learned me more and to more purpose in a little time being an eye-witnesse of thy glory then all that ever I knew before 6. In so much that now I eate my words and abhorre my selfe for my presumptuous misbehaviour repenting it with as lowly a spirit as I sinned it with an high 7. When God had finished his busines with Iob matters were reconciled between them two having quickly brought him to see his folly and repent his pride Then God turnes himselfe to Iobs three friends to convince them also of their miscarriage and because Eliphaz was the ancientest and had first broached the errour whereof the other two were after guilty he addresses himselfe to him by name and tells him That he was justly angry with him and his two companions for because you have preached false doctrine touching me and have been too bold to limit my soveraignety by chalking me out wayes and prescribing me rules of justice in the execution of my will and dispensation of my providence as if I alwayes must and did afflict men for and according to the measure of their sins spare them for their righteousnes and innocency sake which is a grosse untruth and the contrary to which my servant Iob maintained to wit That I am free to doe my will and incomprehensible in my wayes which is right 8. Therefore to expiate your offence take with you such a sacrifice as I shall appoint that is seven Bullocks and seven Rammes and goe to my servant Iob reconcile your selves to him as touching the wrong you have done him as well as me and give them him that hee may doe the office of a Priest that is offer up sacrifice and prayers for you all joyntly who have all been guilty of the same sinne and the prayers of my servant Job who is an upright man and one whom I much respect how ever you misiudged him shall prevaile with me through the office and person of my sonne which herein he resembles to pardon you I say doe this thus and excuse not the matter by your ignorance or wel-meaning towards me nor dispute my command as loath to eate your words or to justifie Iob whom you have already condemned but dispatch and goe about this businesse least I give you your desert and make you feele the effects of your foolish presumption in that you have dared to measure me out by your meet wands and prescribe me wayes to walke in and so have falsified the truth which my servant Iob maintained against you 9. Whereupon these three aforesaid friends of Iob Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naaneathite went streightway having received so strickt a charge from God and did what the Lord commanded them for whom at their requests Job put up his petitions to God and was so accepted in his person sacrifice and prayer being a figure of Christ therein that at his intercession their offence was forgiven them 10. And as Iob in his meeknesse and charity forgave his friends their trespasses and prayed for them so God forgave him his and at that instant released him of his misery which hee had beene held in so long and turned his sorrow into joy by testifying his love to him in his acceptance of him and by vindicating his uprightnesse and innocency against his accusers moreover God recompensed the losse and sufferings which Iob sustained with double to what he had before 11. And brought him into favour againe with those parties that partly for his poverty and partly upon suspition of his hypocrisie had cast him off so that now there flocked to him from far and neere all his brethren and sisters and his old acquaintance which it seemes though they were neere to him and had beene intimate with him yet upon this occasion had beene of late estranged till now that they saw the face of things were changed and then they come themselves to visit him and to pity him for what hee had suffered and to comfort him with gratifying his deliverance and freedome from all the afflictions that God had laid upon him moreover besides their visiting him every man further congratulated his recovery God moving their hearts with a present of money and jewells in testimony of their love and respect 12. Thus the Lord humbled Job very low to be a patterne of faith and patience to his Saints in aftertimes by remembring his later end which God made farre to exceed his beginning in abundance of all good things yea double to what he had for whereas before hee had but seven thousand sheepe now he had foureteene thousand and so likewise his former three thousand Camels were now multiplied into sixe thousand and his five hundred yoke of Oxen were doubled into a thousand and his five hundred she-Asses into as many 13. And whereas all his children you heard were taken from him he had them restored him againe even their full number seven sonnes and three daughters 14. Whom hee thus named The eldest daughter hee called Iemima or long life The second he called Kezia or pleasant spice the youngest he called Keren-happuch or the horne of beauty prophesying in them the long life together with the comfortable and happy condition which by the bounteous goodnesse of God he should yet enjoy 15. Which three daughters for a further blessing unto Iob were the fairest women in all the land where hee lived and were had in greatest reputation for their beauty and as God gave them an extraordinary blessing to him so he made them an extraordinary president for out of his love to them and in reward of their vertues hee gave to every of them severally as to his sons a portion of his land in stead of money to inherit to them and to their heires for ever so that they shared proportionably with their brethren by their fathers Will and Testament and were coheires with them in his estate 16. And thus all these sorrows which Iob thought he should never have seene an end of he survived and after them lived in prosperity and plenty a hundred and forty yeeres so that he became a great Grandfather before he died 17. And so Iob ended his daies in a good old age and was carried to his grave like as a shock of corne commeth in in his season FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes Iunij 14. 