The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
ARGUMENT.
From the foregoing Obſervations, Job ſtill continues to aſſert, firſt, his own Ʋnderſtanding to be equal, or rather ſuperiour, to theirs; who had better therefore learn of him, and know that God▪ was not pleaſed to have his Providence defended by Ʋntruths, nor to ſee men partial, though it was in His behalf: and ſecondly, his own Integrity to be ſuch, that he would ever defend it againſt all Accuſers, even before God himſelf. Whom he deſires to take cognizance of the Cauſe, and to let him underſtand what the Crimes were for which he was thus ſeverely handled. For he proteſts that he was ignorant of them; though the Puniſhments he had endured were more then ſufficient to awaken the ſenſe of his Guilt, he being almoſt conſumed by them.
1. LO, mine eye hath ſeen all this, mine ear hath heard and underſtood it.1. I Have ſaid nothing, I would have you know, but what I my ſelf have obſerved; or received from credible reports, which I have found to be certainly true.
2. What ye know, the ſame do I know alſo: I am not inferiour unto you.2. Whereby you may ſee I had reaſon to ſay, that I know as much as you, and am not to learn of you.
3. Surely I would ſpeak to the Almighty, and I deſire to reaſon with God.3. Would to God I might ſpeak with Him, and lay my Reaſons open before Him; and be troubled with your Diſcourſes no longer.
4. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all phyſicians of no value.4. For your Concluſions are falſe; and, like unskilfull Phyſicians, you exaſperate the Diſeaſes, which you cannot cure.
5. Oh that you would altogether hold your peace, and it ſhould be your wiſedom.5. The beſt proof of your Wiſedom would be, to ſay never a word more of theſe matters.
6. Hear now my reaſoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.6. But liſten a little to me, I beſeech you, and hear by what Reaſons I will defend my ſelf.
7. Will you ſpeak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?7. Doth God ſtand in need of Untruths to juſtify his proceedings? cannot He be righteous unleſs I be wicked?
8. Will you accept his perſon? will ye contend for God?8. Hath He ſo little Right on his ſide, that you muſt ſhew Him favour? or do you think to oblige his Majeſty by doing me wrong?
9. Is it good that he ſhould ſearch you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye ſo mock him?9. Will it be to your advantage, think you, that God ſhould ſtrictly examine all you have ſaid? or can He be deceived with your Flatteries, as frail men may be?
10. He will ſurely reprove you, if ye do ſecretly accept perſons.10. No; He will ſeverely chaſtiſe you, for deſigning to gratify Him by condemning me.
11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?11. The incomparable Excellence of God, one would think, ſhould have frighted away ſuch a thought; and his dreadfull Majeſty made you not preſume to imagine He wanted your patronage.
12. Your remembrances are like unto aſhes, your bodies to bodies of clay.12. Whoſe Remonſtrances, on his behalf, are no better then duſt; and the Arguments you accumulate, but like ſo many heaps of dirt.
13. Hold your peace, let me alone that I may ſpeak, and let come on me what will.13. Keep ſilence therefore, and do not diſturb me in my Speech; for I will omit nothing.
14. Wherefore do I take my fleſh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?14. And I am ſo conſcious to my ſelf of my Innocence, that I muſt ſtill wonder why I ſuffer ſuch inraging Miſeries, and am expoſed to ſo many Dangers.
15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.15. Aſſure your ſelves I will never forgo this Plea; but ſtill maintain mine Innocence, though I were at the laſt gaſp, and had no hope of Life.
16. He alſo ſhall be my ſalvation: for an hypocrite ſhall not come before him.16. And I am confident God himſelf would vindicate it; for I am no Hypocrite, nor ſhall falſe Accuſations be admitted at his Tribunal.
17. Hear diligently my ſpeech, and my declaration with your ears.17. Do not interrupt me, but give due attention to what I am about to ſay.
18. Behold now, I have ordered my cauſe; I know that I ſhall be juſtified.18. See, I beſeech you, I refuſe not to be tried, but have framed a Proceſs againſt my ſelf; and am ſo ſure of the goodneſs of my Cauſe, that I know I ſhall be acquitted.
19. Who is he that will plead with me? for now if I hold my tongue, I ſhall give up the ghoſt.19. Let who will come and accuſe me, I am ready to anſwer: for to hold my peace, on ſo juſt an occaſion, is death to me.
20. OnelyOnly do not two things unto me: then will I not hide my ſelf from thee.20. Let me onelyonly beg, O Great Judge of all, that Thou wilt forbear to make uſe of two things againſt me; and then I will appear confidently, to plead my Cauſe before Thee.
21. Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.21. Do not continue my Pain: and let not the ſight of thy Majeſty put me in diſorder.
22. Then call thou, and I will anſwer: or let me ſpeak, and anſwer thou me.22. Then ſummon me to thy Bar, and charge me; and I will defend my ſelf: or let me queſtion Thee; and do Thou clear thy proceedings againſt me.
23. How many are mine iniquities and ſins? make me to know my tranſgreſſion and my ſin.23. Tell me what, and how many, are mine Iniquities and Sins; for I am ignorant of them: I deſire to know them all, great and ſmall, againſt Thee, or againſt my Neighbour.
24. Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, & holdeſt me for thine enemy?24. For what cauſe am I thus afflicted, and uſed as if I was thine Enemy?
25. Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou purſue the dry ſtubble?25. What honour wilt Thou get by imploying thy Power againſt One, who is no more able to ſtand before Thee, then the Leaf to reſiſt the wind which ſports with it, or the dry Stubble the fire which inſtantly conſumes it?
26. For thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, and makeſt me to poſſeſs the iniquities of my youth.26. For Thou haſt paſſed ſevere Decrees againſt me; and puniſhed me for the Crimes which were committed before I well knew what I did.
27. Thou putteſt my feet alſo in the ſtocks, and lookeſt narrowly unto all my paths; thou ſetteſt a print upon the heels of my feet.27. And Thou doſt execute them as ſeverely; for I can no more eſcape then a Malefactour whoſe feet are in the ſtocks; who is incompaſſed with a vigilant guard, and cannot ſtir a foot from the place where he is:
28. And he as a rotten thing conſumeth, as a garment that is moth-eaten.28. But there he rots and waſts away, as I do, like a Garment that is eaten by the moths.