The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
ARGUMENT.
The good man proceeds to plead with God for ſome mitigation of his Miſeries, from the conſideration of the Shortneſs of life, and the Trouble that naturally belongs to it; which he thought might move Him not to adde any greater burthen of Suffering: eſpecially, conſidering that when he is dead, he cannot come into the world again, (as the Plants do,) to receive the marks of his Favour. Which he hopes therefore He will beſtow upon him here, notwithſtanding the depth of his Miſery, (which tempted him to the borders of Impatience, v. 13.) It being very eaſy for Him to remove his Affliction, though never ſo heavy, whoſe Power is ſo great, that He removed Mountains out of their place, and brought a Deluge, as we may ſay, of Sand (as they ſaw ſometimes in their neighbouring Countries) to overflow the moſt fruitfull Regions.
1. MAN that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.1. MAN is born to die; and as he cannot live long, ſo his ſhort Life is ſubject to many Cares.
2. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth alſo as a ſhadow, and continueth not.2. He may be compared to a Flower, which is beautifull indeed, but ſuddenly cropt; or to the Shadow on a diall, which never ſtands ſtill, but is haſting away apace.
3. And doſt thou open thine eyes upon ſuch an one, and bringeſt me into judgment with thee?3. And doſt Thou concern thy ſelf ſo far about ſuch a Wretch, as to ſummon him before thy Tribunal; and there paſs dreadfull Sentences againſt him, as Thou doſt againſt me?
4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.4. The common Frailty of Humanity might make Thee overlook him: for nothing, Thou knoweſt, can be better then the Originall from whence it comes.
5. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his moneths are with thee; thou haſt appointed his bounds that he cannot paſs.5. Or if he were more conſiderable then he is, yet ſince he can live but to ſuch a time as Thou haſt prefixt, beyond which he cannot prolong his days one moment;
6. Turn from him, that he may reſt, till he ſhall accompliſh, as an hireling, his day.6. That, I ſhould think, might move Thee not to torment him in this manner; but to let him alone till that appointed time come, which will be as welcome to him as the end of his labour is to the Hireling.
7. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will ſprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not ceaſe.7. And after that, there is more hope of a Tree then of him; for if it be cut down to the very ground, the body of it will grow again, and thruſt out new branches.
8. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the ſtock thereof die in the ground:8. Nay, though it hath been ſo long cut down that the roots of it are grown old, and the trunk ſeems quite dead;
9. Yet through the ſent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.9. Yet when it is well moiſtned it will ſhoot up again, and bring forth boughs, as if it were but newly planted.
10. But man dieth, and waſteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghoſt, and where is he?10. But when Man dies, he crumbles into duſt; and none can ſet it together, to make him live again.
11. As the waters fail from the ſea, and the floud decayeth and drieth up:11. As Lakes and great Rivers are dried up, when their waters find a new chanell:
12. So man lieth down, and riſeth not till the heavens be no more: they ſhall not awake, nor be raiſed out of their ſleep.12. So Man laid down in his grave ſhall come no more hither; but in that bed of duſt ſhall ſleep perpetually.
13. Oh that thou wouldeſt hide me in the grave, that thou wouldeſt keep me ſecret, untill thy wrath be paſt; that thou wouldeſt appoint me a ſet time, and remember me!13. I wiſh I were buried alive, rather then ſuffer ſuch things; or that I could take ſanctuary ſomewhere till this Storm be over; or at leaſt Thou wouldſt ſet me a certain time when Thou wilt deliver me.
14. If a man die, ſhall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.14. Then (though there be no hope of living here again, after I am dead) Thou ſhalt ſee I will patiently wait all the days of that appointed time, till that happy Change come.
15. Thou ſhalt call, and I will anſwer thee: thou wilt have a deſire to the work of thine hands.15. Do Thou ſpeak the word, and it ſhall be done: ſhew Thou haſt ſome love to thy own workmanſhip.
16. For now thou numbreſt my ſteps, doſt thou not watch over my ſin?16. Though now Thou ſeemeſt to number every ſtep I have trod in all my life, and doſt not ſpare to puniſh every Fault;
17. My tranſgreſſion is ſealed up in a bag, and thou ſoweſt up mine iniquity.17. Having taken as great care the memory of them ſhould not be loſt, as if they had been ſealed up in a bag; and added one Puniſhment to another:
18. And ſurely the mountain falling cometh to nought: and the rock is removed out of his place.18. Yet notwithſtanding the higheſt Mountains may fall like a leaf, and the Rock be removed from its place;
19. The waters wear the ſtones: thou waſheſt away the things which grow out of the duſt of the earth, and thou deſtroyeſt the hope of man.19. The Waters, though ſoft, wear away the hard Stones, and the very Duſt or Sand ſometimes overflows the fruitfull Fields: Why therefore (ſince ſuch ſtrange and unexpected things come to paſs) may there not be ſome hope for miſerable Man?
20. Thou prevaileſt for ever againſt him, and he paſſeth: thou changeſt his countenance, and ſendeſt him away.20. Who is not able to ſtand before Thee; but muſt yield and be gone for ever when Thou requireſt: Thou ſpoileſt his beauty, and ſendeſt him away into another World.
21. His ſons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.21. And then whether his Children, whom he leaves behind, be rich, or whether they be poor, it is indifferent to him: for he knows not what paſſes here.
22. But his fleſh upon him ſhall have pain, and his ſoul within him ſhall mourn.22. But while he is in fleſh he cannot but be in pain for them; and his Soul is inwardly grieved to ſee their miſery.