1638. Hab. 2. 14. Cant. 3. 16. Rev. 4. 11. heb 4. 12. Psal. 37 6. 1. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Iob and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill 2. And there was born unto him seven Sonnes and three Daughters 3. His substance also was seven thousand Sheepe and three thousand Camells and five hundred yoke of Oxen and five hundred she-Asses and a very great houshold so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East 4. And his Sons
THE WHOLE BOOKE OF IOB PARAPHRASED OR Made easie for any to understand By GEORGE ABBOTT JAMES 5. 11. You have heard of the patience of Job and have seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his shop at the entrance into Popes-head-Alley out of Lumbard-street 1640. TO HIS MVCH HONOVRED Father in Law William Purefey of Calldecoate in Warwkickshire ESQUIRE SIR THat I am yours both you deserve it and I publish it and therefore for what is mine whilest I have you for my Father my thoughts shall not rove to seeke any other Patron next under God who if hee have made mee an Instrument of any good upon so good a subject I wish he may have the glory and I the prayers of all that taste it Sir I have heard you with serious desires sometimes wish that some would undertake the rendring of the Bible throughout in an easie Paraphrase after this manner And might your wishes have effect doubtlesse it would prove a usefull worke and serviceable to God and to his Church yea if my judgement faile me not in the next place to the translation of the Scripture into our mother tongue whereunto the Lord stirre up the hearts of those whom hee hath designed for so happy an imployment as is the holding forth of so great light and facilitating of Scripture studies to the filling of the earth with knowledge as waters cover the Sea Your ever obliged Sonne in Law GEORGE ABBOTT TO THE READER THis Booke of Job in respect of the dialect of those times being of quaint expressions must needs be explained by other and more familiar language and being also difficult in the coherence which is very materiall many texts or verses besides their proper senses must therefore in their explications carrie their dependant and coherent meanings in them else they cannot bee fully rendred nor the discourse by its right joints and ligaments continued and knit together but must needs be imperfect blind and lame which I have laboured the cure of by perspicuity of phrase and dependance A Paraphrase and not a commentarie is the thing that I endeavour which is a bare rendering of the sense plaine and easy the better to enable the Reader to be a commentator to himselfe And if any place seeme to beare another meaning then I have given it know that there goes more to the true stating of a text then an overly view or a present consideration of the sense it seemes to hold forth in the letter of it some places require much peasing and many candles to bee lighted at once in the minde of the expositour to give their true intended meaning else hee may erre in benè divisis ad malè conjuncta and cause a falling out of the text either with its coherence and scope or else of one text with another The story is well known to be as principall a pillar to support a Christian in strong trials by paterne and precept of faith and patience as any the whole Bible affoords and so I trust it may prove being well understood and applied to all such as read it with an heart to use it Besides which there is excellent matter for other graces to worke upon God being upon the occasion of their dispute admirably set forth with powerfull and spirituall elegancy and man abased in like manner which to a considerate humble-hearted Reader will administer sweet occasions of reducing his graces sutable to such subjects by the assistance of the spirit into fresh acts and lively motions the way to evidence his truth and to further their growth And which I also desire the Reader to take prime notice of he shal further see for his learning the strong consolation and undaunted courage that singlenesse and sincerity of heart which in a word is The animating and giving life to our dead works by doing them in conscience to God through faith and love brings with it even to the facing of God in an holy boldnesse though through temptation Iob exceeded by the faith of his Gospel when he pleads against us his greatest severity highest Majesty and to the outfacing of all besides God men or devils Other flowers there are which a spirituall quick sensed Reader will not lose the savour of as he spends his time in this garden of God whereto his spirit will guide him better then I can point him and to which end I shall pray with the spouse for the spouse Awake ô North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Thine to his Talent in the service of Christ GEORGE ABBOTT THE ARGUMENT GOD for whose pleasure all things are and were created having made Job fit for use resolveth to imploy him and having first tried