Literal Commentary on Job (Expositio super Iob ad litteram)

“Just as in things that are naturally generated one arrives little by little from the imperfect to the perfect, so it happens to men with regard to the knowledge of truth; for in the beginning they attained but a small amount of truth, but afterward, as it were step by step, they arrived at a certain fuller measure of truth: from which it came about that many, in the beginning, erred concerning the truth on account of imperfect knowledge. Among these there were some who, taking away divine providence, attributed everything to fortune and chance: and among the earlier of these the opinion prevailed to such an extent that they held the world to have been made by chance and attributed to chance the things that are naturally generated, as can be seen from the positions of the ancient natural philosophers who posited only a material cause; and among the later ones too, certain men, such as Democritus and Empedocles, attributed very many things to chance. But the diligence of the later philosophers, gazing more keenly upon the truth, showed by clear indications and arguments that natural things are governed by providence: for so certain a course would not be found in the motion of the heaven and the stars, and in the other effects of nature, unless all these things were ordered and governed by a certain surpassing intellect. The opinion of most, therefore, having been established on this point — that natural things are brought about not by chance but by providence, on account of the order that manifestly appears in them — a doubt arose among many concerning the acts of men, whether human affairs proceeded by chance or were governed by some providence or higher ordination. To this doubt what most supplied fuel was that in human events no certain order appears: for good things do not always happen to the good, or bad things to the bad; nor again do bad things always happen to the good, or good things to the bad; but both good and bad things happen indifferently to the good and to the bad. This, then, is what most moved the hearts of men to suppose that human affairs are not ruled by divine providence; rather, some say that they proceed by chance, except insofar as they are governed by human providence and counsel, while others attribute their outcomes to celestial fate. This opinion, however, is found to be most harmful to the human race; for once divine providence is taken away, no reverence for God or fear of him will remain among men in truth, from which anyone can sufficiently weigh how great a sloth toward the virtues, and how great a proneness toward vices, follows: for there is nothing that so calls men back from evils and leads them toward good as the fear and love of God. Hence, among those who obtained wisdom by the divine spirit for the instruction of others, the first and chief endeavor was to remove this opinion from the hearts of men; and therefore, after the Law that was given and the Prophets, among the number of the Hagiographa — that is, of the books wisely written by the spirit of God for the instruction of men — the book of Job is placed first, the whole intention of which is directed to this: that it be shown, through probable arguments, that human affairs are governed by divine providence. Now in this book one proceeds to show the proposed point on the supposition that natural things are governed by divine providence. But that which chiefly seems to assail the providence of God with regard to human affairs is the affliction of the just: for the fact that good things sometimes happen to the wicked, even though at first sight it may seem unreasonable and contrary to providence, can nevertheless somehow have some excuse from divine mercy; but that the just should be afflicted without cause seems entirely to undermine the very foundation of providence. There is proposed, therefore, for the question at hand, as a kind of theme, the manifold and grievous affliction of a certain man perfect in every virtue, who is called Job. Now there were some to whom it seemed that this Job was not anything in the nature of things, but that he was a kind of parable devised so as to serve as a theme for the disputation concerning providence, just as men frequently invent certain deeds in order to dispute about them. And although for the intention of the book it does not matter much whether it was so or otherwise, nevertheless it does matter as regards the truth itself. For the aforesaid opinion seems to run counter to the authority of Sacred Scripture: for it is said in Ezekiel 14:14, in the person of the Lord, "if these three men should be in the midst of it, Noah, Daniel, and Job, they by their own righteousness shall deliver their souls"; but it is manifest that Noah and Daniel were men in the nature of things, whence neither should the third one numbered together with them, namely Job, be called into doubt. It is also said in James 5:11, "behold, we call blessed those who have endured; you have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord." Thus, then, it must be believed that Job was a man in the nature of things. But at what time he lived, or from what parents he took his origin, and also who was the author of this book — whether Job himself wrote this book about himself, speaking as if of another, or whether someone else related these things about him — it is not the intention of the present work to discuss. For we intend, concisely and according to our ability, having confidence in divine help, to expound this book, which is entitled the Book of Blessed Job, according to the literal sense; for its mysteries have been opened to us by blessed Pope Gregory so subtly and eloquently that nothing further seems needful to be added to them.”

“"There was a man in the land of Hus," etc. Because, as has been said, the whole intention of this book is ordered to showing how human affairs are governed by divine providence, there is set forth first, as it were the foundation of the whole disputation, a certain history in which the manifold affliction of a certain just man is recounted: for this is the very thing which seems most of all to exclude divine providence from human affairs. First, therefore, the person of this man is described, both as to sex, when it is said "there was a man" (for this sex is found more robust for enduring troubles), and as to homeland, when it is said "in the land of Hus," which is in the regions of the east, and as to name, when it is said "by the name of Job"; and these two seem to be set down in order to suggest that what is being related is not a parable but an actual event. And lest anyone should believe that the adversities afterward brought upon him befell him on account of this man's sins, his virtue is consequently described, by which he is shown to be immune from sins. For it must be known that a man sins in three ways: there are certain sins by which one sins against one's neighbor, such as murders, adulteries, thefts, and the like; certain by which one sins against God, such as perjury, sacrilege, blasphemy, and the like; certain by which each one sins against himself, according to the word of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 6:18, "he who fornicates sins against his own body." Now one sins against one's neighbor in two ways, secretly through guile and openly through force; but this man did not circumvent his neighbor through guile, whence it is said, "and that man was simple," for simplicity is properly opposed to guile; he did no violence to anyone, for there follows "and upright," for uprightness properly pertains to justice, which consists in equality, according to Isaiah 26:7, "the path of the just is straight, the way of the just is right for walking." That he did not sin against God is openly shown by what is added, "and fearing God," in which reverence toward God is designated. That he did not sin against himself either is shown by what is added, "and departing from evil," because he held evil in hatred for its own sake, not only on account of harm to his neighbor or offense to God. Having thus described both the person and the virtue of this man, his prosperity is consequently shown, so that the following adversity may be judged the more grievous from the preceding prosperity, and at the same time to show that by God's first intention good things are always granted to the just, not only spiritual goods but temporal ones as well; but that the just are sometimes oppressed by adversities happens on account of some special cause: whence also from the beginning man was so constituted that he would be subject to no disturbances if he had remained in innocence. Now the beginning of temporal prosperity, after the good standing of one's own person, consists in persons joined to one, and especially in one's children, who are in a certain way something of their parents. Therefore his prosperity is first described as to the fruitfulness of offspring, when it is said, "and there were born to him seven sons and three daughters." Fittingly a greater number of males than females is set down, because parents are wont to be more fond of sons than of daughters, both because that which is more perfect is more desirable — for males are compared to females as the perfect to the imperfect — and because parents are usually more assisted in the conduct of affairs by sons than by daughters. Then his prosperity is shown as to abundance of riches, and especially in animals: for around the beginning of the human race, on account of the scarcity of men, the possession of fields was not so valuable as that of animals, and especially in the regions of the east, in which even to this day there are few inhabitants in proportion to the breadth of the region. Among the animals, first are set down those which serve most for the food and clothing of the person, namely sheep, whence it is said, "and his possession was seven thousand sheep"; second are set down those which serve most for bearing burdens, namely camels, and this is what is added, "and three thousand camels"; third are set down those which serve for the tilling of fields, and this is what is added, "also five hundred yoke of oxen"; fourth are set down the animals which men use for conveyance, whence there follows "and five hundred she-asses," from which mules are generated, upon which the ancients especially used to ride. Under these four kinds of animals are comprised all the others which serve the same uses — for instance, under sheep, everything necessary for food and clothing, and so for the rest. And because men possessing many riches need a multitude of servants to govern them, fittingly there is added, "and a very great household." Consequently his prosperity is set down as to honor and fame, which was spread far and wide, and this is what is said, "and that man was great among all the people of the East," that is, honored and famous. For the greater commendation of Job himself, the discipline of his household is consequently described, which was free from those vices which opulence is wont to beget. For very often abundance of riches gives rise to discord, whence it is read in Genesis that Abraham and Lot could not dwell together, in order to avoid the quarreling that arose from the abundance of their possessions. Frequently, too, men possessing many things, since they love immoderately what they possess, use them the more tenaciously; whence it is said, Ecclesiastes 6:1-2, "there is another evil which I have seen under the sun, and indeed a frequent one among men: a man to whom God has given riches and substance and honor, and nothing is lacking to his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him the power to eat of it." From these evils, then, the house of blessed Job was free: for there was concord in it, and joyful and fair frugality, which is signified when it is said, "and his sons went and held feasts, each in his house on his day." And this charity and concord was not only among the brothers but extended even to the sisters, who are frequently despised by brothers on account of the pride which opulence very much begets, whence it is added, "and sending, they called their three sisters to eat and drink wine with them." At the same time there is also designated in this the security that was had concerning the chastity of the daughters; for otherwise they were not to be led about but kept enclosed, according to the word of the wise man, Ecclesiasticus 26:13, "over a daughter who does not turn herself away, keep firm watch, lest, an occasion found, she abuse herself." As frugality and concord flourished in the house of Job, so in Job himself there flourished a holy solicitude for purity, which riches frequently overwhelm or even diminish, according to Deuteronomy, "the beloved grew fat and kicked," and afterward there follows, "he forsook God his maker," etc. And indeed he was so solicitous for his own purity that he was wholly removed from those things which could defile him: for it was said above that he was "fearing God and departing from evil." But he was also most solicitous concerning the purity of his sons; he permitted them, to be sure, to hold feasts, indulging their age — for certain things are tolerated in the young which are reprehensible in persons of weight. And because at feasts men can scarcely, or never, avoid giving offense either through inept mirth or through disorderly talkativeness or even through immoderate use of food, to the sons whom he did not restrain from feasting he offered the remedy of purification, whence it is said, "and when the days of the feast had gone round in a circle, Job sent to them and sanctified them." Now the days of the feast are said to go round in a circle because, since there were seven sons and each one held a feast on his day, through all the days of the week in sequence they completed feasts of this kind; afterward, as it were circularly or in a circle, just as through the days of the week so also through the feasts, they returned to the beginning. Now it is to be noted that although Job indulged his sons in holding feasts, yet he, preserving his own gravity, did not mingle himself with their feasts: whence it is said that "he sent to them," not that he himself went to them. The manner of the sanctification by which he sanctified them through a messenger can be understood in two ways: either because he had them instructed with wholesome admonitions, so that if they had done anything wrong at the feasts they might amend it, or else they had some rite of expiation by which sins of this kind were expiated, just as sacrifices too were given even before the Law, as well as the offering of first fruits and of tithes. Now at feasts men sometimes incur not only impurity in the ways aforesaid, but are even plunged into graver sins, even to the contempt of God, when reason is absorbed by wantonness and drawn away from divine reverence, as it is said in Exodus, "the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play," that is, to fornicate or to sacrifice to idols. Job, therefore, not only came to the aid of his sons against light offenses by sanctifying them, but also strove to apply a remedy against graver offenses by which God might be appeased toward them, whence there follows, "and rising at dawn he offered holocausts for each one." In these words the perfection of his devotion is shown, both as to time, because he rose at dawn, according to the word