能承当。我们曾读到神「从天上降大冰雹」在迦南人身上（书10:11），在他们中间行了可怕的杀戮；但这与神把他忿怒的全部重量倾倒在罪人良心上相比，又算得什么呢？如同「铅锤」（亚5:7,8）。那被定罪的罪人看见神的忿怒向他发作，情愿逃离神的手；却不能：地狱的门已锁已闩，深渊限定，呼求山岩遮盖也归于徒然。那些如今不肯被劝去投奔那伸出来要接纳他们的神恩之怀的人，不久便不能逃避那伸出来要毁灭他们的神怒之臂。〔二〕他的记念落在全人类公正的厌恶之下（伯27:23）：「人要向他拍掌」，那就是说，人要因他被剪除的神之审判而欢喜，并以他的倾覆为快。「恶人灭亡，人都欢呼」（箴11:10）。神把他埋葬时，人要发嘶声把他赶出本处，并在他的名上留下永远的羞辱记号。他先前被人奉承称扬之处，如今要被人嗤笑（诗52:7），连他的灰烬也要被人践踏。
英文原文
Heritage of the Wicked (1520 BC)
¹¹ I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
¹² Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?
¹³ This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
¹⁴ If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
¹⁵ Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows shall not weep.
¹⁶ Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
¹⁷ He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
¹⁸ He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.
¹⁹ The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.
²⁰ Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
²¹ The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
²² For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.
²³ Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.
Job's friends had seen a great deal of the misery and destruction that attend wicked people, especially oppressors; and Job, while the heat of disputation lasted, had said as much, and with as much assurance, of their prosperity; but now that the heat of the battle was nearly over he was willing to own how far he agreed with them, and where the difference between his opinion and theirs lay. 1. He agreed with them that wicked people are miserable people, that God will surely reckon with cruel oppressors, and one time or other, one way or other, his justice will make reprisals upon them for all the affronts they have put upon God and all the wrongs they have done to their neighbours. This truth is abundantly confirmed by the entire concurrence even of these angry disputants in it. But, 2. In this they differed—they held that these deserved judgments are presently and visibly brought upon wicked oppressors, that they travail with pain all their days, that in prosperity the destroyer comes upon them, that they shall not be rich, nor their branch green, and that their destruction shall be accomplished before their time (so Eliphaz, Job 15:20,21,29,32), that the steps of their strength shall be straitened, that terrors shall make them afraid on every side (so Bildad, Job 18:7,11), that he himself shall vomit up his riches, and that in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits, so Zophar, Job 20:15,22. Now Job held that, in many cases, judgments do not fall upon them quickly, but are deferred for some time. That vengeance strikes slowly he had already shown (Job 21:1-34,24:1-25); now he comes to show that it strikes surely and severely, and that reprieves are no pardons.
I. Job here undertakes to set this matter in a true light (Job 27:11,12): I will teach you. We must not disdain to learn even from those who are sick and poor, yea, and peevish too, if they deliver what is true and good. Observe, 1. What he would teach them: "That which is with the Almighty," that is, "the counsels and purposes of God concerning wicked people, which are hidden with him, and which you cannot hastily judge of; and the usual methods of his providence concerning them." This, says Job, will I not conceal. What God has not concealed from us we must not conceal from those we are concerned to teach. Things revealed belong to us and our children. 2. How he would teach them: By the hand of God, that is, by his strength and assistance. Those who undertake to teach others must look to the hand of God to direct them, to open their ear (Isa 50:4), and to open their lips. Those whom God teaches with a strong hand are best able to teach others, Isa 8:11. 3. What reason they had to learn those things which he was about to teach them (Job 27:12), that it was confirmed by their own observation—You yourselves have seen it (but what we have heard, and seen and known, we have need to be taught, that we may be perfect in our lesson), and that it would set them to rights in their judgment concerning him—"Why then are you thus altogether vain, to condemn me for a wicked man because I am afflicted?" Truth, rightly understood and applied, would cure us of that vanity of mind which arises from our mistakes. That particularly which he offers now to lay before them is the portion of a wicked man with God, particularly of oppressors, Job 27:13. Compare Job 20:29. Their portion in the world may be wealth and preferment, but their portion with God is ruin and misery. They are above the control of any earthly power, it may be, but the Almighty can deal with them.