him in a calme sea of prosperity and not finding him to leake at last launcheth him into the deep and ingageth him in a long and dangerous voiage of adversity where hee must undergoe many a fight and storme to prove God a Master-builder Hereupon because Satan knew not Gods designe God himselfe hints it to him by commending Job which his malice not abiding to heare and desiring to contradict presently becomes a sutor to God to have the winnowing of him which God for many reasons granteth to him Partly in respect to shew him that hee is the onely discerner of the heart Partly in respect of the errour of those times wherein it was generally received that God afflicted not in soveraignty but onely for and according to the proportion of sinne Partly in respect of Job for his after-honour and preferment And lastly in respect of after-times to leave upon record a paterne of patience and a seale of Gods power and faithfulnesse in upholding the righteous and in delivering them out of all their troubles Satan having received his commission to worke he goeth and dischargeth all his Ordinance at once upon Job thinking through force and policy to wring some discontented blasphemy from him and so to disprove God but Job abid the shocke and uttered not a misbeseeming word till at last his sores began to smart and therewith also the light of Gods countenance through the thicke cloud of those many afflictions began to shine dim upon his spirit and then hee opened his mouth not as Satan hoped to blaspheme but to ease his forrwfull soule with breathing forth a dolefull wish or two as that either he had never seene life or might now see death Which impatiency of Jobs his friends standing by tooke fire at and thereupon they being ignorantly prejudiced of God that hee afflicted not but in proportionable punishment to sin committed and consequently were opinionated of Job that for all his faire shew he must needs be but a hollowhearted hypocrite they with vehement importunity pressed these sore upon him as infallible maximes thereby to
also among them to render his account and to receive his charge as also of his own will to espie advantages 7. And yet further to speake after the manner of men for the better instructing us according to our capacities God seeing Satan there among them enters into speech with him thereby to administer an occasion to manifest Jobs uprightnes and to bring to passe his purpose concerning him And in the first place hee askes him whence hee came and from what doing to give us to understand the Divells solicitousnesse from his owne reply who answered I come from off the earth from my continuall imploiment of soliciting my cause and kingdome up and down every where among men by watching and taking the fittest opportunities to tempt and intrap them 8. Why then saies God sure thou canst not choose but have taken speciall notice of Job the Uzzite to be my servant in an extraordinary manner so as there is not the like to him upon the whole earth for a faithfull and upright-hearted man that truely reverenceth and feares mee and is carefull to doe nothing that shall offend mee 9. 'T is true saies Satan I know him well and that he makes a faire shew of honouring and serving thee and no wonder seeing he hath thriven so well by thee but thou art mistaken in his uprightnesse for it is not with a filiall but a mercenary feare that he regards thee the better to compasse his owne ends 10. For thou knowst and so doth he too full well how thou hast hitherto incompassed him and all that is his with thy protection so that neither I nor any could doe him any hurt whereby to try him and thus thou continuest to doe still neither is hee ignorant how it is thou that prosperest him and makest him thrive in every thing he doth and hast so wonderously enriched him above all that are neere him and therefore no marvell if for such extraordinary favours hee in this time of his prosperity and and plenty seeme to doe thee extraordinary service and to beare thee great good will 11. But as hitherto thou hast imployed thy power to preserve him and to blesse him with such abundance so now doe but shew it in taking away that which thou hast given him and then hee will quickly appeare another manner of man than thou takest him to be for in stead of honouring and reverencing thee in feare thou shalt finde that hee 'll cast off all respect and not sticke to blaspheme thee to thy face 12 Well saies God that thou maist see that I am the searcher of hearts and have said nothing of my servant Iob but what I know to be true take thy course try him as thou hast desired thou hast free leave to doe whatsoever thou wilt with all that is his onely I will restraine thee from harming his owne person Whereupon Satan hasted to put in execution what God permitted him with the first opportunity 13. And therefore watched his time when as Iobs children according to their foresaid custome of love-feasts were met together in their eldest brothers house upon which opportunity he purposed to plant his maine battery for the gaining of his conquest and therefore reserved it untill the last making way thereto by a methodicall discharge of lesser ordinance 14. The first whereof is a messenger in all haste bringing Job the sad newes of the losse of all his five hundred yoke of Oxen at once with the hopes of all the next yeeres profits of their labours and also of all his Asses 15. By a violent surprisall of the Sabeans who came and carried them quite away and to make the matter worse to