of the Psalm, "in the morning I will stand before you," etc.; and as to the manner of the offering, because he offered holocausts, which were wholly burned up in honor of God, no part being left for the use of the one offering or of the one for whom it was offered, as was the case in peace offerings and sin offerings — for a holocaust is so called as being, as it were, wholly burnt; and as to the number, because he offered holocausts for each of his sons individually, for individual sins are to be expiated by fitting satisfactions. He then adds the cause of the offering of the holocausts, saying, "for he said" — namely Job in his heart, not indeed being certain of his sons' sins but in doubt — "lest perhaps my sons have sinned," namely in deed or in word, "and have blessed God in their hearts." This can be understood in two ways. In one way, that the whole be understood conjointly: for although to bless God is a good thing, yet to bless God on account of the fact that one has sinned signifies a will resting content in sins, and in this respect it is blamed, as it is said in Zechariah against certain people: "feed the flock of slaughter, which those who possessed them killed and did not grieve, and sold them saying: Blessed be the Lord, we have become rich." In another way, that it be understood disjunctively, so that by what is said, "have blessed," is understood "have cursed": for the crime of blasphemy is so horrible that pious mouths shrink from naming it by its own name, but signify it by its opposite. And fittingly holocausts are offered for the sin of blasphemy, because those things which are committed against God are to be purged by divine honoring. Now it is wont to happen that divine worship is devoutly performed by some if it is rare, but when it has become frequent it comes into disdain, which is the sin of acedia, when someone, that is, grows sad over spiritual labor. To this vice Job was not subject, for it is added, "so did Job all the days," as one preserving a devotion persevering in divine worship. "Now on a certain day, when the sons," etc. After the prosperity of blessed Job has been enumerated, his adversity is set down, and first the cause of it is introduced. And lest anyone should think that the adversities of the just proceed apart from divine providence, and through this suppose that human affairs are not subject to providence, it is set forth beforehand how God has care of human affairs and dispenses them. This is proposed symbolically and under a figure, according to the custom of sacred Scripture, which describes spiritual things under the figures of bodily things, as is clear in Isaiah 6:1, "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up," and in the beginning of Ezekiel and in many other places. And although spiritual things are set forth under the figures of bodily things, nevertheless those things which are intended concerning spiritual matters through sensible figures do not pertain to the mystical sense but to the literal sense, because the literal sense is that which is first intended through the words, whether properly spoken or figuratively. Now it must be known that divine providence governs things in such an order that it dispenses the lower through the higher: for bodies subject to generation and corruption are subjected to the motion of the heavenly bodies, and likewise the lower rational spirits united to mortal bodies, namely souls, are administered through the higher incorporeal spirits. Now ecclesiastical tradition holds this, that among the incorporeal spirits there are certain good ones who, preserving the purity in which they were created, enjoy the divine glory, never departing from the will of God: and these spirits are sometimes called Angels in the Scriptures, that is, messengers, because they announce divine things to men, and sometimes they are called sons of God insofar as they are assimilated to God through participation in glory. But there are certain evil spirits, not by nature or by creation, since God is the author of every nature, nor can the highest good be the cause of anything but good things, but they are evil through their own fault; spirits of this kind are called Demons in the Scriptures, and the first of them is called the Devil, as it were falling downward, or also Satan, that is, adversary. Both kinds of spirits, then, move men to do certain things, the good ones indeed to good things, the evil ones to evil things. And just as men are moved by God through the aforesaid spirits, so also the things that are done through men are said in the Scriptures to be referred, through the mediation of these same spirits, to the divine examination. To show, therefore, that both the good and the evil things which men do are subject to the divine judgment, it is said, "now on a certain day, when the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, Satan also was present among them." Now it must be known that the Angels, who are here called sons of God, are said to stand before the Lord in two ways: in one way inasmuch as God is beheld by them, as it is written in Daniel, "thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him"; in another way inasmuch as the Angels themselves and their acts are beheld by God — for those who stand before some lord both behold him and are beheld by him. In the first way, then, to stand before does not befit the Angels except the blessed ones who enjoy the divine vision, nor all of these, but only those among them who exist as the higher ones, who enjoy the divine vision more intimately and who do not go out to exterior ministries, according to the opinion of Dionysius: whence in the aforesaid authority of Daniel those who stand before are also distinguished from those who minister. In the second way, however, to stand before befits not only all the good Angels but also the evil ones, and even men, because whatever is done through them is subjected to the divine sight and examination, and on this account it is said that "when the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, Satan also was present among them." And although the things that are administered through good or evil Angels are continually subjected to the divine sight and examination, and thus the sons of God are always standing before him and Satan is always present among them, it is nevertheless said "on a certain day," according to the custom of Scripture, which sometimes designates through time those things which are above time, from certain things which are said to occur in time; just as at the beginning of Genesis it is said that God said certain things on the first or second day, although his speaking is eternal, on account of the fact that the things said by him came to be in time. So too now, because the deed which is now intended took place at a determined time, the administrators of this deed are said to have stood before the Lord on a certain day, although they never cease to stand before the Lord. It must also be considered that the things done through good Angels are referred to the divine judgment otherwise than those done through evil ones. For the good Angels intend that what they do be referred to God, and therefore it is said that the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, as it were subjecting all things to the divine judgment by their own motion and intention; but the evil Angels do not intend to refer what they do to God, but, though they are unwilling, it happens to them that whatever they do is subjected to the divine judgment, and therefore it is not said of Satan that he came to stand before the Lord, but only that he "was present among them." Now it is said "among them" both on account of the equality of nature, and to suggest that evil things are not from a principal intention but come upon good things as it were incidentally. There is, moreover, a difference between the things done through good Angels and evil ones: for the good Angels do nothing except what they are moved to by divine command and will, for in all things they follow the divine will; but the evil ones by their own will are at discord with God, whence the things they themselves do exist as alien from God as regards their intention. And because we are not accustomed to ask about the things which we ourselves do, but about the things which happen apart from us, therefore it is not said that the Lord asked anything of the sons of God, but only of Satan, and this is what is added, "to whom the Lord said: whence do you come?" And it is to be noted that the Lord does not say to him, "what are you doing?" or "where are you?" but "whence do you come?" Because the very deeds which are procured through the Demons sometimes proceed from the divine will, in that through them either the wicked are punished or the good are exercised; but the intention of the Demons is always evil and alien from God, and therefore it is asked of Satan, "whence do you come?" because his intention, from which his whole action proceeds, is alien from God. Now it must be known that "to say" is taken in two ways, for sometimes it is referred to the concept of the heart, sometimes to the signification by which such a concept is expressed to another. According to the first way, then, the speaking of God is eternal and is nothing other than begetting the Son, who is his Word. In the second way, however, God says certain things temporally, yet in various manners according to what is fitting to those to whom he speaks: for to men having bodily senses God has sometimes spoken with a bodily sound formed in some created subject, as the voice sounded at the Baptism and at the Transfiguration of Christ, "this is my beloved son"; sometimes, however, through an imaginative vision, as is read many times in the prophets; sometimes through an intelligible expression, and in this way it must be understood that God said something to Satan, inasmuch as he causes him to understand that the things he himself does are beheld by God. Just as, then, God's speaking to Satan is his affording him knowledge, so Satan's answering God is not indeed his conveying knowledge of some thing to God, but his considering that all his own doings are open to the divine sight, and according to this manner it is said, "who answering said: I have gone about the earth and walked through it." Through this, then, that the Lord says to Satan, "whence do you come?" God examines the intention and acts of the Devil; and through this, that Satan answers, "I have gone about the earth and walked through it," as it were rendering to God an account of his own acts, so that from both it may be shown that all things which are done through Satan are subject to divine providence. Now through his going about, Satan's craftiness is shown, in exploring whom he may be able to deceive, according to 1 Peter 5, "your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, goes about, seeking whom he may devour." Fittingly, moreover, craftiness is designated through going about, just as simple justice is designated through the straight: for the straight is that whose middle does not depart from its extremes; because, therefore, the action of the just man does not disagree with its principle, which is the will, and its intended end, uprightness is fittingly ascribed to the just; but it is characteristic of the crafty to pretend one thing and intend another, and thus what they display from their work departs from the extremes, since it agrees neither with their will nor with their end: whence the crafty are rightly said to go about, on account of which it is written, "the wicked walk about in a circle." Now it must be known that although the Devil applies the pursuit of his craftiness toward all, both good and evil, yet he attains the effect of his craftiness only in the evil, who are rightly called earth; for since man is composed of a spiritual nature and earthly flesh, the evil of man consists in this, that, having abandoned the spiritual goods to which he is ordered according to his rational mind, he clings to earthly goods, which befit him according to his earthly flesh: and therefore the evil, inasmuch as they follow their earthly nature, are rightly called earth. This earth, then, Satan not only goes about but also walks through, because in them he completes the effect of his malice: for in the walking through, the completion of his process is designated, just as, on the contrary, it is said of just men that God walks in them, whence the Apostle in 2 Corinthians 6:16 introduces, "I will dwell in them and walk among them." Something else too can be understood from this. For there is a threefold condition of living beings: some are above the earth, that is, in heaven, as the Angels and all the blessed; some are on the earth, as men living in mortal flesh; some are under the earth, as the Demons and all the damned. The first, then, Satan neither goes about nor walks through, because in the heavenly citizens there can be no malice, just as no evil of nature is found in the heavenly bodies; those who are in Hell he walks through but does not go about, because he holds them wholly subjected to his malice, nor is it necessary for him to use any craftiness to deceive them; but those who are on the earth he goes about and walks through, because he strives both to deceive them by craftiness and to draw some of them to his malice — these being the ones most designated by the earth, as has been said. And that by the earth earthly men are designated is shown quite openly by the fact that the Lord, though Job dwells on the earth, seems to separate him from the earth. For when Satan had said, "I have gone about the earth and walked through it," there is added, "and the Lord said to him: have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth?" For it would seem to be asked in vain whether he had considered Job, who was asserting that he had gone about and walked through the earth, unless he understood his servant Job to be apart from the earth. And he clearly shows in what respect he is separated from the earth by saying, "my servant Job." For man is constituted as it were midway between God and earthly things, for by his mind he cleaves to God, but by his flesh he is joined to earthly things; and every mean between two things recedes the more from one extreme the more it approaches the other: man, therefore, the more he cleaves to God, the more distant he is from the earth. Now this is what it is to be a servant of God, to cleave to God in mind, for a servant is one who is not for his own sake: but he who cleaves to God in mind orders himself into God as it were a servant of love, not of fear. And it is to be noted that earthly affections in some way, though at a distance, imitate the spiritual affections by which the mind is joined to God, but can in no way arrive at their likeness: for earthly love falls short of the love of God, and consequently every affection does, for the principle of any affection whatsoever is love. Whence fittingly, after he had said, "have you considered my servant Job," there is added, "that there is none like him on the earth," because nothing among earthly things can be equal to spiritual things. Although it can also be understood otherwise: for in each saint there is some pre-eminence of virtue as regards some special use, on account of which it is sung of each individual confessor in the Church, "there has not been found one like unto him who kept the law of the Most High," except