The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
ARGUMENT.
From the foregoing account of his ancient Splendour, he takes occaſion to annex a no-leſselegant deſcription of the Vileneſs of his preſent condition. Hoping that the conſideration of ſuch a prodigious Change (which he repreſents in ſeveral particulars, and not without ſome touches ſtill upon his Integrity) might at laſt move his hard-hearted Friends to ſome compaſſion towards him: eſpecially, when they ſaw how near he was to his Grave, notwithſtanding all his Prayers to God for relief.
1. BƲT now they that are younger then I, have me in deriſion, whoſe fathers I would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of my flock.1. BƲT now they that are younger then I, have me in deriſion, whoſe fathers I would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of my flock.1. BUT now, alas! there is ſo ſad an alteration, that the Youths, who durſt not look me in the face, have the confidence to mock and jear me; even thoſe Youths, whoſe Fathers were ſo mean, that I diſdained to imploy them in the vileſt ſervice.
2. Yea, whereto might the ſtrength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was periſhed?2. Yea, whereto might the ſtrength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was periſhed?2. Men whom if I had had a mind to imploy, were fit for Nothing; being ſo lazy, liſtleſs, and unable to doe any buiſineſs, that it was in vain to call them to it.
3. For want and famine they were ſolitary: fleeing into the wilderneſs in former time deſolate and waſte:3. Beggerly fellows, who, being ready to ſtarve, were aſhamed to be ſeen; and ſneak'd into deſart places to hide their poverty: it is but yeſterday that they were moſt wretchedly miſerable;
4. Who cut up mallows by the buſhes, and juniper-roots for their meat.4. Satisfying their hunger with thoſe unſavoury Herbs, which they cut up in the ſalt mariſhes; and having no other bread but the roots of Juniper-trees.
5. They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them, as after a thief)5. They were driven from the ſociety of men; and if ever they appeared, an out-cry was raiſed againſt them, as there is againſt a Thief when he is diſcovered.
6. To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.6. They had no other habitation, but the Clefts which the brooks ſometimes make in the vallies; or the Caves which they found in other parts of the earth, or in the rocks.
7. Among the buſhes they brayed, under the nettles they were gathered together.7. Their Sighs might be heard, like the braying of Aſſes, among the thornbuſhes; they lurked together under nettles or thiſtles:
8. They were children of fools, yea, children of baſe men: they were viler then the earth.8. Being leud Villains, the Children of obſcure Parents; viler then the Earth upon which they trod.
9. And now am I their ſong, yea, I am their by word.9. And now I am become their Paſtime: They have made Songs of my Calamity; and it is the common entertainment to diſcourſe of my Miſery.
10. They abhor me, they flee far from me, and ſpare not to ſpit in my face.10. They expreſs an abhorrence of me; and, as vile as they are, will not come near me; or if they do, it is onelyonly to ſhew their extream Contempt of me.
11. Becauſe he hath looſed my cord, and afflicted me, they have alſo let looſe the bridle before me.11. God, they ſee, hath ſcattered all my Eſtate, and by ſore Afflictions laid me very low; which hath made them forget all Reſpect to me, and take an unreſtrained licence in their inſolent behaviour towards me.
12. Ʋpon my right hand riſe the youth, they puſh away my feet, and they raiſe up againſt me the ways of their deſtruction.12. They ſet up the very Boys to accuſe me; they puſh me down, and then trample on me: I am become the beaten path, as I may call my ſelf, of their pernicious Reproaches.
13. They mar my path, they ſet forward my calamity, they have no helper.13. They ſo diſturb my thoughts, that I know not what courſe to take in this miſerable condition: which they heighten by their Calumnies; and are ſo fruitfull in them, that they need none to help to invent them.
14. They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the deſolation they rolled themſelves upon me.14. They aſſault me with ſuch a fury as Souldiers do their Enemies, when they have made a wide breach in the wall of a beſieged City, and pour in all their forces to deſtroy them.