pitifull-hearted Job he tells him they had also slaine all his servants that were at worke with them save himselfe and his escape was ordained doubtlesse only to the end he might bring him those heavie tidings of discomfort 16. Secondly to set home the sorrow of this message upon Iobs heart so soone as ever hee had heard it before he could bethinke himselfe another in like hast bespeakes him with worse newes and said There fell fire from heaven no doubt by the immediate hand of God and hath most strangely and suddenly burnd up and utterly consumed all thy seven thousand sheepe at once and hath devoured also thy very servants that tended them Onely I am escaped to the end it seemes that I should bring thee this evill newes 17. Lest hee should have any thing left to sustaine him in hope and to ease his griefe Satan dispatcheth a third messenger contriving him to arive in the very nicke of opportunity for the enforcing of Iobs misery and provoking him thereby to impatiency against God by telling him all in haste by that time hee had well heard out the other How that the Caldeans came with no lesse than three bands of men and fell furiously upon the Camells and the men that kept them so that they have driven away the Camells and killed all the servants to boote saving my selfe who it seemes had my life given me by a speciall providence to bring thee the newes 18. And just as hee had finished his tale comes there yet another messenger by whom Satan was confident having thus contrived and managed his foregoing temptations to worke his will upon Iob. And hee tells him That his sonnes and his daughters fearing nothing were feasting making merry in their eldest brothers house 19. And unexpectedly npon a sudden there blew a mighty wind fromward the wildernesse and in a moment overthrew all the house upon the yong men thy sons and they are every one slain only I have escaped I know not how but it seemes miraculously to bring thee these wofull tydings 20. Whereat Iob who had abid and sate out all the rest now arose and in the griefe but not impatiency of his heart he rent his garment and in token of sorrow after the custome of those countries hee shaved his head and after that he prostrated himselfe upon the ground in reverence to the Majesty of God and in stead of repining humbly worshipped the Lord 21. Saying I brought none of all these I have lost into the world with me but came as naked into it as other men and so whensoever my time had come must have gone out of it It is onely the Lord that of his free goodnesse and bounty hath both given and hitherto sustained all these to me and so it is the same Lord that according to his good pleasure hath taken them from mee for they were his so farre be it from me therfore to repine thereat as that I adore and magnifie his name therefore acknowleding him to be both just and good in all his waies 22. Now therefore in all that passed hitherto in despite of Satan Iob sinned not nor for all these sufferings and temptations could Satan prevaile with him so farre to
because of thine unwonted dealings with me it is also upon this same foolish principle every man else his report and opinion that I am an hypocrite though heretofore in the time of my prosperity report gave a pleasant sound of mee to all mens eares 7. So that thou hast every way consumed mee my good name is quite blasted and my body also is wasted for mine eyes have almost quite lost their sight by reason of mine excessive sorrowing and all my members are so meagerd that they are become a very skeleton and have so lost their substance that they are as it were the shadow of themselves 8. When all things are thus against me and that I have nothing but mine uprightnesse for mee mine example shall make others admire the vertue and powerfull support of a good conscience So that I shall make thee upright to be in love with his uprightnesse for the extraordinary supporting strength and courage which it enables a man withall and hee that is truely innocent shall learne of me not to be baffled out of his sincerity but to maintaine and take comfort in his integrity of heart against all his false accusers 9. Yea the upright-hearted righteous man shall learne with an undaunted confidence to put himselfe into the presence of God and not to be disheartened from it nay the more he that is pure of heart receives opposition the more hee shall gather strength to oppose his adversaries and comfort and confirme himselfe by me and mine example 10. So that you see you lose your labour by going about to stagger mee in mine uprightnesse even all of you for any thing you have or can say therefore I would wish you all to spare the paines and travell you take in a wrong way and to change your minds and close with me for in the opinion you hold so stiffely and unanimously that God would not afflict mee thus were I not an hypocrite and that because of mine afflictions I am forsaken and hated of him you are utterly in an errour and shew your selves ignorant of the waies of God 11. I have not much more to speak to you therefore be warned for you see how my daies draw to an end besides that what I would say to you my pain interrupts me that I cannot speak it the thoughts of my heart being through my distempers full of distractions and disorder 12. Filling me with confusion being never at rest but alwaies working and ever in motion upon and about my miseries as well night as day so that I can have no quiet and day as night so that I can have no comfort no time for them 13. And