that in Christ all things existed according to most perfect excellence; and according to this manner it can be understood that no one among the inhabitants of the earth was like Job, inasmuch as Job excelled as regards some particular exercise of virtue. Now in what respect Job was a servant of God and none like him on the earth, he shows when he adds, "a simple man, and upright, and fearing God, and departing from evil," which, since they have been expounded above, may for the present be set aside. Now it must be considered that God orders the life of the just not only to their own good but also renders it conspicuous to others; but those who behold it are not affected toward it in the same way: for the good, having it as an example, profit from it, but the evil, if they are not corrected so as to become good by its example, fall short upon beholding the life of the saints, either being tormented by envy or striving to pervert it by false judgments, according to the word of the Apostle, 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, "we are the good odor of Christ unto God, both in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing: to some indeed the odor of death unto death, but to others the odor of life unto life." Thus, then, God wills the life of the saints to be considered not only by the elect unto the advancement of salvation, but also by the wicked unto the increase of their damnation, because from the life of the saints the reprehensible perversity of the impious is shown, according to what is said in Wisdom 4:16, "the just, dead, condemns the impious living." And therefore the Lord says to Satan, "have you considered my servant Job," etc., as if to say: you indeed go about and walk through the earth, but my servant Job you can only consider and marvel at his virtue. Now it is the custom of perverse men, of whom Satan is the prince and here bears their person, that, since they cannot reprove the life of the saints, they slander them as not acting from a right intention, according to Ecclesiasticus 11:33, "turning good things into evil he lies in wait, and upon the elect he will impose a stain." And this appears from what is added, "to whom Satan answering said: does Job fear God in vain?" As if to say: I cannot deny that he does good things, but he does not do this from a right intention out of love for you and of honesty, but on account of the temporal things he has obtained from you. And therefore he says, "does Job fear God in vain?" For we are said to do something in vain when we cannot attain what we intend by it; but Job serves you on account of the temporal things he has obtained from you, whence it is not in vain that in serving you he fears you. And that he has obtained temporal prosperity he shows as to two things. First as to immunity from evils, namely that he had been preserved by God from every adversity, and this is what he says, "have you not hedged him," that is, protected him as a rampart or a wall protects, "and his house," as to his offspring and household, "and all his substance," as to his possessions; and he adds "round about," so that a perfect immunity may be shown, because that which is hedged round about can suffer assault from no side. Second he shows his prosperity as to the multiplication of goods, and this is what he says, "you have blessed the works of his hands." And indeed, since God makes all things by speaking, for God to bless is to give goodness to things: God, then, blesses someone's works when he brings them to a good end so that they attain their due end. And because certain goods come to a man apart from his own work and intention, on this account he adds, "and his possession has increased in the land." Thus, then, Satan slanders the deeds of blessed Job as though he did them from an intention of earthly advantage; whence it is manifest that the good things we do are not referred to earthly prosperity as to a reward, otherwise it would not be a perverse intention if someone were to serve God on account of temporal prosperity; and likewise, on the contrary, temporal adversity is not the proper punishment of sins, a question which will occupy nearly the whole book. Now Satan wishes to show that Job had served God on account of the earthly prosperity he had obtained, by the opposite proof: for if, temporal prosperity ceasing, Job should cease to fear God, it would become manifest that he feared God on account of the temporal prosperity he enjoyed; and therefore he adds, "but stretch forth your hand a little and touch all that he possesses," namely by taking it away, "unless he shall bless you to your face," that is, shall openly curse you — understand: "let evil befall me." And it is to be noted that even the hearts of the truly just are sometimes moved by great adversity, but the falsely just are disturbed by even slight adversity, as having no root of virtue. Satan, then, wishes to suggest that Job was not truly just but only in pretense, and therefore he says that if he were touched even a little by adversity he would murmur against God, which is to blaspheme God. And he pointedly says, "unless he shall bless you to your face," to signify that even in prosperity he was in a certain way blaspheming God in his heart, in that he preferred temporal things to love of him, but with prosperity removed he would blaspheme even to his face, that is, openly. This too — "unless he shall bless you to your face" — can be understood otherwise, so that "blessing" be taken properly, and the sense be: if you touch him a little by taking away his earthly prosperity, let this befall me, unless it become manifest that he had before blessed you not in his true heart but to the face, that is, for the appearance of men. And because, as has been said, the Lord wills the virtue of the saints to be known to all, both good and evil, it pleased him that, just as all had beheld his good deeds, so also his right intention should be made manifest to all: and therefore he willed to deprive Job of earthly prosperity, so that, with him persevering in the fear of God, it might become manifest that he feared God from a right intention and not on account of temporal things. But it must be known that God punishes the wicked both through good Angels and through evil ones, but he never brings adversity upon the good except through evil ones: and therefore he willed that adversity be brought upon blessed Job through no one but Satan, and on this account it is added, "the Lord therefore said to Satan: behold, all that he has is in your hand," that is, I hand it over to your power, "only put not forth your hand upon him." From which it is clearly given to understand that Satan can harm just men not as much as he wishes but as much as he is permitted. It must also be considered that the Lord did not command Satan to offend Job but only gave him power to do so, because the will to harm is present in every evil person from himself, but the power is only from God. It is clear, then, from what has been said, that this was the cause of blessed Job's adversity, that his virtue might be made manifest to all, whence it is also said of Tobias that the Lord permitted temptation to befall him for this reason, that an example of his patience might be given to posterity, as also of holy Job. It must be guarded against, however, that one should believe the Lord to have been induced by the words of Satan to permit Job to be afflicted, but he ordained this by an eternal disposition to manifest the virtue of Job against all the slanders of the wicked: and therefore the slander is set first and the divine permission follows. "And Satan went forth from the face of the Lord," etc. The cause of blessed Job's adversity having been set down, it is consequently shown how this adversity came upon him. And because it was all brought about through Satan, therefore it is said of him first, "and Satan went forth from the face of the Lord," as it were to use the power permitted to him. And it is pointedly said that "he went forth from the face of the Lord," for Satan, insofar as the power of harming someone is permitted to him, is before the face of the Lord, because this comes about by the reasonable will of God; but while he carries out the power permitted to him he goes forth from the face of the Lord, because he departs from the intention of the one permitting it — which appears in the case at hand: for it was permitted to him by God that he might be able to harm Job in order to manifest his virtue, but Satan did not afflict him for this reason, but in order to provoke him to impatience and blasphemy. At the same time it manifestly appears here to be true what we said above, that Satan was present among the sons of God standing before him according as some are said to stand before God insofar as they are subjected to the divine judgment and examination, not according as those are said to stand before God who see God: whence here too it is not said that Satan cast God from his own face, but that "he went forth from the face of the Lord," as it were departing from the intention of his providence, though not able to escape the order of providence. Now it must be considered that in the narrating of the adversity, an order contrary to that in which the prosperity was narrated is observed. For in the narrating of the prosperity, he proceeded from the greater things to the lesser, beginning from the person of Job himself, and after this he set down the offspring and then the animals, first the sheep and thereafter the rest: and this reasonably, because the perpetuity which cannot be preserved in the person is sought in the offspring, for whose sustenance possessions are needed. But in the adversity it is proposed the other way around: for first is narrated the loss of substance, second the oppression of the offspring, third the affliction of his own person, and this toward the increase of the adversity, for one who is oppressed by a greater adversity does not feel a lesser one, but the greater is felt after the lesser. And therefore, so that Job might feel his own affliction from each of the adversities in turn and thus be moved more to impatience, Satan began to afflict Job with the lesser adversity and proceeded gradually to the greater ones. It must also be considered that the mind of man is more disturbed by things which come suddenly, for adversities thought of beforehand are more easily borne; and therefore, so that Job might be more disturbed, at the time of greatest joy, when adversity could least be thought of, Satan brought adversity upon him, so that even from the very joy then present the adversity might appear the graver — for contraries placed next to one another shine forth the more. And therefore it is said, "now on a certain day, when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine" — which is set down especially as an indication of joy, according to Ecclesiasticus 31:35, "wine was created from the beginning for joy, not for drunkenness" — "in the house of their firstborn brother," which is also set down for the greater solemnity: for it is probable that a more solemn feast was celebrated in the house of the firstborn; "a messenger came to Job who said: the oxen were plowing," so that from the memory of the fruit the loss might appear the more unbearable; "and the she-asses were feeding beside them," which is also set down for the increase of grief, as he might consider that the enemies came upon them at the time when they could seize the most all at once; "and the Sabeans rushed in," namely enemies coming from far off, from whom what they had seized could not easily be recovered; "and took away everything," lest, if they had left anything, it might at least suffice for necessary use and for propagation; "and slew the servants with the sword," which was the more grievous to the just man; "and I alone escaped to tell you," as if to say: this happened by divine disposition so that I alone might escape, that you might have a messenger of so great a loss, as though God intended to afflict you with grief. Now this adversity having been announced, at once another is announced, lest, if some interval should occur, he might in the meantime return to himself and prepare himself for patience, and thus more easily sustain what followed; and on this account there is added, "and while he was yet speaking, another came and said: the fire of God" — that is, sent from God — "fell from heaven," so that it might be impressed, as it were, upon his mind that he was suffering persecution not only from men but also from God, and thus be more easily provoked against God; "and consumed the sheep and the servants that were touched by it," as though this were brought about by divine power, that immediately at the touch of the fire all things should be consumed, which is above the natural power of fire; "and I alone escaped to tell you." There follows: "but while he was yet speaking, another came and said: the Chaldeans," who were fierce and powerful; whence to show their power there is added, "made three troops," so that in this way neither vengeance nor recovery of the loss could be hoped for; concerning which loss there is added, "and fell upon the camels," etc. There follows the oppression of the offspring: "he was yet speaking, and behold another came in and said: while your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their firstborn brother" — so that from this their death might be the sadder, in that Job could be in doubt whether they had been overtaken by death in some state of sin: for he himself, for this reason, sanctified them and offered holocausts for each one, because he feared lest at the feasts they might have incurred some sin. And lest perhaps it might be believed that they had repented and provided for their souls, there is added, "suddenly a violent wind rushed in from the region of the desert and struck the four corners of the house," which is said to show the vehemence of the wind, which, contrary to custom, overturned the whole house at once, so that through this it might be shown to have proceeded from the divine will, and thus he might be more easily moved against God while being afflicted by him whom he had served with a devoted mind. And for the greater heaping up of grief there is added the loss of the slain offspring, when it is said, "and it fell and crushed your children, and they are dead" — namely all of them, lest even in some one of the children escaping there should remain hope of posterity. And this was believed to be the more sorrowful in that, with all the children slain, some one of the servants was able to escape to stir up grief, for there follows, "and I alone escaped to tell you." Now it must be considered that, since all the aforesaid adversity was brought about through Satan, it must be confessed that, God permitting it, Demons can bring about disturbance of the air, stir up winds, and cause fire to fall from heaven. For although corporeal matter does not obey the beck of Angels, neither good nor evil, for the reception of forms, but only the Creator God, nevertheless corporeal nature is naturally disposed to obey spiritual nature as to local motion; an indication of which appears in man, for the limbs are moved only at the command of the will, so as to carry out a work disposed by the will. Whatever things, then, can be brought about by local motion alone, these not only the good spirits but also the evil ones can do by their