Part 305 (1/2)

One dieth in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and quiet: And another dieth in bitterness of soul, And never tasteth of good.

They lie down alike in the dust, And the worm covereth them.

Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

For ye say, Where is the house of the tyrant?

And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt? {204} Have ye not asked them that go by the way?

And do ye not know their tokens?

That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity?

That they are led forth to the day of wrath?

Who shall declare his way to his face?

And who shall repay him what he hath done?

Yet shall he be borne to the grave, And shall keep watch over the tomb.

The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And all men shall draw after him, As there were innumerable before him.

How then comfort ye me in vain, Seeing in your answers there remaineth only falsehood?

THE SECOND CYCLE OF SPEECHES IS ENDED.

In the first cycle, the three friends had tried to bring Job to their idea of G.o.d, and had failed. Now they center their thought about the wicked man,--how his wickedness brings suffering. _Eliphaz_ says that all men know that the wicked suffer. _Bildad_ says that the very order of nature is such that the wicked suffer. _Zophar_ says that, even if the wicked have any prosperity, it is short, and the end is suffering.

All this is to rouse the conscience of Job to believe that he is suffering for his sins. Job, overwhelmed by their lack of sympathy, at first does not try to meet their arguments, but continues his complaint and prayer to G.o.d. Zophar's speech arouses him to answer, and he says Zophar does not speak the truth. The wicked live and die as happily as the righteous.

The real argument is ended. The friends have tried to show that Job suffers because he has sinned. They have come to the question from the side of G.o.d and from the side of man; and in each case Job has denied their position. Nothing is left but to charge Job directly with sin.

{205}

III

ELIPHAZ.

Can a man be profitable unto G.o.d?

Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou are righteous?

Or, is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

Is it for thy fear of him that he reproveth thee, That he entereth with thee into judgment?

Is not thy wickedness great?

Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.

For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing.

Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee, Or darkness, that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.

Is not G.o.d in the height of heaven?

And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

And thou sayest, ”What doth G.o.d know?

Can he judge through the thick darkness?

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; And he walketh in the circuit of heaven.”

Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden? {206} If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up; If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.

And lay thou thy treasure in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks; And the Almighty shall be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.

For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto G.o.d.

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.