touching the restauration you promise me for my part I believe no such thing I make accompt of no other receptacle than the grave nor ever to find rest but by death 14. Nor ever to enjoy any other friend or kindred then what they yeeld mee that is corruption and wormes 15. And if you aske me then where my hope is because you say an hypocrite is hopelesse why I confesse it is in nothing this life yeelds for I verily believe that neither I nor any living man shall ever see mee have good day againe in this world 16. But they that will see wherein my hope consists must passe through the gates of death to behold it and lie downe in the grave with mee and then it shall appeare CHAP. XVIII 1. JOB having the second time given Eliphaz his answer Bildad the Shuhite also taketh his turne to give his second onset upon Job and therefore when Job had made an end he beginneth thus 2. How long will it be before thou yeeld to the truth and cease thy vaine contradicting Give good heed now that wee may no more speake in vaine to thee as it seemes through thy heedlesnesse and want of due consideration we have done hitherto 3. Why dost thou set so light by us as if wee had no understanding nor our counsell were nothing worth or why is our talke so distastefull seeing wee tell thee the truth 4. It is not wee but thy selfe who is thine owne tormentor through thy proud impatiencie wouldest thou have us belie Gods administration to thee or wouldest thou have him to alter it for thee thou maist sooner expect him to overturn the whole world for thy sake and put every thing out of that order hee hath decreed and made it in than cease to be just in punishing the wicked 5. So that though thou frettest never so much at it yet for certaine this is must be and ever was an infallible Principle That the wicked mans glory shall by Gods just judgement for his sinnes be quite extinguished shine he never so bright and with the waters of affliction God will quench his ambitious preparations and designes that he shall not be eminent 6. But contrariwise the honour of his house shall be brought low yea the glory hee hath raised shall expire even in and with himselfe 7. Goe he never so confidently on hee shall be withstood and his wisedome wherein hee reposeth so much trust shall ruine him at last 8. For his owne waies which hee chooseth to walke and taketh to be freest from danger shall most certainly bring him to ruine and every step hee taketh in those paths of wickednesse and worldly wisedome shall one day assuredly prove a further intrapping to him though for a while hee perceives nor feares it not 9. Till that at the last hee see and feele himselfe unavoidably caught which also shall then befall him when hee least heeded or suspected it and when he is most confident in his owne strength safety and riches God will set some body a worke that maugre all his power shall disable and impoverish him 10. God in his secret purpose means to intrap him at last yea even in the very way which hee puts most confidence in and chooseth to walke in for his security 11. God shall so distresse and fill his mind with feares as that hee shall not have the least chinke of hope left to see any comfort through but give all for lost and be driven utterly to abandon his former confidence as vaine 12. Be hee never so strong in his owne opinion God will weaken it and so burden him that hee shall be glad to seeke strength to beare his owne burthen when he thought himselfe strong enough to burthen others he shall see a strange alteration even destruction and ruine which hee put farre from him in his owne opinion notwithstanding suddenly to surprize him 13. It shall seise upon him as well in body as estate perishing his very bones which support his skinne yea even all the extremest miseries and deadliest torments that are shall violently seize upon him to pull down his pride and ruine all his strong holds 14. He shall see the fruitlesnesse of
is not in us 10. With us are both the gray-headed and very aged men much elder than thy father 11. Are the consolations of God small with thee Is there any secret thing with thee 12. Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what doe thine eyes winke at 13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth 14. What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that hee should be righteous 15. Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints yea the heavens are not cleane in his sight 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water 17. I will shew thee heare me and that which I have seene I will declare 18. Which wise men have told me from their fathers and have not hid it 19. Unto whom alone the earth was given and no stranger passed among them 20. The wicked man travelleth with paine all his daies and the number of yeares is hidden to the oppressour 21. A dreadfull sound is in his eares in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him 22. Hee believeth not that hee shall returne out of darkenesse and hee is waited for of the sword 23. He wandereth abroad for bread saying Where is it ke knoweth that the day of darknesse is ready at his hand 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid they shall prevaile against him as a King ready to the battle 25. For he stretcheth out his hand against God and strengtheneth himselfe against the Allmighty 26. He runneth upon him even on his necke upon the thick bosses of his bucklers 27. Because hee covereth his face with his fatnesse and maketh collops of fat