They are pa.s.sed away as the swift ships: As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.

My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say unto G.o.d, "Do not condemn me; Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands?

Are not my days few? cease then, And let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, Even to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death; A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself; A land of the shadow of death, without any order, And where the light is as darkness."

{193}

ZOPHAR.

Should not the mult.i.tude of words be answered?

And should a man full of talk be justified?

Should thy boastings make men hold their peace?

And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

For thou sayest, "My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes."

But Oh that G.o.d would speak, And open his lips against thee; And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, That it is manifold in effectual working!

Know therefore that G.o.d exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Canst thou by searching find out G.o.d?

Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?

Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, And broader than the sea.

For he knoweth vain men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents; Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are pa.s.sed away: And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

{194}

JOB.

No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, Mine ear hath heard and understood it.

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, And I desire to reason with G.o.d.

But ye are forgers of lies, Ye are all physicians of no value.

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace!

And it should be your wisdom.

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes.

Though he slay me, yet will I wait for him: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.

This also shall be my salvation; For a G.o.dless man shall not come before him.

Hear diligently my speech, And let my declaration be in your ears.

Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I am righteous.

Who is he that will contend with me?

How many are mine iniquities and sins?

Make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, {195} And holdest me for thine enemy?

Wilt thou hara.s.s a driven leaf?

And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?

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.

Though the root thereof grow old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground; Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.

But man dieth, and wasteth away: Yea, man giveth up his spirit, and where is he?

If a man die, shall he live again?

All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.

Thou shouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thine hands.

THE FIRST CYCLE OF SPEECHES IS ENDED.

The three friends center their thought about G.o.d. The question is, why has Job suffered? Their answer is, because he has sinned. G.o.d is just, and would never make a man suffer unless he had sinned. _Eliphaz_ says that all men are imperfect, and so {196} suffer. Let Job acknowledge that he has sinned, and this suffering will be only discipline, and G.o.d will again bless him. _Bildad_ says that the fathers have always understood that G.o.d was just. The man who does not believe as they did must be wicked. _Zophar_ says that G.o.d knows Job has sinned, even if Job himself is too blind to see it; else he would not make Job suffer.

_Job_ is perplexed. Has he sinned so as to merit this suffering? No.

If they say that G.o.d is just--yes, but what does G.o.d mean, then, by dealing thus with him? He had expected sympathy from his friends. Why do they not give it? He can only turn helplessly to G.o.d himself. Would that he could meet G.o.d as one might a man, and plead his cause! But, no! Even that chance for justice is cut off. And yet they can talk of G.o.d as being just!

II

ELIPHAZ.

Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge, And fill his belly with the east wind?

Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

Yea, thou doest away with fear, And restrainest devotion before G.o.d.

For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

Art thou the first man that was born?

Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?

Hast thou heard the secret counsel of G.o.d?

And dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

What knowest thou, that we know not? {197} What understandest thou, which is not in us?

With us are both the grayheaded and the very aged men, Much older than thy father.

Are the consolations of G.o.d too small for thee, And the word that dealeth gently with thee?

Why doth thine heart carry thee away?

And why do thine eyes wink?

That thou turnest thy spirit against G.o.d, And lettest such words go out of thy mouth.

JOB.

I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.

Shall vain words have an end?

Or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

I also could speak as ye do; If your soul were in my soul's stead, I could join words together against you, And shake mine head at you.