The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII.
ARGUMENT.
As Bildad began to decline the Diſpute, ſo Zophar quite gives it over: either looking upon Job as incurably obſtinate, or (as we might more charitably conceive, were it not for what we reade XXXII. 1.) being convinced he had more reaſon on his ſide. Whoſe ſilence ſo raiſed the ſpirit of Job, that he now triumphs over his Opponents: as the word MASCHAL, which we render PARABLE, may denote. For it ſignifies among the Hebrews, an elegant ingenious kind of ſpeech; excelling, and, as it were, dominearing over, all other, in its pithineſs, or neatneſs, or ſome other rare quality. Such is the following Diſcourſe of Job, which begins (in this Chapter) with a vehement Proteſtation, that he would never deſert his Plea; nor yield to their Doctrine, that a remarkable Vengeance always attends upon Wickedneſs in this world: though he grants, and largely here aſſerts, that ſometimes there doth.
1. MOreover Job continued his parable, and ſaid,1. AFTER Job had made ſome pauſe, and Zophar (whoſe turn it was now to ſpeak) had nothing at all to reply, He proceeded with greater eloquence then ever to aſſert his Innocence; ſaying,
2. As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who hath vexed my ſoul;2. I proteſt by the Eternal God, who, for the preſent, will not judge my Cauſe; by the Omnipotent Lord of the world, who hath loaded me with ſo many Afflictions, that they have taken away all the pleaſure of Life from me:
3. All the while my breath is in me, and the ſpirit of God is in my noſtrils,3. I proteſt, I ſay, that as long as I have breath in my body, and He ſhall enable me to ſpeak a word,
4. My lips ſhall not ſpeak wickedneſs, nor my tongue utter deceit.4. My tongue ſhall be the faithfull interpreter of mine heart, and I will never ſpeak otherways then I think.
5. God forbid that I ſhould juſtifie you: till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me.5. Therefore never hope I will yield to your Opinion, which I know to be falſe: no, I abhor the thought of it, and will ſooner die then confeſs the Guilt which you charge me withall.
6. My righteouſneſs I hold faſt, and will not let it go: my heart ſhall not reproach me ſo long as I live.6. You ſhall never extort that from me, but I will reſolutely maintain my Righteouſneſs, and not be perſuaded by any reaſons to deſert its defence: my Conſcience doth not hitherto accuſe me, and it ſhall never upbraid me hereafter, for betraying mine Innocence.
7. Let mine enemy be as the wicked; and he that riſeth up againſt me, as the unrighteous.7. And let me tell you, he that ſets himſelf againſt me, and would have me thought wicked, ſhall be found ſo himſelf in the end: I ſay again, he ſhall prove himſelf unrighteous ſooner then me;
8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his ſoul?8. Who know very well, it is madneſs for a man to counterfeit Piety, when he hath none: for though he may get Riches by that pretence while he lives, yet what hope hath he when he dies?
9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?9. Nay before that, when any Calamity comes upon him, will God give any regard to the cries of one who regarded Him ſo little?
10. Will he delight himſelf in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?10. Or will he himſelf have the confidence to go to God, and expect any comfort from Him? will he not rather deſpond in ſuch a caſe, and ceaſe to call upon Him?
11. I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.11. Do not diſdain to learn of me, and I will make you underſtand what God doeth with the Wicked; and diſcover to you ſome of the ſecrets of his Almighty Providence.
12. Behold, all ye your ſelves have ſeen it, why then are ye thus altogether vain?12. Behold, there is not one of you but hath by his own experience found what I am about to ſay to be certainly true; and yet, ſuch is your vanity, you will defend an ungrounded opinion.
13. This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppreſſours, which they ſhall receive of the Almighty.13. I grant that a Wicked man (but not all Wicked men, as you maintain) doth ſometimes receive ſuch Puniſhment from God as he deſerves: which might make other tyrannical Oppreſſours fear to meet with the ſame Vengeance.
14. If his children be multiplied, it is for the ſword: and his offſpring ſhall not be ſatisfied with bread.14. We have ſeen, for inſtance, his numerous poſterity fall by the ſword of Juſtice or War; or by the fury of a popular Tumult: and they who eſcaped were reſerved to periſh with cruel Hunger;
15. Thoſe that remain of him ſhall be buried in death: and his widows ſhall not weep.15. Or elſe with ſuch peſtilential Diſeaſes, that none would adventure to bury them, nor did their widows ſurvive to lament them.
16. Though he heap up ſilver as the duſt, and prepare raiment as the clay;16. So that if he have treaſured up ſuch heaps of Riches, that he values ſilver no more then duſt, nor coſtly apparel and furniture then the mire of the ſtreet;
17. He may prepare it, but the juſt ſhall put it on, and the innocent ſhall divide the ſilver.17. He ſhall have onelyonly the trouble of gathering them together, but none of his ſhall enjoy them: God ſhall tranſlate all theſe Treaſures to another family, who ſhall doe more good with them.
18. He buildeth his houſe as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.18. He builds a goodly Fabrick, out of which he is as eaſily ſhaken as a moth out of a garment: and it ſhall not be more durable then the booth, which is made for him that keeps the fruits of a garden.
19. The rich man ſhal lie down, but he ſhall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not.19. And when he dieth, he ſhall have no Monument made for him: nay, while he lives it ſo falls out, that he looks about him, and ſees that every-body hath deſerted him.
20. Terrours take hold on him as waters, a tempeſt ſtealeth him away in the night.20. Innumerable Terrours then break in upon him and ſurpriſe him, like an Inundation of waters; the Divine Vengeance, like a violent Tempeſt, unexpectedly hurries him away.
21. The eaſt-wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and, as a ſtorm, hurleth him out of his place.21. Some peſtilent Vapour blaſts him irrecoverably; and as certainly kills him, as a Whirlwind hurls things out of their place.
22. For God ſhall caſt upon him, and not ſpare: he would fain flee out of his hand.22. Or God ſhall ſend ſome other Miſchiefs ſo faſt upon him, (without any pity to him, who had none for others,) that all the attempts ſhall be in vain, which he makes to eſcape the Vengeance.
23. Men ſhall clap their hands at him, and ſhall hiſs him out of his place.23. At which the beholders ſhall rejoyce, and applaud God's righteous Judgment: (which I confeſs He ſometimes executes:) They ſhall hiſs at his Name when he is dead, in that very place where he hath been ſo much magnified.