natural power, unless they are divinely prohibited; but winds and rains and other disturbances of the air of this kind can come about from the mere motion of vapors released from earth and water, whence the natural power of the Demon suffices to procure things of this kind; but sometimes they are prohibited from this by divine power, so that it is not permitted them to do everything they naturally can. Nor is this contrary to what is said in Jeremiah 14:22, "are there any among the idols of the nations that can send rain?" For it is one thing to rain by the natural course, which belongs to God alone, who ordained the natural causes for this; but it is another thing for the natural causes ordained by God for raining to be used artificially at times for rain, or a wind to be produced at times as it were extraordinarily. "Then Job arose," etc. The adversity of blessed Job having been enumerated, there is here treated the patience which he showed in adversity. Now it must be known, for the clarification of what is said here, that concerning bodily goods and concerning the passions of the soul there was a diverse opinion among the ancient philosophers. For the Stoics said that exterior goods are no goods of man at all, and that for their loss no sadness could be in the soul of the wise man; but the opinion of the Peripatetics was that exterior goods are indeed some goods of man, not indeed principal ones, but ordered as it were instrumentally to man's principal good, which is the good of the mind: and on this account they granted that the wise man might be moderately saddened at the loss of exterior goods, in such a way, namely, that reason not be so absorbed by sadness as to decline from rectitude. And this opinion is the truer one and agrees with ecclesiastical doctrine, as is clear through Augustine in the book On the City of God. Following this opinion, then, Job showed sadness indeed in adversity, yet so moderated that it was subject to reason, and therefore it is said that "then Job arose and rent his garment," which among men is wont to be an indication of sadness. Now it is to be noted that he says "then," namely after the death of his sons had been heard, so that he may seem to have grieved more over them than over the loss of his goods. For not to grieve over dead friends seems to be a mark of a hard and unfeeling heart, but it belongs to the virtuous man not to have this grief immoderate, according to the word of the Apostle, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, "we do not want you to be ignorant concerning those who sleep, that you not be saddened as also the rest who have no hope"; and this was the case in blessed Job, whence also the state of his mind appeared through an exterior act. For because his reason stood erect, it is fittingly said that "Job arose," although grieving men are more wont to be prostrated; but because he was suffering sadness, yet not one penetrating so as to disturb the innermost parts of reason, he showed a sign of sadness in exterior things as to two things, namely as to those things which are outside the nature of the body, whence it is said, "and he rent his garment," and as to those things which proceed from the nature of the body, whence it is said, "and having shaved his head," which among those who cultivate their hair is wont to be an indication of grief. Whence these two signs of sadness fittingly correspond to the aforementioned adversities, for the rending of the garment corresponds to the loss of goods, the shaving of the head to the loss of the sons. Now the mind stands erect at that time when it humbly submits itself to God: for each thing subsists in a greater height of nobility the more it is subject to that which perfects it, as air when it is subject to light, and matter when it is subject to form; that the mind of blessed Job, then, was not cast down by sadness but persisted in its own rectitude is manifested by this, that he humbly submitted himself to God, for there follows, "and falling upon the ground he worshipped," to show a mark of humility and devotion. And he declared the state of his mind not only by deeds but also by words; for he reasonably showed that, even though he was suffering sadness, he ought not to succumb to sadness. First indeed from the condition of nature, whence it is said, "and he said: naked I came forth from my mother's womb" — namely the earth, which is the common mother of all — "naked shall I return thither," that is, into the earth; and according to this manner it is said in Ecclesiasticus 40:1, "great occupation has been created for men, and a heavy yoke upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their coming forth from their mother's womb until the day of burial in the mother of all." It can also be understood otherwise, so that what is said, "from my mother's womb," be taken literally of the womb of the woman who bore him, but what is said, "naked shall I return thither," be understood such that this word "thither" makes a simple reference — for no one returns a second time into his mother's womb, but he returns into that state which he had in his mother's womb as regards a certain respect, namely as regards this, that he is alien from human converse. Saying this, then, he reasonably shows that on account of the loss of exterior goods a man ought not to be overwhelmed by sadness, because exterior goods are not connatural to him but come to him accidentally, which is clear from this, that man comes into this world without them and departs without them: whence, the accidental goods being taken away, if the substantial remains, a man ought not to be overcome by sadness even though sadness touch him. Second he shows the same thing from the divine operation, saying, "the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away," where first his true judgment concerning divine providence over human affairs is to be considered. For in that he said, "the Lord gave," he confessed that worldly prosperity comes to men not by chance, nor from the fate of the stars, nor from human effort alone, but from divine dispensation; but in that he says, "the Lord has taken away," he confesses also that worldly adversities come upon men by the judgment of divine providence. Now this brings it about that a man has no just complaint against God if he is despoiled of temporal goods, because he who gave freely was able to grant either until the end or for a time: whence, when he takes away temporal things from a man before the end, the man cannot complain. Third he shows the same thing from the good pleasure of the divine will, saying, "as it has pleased the Lord, so has it been done"; now it belongs to friends to will and not will the same thing: whence, if it proceeds from the divine good pleasure that someone be despoiled of temporal goods, if he loves God he ought to conform his own will to the divine will, so that by this consideration sadness may not overwhelm him. These three reasons, then, are set down in their due order: for in the first reason it is set down that temporal goods are extraneous to man, in the second that they are given and taken away from man by God, in the third that this happens according to the good pleasure of the divine will. Whence from the first reason it is concluded that man ought not to be overwhelmed by sadness on account of the loss of temporal goods, from the second that he cannot even complain, from the third that he ought even to rejoice. For it would not be pleasing to God that someone suffer adversity except on account of some good coming from it: whence adversity, although in itself it is bitter and generates sadness, ought nevertheless, from consideration of the benefit on account of which it pleases God, to be a source of joy, just as it is also said of the apostles, "the apostles went rejoicing," etc.; for one also rejoices in reason at the taking of a bitter medicine on account of the hope of health, although he is disturbed in sense. And because joy is the matter of thanksgiving, he therefore concludes this third reason in an act of thanksgiving, saying, "blessed be the name of the Lord." Now the name of the Lord is blessed by men insofar as they have knowledge of his goodness, namely that he dispenses all things well and does nothing unjustly. Thus, then, the innocence of Job is concluded when it is said, "in all these things Job did not sin with his lips," namely by expressing through words an impatient impulse, "nor did he speak anything foolish against God," that is, blasphemous, namely so as to blaspheme concerning divine providence: for folly is opposed to wisdom, which is properly the knowledge of divine things.”

“And it came to pass on a certain day, etc. Since there is a threefold good of man, namely of the soul, of the body, and of external things, they are ordered to one another in this way: that the body is for the sake of the soul, while external things are for the sake of both the body and the soul. Therefore, just as it is a perverse intention if someone orders the goods of the soul to the prosperity of external goods, so too it is a perverse intention if someone orders the goods of the soul to the health of the body. And indeed that Job abounded in acts of virtue, which are goods of the soul, could be sensibly manifest to all, whence also the Lord had said above to Satan: "Hast thou considered my servant Job," etc. But Satan brought a slander, as though Job aimed at acts of virtue for the sake of temporal goods — just as evil men, of whom Satan is the prince, perniciously judge the intention of good men; but this slander was refuted by the fact that after the loss of external goods he still remained steadfast in virtue, from which it was sufficiently shown that his intention was not bent toward external goods. It remained, therefore, for the perfect demonstration of Job's virtue, to show that his intention was not bent even toward the health of his own body; and therefore the divine judgment is again brought in, by which this is made manifest: this, then, is what is said: "And it came to pass on a certain day, when the sons of God came and stood before the Lord, that Satan also came among them and stood in his sight, that the Lord said to Satan: Whence comest thou?" Since these words have been expounded above, one need not dwell on them longer, except that this should be noted: that on account of another deed another day is here introduced, just as at the beginning of Genesis, according to the different kinds of things being instituted, different days are described. What Satan, being examined, answered is shown next when it is said: "Who answering said: I have gone round about the earth, and walked through it." And this is as above. And again the Lord sets before him, as it were conspicuously, the virtue of Job, as above; whence it follows: "And the Lord said to Satan: Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a simple and upright man, and fearing God, and avoiding evil?" But because a certain virtue of blessed Job had now been manifested which had not been manifest before — namely, constancy in adversity — therefore he now adds "and still," that is, after the loss of temporal goods, "he retaineth his innocence"; from which the Lord further shows that Satan's suspicion was slanderous and his intention frustrated, whence it follows: "And thou hast moved me against him, that I should afflict him without cause." Now from what is said, "thou hast moved me against him," it is not to be understood that God is provoked by someone to will what he did not will before, as is customary among men — for it is said, Numbers 23:19, "God is not as a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed" — but Scripture here speaks of God figuratively, in human fashion: for men, when they wish to do something on account of someone, are said to be moved by that person; but God indeed wills to do — as he also does — this on account of that, yet without any commotion of mind, because from eternity he had in mind what he was going to do, and on account of what. The Lord, therefore, had disposed from eternity to afflict Job temporally, in order to demonstrate the truth of his virtue, so that every slander of the malicious might be excluded; whence, to signify this, it is here said: "And thou hast moved me against him." But what is said — "that I should afflict him without cause" — is to be understood with respect to Satan's intention, not with respect to God's intention: for Satan had sought Job's adversity, intending thereby to lead him into impatience and blasphemy, which he had not achieved; but God had permitted this in order to make manifest his virtue, which had indeed come about. Thus, then, Job was afflicted in vain with respect to Satan's intention, but not with respect to God's intention. But Satan, having been repulsed, does not rest, but still contrives a slander, wishing to show that all the good things Job had done, and even this very fact that he had patiently borne adversities, he had done not for love of God but for the health of his own body; whence it follows: "And Satan answering him said: Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his soul." Now it must be considered that Job had been afflicted in two ways: namely, in the loss of his possessions, and in the loss of his children. Satan, therefore, means to say that Job had patiently borne both afflictions for the health of his own body, and that this was not a matter of great virtue but was human and customary among men; and this is what he means by "man" — as if to say, whoever, even one not virtuous, will easily give skin for skin, that is, another's flesh for his own flesh: for a man not virtuous endures that anyone else, however closely joined to him, be afflicted in body rather than himself; and likewise any man will give all the external things he possesses for his soul, that is, for the preservation of his life: for external goods are sought for the preservation of life, that they may serve as an aid for food and clothing and other such things by which a man's life is conveniently preserved. And because someone might say to Satan: whence can it be proved that Job bore the loss of his children and possessions patiently out of fear for his own skin and his own life? As if answering this question, he adds "but otherwise" — that is, if his bare word is not believed — "put forth thy hand," that is, exercise thy power, "and touch his bone and his flesh," that is, afflict him in body, not only on the surface, which could be signified by the touching of the flesh, but also in depth, which is signified by the touching of the bone, so that the touch may reach even to the innermost parts; "and then thou shalt see," that is, it will be able to be manifestly beheld by all, "that he will curse thee to thy face," which is to be expounded as above. The Lord, therefore, willed to show that Job had not served God for the health of his body, just as he had shown above that he did not serve him for external goods; whence it is added: "The Lord therefore said to Satan: Behold, he is in thy hand" — that is, I hand over to thee the power of afflicting him in body — "but yet save his life" — that is, do not take his life from him. For God does not expose his servants totally to Satan's will, but according to a fitting measure, according to that saying of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 10:13: "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able." "So