The Bible Story Part 305

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.

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; And light shall shine upon thy ways.

JOB.

Even to-day is my complaint rebellious: My stroke is heavier than my groaning.

Oh that I knew where I might find him, That I might come even to his dwelling place!

I would order my cause before him, And fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know the words which he would answer me, And understand what he would say unto me.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

Nay; but he would give heed unto me.

There the upright might reason with him; So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; {207} And backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him: He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.

But he knoweth the way: that I take; When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

My foot hath held fast to his steps; His way have I kept, and turned not aside.

I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him?

And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

For he performeth that which is appointed for me: And many such things are with him.

Therefore am I troubled at his presence; When I consider, I am afraid of him.

For G.o.d hath made my heart faint, And the Almighty hath troubled me: Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.

BILDAD.

Dominion and fear are with him; He maketh peace in his high places.

Is there any number of his armies?

And upon whom doth not his light arise?

How then can man be just with G.o.d? {208} Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

Behold, even the moon hath no brightness, And the stars are not pure in his sight: How much less man, that is a worm!

And the son of man, which is a worm!

JOB.

How hast thou helped him that is without power!

How hast thou saved the arm that hath no strength!

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, And plentifully declared sound knowledge!

To whom hast thou uttered words?

And whose spirit came forth from thee?

They that are deceased tremble Beneath the waters and the inhabitants thereof.

Sheol is naked before him, And Abaddon hath no covering.

He stretcheth out the north over empty s.p.a.ce, And hangeth the earth upon nothing.

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them.

He closeth in the face of his throne, And spreadeth his cloud upon it.

He hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters Unto the confines of light and darkness.

The pillars of heaven tremble And are astonished at his rebuke.