II. He does it, by showing that wicked people may, in some instances, prosper, but that ruin follows them in those very instances; and that is their portion, that is their heritage, that is it which they must abide by.
1. They may prosper in their children, but ruin attends them. His children perhaps are multiplied (Job 27:14) or magnified (so some); they are very numerous and are raised to honour and great estates. Worldly people are said to be full of children (Ps 17:14), and, as it is in the margin there, their children are full. In them the parents hope to live and in their preferment to be honoured. But the more children they leave, and the greater prosperity they leave them in, the more and the fairer marks do they leave for the arrows of God's judgments to be levelled at, his three sore judgments, sword, famine, and pestilence, 2Sa 24:13. (1.) Some of them shall die by the sword, the sword of war perhaps (they brought them up to live by their sword, as Esau, Ge 27:40, and those that do so commonly die by the sword, first or last), or by the sword of justice for their crimes, or the sword of the murderer for their estates. (2.) Others of them shall die by famine (Job 27:14): His offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. He thought he had secured to them large estates, but it may happen that they may be reduced to poverty, so as not to have the necessary supports of life, at least not to live comfortably. They shall be so needy that they shall not have a competency of necessary food, and so greedy, or so discontented, that what they have they shall not be satisfied with, because not so much, or not so dainty, as what they have been used to. You eat, but you have not enough, Hag 1:6. (3.) Those that remain shall be buried in death, that is, shall die of the plague, which is called death (Re 6:8), and be buried privately and in haste, as soon as they are dead, without any solemnity, buried with the burial of an ass; and even their widows shall not weep; they shall not have wherewithal to put them in mourning. Or it denotes that these wicked men, as they live undesired, so they die unlamented, and even their widows will think themselves happy that they have got rid of them.
2. They may prosper in their estates, but ruin attends them too, Job 27:16-18. (1.) We will suppose them to be rich in money and plate, in clothing and furniture. They heap up silver in abundance as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; they have heaps of clothes about them, as plentiful as heaps of clay. Or it intimates that they have such abundance of clothes that they are even a burden to them. They lade themselves with thick clay, Hab 2:6. See what is the care and business of worldly people—to heap up worldly wealth. Much would have more, until the silver is cankered and the garments are moth-eaten, Jam 5:2,3. But what comes of it? He shall never be the better for it himself; death will strip him, death will rob him, if he be not robbed and stripped sooner, Lu 12:20. Nay, God will so order it that the just shall wear his raiment and the innocent shall divide his silver. [1.] They shall have it, and divide it among themselves. In some way or other Providence shall so order it that good men shall come honestly by that wealth which the wicked man came dishonestly by. The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just, Pr 13:22. God disposes of men's estates as he pleases, and often makes their wills against their wills. The just, whom he hated and persecuted, shall have rule over all his labour, and, in due time, recover with interest what was violently taken from him. The Egyptians' jewels were the Israelites' pay. Solomon observes (Ec 2:26) that God makes the sinners drudges to the righteous; for the sinner he gives travail to gather and heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. [2.] They shall do good with it. The innocent shall not hoard the silver, as he did that gathered it, but shall divide it to the poor, shall give a portion to seven and also to eight, which is laying up the best securities. Money is like manure, good for nothing if it be not spread. When God enriches good men they must remember they are but stewards and must give an account. What bad men bring a curse upon their families with the ill-getting of good men bring a blessing upon their families with the well-using of. He that by unjust gain increaseth his substance shall gather it for him that will pity the poor, Pr 28:8. (2.) We will suppose them to have built themselves strong and stately houses; but they are like the house which the moth makes for herself in an old garment, out of which she will soon be shaken, Job 27:18. He is very secure in it, as a moth, and has no apprehension of danger; but it will prove of as short continuance as a booth which the keeper makes, which will quickly be taken down and gone, and his place shall know him no more.