Satan went out," etc. Having received the power, Satan proceeds to its execution; whence it is said: "So Satan going forth from the presence of the Lord, struck Job" — with a blow indeed foul and abominable, whence it is called "a sore"; incurable and painful, whence it is called "grievous"; and universal, whence it is said "from the sole of the foot even to the top of his head." Now the afflictions of the sick are usually relieved by remedies applied externally and by comforts, but Job was not relieved in this way, for it follows: "who scraped the corrupt matter with a potsherd," in which it is shown that soothing and delicate medicaments were not applied to him; "sitting on a dunghill," from which it is shown that he was refreshed neither by the pleasantness of the place, nor by the softness of bedding, nor by the odor of any sweetness, but rather made use of their contraries. Now this can have happened in two ways: either because, being struck by the Lord, he himself further afflicted and humbled himself of his own accord, that he might the more easily obtain mercy; or because he had lost everything he had, whence he could not procure fitting remedies for himself; and this is sufficiently probable from what the Lord said above; nor does it appear that Satan did anything to harm him beyond the power given to him. Also, the afflictions of men are usually relieved by consoling words, but to the afflicted Job words of exasperation are spoken, the more provoking the more closely joined the person is who utters them; for it follows: "And his wife said to him" — whom alone the Devil had left him, that through her he might assail the mind of the just man, he who had cast down the first man through a woman. She, however, first broke out into words of mockery, saying: "Dost thou still continue in thy simplicity?" — as if to say: at least after so many scourges you ought to recognize that it was useless for you to keep your simplicity, just as also it is said in the person of certain men, Malachi 3:14: "He is vain that serveth God, and what profit is it that we have kept his commandments?" Second, she proceeds to words of perverse suggestion, saying: "Bless God" — that is, curse — as if to say: since adversity has come upon you while you blessed God, curse God, that you may obtain prosperity. Finally, she concludes with words of despair, saying: "and die," as if to say: consider yourself as good as dead, for nothing remains for you, remaining in your simplicity, except to die. Or, taken otherwise: "bless God and die," that is, since after such reverence toward God you have been afflicted with adversity in this way, if you still bless God nothing remains but for you to await death. But the holy man, who had patiently borne his own misfortunes, could not bear an injury to God; for it follows: "Who said to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women." Rightly does he accuse her of folly, since she spoke against divine wisdom. That she had spoken foolishly he shows: "If we have received good things at the hand of the Lord, why should we not receive evil?" In which he teaches the perfect wisdom of man. For since temporal and bodily goods are not to be loved except for the sake of spiritual and eternal goods, then, provided these latter — the more principal ones — are safe, a man ought not to be cast down if he be deprived of the former, nor be elated if he abound in them. Job therefore teaches us to have such constancy of soul that we both make use of temporal goods, if they are given to us by God, in such a way that we are not thereby lifted up into pride, and endure the contrary evils in such a way that our soul is not thereby cast down, according to that saying of the Apostle, Philippians (last chapter): "I know both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound," and afterward, "I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me." Then Job's perseverance in innocence is concluded when it is said: "In all these things Job did not sin with his lips." Not only through his wife did the Devil strive to exasperate the mind of blessed Job, but also through his friends, who, although they came to console him, nevertheless proceeded to words of rebuke; of whom it is said: "So the three friends of Job, hearing of all the evil that had befallen him, came, each one from his own place: Eliphaz the Themanite, and Baldad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naamathite." And because almost the whole disputation of this book turns among these men, it must be considered that these three were, in some respect, of the same opinion as Job — whence they are called his friends — and in some respect differed from him, while agreeing with one another — whence they are numbered together with one another and distinguished from Job. They agreed with Job, indeed, that not only natural things but also human affairs are subject to divine providence; but they differed from him in that they thought that man is rewarded by God with earthly prosperity for the good things he does, and punished by God with temporal adversity for the evil things he does, as though temporal goods were the rewards of virtues and temporal evils were the proper penalties of sins. Now each of them strives to defend this opinion in his own manner, according to what his own particular disposition suggested to him; on account of which they are said to have come "each one from his own place." Job, however, was not of this opinion, but believed that the good works of men are ordered to a future spiritual reward after this life, and likewise that sins are to be punished by future punishments. That the aforesaid friends of Job came to console him is shown by what follows: "For they had made an appointment to come together, to visit him and to comfort him," in which they showed themselves true friends, not failing him in tribulations; for it is said, Ecclesiasticus 12:9, "a friend is known in distress and in the evil day of a man." And first indeed the very visitation was consoling: for to see a friend and to live together with him is most delightful. They also console him by deeds, showing him signs of their compassion. Before these signs of compassion, that which provokes compassion is set forth, when it is said: "And when they had lifted up their eyes afar off, they knew him not": for his face was changed by the sore, and his dress and the rest of his attire by the loss of his goods; and what he says, "afar off," is to be understood according to that measure by which a man can be recognized from a distance. This change in their friend provoked them to sorrow and compassion, which they showed through signs; for it follows: "and crying out," that is, on account of the greatness of their grief, "they wept, and rending their garments, they sprinkled dust upon their heads" as a sign of humility and dejection, as it were accounting themselves cast down by the dejection of their friend. He adds, moreover, "toward heaven," as though by this humiliation they might provoke heavenly mercy. It must be considered that the compassion of friends is consoling, either because adversity, like a certain burden, is borne more lightly when it is carried by several, or rather because all sadness is relieved by an admixture of delight: and it is most delightful to take proof of someone's friendship, which is above all taken from compassion in adversities, and therefore it brings consolation. Now they consoled him not only by the compassion shown, but also by rendering him companionship; for it follows: "and they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights"; it is to be understood, however, not continuously but at fitting hours, for so great a sorrow needed a lasting consolation. But the third thing, which is above all consoling — namely, speech — they did not render; for it follows: "and no man spoke a word to him." The reason for their silence is shown when it is added: "for they saw that his grief was very great" — which reason is given more according to the opinion of the ones consoling than according to the true state of the afflicted man; for when someone's mind has been absorbed by grief, it does not receive words of consolation, whence also the poet says: "Who but one lacking sense forbids a mother to weep at the funeral of her son?" Job, however, was not so disposed that he could not receive consolation on account of his sorrow, but rather he himself, according to reason, consoled himself, as appears from his words adduced above.”

“After this Job opened his mouth, and so forth. As was said above, concerning the passions of the soul there was a twofold opinion among the ancients: for the Stoics said that sadness does not befall the wise man, while the Peripatetics said that the wise man does indeed feel sadness, but in his sadness comports himself moderately according to reason; and this latter opinion agrees with the truth. For reason cannot take away the condition of nature; and it is natural to sensible nature both to take delight and rejoice in fitting things and to grieve and be saddened at harmful ones: this, therefore, reason cannot take away, but it moderates it in such a way that through sadness reason is not turned aside from its rectitude. This opinion also agrees with sacred Scripture, which places sadness in Christ, in whom is the whole fullness of virtue and wisdom. Thus, then, Job from the aforementioned adversities did indeed feel sadness — otherwise the virtue of patience would have had no place in him — but on account of sadness his reason did not decline from rectitude; rather he held dominion over his sadness. To show this, then, it is said, after this Job opened his mouth. Now he says after this, that is, after the seven days of silence; from which it becomes clear that the words which follow were uttered according to reason, through a sadness not thrown into disorder. For if they had been spoken out of a disturbance of mind, he would have uttered them earlier, when the force of his sadness was more vehement; for any sadness is softened by length of time and is felt more strongly at the beginning. For this reason he seems to have kept silent so long, lest he be judged to speak with a disordered mind. This is also shown by the fact that it is said he opened his mouth; for when someone speaks out of the impulse of passion, it is not he himself who opens his mouth, but he is driven by passion to speak: for we are not masters of our acts through passion, but through reason alone. Yet by speaking he showed the sadness he was suffering: for it is customary among the wise that they speak from reason the movements of the passions which they feel, just as Christ also said, "My soul is sorrowful even unto death," and the Apostle says in Romans 8, "For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil which I hate, that I do." So too Boethius, at the beginning of the Consolation, laid open his sadness in order to show how he might soften it by reason; so too Job, by speaking, laid open his sadness. Hence there follows: and he cursed his day, which seems to be contrary to what the Apostle says in Romans 12:14, "Bless, and curse not." But it must be known that "to curse" is said in many ways: for since to curse is nothing other than to say something evil, one is said to curse as often as it happens that one says something evil. Now it happens that someone says something evil of another in three ways. First, by an utterance causing evil, as the divine utterance is the cause of the things that are said, and the sentence of a judge condemning someone is the cause of the punishment of him who is condemned; and in this way is understood what the Lord said in Genesis 3:17, "Cursed is the earth in thy work," and Genesis 10, "Cursed be Canaan, let him be servant of his brethren"; and Joshua cursed Achor, who had taken from the accursed thing. Second, by imprecating or wishing evil, as we read in 1 Kings that the Philistine cursed David in his ways. Third, it happens that someone says something evil simply by declaring it, whether in the present, the past, or the future, whether truly or falsely. The Apostle, therefore, forbids that cursing by which someone imprecates evil upon another or falsely defames him, but not that manner in which a judge condemns the guilty, or someone truthful orderly points out the evil of some thing, whether by showing what is present, or recounting what is past, or foretelling what is future. Thus, then, it must be understood that Job cursed his day because he declared it to be evil — not according to its nature, by which it was created by God, but according to that custom of Scripture by which a time is called good or evil according to the things that are done in that time, according to that word of the Apostle in Ephesians 5:16, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Job, therefore, cursed his day inasmuch as he calls to mind that evil things befell him on that very day. How he cursed it, however, is added: and he said: let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said: a man is conceived. Now it must be known that although being and living are in themselves desirable, yet being and living in misery is, as such, to be fled from, although sometimes being in misery is willingly endured for the sake of some end; hence that miserable life which is not ordered to some good end is in no way to be chosen, according to what the Lord says in Matthew 26:24, "It were better for that man if he had not been born." But the good which is hoped for from some misery, reason alone apprehends; the sensitive power does not perceive it — just as taste perceives the bitterness of medicine, but reason alone delights in the end of health; if, then, someone wished to express the passion of his own taste, he would declare the medicine to be bad, although reason would judge it to be good on account of the end. So, then, the misery which blessed Job was enduring could indeed seem to reason to be useful in some respect, but the lower part of the soul, which was being affected by sadness on account of it, wholly repudiated the adversity; hence even the very act of living under such adversity was hateful to him. Now when something is hateful to us, we abominate all the things through which we came to it; and therefore Job, according to the lower part of the soul — whose passion he now intended to express — held in hatred both his birth and his conception, from which he had come into this life, and consequently the day of his nativity and the night of his conception, according to that manner of speaking whereby something is ascribed as good or evil to a time from the things done in that time. Thus, then, Job, because according to the sensitive part he repudiated life under adversity, wished that he had never been born or conceived, and this is what he says, let the day perish in which I was born, as if he were to say, "I would that I had never been born." And the night in which it was said — that is, in which it could truly be said — a man is conceived, that is, "would that I had never been conceived." And he arranges it fittingly, because when the nativity is removed the conception is not thereby removed, but rather the reverse; and he fittingly ascribes conception to the night and nativity to the day, because according to astrologers a daytime birth is more praiseworthy, the more principal star, namely the sun, being over the earth, whereas conception occurs more frequently