Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
1. THen Zophar the Naamathite,1. Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, another of Jobs friends, having been attentive to all that hee had said, in reply to his two former companions, rejoines upon him with another like vexing discourse, thus:
2. Should we suffer him thus to proceed,2. Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talke be justified? and not answer him, but let him thinke to carry the cause of his owne justification by his much speaking, and in the meane time, wee through silence become guilty of his sinne by a tacit consent?
3. Should we swallow such an unsufferable3. Should thy lies make men hold their peaces? and when thou mockest, should no man make thee ashamed? untruth and not reply, and wouldst thou thus carry it against God and man, and not be made to see thine errour?
4. In maintaining such a blasphemous4. For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am cleane in thine eyes. opinion for true doctrine; That God destroyeth the righteous, and that thou whom God hath so branded for a wicked person, yet dares to affirme thy selfe not to be wicked?
5. But I could wish that God would5. But oh that God would speake and open his lips against thee! vouchsafe to answer thee in stead of us by his way of conviction, that so thou mightest be made to believe by sense, what now thou wilt not by reason.6. And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdome, that they are double to that which is! know therfore, that God exacteth of thee lesse than thine iniquity deserveth.
6. And that hee would but make thee to know what he in his wisdome knowes by thee, then shouldest thou soone be confuted and put to shame, and the vaine imaginations of thine own righteousnes would quite vanish, because then thy conscience would shew thee how that thy sins are infinit more then thou imaginest, so that though now thou complainest of hard dealing, thou wouldest then see that God in justice might deservedly for thy sinnes inflict double upon thee to that thou now sufferest.7. Canst thou by searching finde out God? canst thou finde out the All-mighty unto perfection?
7. Thou hast beene foole-hardy to speake thy minde over-freely concerning Gods dealing with thee, and by presumptuous reasonings thou hast thought to plum his depth, and either thou wilt see such cause as thou in thy weake capacity shalt thinke reasonable for his thus afflicting thee, or else thou wilt dare to quarrell him; but now vaine man, what art thou the better? hast thou so little reason as to thinke that thou art able to see so into thy selfe as God, and so equall him in wisdome, and fathome his perfection?
8. 9. Wilt thou offer to give bounds8. It is as high as heaven, what canst thou doe? deeper than hell, what canst thou know? to, and comprehend within thy weake reason the unsearchable wisedome of Gods incomprehensible Judgement9. The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. and Justice which is of as large and larger extent than heaven and hell, sea and land?
10. If he change his course or way10. If hee cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? of proceedings toward men, either to deliver them into the hands of enemies, or if hee will protect and save them, who can controll or hinder him; for hee doth invincibly whatsoever he will.
11. For hee hath both reason and11. For he knoweth vaine men; he seeth wickednesse also; will hee not then consider it? justice on his side for what he doth to man, who although by searching hee cannot attaine to know the perfection of the wisdome and righteousnesse of God; yet does God easily know him what ever he thinks of himselfe; how that his best perfection is but vanity: neither (if wee were able to judge aright) have we reason to think that he punisheth or afflicteth causlessely; for though our selfe-flattery mis-take, yet hee sees wickednesse to deserve it. And thinke wee then that hee should doe well to let us goe on in our errour, and should not rather take notice of it to punish us for it, and to rectifie our judgement in it?
12. For man would have some understanding,12. For vain man would be wise, though man be borne like a wilde Asses colt. pragmatically to discerne and expostulate the waies of God by his weake and shallow reason, though hee be as farre short of conceiving and comprehending them, as the brutishest creature living is to conceive and apprehend rationall matters.
13. 14. Therefore be perswaded to13. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands towards him; lay downe the wasters, to give over reasoning the matter, and to beginne now at last to change thy course, and14. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it farre away, and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles. in sincerity and humility of heart to submit thy selfe, confessing thy sinnes, and putting them away by repentance.
15. For then maist thou with good15. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not feare. hope and confidence draw neere to God without any check of conscience, and be established in safe condition, and shalt neede to feare neither the continuance nor the returne of these thy troubles upon thee.
16. For in so doing thou shalt be16. Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that passe away. restored, and made to remember thy griefes as past, and no longer to feele them as present.
17. And so shall the rest of thy life17. And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. which thou givest for lost, be the very prime part of thy time for glory, and thou shalt shine againe in reputation and honour, and shalt appeare in the eyes of all men as the Sunne rising after the departure of a cloudy and dark night.
18. And though heretofore for all18. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope, yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. thy potencie thou hast beene despoiled of all, yet (hereby) for hereafter thou shalt enjoy both thee and thine in security; for because then thou shalt have God for thy God to rest thy hope upon, who shall so encompasse thee with his safe protection, as if thou dost but digge a place to pitch thy tent in, thou shalt enjoy thy selfe safelier therin (than otherwaies thou wouldest doe in a walled Citty.)
19. Nor shalt thou need to secure19. Also thou shalt lie downe, and none shall make thee afraid, yea, many shall make sute unto thee. thy selfe by watch and ward, because then thou shalt have no cause to feare, for thy very enemies shall make suit for thy favour and protection.
20. But if thou perseverest in thy20. But the eyes of the wicked shal faile, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. wicked way, long maist thou looke for better before thou finde it; for God will never ease thee, till he have humbled thee: And therefore, if thou thus continuest, thy hope shall be utterly forlorne, and at an end for any good ever to befall thee.