3. Destruction attends their persons, though they lived long in health and at ease (Job 27:19): The rich man shall lie down to sleep, to repose himself in the abundance of his wealth (Soul, take thy ease), shall lie down in it as his strong city, and seem to others to be very happy and very easy; but he shall not be gathered, that is, he shall not have his mind composed, and settled, and gathered in, to enjoy his wealth. He does not sleep so contentedly as people think he does. He lies down, but his abundance will not suffer him to sleep, at least not so sweetly as the labouring man, Ec 5:12. He lies down, but he is full of tossings to and fro till the dawning of the day, and then he opens his eyes and he is not; he sees himself, and all he has, hastening away, as it were, in the twinkling of an eye. His cares increase his fears, and both together make him uneasy, so that, when we attend him to his bed, we do not find him happy there. But, in the close, we are called to attend his exit, and see how miserable he is in death and after death.
(1.) He is miserable in death. It is to him the king of terrors, Job 27:20,21. When some mortal disease seizes him what a fright is he in! Terrors take hold of him as waters, as if he were surrounded by the flowing tides. He trembles to think of leaving this world, and much more of removing to another. This mingles sorrow and wrath with his sickness, as Solomon observes, Ec 5:17. These terrors put him either [1.] Into a silent and sullen despair; and then the tempest of God's wrath, the tempest of death, may be said to steal him away in the night, when no one is aware or takes any notice of it. Or, [2.] Into an open and clamorous despair; and then he is said to be carried away, and hurled out of his place as with a storm, and with an east wind, violent, and noisy, and very dreadful. Death, to a godly man, is like a fair gale of wind to convey him to the heavenly country, but, to a wicked man, it is like an east wind, a storm, a tempest, that hurries him away in confusion and amazement, to destruction.
(2.) He is miserable after death. [1.] His soul falls under the just indignation of God, and it is the terror of that indignation which puts him into such amazement at the approach of death (Job 27:22): For God shall cast upon him and not spare. While he lived he had the benefit of sparing mercy; but now the day of God's patience is over, and he will not spare, but pour out upon him the full vials of his wrath. What God casts down upon a man there is no flying from nor bearing up under. We read of his casting down great stones from heaven upon the Canaanites (Jos 10:11), which made terrible execution among them; but what was that to his casting down his anger in its full weight upon the sinner's conscience, like the talent of lead? Zec 5:7,8. The damned sinner, seeing the wrath of God break in upon him, would fain flee out of his hand; but he cannot: the gates of hell are locked and barred, and the great gulf fixed, and it will be in vain to call for the shelter of rocks and mountains. Those who will not be persuaded now to fly to the arms of divine grace, which are stretched out to receive them, will not be able to flee from the arms of divine wrath, which will shortly be stretched out to destroy them. [2.] His memory falls under the just indignation of all mankind (Job 27:23): Men shall clap their hands at him, that is, they shall rejoice in the judgments of God, by which he is cut off, and be well pleased in his fall. When the wicked perish there is shouting, Pr 11:10. When God buries him men shall hiss him out of his place, and leave on his name perpetual marks of infamy. In the same place where he has been caressed and cried up he shall be laughed at (Ps 52:7) and his ashes shall be trampled on.
约伯有时曾抱怨朋友们在辩论中过于急切，几乎不容他插一言："容我说话"；又说："惟愿你们全然闭口！"但如今，他们似乎气力用尽，留下余地任他畅所欲言。或是他们自己已信服约伯是对的，或是他们已放弃说服他是错的的希望；因此他们抛下兵器、放弃争端。约伯胜过他们，迫使他们退出战场；因为真理至大，终必得胜。约伯先前所说（约伯记 26:1-14）已足可回答比勒达的言论；如今约伯稍作停顿，看琐法是否再轮到他发言；但琐法既已谢绝，约伯便继续说下去，既无人搅扰，也无人激怒他，便就此事把他要说的话尽情说出。I. 他以郑重的声明开始，宣告自己的正直，以及紧持正直的决心，约伯记 27:2-6。II. 他表达自己对他们所指控的假冒为善心存畏惧，约伯记 27:7-10。III. 他指出恶人的结局尽管长久兴旺却终归悲惨，并指出临到他们身上、延及他们家族的咒诅，约伯记 27:11-23。