at night. A similar manner of speaking is found in Jeremiah 20:14: "Cursed be the day wherein I was born; let not the day wherein my mother bore me be blessed." Having thus set down the curse of the day of his nativity and the night of his conception, he proceeds to treat each separately, and first concerning the cursing of the day of his nativity, saying, let that day be turned into darkness. Now it must be considered that, as Jerome says in the Prologue, from the words of Job in which he says let the day perish in which I was born up to that place where, near the end of the book, it is written, "therefore I reprehend myself," the verses are hexameters, running in dactyl and spondee; and thus it is clear that from this point the book is written after the manner of a poem, wherefore throughout this whole book he uses the figures and colors which poets are accustomed to use. Now poets are accustomed, in order to move more vehemently, to bring forward various things to the same purport; hence here too Job, in cursing his day, brings forward, according to the manner we have described, those things by which a day is wont to be rendered hateful. Now the dignity of a day is its brightness, for by this it is distinguished from night; this dignity, then, he excludes, saying, let that day be turned into darkness — a statement which, as to the surface of the letter, seems frivolous and vain. For the day of his nativity had already passed and now was not; and what has passed is unchangeable: how, then, could a day that had passed be turned into darkness? But it must be known that certain things are said by way of wishing, in order to express a judgment held concerning some matter; thus, then, it is now said, let that day be turned into darkness, as if it were said: the day of my nativity ought to have been dark, so that it might accord with the darkness of the misery which I suffer. For since the sight of light is delightful, according to that word of Ecclesiastes 11:7, "Light is sweet, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun," it is customary in the Scriptures that sadness be signified by darkness, according to that word of Ecclesiastes 5:16, "he eateth in darkness, and in many cares, and in wretchedness and sorrow." Now a day is bright in many ways: first, indeed, from God's sanctification, who instituted it to be celebrated, as is found in Exodus 20:8, "Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day"; this brightness, then, he removes from the aforesaid day, saying, let not God regard it from above, as if he were to say: let not God require of men that they keep this day as a feast. For certain days are required by God for celebration on account of some notable benefit conferred on men on that day, as the sabbath in the old law on account of the benefit of creation, and the day of Passover on account of the benefit of deliverance from Egypt; which is also evident in the feast days celebrated in the New Testament. He means, then, to signify by this that his nativity ought not to be reckoned among God's notable benefits, since he seems rather to have been born unto misery than unto joy. Second, a day is bright from the remembrance of men: for men are accustomed to keep certain days as festive, on which some great and joyful things befell them, as Herod and Pharaoh used to celebrate the day of their birth; this brightness, then, he removes from the aforesaid day, saying, and let it not be in remembrance — namely, the remembrance of men — because, evidently, nothing joyful happened on that day, but rather something sad, as appears from the outcome. Third, a day is bright from bodily light, and this brightness is taken away in several ways: first, indeed, by the withdrawal of the rays of the sun that illumine the earth, as is evident when the sun is eclipsed, and as to this he says, nor let it be lightened with light; second, by the interposition of clouds or other such things hiding the rays of the sun, and as to this he says, let darkness cover it; third, by a defect of the visual power, for when someone dies or is deprived of sight, the brightness of day is, as far as he is concerned, taken away, and as to this he says, and the shadow of death. Now the manner of the aforesaid darkening he explains in two ways: first, as to order, in that he says, let a mist seize upon it — for then a day is seized by a mist when upon a day previously shining darkness is suddenly and unexpectedly brought on, the like of which appears in the life of Job himself; second, as to the kind of darkness, in that he says, and let it be wrapped in bitterness, by which he gives us to understand that everything which has been said about the darkening is to be referred to the darkness of sadness — for he seems to observe this practice, of explaining a parabolic saying from something that follows. Through all these things, then, he means to say nothing other than that the day of his nativity ought to be judged a day not of joy but of grief, since through his nativity he came into a life subject to such great adversity. After the cursing, then, of the day of his nativity, he consequently curses the night of his conception according to a similar manner of speaking, and first he attributes to it that by which a night is rendered more horrible. For since night, on account of darkness, is horrid in itself, the more the darkness of night is increased, the more horrid it is rendered, which happens when some great tempest arises in the night; and as to this he says, let a dark whirlwind possess that night, as if he were to say: it would have been fitting for that night to be possessed by a dark whirlwind, that it might match my life, which is caught up in so great a whirlwind of adversity. Then he removes from it those things which seem to belong to the good of a night, and first as to the opinion of men. For since men distinguish times according to the things that are done in that time, and in the night few or no things worthy of memory are done, night is not noted in itself in men's memories, but as joined to the day. This good, then, he removes from the aforesaid night, saying, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months, as if he were to say: that night is not worthy of memory, since nothing notable happened in it, but rather something sorrowful. Now among the nights that are kept in the memories of men, some are not only memorable but also celebrated and festive, in which men gather together to hold some feast, and this he removes, saying, let that night be solitary. Now such a gathering of men on some night takes place in praise and celebration of that night on account of some famous deed which is commemorated on that night, as is done among the faithful on the night of the Lord's resurrection; and therefore he adds, nor worthy of praise — for some night is worthy of praise on account of some great deed occurring on that night. From this, then, he means nothing other than to signify that his conception was not something great, nor ordered to good, but rather to the evil of adversity which he was feeling; hence he adds, let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to raise up Leviathan. This, according to the letter, can be explained in two ways: in one way, according as by Leviathan is understood some great fish, as seems to fit with what is said of it at the end of this book, "Canst thou," he says, "draw out Leviathan with a hook?" And according to this it must be understood that those who fish for such great fish attack them by night, in darkness, and therefore when day begins to appear they curse the day, because by it their work and intention is impeded. In another way it can be understood that by Leviathan is signified the ancient dragon, namely the Devil, according to that word of Isaiah 27:1, "In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword shall visit Leviathan the crooked serpent." Those, then, are ready to raise up Leviathan who strive to fulfill the suggestions of the Devil, giving themselves over to works of iniquity, who curse the day because, as it is said in John 4, "everyone that doth evil hateth the light," and below, in 24:15, it is said, "the eye of the adulterer watcheth for darkness," and afterward, "if suddenly the morning appear, he thinketh it the shadow of death." According to this, then, just as by his saying nor worthy of praise he means the aforesaid night to be hateful to the good, so by adding let them curse it, etc., he means it to be hateful to the evil as well: for both the good and the evil abhor adversity. Then he excludes from the aforesaid night those things which seem to belong to the natural good of a night, of which one is that a night is adorned by the sight of the stars, and this he removes, saying, let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof; another is that it is adorned by the hope of the day, and this he removes, saying, let it look for light and not see it, as if he were to say: although it is natural that in the night the light of day be looked for, yet let that night have infinite darkness, which is never terminated by the succession of the light of day. For the darkness of night is wholly excluded by the full light of day, but is diminished by the twilight of the dawn; he imprecates upon the aforesaid night not only that its darkness not be excluded by day, but that it not even be diminished by the dawn; hence he says, nor let it see the rising of the dawn as it rises. But because what he had said seemed impossible — namely, that day and dawn should not succeed the night — he shows from what sense this was said, adding, because it shut not up the doors of the belly that bore me. For the life of man is hidden in the mother's womb, hence it is compared to the darkness of night; but when through birth it comes forth into the open, then it bears a likeness to the clear day; therefore he said that that night should have neither day nor a following dawn to succeed it, in order to show that he wished his conception had never come to birth, nor to childhood, which is understood by the dawn, nor to youth, which is designated by the full light of day. Now he says because it shut not up, etc., not that the night itself shuts up the womb, that is, impedes birth, but because this is done in the night: for from the conception itself an impediment can be furnished so that the conceived does not come to birth. And because this too seemed unreasonable, that anyone should abhor life, since to be and to live is desirable to all, he shows for what reason he said this, when he adds, nor did it take away evils from mine eyes, as if he were to say: I do not abhor life itself for its own sake, but on account of the evils which I suffer; for although life in itself is desirable, yet not life subject to miseries is desirable. Here it must be considered that everything he had spoken figuratively above, he seems to have expounded by this final clause, which is also to be noted in his other sayings. Why did I not die in the womb? After he had cursed the day of his nativity and the night of his conception, in order to show that he abhorred the beginnings of his life, he now shows that he abhors his preservation in life, that from these things he might more manifestly show that his life is burdensome to him. Now there is a twofold state of life: one hidden, in which the conceived live in the womb; the other manifest, in which men live after their birth from the womb. As to the first state, then, he says, why did I not die in the womb? As to the second: why, having come forth from the womb, did I not perish at once? And of this second he treats first. Now it must be known that exterior life is taken away in two ways: sometimes indeed from some harm supervening, whether intrinsic, as is sickness, or extrinsic, as the sword or something of this kind, and to this can be referred what he said, having come forth from the womb, why did I not perish at once? Sometimes, however, from the withdrawal of a necessary aid, which is either extrinsic, as are conveyances, wrappings, and other such helps, and as to this he says, why was I received upon the knees? Or intrinsic, as is food, and as to this he says, or why was I suckled at the breasts? For the life of a newborn child needs these aids in its beginning. And because when someone says why was this done? he gives us to understand that this was done to no purpose, therefore he consequently shows that it would have been useless for him to have been preserved in life, indeed rather harmful. This he shows first as to the evils which he now suffers, saying, for now, sleeping, I should be silent — for he calls death a sleep on account of the hope of resurrection, of which he will speak more fully afterward; and by silence he understands rest from the adversities which he was suffering, as if he were to say: if I had died immediately after birth, I would not be disturbed by these evils which I suffer. Second, as to the good things which he had had before; for someone might say to him: if you had not been preserved in life, you would not have had the good things which you once had; but as if answering to this, he shows that not even on account of those goods of life ought his preservation to have been desired: for even those who throughout their whole life flourish in the greatest prosperity are brought to this same end, namely death; this, then, is what he means when he says, and in my sleep, that is, in death, I should be at rest — that is, I would be free from the disquietudes of life — with the kings and counselors of the earth. Now it must be known that of those who are established in positions of dignity, who seem most to prosper, the intention is either toward the enjoyment of pleasures, and as to these he says, who build themselves solitudes — according to the letter, wishing to be solitary for the sake of hunting or other pleasures — or toward the amassing of riches, and as to these he says, or with princes that possess gold, and fill their houses with silver, as if he were to say: if I had died immediately after birth, I would now have nothing less than those have, after death, who prosper in many things. Now it must be considered that, since to rest belongs only to that which subsists, from these words he gives us to understand that man, as to his soul, subsists after death. But if someone should object that such kings or princes of whom he speaks perhaps do not rest but are in the punishments of hell, or also that life was useful to Job himself in this, that it gained him merit, it must be noted that, as we said above, Job is now speaking from the person of the sensual part, expressing its affection, which has regard only to bodily and present goods or evils. Thus, then, after he has shown that it was not to be desired by him that he be preserved after his birth, he consequently shows that it was not to be desired by him that, being preserved in the womb, he should have come to birth, expounding what he had said above, why did I not die in the womb? Now it must be considered that some die in the womb before the infusion of the rational soul, which alone is immortal, and as to this he says, or as one hidden and untimely born, I should not have subsisted — for from such abortive offspring nothing perpetual remains; but some die after the infusion of the rational soul, who indeed subsist after death as to the soul, but do not see the light of this world, and as to this he