15. Terrours are turned upon me: they purſue my ſoul as the wind: and my welfare paſſeth away as a cloud.15. This diſmall Change hath fearfully aſtoniſhed me, to ſee all my Wiſhes and Hopes diſperſed like the wind, and all the Happineſs I poſſeſſed paſſed away as ſwiftly as a cloud.
16. And now my ſoul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.16. I can doe nothing now but melt into tears; my very Soul is ready to faint away with grief; when I think how thoſe joyfull days are gone, and what Diſtreſſes have ſeized on me, and come to take their place.
17. My bones are pierced in me in the night-ſeaſon: and my ſinews take no reſt.17. In the night (when Sleep is wont to bury our Grief) I feel ſuch ſharp pains, as penetrate through my very bones; my bloud boils ſo violently in my veins, that I can take no reſt.
18. By the great force of my diſeaſe, is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.18. It requires a great deal of ſtrength, when I would ſhift my cloaths, to pull them off: my outward garment, by the filthy Matter of my ſores, being glewed as faſt to me, as the collar of my ſhirt.
19. He hath caſt me into the mire, and I am become like duſt and aſhes.19. I look as if I had been thrown into the dirt: there is little difference between me, and duſt and aſhes.
20. I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear me: I ſtand up, and thou regardeſt me not.20. And, which is ſaddeſt of all, I call upon Thee, O God, but cannot prevail with Thee to relieve me: I continue praying and waiting for thy help, and Thou ſufficiently underſtandeſt my miſerable caſe;
21. Thou art become cruel to me: with thy ſtrong hand thou oppoſeſt thy ſelf againſt me.21. But thy former Kindneſs to me is turned into ſuch Severity, that it looks like Cruelty: Thou haſt given me ſuch deadly blows, as if thou hatedſt me.
22. Thou lifteſt me up to the wind: thou cauſeſt me to ride upon it, and diſſolveſt my ſubſtance.22. Thou didſt lift me up on high, and madeſt me, as it were, to ride upon the clouds: but haſt thrown me down with ſo much the ſorer Fall, which hath broken me all in pieces.
23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe appointed for all living.23. So that I can think of nothing but dying, and going to my Grave; the common Sanctuary of all mankind.
24. Howbeit he will not ſtretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his deſtruction.24. Whither thy afflicting hand will not purſue me: for though men cry when they are ſent thither, yet when they are there, all their Sufferings and Complaints are ended.
25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my ſoul grieved for the poor?25. Strange, that I ſhould be thus puniſh'd without any mercy! was I wont to be ſo unmercifull to others? No, I never look'd upon men under any hardſhip without tears; and was ſo ſenſibly touched with the Miſeries of the Poor, that I ever relieved them.
26. When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkneſs.26. Which gave me good hope that I ſhould be very happy: but in ſtead thereof, the ſaddeſt Afflictions and Troubles are befaln me.
27. My bowels boiled, and reſted not: the days of affliction prevented me.27. Which have ſo ſuddenly ſurpriſed me, that they have put me into the greateſt commotion and diſorder: my bowels boil without the leaſt intermiſſion.
28. I went mourning without the ſun: I ſtood up, and I cried in the congregation.28. My Affliction is ſo conſtant without any glimpſe of Joy, that I am a perpetual Mourner; and am not able to lie ſtill, nor to refrain from Shrieks and Cries in the greateſt Aſſemblies.
29. I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.29. I can doe nothing but lament my ſelf, as if I were one of thoſe mournfull creatures, which make ſuch dolefull noiſes in deſart places.
30. My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burnt with heat.30. The boiling heat in my body hath ſo parched me, that my Skin looks black; and the Marrow in my bones and all my vitall moiſture is dried up.
31. My harp alſo is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.31. And, to ſay no more, all Mirth is baniſhed my Houſe, the muſicall inſtruments are laid aſide, and nothing but Mourning and Weeping come in their room.