on his flanckes 28. And he dwelleth in desolate cities and in houses which no man inhabiteth which are ready to become heaps 29. Hee shall not be rich neither shall his substance continue neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth 30. Hee shall not depart out of darknesse the flame shall dry up his branches and by the breath of his mouth shall he goe away 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence 32. It shall be accomplished before his time and his branch shall not be greene 33. He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine and shall cast off his flower as the Olive 34. For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall consume the tabernacles of briberie 35. They conceive mischiefe and bring forth vanity and their belly prepareth deceit 1. Then Iob answered and said 2. I have heard many such things miserable comforters are yee all 3. Shall vaine words have an end or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest 4. I also could speake as you doe if your soule were in my soules stead I could heape up words against you and shake mine head at you 5. But I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your griefe 6. Though I speake my griefe is not asswaged and though I forbeare what am I eased 7. But now hee hath made mee weary thou hast made desolate all my company 8. And thou hast filled mee with wrinckles which is a witnesse against me and my leannesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face 9. He teareth mee in his wrath who hateth mee hee gnasheth upon me with his teeth mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me 10. They have gaped upon mee with their mouth they have smitten mee upon the cheeke reproachfully they have gathered themselves together against me 11. God hath delivered mee to the ungodly and turned me over into the hands of the wicked 12. I was at ease but he hath broken me asunder hee hath also taken me by the necke and shaken me to pieces and set me up for his marke 13. His archers compasse me round about he cleaveth my reines asunder and doth not spare he poureth out my gall upon the ground 14. Hee breaketh me with breach upon breach he runneth upon me like a Giant 15. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin and defiled my horne in the dust 16. My face is foule with weeping and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death 17. Not for any injustice in mine hands also my prayer is pure 18. O earth cover not thou my blood and let my cry have no place 19. Also now behold my witnesse is in heaven and my record is on high 20. My friends scorne me but mine eye poureth out teares unto God 21. O that one might plead for a man with God as a man pleadeth for his neighbour 22. When a few yeeres are come then I shall goe the way whence I shall not returne 1. My breath is corrupt my daies are extinct the graves are ready for me 2. Are there not mockers with mee and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation 3. Lay down now put me in a 〈◊〉 with thee who is he that will strike hands with me 4. For thou hast hid their heart from understanding therefore shalt thou not exalt them 5. Hee that speaketh flattery to his friends even the eyes of his children shall faile 6. He hath made mee also a by-word of the people and aforetime I was as a tabret 7. Mine eye also is dimme by reason of sorrow and all my members are as a shadow 8. Upright men shall be astonied at this and the innocent shall stir up himselfe against the hypocrite 9. The righteous also shall hold on his way and hee that hath cleane hands shall be stronger and stronger 10. But as for you all doe you returne and come now for I cannot finde one wise man among you 11. My daies are past my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart 12. They change the night into day the light is short because of darkenesse 13. If I wait the grave is mine house I have made my bed in the darknesse 14. I have said to corruption thou art my father to the worme thou art my mother and my sister 15. And where is now my hope as for my hope who shall see it 16. They shall goe downe to the bars of the pit when our rest together is in the grave 1. Then answerd Bildad the Shuhite and said 2. How long will it be ere thou make an end of thy words marke and afterwards wee will speake 3. Wherefore are wee counted as beasts and reputed vile in your sight 4. He teareth himselfe in his anger shall the earth be forsaken for thee and shall the rocke he removed out of his place 5. Yea the light of the wicked shall be put out and the sparke of his fire shall not shine 6. The light shall be darke in his tabernacle and his candle shall be put out with him 7. The steps of his strength shall be straitned and his owne counsell shall cast him downe 8. For hee is cast into a net by his owne
