The Garden of Zion, Part 11 · Biblical figure · Chapter 6 – Chapter 8
Chap. 6.
THen Job replyd, Oh that my greef
were even now throughly weigh'd,
And my ſuffrings together were
all in a ballance laide.
For they ſhould be of greater weight
then the ſand of the ſea,
Therefore my wordes are ſwallow'd up,
that they no more ſhould be.
4 For of the great Almighty God
the arrowes are in me,
The poiſon whereof doth my ſprit
drink up moſt ſpeedily.
The fearfull terrours of the Lord,
againſt me every day,
Like ſquadrons in an army great
ſet themſelves in aray.
5 The wilde Aſſe doth he lowdly bray,
if he hath graſſe his fill,
Or lowes the Ox, as in great greef,
if he hath fodder ſtill.
6 Unſavory things without reliſh,
who without ſalt can eat?
In whites of egges who can finde taſte,
that they ſhould be for meat?
7 The things that in my plenty great
my ſoul refuſd to touch,
Are ſtill now for my dainty meat,
while I for ſorrow crouch.
8 Oh that I might have my requeſt!
and God would grant to me,
In his mercy the thing that I
long dayly for to ſee.
9 Even that it would now pleaſe the Lord
me to deſtroy as dead,
…nd that he would let looſe his hand,
and cut me off with ſpeed.
10 Then ſhould I yet have comforts ſweet,
in mine integrity,
Yea, I my ſelf in ſorrow would
harden moſt conſtantly.
…et him ſtill ſtrike and never ſpare,
for this I know right well
…he words of the moſt Holy One
I never did conceale.
11 What is my ſtrength that I ſhould hope,
among ſuch grief and ſtrife?
What is mine end, even that I ſhould
prolong my wretched life?
12 Is my great ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones,
which doth not quickly paſſe?
Or (as I may here well ſubjoine)
is all my fleſh of braſſe?
13 Is not my ſprituall help in me
well fixed even alway?
…nd ſhall I ſay that wiſedome is
quite driven from me away?
14 To the afflicted pitie ſhould
be from his friend moſt deare.
Shew'd, but of the Almighty GOD
he doth forſake the feare:
15 My brethren have deceitfully
dealt as a brook alway,
And as the ſtreames of brookes they do
moſt quickly paſſe away.
16 Which blackiſh are by reaſon of
the yee both hard and firme,
Which in cold ſeaſons cover it,
the ſnow is hid therein.
17 What time againe they do wax warme,
they vaniſh with diſgrace
When it is hote, they are conſum'd
ev'n out of their owne place.
18 The paths of their way at the laſt
are turn'd aſide; alſo
They periſh quickly, and in haſte
they all to nothing go.
19 The troopes of Tema looked ſtill
with an attentive eye,
The companies of Shebas men
did waite for them ſurely.
20 Becauſe they hoped had, they were
confounded all with ſhame,
Yea, they aſhamed greatly were,
when they all thither came:
21 For now ye are nothing at all,
as may be tuely ſaid
Ye ſee clearly my caſting downe
and ye are ſore affraid
22 Did I ſay ever unto you
in my neceſſitie
VntoUnto me bring, or give rewards
of your ſubſtance for me?
22 Or that ye ſhould from th' enemies hand
moſt ſtrong deliver me
Or me once from the hand redeeme
of theſe that mighty be?
23 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue,
and no more of you crave,
And cauſe me for to underſtand
wherein I erred have
25 How forcible are the right wordes
which do proceede from love?
But as for you tell me what doth
your arguing thus reprove.
26 Doe ye imagine to reprove
wordes and the ſpeaches find
Of one that is moſt deſperate,
which are light as the winde?
27 Yea, yee doe proudly overwhelme
the poore and fatherleſſe
And alſo for your friend yee dig
a pit of great diſtreſſe.
28 Now therefore be content in mind
and alſo look on me,
For unto you it's evident,
if I do faine or lie,
29 Returne I pray you, let it not
be ſtill iniquitie;
Yea turne againe; my righteouſneſſe,
is in it moſt furelie.
30 Is there tranſgreſſion in my tongue
when I ſuch things rehearſe?
Can not my taſte wiſely diſcerne
the things that are perverſe?
Chap. 7.
IS there not one appointed time
for man on earth to goe?
Moſt like the dayes of an hireling,
are not his dayes alſo?
2 As a ſervant the ſhadow doth,
deſire moſt earneſtly,
As an hireling looks for reward
of his work conſtantly.
3 So am I made for to poſſeſſe
the months of vanitie,
And nights that are moſt weariſome,
appointed are for me.
4 When I lye downe into my bed,
I often this do ſay,
When from this place ſhall I ariſe?
and when ſhall it be day?
… full of toſſing to and fro
am troubled all the night,
And this continues ever ſtill,
untill the day be light.
5 My fleſh with vile wormes clothed is,
and clods of duſt alſo,
My skin is broken, and become
moſt loathſome me unto.
6 My dayes go ſwifter in their courſe,
then weavers ſhittles ſlide,
They quickly without hope are ſpent,
and do not fix'd abide.
7 Remember that my life is wind,
in all things heere mine eye,
Of any good that's heere below
ſhall no more ever ſee.
