Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
1. WHen Eliphaz had ended,1. Then Iob answered, and said: Job thus beginneth:
2. All this long time of2. Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groning. suffering I have found no ease, but from the beginning to this very day is cause of complaint still multiplied and encreased upon mee by injuries from men, and calamities from God; so that the sorrow and misery which I indure, doe farre exceed my lamentation, and are heavier than my groanings can expresse.
3. O that I knew where I might3. O that I knew where I might find him! and that I might come even to his seat! meet with God, and how to come to speake with him, that I might be no longer kept at distance from him, but might obtain accesse unto him, though it were even to his seate in heaven!
4. That so I might (as I long to do)4. I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. even plead my cause, and maintaine mine innocency before him, for all his afflicting me.
5. I would affirme as much to God5. I would know the words which hee would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. himselfe as I doe to you, and would not feare what hee could, or would say against it.
6. Assuring my selfe before-hand,6. Will he plead against me with his great power? No, but hee would put strength in me. that he will not contest against mee in any transcendent maner, nor stand upon his rigour and power with me, but that hee will gratiously enable mee to speake the truth unto him touching my sincerity, and to maintaine it before him.
7. I know, however he pleaseth to7. There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my Judge. deal with the righteous here, yet there they may speake for themselves, and be heard without repulse; a happy man therefore should I think my selfe, had I this liberty granted me; for so I should be freed both from the slanders and condemnations of my unjust censurers, and also from the judgement of the Lords transcendent righteousnesse, and execution of soveraign authority, which it is his will that here I must undergoe, and should in mercy receive there the reward of mine innocency.
8. But alas, hee will not allow mee8. Behold, I goe forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him. this happinesse to finde him out, that I may have speech with him; for he will not in any way, nor by any meanes I can use manifest himselfe so to mee, as to give mee the hearing, I cannot obtaine it, though I seeke it every way I can devise; for I put my selfe before him with a confident boldnesse of purpose to try if that way I can provoke him to it, but he keepes off from me; also I humble my selfe at my distance, to see if that way I can draw him to it, but all is one, I am never the neerer, he is every whit as farre off.
9. I prayed him for the afflictions9. On the left hand where hee doth worke, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himselfe on the right hand, that I cannot see him. sake which he layeth upon mee, but I cannot speed, for hee quite contrary is the further off, by how much I desire to draw neere to him.
10. But for all he keepes at this distance,10. But hee knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. and seemes so strange to mee, and will not grant me this favourto admit me to plead my cause before him; yet I am sure for all this he knowes me and my waies to be such as I have said, and when hee has held mee a while in the fire of affliction, my uprightnesse shall be made manifest, and shall shine as gold in the eyes of those, that now through prejudice can see nothing but drosse in me.
11. For I know, and dare maintaine11. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. it, that I have beene no such man as you suspect me for, but that I have constantly walked in the waies of the Lord without deviation or turning aside from them for any respect whatsoever.
12. Neither have I ever turned my12. Neither have I gone back from the commandement of his lips, I have esteemed the words of his mouth, more than my necessary food. backe, or refused to yeeld obedience to any command of God, but contrarily, I have esteemed them better, and minded them more than my very meat and drinke.
13. But that is all one; for what the13. But hee is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soule desireth, even that hee doth. Lord in his infinite wisdome and good pleasure hath determined with himselfe to doe, he will not alter what ever any man allegeth to the contrary, and what ever pleaseth him, however it may displease us, yet that he doth.
14. And this is my very case now,14. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for mee: and many such things are with him. for hee doth in this my affliction, but onelyonly shew his just prerogative upon me, to try me, not to punish mee, and many such extraordinary things hee pleaseth to decree and execute in his great power and unsearchable wisedome, whereof wee can know, nor give no reason.
15. Therefore though I am troubled,15. Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. yet it is this his greatnesse which I am to grapple withall, and doe now susteine, and not my conscientiousnesse that troubles mee, when I consider his immensity, that is the thing that makes me afraid of him.
16. For in this respect, God melteth16. For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me: and weakeneth my heart and spirit with feare and astonishment, as the wax before the fire; and I confesse the thoughts of his Almightinesse is no little trouble to me.
17. For because I see he useth it altogether17. Because I was not cut off before the darkenesse neither hath he covered the darknesse from my face. against me, and not for mee, for by an Almighty power it is that he hath brought mee into this extremity, and therewith still continues me under it, and hath not rather prevented these intolerable evills by it through death.