The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
ARGUMENT.
Here begin the Diſcourſes which Job and his Friends had about his Affliction; which are all repreſented, by the Authour of this Book, poetically; not, as hitherto, in a plain ſimple narration, but in moſt elegant verſe. And being overcharged with Grief, (without the leaſt word of comfort from his Friends,) he that had for ſome time born the weight of his Afflictions with an admirable Conſtancy, could not contain himſelf any longer, but burſts out (to ſuch a degree was the anguiſh of his ſpirit increaſed) into the moſt paſſionate Complaints of the Miſeries of humane Life. The conſideration of which made him prefer Death much before it; and wiſh that, either he had never come into the world, or gone preſently out of it again, or, at leaſt, might now forthwith be diſmiſſed.
1. AFter this opened Job his mouth, and curſed his day.1. AND at the end of ſeven days Job himſelf began by Complaints to give ſome vent to his Grief; which had ſtupefied him thus long: But he burſt out into ſuch bitter Lamentations, that he wiſht a thouſand times he had never been born.
2. And Job ſpake, and ſaid,2. That which he ſaid was to this effect.
3. Let the day periſh wherein I was born, and the night in which it was ſaid, There is a man-child conceived.3. Let the Day and the Night of my Birth be never more mentioned; but be quite forgotten, as if it had never been.
4. Let that day be darkneſs, let not God regard it from above, neither let the light ſhine upon it.4. Let that Day be turned into Night, and not be counted among the days: let the Sun then withdraw its light, and never ſhine upon it.
5. Let darkneſs and the ſhadow of death ſtain it, let a cloud dwell upon it, let the blackneſs of the day terrifie it.5. Let the moſt diſmall darkneſs and the thickeſt clouds wholly poſſeſs it, and render it terrible to men.
6. As for that night, let darkneſs ſeiſe upon it, let it not be joyned unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.6. And let the Night be of the ſame ſort: and both of them quite blotted out of the Calendar.
7. Lo, let that night be ſolitary, let no joyfull voice come therein.7. Let no body meet together on that Night, to feaſt or make merry.
8. Let them curſe it that curſe the day, who are ready to raiſe up their mourning.8. Let it be as odious as the day wherein men bewail the greateſt misfortune; or the time wherein they ſee the moſt dreadfull apparition.
9. Let the ſtars of the twilight thereof be dark, let it look for light, but have none, neither let it ſee the dawning of the day:9. Let there not ſo much as a Star appear in that Night; nor ſo much light as we ſee at peep of day:
10. Becauſe it ſhut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid ſorrow from mine eyes.10. Becauſe it did not bury me in my mother's womb, and thereby ſecure me from all theſe Miſeries.
11. Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghoſt when I came out of the belly?11. What a misfortune was it, that I did not die before I was born; or at leaſt as ſoon as I came into the world?
12. Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breaſts that I ſhould ſuck?12. That they who received me from the womb did not let me fall on the ground; or my Nurſe refuſe to give me ſuck?
13. For now ſhould I have lien ſtill, and been quiet, I ſhould have ſlept; then had I been at reſt:13. Then ſhould I have felt none of theſe Miſeries which I now endure; but lain quiet and undiſturbed:
14. With kings and counſellers of the earth, which built deſolate places for themſelves;14. Equall to Kings and the greateſt perſons, who lie alone in the Tombs which they built themſelves:
15. Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houſes with ſilver:15. (Having gold and ſilver in abundance, whereof now they are bereaved:)
16. Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never ſaw light.16. Or like an Abortive, which was never numbred among men.
17. There the wicked ceaſe from troubling: and there the weary be at reſt.17. There are none can hurt us in the grave, though they be never ſo malicious; nor ſhall we toil any more, when we come thither.
18. There the priſoners reſt together, they hear not the voice of the oppreſſour.18. The Captives, and they who are condemned to hard ſervitude, take no pains there; and do not dread the voice of the Exactour of their labours.
19. The ſmall and great are there, and the ſervant is free from his maſter.19. There none are greater then other; but the Servant in that place is as free as his Maſter.
20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery, and life unto the bitter in ſoul?20. Is it not ſtrange that a man ſhould be forced to live, when he hath no mind to it?
21. Which long for death, but it cometh not, and dig for it more then for hid treaſures?21. But wiſhes for death, though in vain; and ſeeks it more eagerly then the greateſt riches?
22. Which rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave?22. Leaping for joy when he can meet with his grave, as far more welcome to him then a mine of Silver;
23. Why is light given to a man whoſe way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?23. Not knowing which way to turn himſelf, but onelyonly thither?
24. For my ſighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.24. This is my condition, whoſe meat merely ſuſtains a miſerable life; which is all Sighs and Sobs, as loud as the roarings of the Lion.
25. For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.25. For the very thing which I dreaded is faln upon me, notwithſtanding all my care to prevent it.
26. I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, neither was I quiet: yet trouble came.26. I did not confide in my Riches, nor in the leaſt lull my ſelf in ſecurity; (Chap. l. 5.) and yet that did not preſerve me from being miſerable.