8 The eye of him that hath me ſeene,
ſhall hence ſee me no more,
Thine eyes upon me fixed are,
and I am not therefore.
9 As the great cloud conſumed is,
and vaniſh doth away,
So he that goes downe to the grave,
ſhall riſe no more for ay.
10 He ſhall no more returne unto
his houſe, or yet his race,
Nor yet ſhall any more he be
acknowledg'd by his place.
11 I will therefore in anguiſh great
no more my mouth refraine,
I in my ſoules great bitterneſſe
moſt ſurely will complaine.
12 Am I like an unruly Whale,
or like a boiſtrous ſea,
That thou ſhouldſt need to ſet a watch,
to watch thus over me?
13 when I ſay in my great diſtreſſe,
whereby I become faint,
My bed ſhall comfort me, my couch
ſhall well eaſe my complaint.
14 Then thou with night dreames moſt fearful…
doſt skare and trouble me,
And through appearing viſions
doſt ſtill me terrifie
15 So that my poor afflicted ſoul,
in all this toile and ſtrife,
Doth chuſe ſtrangling, and death alſo;
yea rather then my life.
16 I loth it, I would not alway
thus live in miſerie;
…et me alone, for all my dayes
are very vanitie.
17 What is man that thou ſhouldeſt him
in whole, or yet in part
…hus magnifie? and that thou ſhouldſt
upon him ſet thine heart?
18 And that thou ſhouldeſt viſit him,
in favour by and by
…ach morning, and him narrowly
at every moment try?
19 How long wilt thou not from me Lord
depart? nor me alone
…t, untill I my ſpittle may
a little ſwallow downe?
I ſinned have, what ſhall I doe
unto thee now or then?
… thou! who the preſerver art
even of all mortall men.
…hy haſt thou in thine anger ſet
me, as a marke 'gainſt thee?
that I even unto my ſelfe
a burden ſeeme to be?
21 And why doſt thou not pardon me
my great tranſgreſſion?
And take away th' iniquitie
that lyes my ſoul upon?
For in the duſt now ſhall I ſleep,
and in the morning me
Thou with great diligence ſhall ſeek,
but I then ſhall not be.
Chap. 8.
THen Bildad the Shuhit did ſay
unto poore Job, How long
2 Wilth thou thus ſpeak? How long thy wo…
ſhall be like winde moſt ſtrong?
3 Darre thou be bold for to affirme,
that the Lord doth ſubvert
The judgement? Or th' Almighty God
doth he juſtice pervert?
4 If thy children 'gainſt him have ſinn'd,
and he without delay
For their tranſgreſſion in his wrath
hath caſt them all away:
5 If thou unto the Lord betimes
would'ſt in humilitie
Seeke, and make ſupplication,
ev'n unto th' Almightie:
6 If thou were pure, and upright, ſure
he would for thee awake:
Thy righteous houſe moſt proſperous
he would not faile to make.
7 Though thy beginning was but ſmall,
And pinch'd with great diſtreſſe;
…n mercy yet thy latter end,
he greatly ſhould increaſe.
8 I pray thee of the former age
enquire and do not ſpare;
And of their fathers to the ſearch
ſee thou thy ſelfe prepare.
9 For we are but of yeſterday,
and nothing ſurely know;
Becauſe our dayes on earth do paſſe
like ſhades, we know not how.
10 Shall they not in their wiſedome great
thee teach well by their art?
…nd utter ſtill moſt worthy words,
even out of their owne heart?
11 Can the greene ruſh without the mire,
or moiſture well up grow?
Or can the flag grow up, and ſpring
where waters do not flow?
12 While it yet in his greeneſſe is,
and not cut downe alway
Before all other herbs it doth
even wither quite away.
13 So are the paths of all theſe men,
that the Lord God forget,
So of all hypocrits the hope
ſhall periſh without let.
14 Whoſe vaine, yea, and moſt fooliſh hope
ſhall be cut off quicklie;
Whoſe idle and unconſtant truſt
like ſpiders webs ſhall be.
15 He ſhall then leane upon his houſe,
but it ſhall not ſtand ſure,
He ſhall with both hands hold it faſt,
but it ſhall not indure.
16 He is moſt greene before the Sun,
his branches all about
In his faire Gardens pleaſantly.
with buds and bloomes ſhoot out.
17 His rootes about the heap are wrapt,
and of ſtones ſee the place:
By force of their owne moiſture they
through rubbiſh have increaſe.
18 If he deſtroy him from his place,
then ſhall it him deny:
I with mine eyes have not thee ſeene,
ſhall it ſay by and by.
19 Behold of his way this the joy
from ſuch things ſtill doth flow,
…ut of the earth even ſurely heere
ſhall others lately grow.
20 Behold a good and perfect man
God will not caſt away,
either will he in mercy help
the evill doers alway.
21 Till he with laughing from great joy
thy mouth in mercy fill:
…nd like wiſe ſatisfie thy lips,
with great rejoicing ſtill.
22 They that thee hate with wicked hearts,
with ſhame ſhall clothed be
…he place where wicked men do dwell,
ſhall come to nought ſurelie.