Let men of understanding tell mee and let a wiseman hearken unto mee 35. Iob hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisedome 36. My desire is that Iob may be or as in the margin my father let Iob be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men 37. For he addeth rebellion unto his sinne he clappeth his hands amongst us and multiplieth his words against God 1. Elihu spake moreover and said 2. Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidest My righteousnesse is more than Gods 3. For thou saidest What advantage will it be unto thee and What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sinne 4. I will answer thee and thy companions with thee 5. Looke unto the heavens and see and behold the clouds which are higher than thou 6. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplied what dost thou unto him 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he of thine hand 8. Thy wickednes may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousnesse may profit the sonne of man 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry they cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty 10. But none saith Where is God my Maker who giveth songs in the night 11. Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser than the fowles of heaven 12. There they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evill men 13. Surely God will not heare vanity neither will the Almighty regard it 14. Although thou saiest thou shalt not see him yet judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet hee knoweth it not in great extremity 16. Therefore doth Iob open his mouth in vaine hee multiplieth words without knowledge 1. Elihu also proceeded and said 2. Suffer mee a little and I will shew thee that I have yet to speake on Gods behalfe 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afarre and will ascribe righteousnesse to my Maker 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdome 6. Hee preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poore 7. Hee withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous but with kings are they on the throne yea hee doth establish them for ever and they are exalted 8. And if they be bound in fetters and be holden in cords of affliction 9. Then hee sheweth them their worke and their transgressions that they have exceeded 10. Hee openeth also their eare to discipline and commandeth that they returne from iniquity 11. If they obey and serve him they shall spend their daies in prosperity and their yeeres in pleasures 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge 13. But the Hypocrites in heart heape up wrath they cry not when he bindeth them 14. They die in youth and their life is among the uncleane 15. He delivereth the poore in his affliction and openeth their eares in oppression 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no straitnes and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatnesse 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee 18. Because there is wrath beware lest hee take thee away with his stroke then a great ransome cannot deliver thee 19. Will hee esteeme thy riches no no gold nor all the forces of strength 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place 21. Take heed regard not iniquity for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction 22. Behold God exalteth by his power who teacheth like him 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way or who can say Thou hast wrought iniquity 24. Remember that thou magnifie his worke which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it a farre off 26. Behold God is great and we know him not neither can the number of his yeeres be searched out 27. For hee maketh small the drops of water they poure downe raine according to the vapour thereof 28. Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly 29. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tabernacle 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the sea 31. For by them judgeth he the people hee giveth meate in abundance 32. With clouds hee covereth the light and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that commeth betwixt 33. The noise thereof sheweth concerning it the cattell also concerning the vapour 1. At this also my heart trembleth and is moved out of his place 2. Heare attentively the noise of his voyce and the sound that goeth out of his mouth 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven and his lightening unto the ends of the earth 4. After it a voyce roareth hee thundereth with the voyce of his excellencie and he will not stay them when his voice is heard 5. God thundereth marvellously with his voyce great things doth hee which wee cannot comprehend 6. For he saith to the snow Be thou on the earth likewise to the small raine and to the great rain of his strength 7. Hee sealeth up the hand of every man that all men may know his worke 8. Then the beasts go into dens and remaine in their places 9. Out of the South commeth the whirlewind and cold out of the North. 10. By the breath of God frost is given and the breadth of the waters is straitned 11. Also by watering hee wearieth the thicke cloud he scattereth his bright cloud 12. And it is turned round about by his counsells that they may doe whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth 13. Hee causeth it to come whether for correction or for his land or for mercy 14. Hearken unto this O Job stand still and consider the wondrous works of God 15. Dost thou know when God disposed them and caused the light of his cloud to shine 16. Dost thou know the ballancings of the clouds the wonderous workes of him which is perfect in knowledge 17. How thy garments are warme when he quieteth the earth by the South-wind 18. Hast thou with him spread out the skie which is strong and as a molten looking-glasse 19. Teach us what we shall say unto him for wee cannot order our speech by reason of darknesse 20. Shall it be told him that I speake if a man speake surely hee shall be swallowed up 21. And now men see not the bright light that is in the clouds but the wind passeth and cleanseth them 22. Faire weather commeth out of the North