says, or, understand "as," they who, being conceived, have not seen the light — namely, of the present life. And that this would have been desirable for him he shows by this, that he would not have been subject to the evils of this life; hence he says, there — that is, in the state of those who, being conceived, have not seen the light — the wicked have ceased from tumult, namely that which they inflicted upon others by afflicting them, which refers to freedom from the evil of guilt; and there — that is, in the state of the dead — those wearied in strength, that is, warriors who have been fatigued by waging wars, have rested — that is, they have been free from such toil, because, as has been said, he now speaks only of rest from the evils of the present life; it can also be understood of weariness in whatever labor one endures by working with his strength. And those who were once bound shall be there together without disquiet, that is, without their former distress, together with those who kept them bound; and there men oppressed by forced labors or servitudes have not heard the voice of the taskmaster, according to that which is said in Isaiah 14:4, "How hath the oppressor ceased, the tribute hath ceased!" And that this is true he shows by adding, the small and the great are there, and they are alike, for smallness and greatness in this life are according to the inequality of earthly prosperity, which being removed, men remain equal according to nature; what he says, then, the small and the great, must be understood thus: that is, those who in this life differed according to the greatness of earthly prosperity. It must be known, however, that a difference of greatness and smallness according to spiritual goods remains even there, but of these he is not now speaking, as has already been said. And there the servant is free from his master, wherefore forced labor or anything of the sort will have no place. Why is light given to the wretched? After Job had detested his own life in many ways, he now detests, in common, the life of the whole human race — both as to those who are in prosperity and as to those who are in adversity — of which he treats first, beginning, as it were, from what is more manifest. Now it must be known that among the living two things seem to be principal, namely, to live and to know. And indeed to know, although it is most delightful and most noble in itself, yet to know those things which afflict a man is painful; and therefore he says, why is light given to the wretched? as if he were to say: to what purpose does it profit a man subject to miseries that he has the light of knowledge, since through it he considers the evils by which he is afflicted? Now to live is noble on account of the soul; but if the soul is in bitterness, the very act of living is rendered bitter, and therefore he says, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul, resuming, why is it given? And that it is given uselessly he shows by this reasoning, that the contrary of it is desired by the wretched; hence he says, who — namely, those existing in bitterness — look for death, and it cometh not — namely, as quickly as they wish. And to show that they look for death not shrinking from it but desiring it, he adds, as they that dig for a treasure — those, namely, who are kindled with great desire that by digging they may arrive at the treasure. And because desire, when fulfilled, brings forth joy, he adds, and they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave — that is, when they see themselves arrive at death, through which they find the grave. Some, indeed, refer this to those who dig for treasure, who rejoice at having found a grave, because in ancient tombs treasures were accustomed to be found; but the first exposition is better. And because someone might say that although life is given uselessly to the wretched, yet it is given usefully to those who are in prosperity, to remove this he adds, to a man whose way is hidden — understand, why is light and life given? For a man's way is hidden because it is not known to what point the state of present prosperity will come; for it is said in Proverbs 14:13, "Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning taketh hold of the end of joy," and it is said in Jeremiah 10:23, "the way of man is not his own," and in Ecclesiastes 7:1, "What need is it for a man to seek things above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life?... Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?" How it is, however, that a man's way is hidden, he explains, adding, and God hath surrounded him with darkness, which indeed is manifest in many ways: as to those things which are before and after, according to that word of Ecclesiastes 8:6-7, "the affliction of man is great upon him," for he is ignorant of the past, and the future he can know by no messenger; and as to those things which are alongside, namely, in men, according to that word of 1 Corinthians 2:11, "who knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of the man which is in him?" And as to those things which are above, according to that word of 1 Timothy, at the end, "who inhabiteth light inaccessible," namely God, "whom no man hath seen, nor can see"; and it is said in the Psalm that "he made darkness his covert"; and as to those things which are below, for it is said in Ecclesiastes 1:8, "All things are difficult, man cannot explain them by speech." Now God is said to have surrounded man with darkness because God granted him such an understanding that he cannot know the aforesaid things. Having shown, then, that the life of men is difficult on account of the misery and bitterness of men, he applies to himself these things which he had said in common, expressing his own bitterness when he says, before I eat I sigh; for as laughter is a sign of joy, so sighing is a sign of the bitterness of the soul: he shows, then, from the manner of his sighing the measure of his bitterness. His sighing, then, both began early — for he says, before I eat I sigh — and it was continual and great; hence he adds, and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring; for as sighing is a sign of moderate sadness, so roaring is a sign of a sadness that is vehement and can scarcely be borne. Now this roaring is compared to the roaring of water: for water is easily moved and makes a murmuring sound; so too a man set in great affliction is provoked to roaring by a slight recollection of his misery. He adds, moreover, of overflowing water, to show the continuity of his bitterness: for overflowing water is continually in motion and makes a sound. But because the bitterness of the soul arises from misery, after the bitterness of soul he adds, concerning his misery, saying, for the fear which I feared hath come upon me. And it must be noted that the misery of man that provokes to bitterness seems to consist in two things: in losses of goods or of person, and in dishonors. As to the first, then, he says, the fear which I feared hath come upon me, that is, the things which I feared have befallen me, whereby the magnitude of his losses and punishments is expressed; for the more prudent someone is, the more, in a state of prosperity, he considers beforehand what may happen to him in a time of adversity, according to that word of Ecclesiasticus 11:27, "In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils"; great, then, was the misery which the most prudent Job was suffering, since the things he had feared befell him. As to the second, namely as to dishonors, he says, and what I was afraid of hath come to me; for shame, according to the Philosopher, is a fear of dishonor; by this, then, he shows that from great glory he had fallen into many reproaches and dishonors. Now someone is accustomed to suffer misery and bitterness, but through his own fault; Job removes this, saying, have I not dissembled? And it must be known that someone offends, and thereby merits punishment from God, in two ways: in one way, when from injuries inflicted upon him he is provoked beyond measure to revenge, according to what is said in the Psalm, "If I have rendered to them that repaid me evils, let me deservedly fall empty before my enemies" — this he removes from himself, saying, have I not dissembled? — namely, the injuries done to me; in another way, when he himself first offends another, either by words, and this he removes, saying, have I not been silent? as if he were to say, I have uttered to no one contumelious or injurious words; or by deeds, and this he removes from himself, saying, have I not been quiet? for the wicked are like the raging sea which cannot rest, Isaiah 57:20. And although I am innocent, yet indignation is come upon me, that is, punishment from God — for wrath in God is not taken for a disturbance of mind, but for punishment — in which he recognizes that the adversities of this world do not come about apart from the divine nod. If, then, someone wishes to gather what has been said in this lament of Job, it must be known that three things are contained in it: for first he shows that his life is wearisome to him; second, the magnitude of the misery which he was suffering, there, before I eat, etc.; third, he shows his own innocence, when he says, have I not dissembled, and so forth.”

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answering, and so forth. The friends of Job, who had come to console him, since they had earlier kept silent on account of the greatness of his grief, after Job's speech took the boldness to speak. And first Eliphaz the Temanite speaks, who did not take the words set forth by Job in the spirit in which they were said: for he attributed the hatred of the present life which Job had said he suffered to despair, the greatness of his bitterness to impatience, and his confession of innocence to presumption. First, therefore, he charges him with impatience, and begins to speak to him as to a man subject to the vice of impatience who is indignant at words addressed to him; hence he says, "if we begin to speak to you, perhaps you will take it ill," where he expresses well enough the custom of an impatient and angry man, who does not bear to hear words to the end but is provoked at once at the very outset of the speech. He adds, however, "perhaps," lest he be condemned for a rash judgment, although even in cases of presumptions or suspicions, words or deeds ought to be interpreted in the better sense. But while he himself charges Job with impatience, he shows himself guilty of impatience and of folly when he says, "but who can withhold the word he has conceived?" according to that saying of Ecclesiasticus 19:12, "an arrow fixed in the thigh of a dog, so is a word in the heart of a fool"; although even the just, out of divine zeal, are sometimes unable to keep silent about those things which they have conceived and which ought to be spoken for the honor of God, according to that saying of Jeremiah 20:9, "I said: I will not remember him," namely the word of the Lord, "nor will I speak any more in his name; and there arose in my heart as it were a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I failed, not being able to bear it." He proceeds further, however, to show his impatience openly. He aggravates his impatience from two things, namely from his prior teaching and from his prior life: from his prior teaching indeed, because it is shameful for a man when he does not keep to that to which he induces others, according to that saying of Matthew 20, "for they say and do not"; but Job had before drawn many back from impatience, and in different ways as suited different persons. For there are some who fail through impatience out of ignorance, since they do not know how to use adversities unto virtue, and as regards these he says, "behold, you have taught many"; but some indeed act virtuously at first in adversities, but with the adversity continuing, they grow weary as if of a correct action and fail, and as regards these he says, "and you have strengthened weary hands," namely by good exhortations; there are also some who, in adversities, fall into doubt whether these come from divine judgment, and as regards these he says, "your words have confirmed those who wavered"; there are also some who could bear a small adversity but fail under a great adversity as under a great weight, and as regards these he says, "and you have strengthened trembling knees," namely by your words: for the knees of a man carrying a great weight tremble. To the fulfilling of the aforesaid the Lord exhorts in Isaiah 35:3, saying, "strengthen the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees." He wishes, however, to show consequently that Job did not fulfill what he had taught, hence it is added, "but now the scourge has come upon you, and you have fainted," namely from the firmness of mind which you seemed to have and which you were suggesting to others, and this must be referred to the adversity which he had suffered in outward things; "it has touched you, and you are troubled," that is, you have lost the quiet of mind which you seemed to have had, which must be referred to the affliction of body which he was enduring: hence also above Satan had said, "put forth your hand and touch his bone and his flesh." Thus, therefore, Job is charged with not having confirmed his prior teaching by subsequent patience, contrary to what is written in Proverbs 19:11, "the teaching of a man is known by patience." But he also aggravates the subsequent impatience from the past life which appeared in Job; for it seemed that there was no true virtue which failed so quickly in tribulation, because, as it is written in Ecclesiasticus 2:5, "gold and silver are tried in the fire, but men acceptable to God in the furnace of humiliation." Now by manifold virtue is someone preserved in tribulations lest he fail: first indeed through reverence for God, when men consider that the evils they suffer come from divine providence, just as Job had also said above, "as it has pleased the Lord, so it has been done"; and to exclude this he brings in, "where is your fear?" namely, by which you seemed to revere God. Secondly, some are preserved by firmness of soul, which indeed has two degrees: for in some there is such firmness of soul that their spirit is not too greatly troubled by adversities, and this seems to pertain to fortitude, hence he says, "where is your strength?" Nor is "strength" here taken as that which preserves a man from succumbing to fear, but as that by which he is not cast down through sadness; but some indeed suffer a grave passion of sadness from adversity, but are not led away from it because reason is well disposed, and this seems to pertain to patience, so that there is such a difference between patience and fortitude as the philosophers assign between continence and chastity, and therefore he adds, "your patience?" Thirdly, some are preserved from the love of honorable action and from the fact that they abhor acting basely, who, even if they are inwardly troubled in adversities, nevertheless break out neither in word nor in deed into anything unbecoming, and on account of this he adds, "and the perfection of your ways?" For by "ways" are understood the actions by which, as by certain roads, one arrives at an end; or by "ways" can be understood the devised plans by which someone trusts he will escape, whence he bears adversities more easily. "Remember, I beg you," and so forth. After Eliphaz had charged Job with impatience, taking the occasion from what he had said, "before I eat I sigh," he now intends to charge him with presumption because he had said he was innocent. But to show that he is not innocent, he takes his argument from Job's adversity, saying, "remember, I beg you, who ever perished being innocent, or when were the upright destroyed?" Here it must be considered that this was the opinion of Eliphaz, and of the other two, as was said above, that the adversities of this world do not come upon anyone except as punishment for sin, and conversely that prosperity comes as a reward of righteousness; hence according to his opinion it seemed unfitting that anyone innocent should perish temporally, or that anyone upright, that is, righteous according to virtue, should be destroyed by the loss of temporal glory, which he believed to be the reward of righteousness. And this opinion indeed he believed to be so true that even Job could not disagree with it; yet he judged that, his mind being disturbed, he had, as it were, forgotten the truth which he had once known, hence he says, "remember." Having therefore posited that adversity does not befall the innocent and the upright, he consequently adds to whom adversity does befall, saying, "but rather I have seen those who work iniquity and sow sorrows and reap them, perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the breath of his wrath." Now in saying "I have seen" he gives to understand that he has proved these things by experience; and by "those who work iniquity" he understands those who manifestly commit injustice, and especially to the harm of others; and by "those who sow sorrows and reap them" he understands those who harm others by guile: for these sow sorrows when they prepare calumnies by which they make others sorrowful, which sorrows indeed they reap when they bring their malice to effect, and this they hold as great fruit. This metaphor he pursues further as regards the punishment: for crops are wont to be dried up and consumed by a burning wind, hence it is said in Malachi 3:11, "I will rebuke for your sakes the devourer," namely the wind, "and it shall not destroy the fruit of your land," and this is what he means when he says that they perish "by the blast of God," as if the divine judgment itself, proceeding to the vengeance of iniquity, were a certain blast of wind; and the vengeance of God itself is called the "spirit," that is, the wind, "of his wrath." He says not only that they perish, but that they are consumed, because they are punished not only in their own persons but also their children and their whole household perish, so that nothing of them seems to remain, in which he seemed to touch Job, who both had been scourged in his body and had lost his children, household, and wealth. But because this seemed to be against the opinion of Eliphaz, that for the sin of a parent the children and household should be punished, since he himself intends to defend the opinion that the adversities of this world are punishments for sin, in answer to this objection he adds, "the roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken." Here it must first be considered that man excels other animals by reason; when therefore, reason being set aside, he follows brutish passions, he is made like the beasts, and the name of that beast whose passion he imitates befits him, so that one who lies subject to the passions of concupiscence is compared to a horse or a mule, according to that saying of the Psalm, "do not become like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding"; but on account of ferocity or anger a man is called a lion or a bear, according to that saying of Proverbs 28:15, "a roaring lion and a hungry bear is a wicked prince over a poor people," and Ezekiel 19:3, "he became a lion and learned to catch prey and to devour men"; so then he now compares a ferocious man to a lion, saying "the roaring of the lion," for a roar is an indication of leonine ferocity. Now it often happens that ferocity is added to a man by the suggestion of his wife, and so those things which the man does ferociously are imputed as a fault to the wife, as is clear of the wife of Herod who impelled him to behead John, on account of which it is said, "and the voice of the lioness." And with those things which some tyrant ferociously acquires, his children sometimes make use luxuriously, and so they delight in the plunder of their father: hence they too are not free from fault, on account of which it is subjoined, "and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken," according to that saying of Nahum 2:12, "and the lion caught enough for his whelps." And so he seems to have answered the aforesaid objection, because when for the sin of the husband the wife and children are punished, it is not unjust, since they too were participants in the fault; and all this he said because he wished to make Job and his household notorious for plunder. It seemed, however, that what he had said did not pertain to Job, since his wife did not seem to have been punished, and therefore to remove this he adds, "the tiger perished because it had no prey": for those who have been accustomed to plunder reckon themselves punished by this very fact, that it is not lawful for them to plunder. It must be considered, however, that he compares the woman to the lioness on account of the ferocity of her anger, and to the tiger on account of the readiness or swiftness to anger, for it is said in Ecclesiasticus 25:23, "there is no anger above the anger of a woman," and again, "all malice is brief in comparison with the malice of a woman." And because the children of Job had wholly perished, he adds, "and the whelps of the lions are scattered." "Now a word was said to me in secret," and so forth. Because Eliphaz had asserted that the adversities of this world do not come upon anyone except on account of his sin, wishing thereby to charge Job and his household with having been subject to sins, the contrary of which seemed evident from those things which had manifestly appeared in Job and his household, he wishes to show that neither Job nor his household was free from sin. And because, on account of the authority of Job and his fame, his own word seemed of little weight, he has recourse to a greater authority, showing that what he is about to propose he learned from revelation; and to show the loftiness of the revelation he sets forth its obscurity: for the loftier certain things are, the less perceptible they are to human regard, hence the Apostle also says in 2 Corinthians 12:4, that he was caught up into the Paradise of God and heard secret words which it is not lawful for a man to utter; in like manner Eliphaz here speaks, whether truly or feignedly, saying, "now a word was said to me in secret." It must be considered, however, that some truth, although on account of its loftiness it is hidden from man, is nevertheless revealed to some clearly, and to others obscurely; therefore, to avoid the appearance of boasting, he says that this truth was revealed to him obscurely, hence he adds, "and my ear received, as it were by stealth, the veins of its whisper," where a threefold manner of concealment is suggested, which is wont to occur in revelations. The first of these is when an intelligible truth is revealed to someone through an imaginary vision, according to what is said in Numbers 12:6, "if there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will speak to him in a dream or in a vision; but not so my servant Moses: I will speak to him mouth to mouth, and he sees God openly and not through riddles"; Moses, therefore, heard this hidden word by way of a clear voice, but others by way of a whisper. The second manner of concealment is that in the imaginary vision itself certain words are sometimes uttered expressly containing the truth, as that saying of Isaiah 7:14, "behold, a virgin shall conceive," but sometimes under certain figurative expressions, as that saying of Isaiah 11:1, "there shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower," etc.; in this, therefore, that Isaiah heard, "behold, a virgin shall conceive," he perceived the whisper itself, but in this, that he heard, "there shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse," he perceived the veins of the whisper: for figurative expressions are, as it were, certain veins derived from the truth itself by way of likeness. The third manner is that sometimes someone has a frequent and long-lasting divine revelation, as is said of Moses in Exodus 33:11, that "the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend"; but sometimes someone has a sudden and transitory revelation: this sudden manner of revelation, therefore, he signifies in that he says "as it were by stealth," for we hear as it were by stealth those things which come to us hastily and, as it were, in passing. Thus, therefore, the loftiness of the vision having been shown, he pursues the circumstances of the revelation, and first the time, saying, "in the horror of a nocturnal vision, when sleep is wont to seize men." For the nighttime, on account of its quiet, is more suited to the perceiving of revelations: for in the day the mind suffers a certain din from the tumults of men and the occupations of the senses, so that it cannot perceive the whisper of the hidden word. Secondly, from the disposition of the one perceiving, hence he adds, "fear seized me": for men are wont to fear at unaccustomed things, hence when unaccustomed revelations occur to someone, at the beginning they suffer fear. And to show the greatness of this fear he adds, "and trembling," for trembling of the body is an indication of the greatness of fear. And to magnify this trembling he adds, "and all my bones were terrified," as if to say: the trembling was not superficial but vehement, so as even to shake the bones; similar is what is found in Daniel 10:8, "I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me, but my appearance also was changed in me, and I fainted away, and I had no strength left in me." He then shows the cause of this fear, saying, "and when a spirit passed before me, the hairs of my flesh stood up": for it is reasonable that at the presence of a greater power a lesser one should be stupefied; and it is manifest that the power of a spirit is greater than that of flesh, hence it is no wonder if at the presence of a spirit the hairs of the flesh stand up, which proceeds from sudden fear, and especially since the presence of the spirit is perceived by some unaccustomed bodily sign: for things that are unaccustomed are wont to induce wonder and fear. And that the disposition of the time might suit this terror which he recalls having suffered, he said above, "in the horror of a nocturnal vision": for since in the time of night things cannot be discerned by sight, whatever slight commotion occurs is wont to induce disturbance in those who reckon it to be something greater, and this is what is said in Wisdom 17:17, "whether it were a whistling wind, or among the thick branches of birds a sweet sound," they failed for fear. Thirdly, the person revealing is set forth, when it is said, "there stood one whose face I did not recognize, an image before my eyes," where he sets down three things pertaining to the certainty of the vision. For it must be known that sometimes, on account of an excessive commotion of vapors and humors, dreams either do not appear at all, the phantasms being wholly suffocated, or dreams appear disturbed and unstable, as is wont to happen in those with fever, and dreams of this kind, since they have little or no spirituality, exist altogether without significance; but when the humors and vapors have subsided, quiet and orderly dreams appear, which, since they are more spiritual, the intellective part breaking forth into a certain vigor, dreams of this kind are wont to be truer, and therefore he says, "there stood one," by which he shows the stability of the vision. Likewise it must be considered that dreams, even when they are quiet, are for the most part the remnants of preceding thoughts, hence a man more frequently sees in sleep those with whom he was accustomed to converse; and because such dreams have their cause from ourselves and not from any higher nature, they are of no great significance: to remove this, therefore, he says, "whose face I did not recognize," by which he shows that this vision did not draw its origin from things previously seen but from some more hidden cause. Thirdly, it must be considered that visions of this kind, which arise from some higher cause, sometimes appear to those sleeping, sometimes to those waking, and they are wont to be truer and more certain when they appear to those waking than to those sleeping, because in waking reason is freer, and because in sleep spiritual revelations can less be discerned from frivolous and habitual dreams; and therefore, to show that this revelation was made not to one sleeping but to one waking, he adds, "an image before my eyes," by which he signifies that he saw this with eyes opened through wakefulness, which he also signified above when he said, "when sleep is wont to seize men," where he suggests that he was not seized by sleep. Then he narrates the manner of the announcement made to him, saying, "and I heard a voice as of a gentle breeze." Here it must be considered that apparitions of this kind sometimes come from a good spirit, sometimes from an evil spirit: in either manner, however, a man at first suffers fear on account of the unaccustomed vision; but when the apparition proceeds from a good spirit, the fear ends in consolation, as is clear of the angel comforting Daniel, Daniel 10:18, and of Gabriel comforting Zachariah and Mary, Luke 1; but an evil spirit leaves a man troubled. By this, therefore, that he says, "I heard a voice as of a gentle breeze," he shows a certain consolation calming the previous fear, so that by this the vision is shown to be from a good spirit and not from an evil spirit, by which false visions are frequently shown, according to that saying of the last book of Kings, "I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets"; in this manner also it is read in 3 Kings concerning the apparition made to Elijah, that "after the commotion, a whistling of a gentle breeze, and there the Lord." It must be known, however, that even in visions which proceed from a good spirit, sometimes great commotions and horrible voices are heard, as is clear in Ezekiel 1:4, where it is said, "and I saw, and behold, a whirlwind came from the north," and after many things it is added, "and I heard the sound of wings as the sound of many waters," and in Revelation 1:10 it is said, "I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet," but this is to designate threats or certain grave dangers which are contained in revelations of this kind; but because here something consoling was to be said, therefore the voice of the one speaking is brought in as like a gentle breeze. Last of all are set down the words which he asserts were revealed to him, when he says, "shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker?" These words he brings in to confirm his opinion which he had touched on above, namely, that the adversities of this world do not come upon anyone except for sin. So that no one might excuse himself from suffering adversities by asserting himself free from sin, he brings in three arguments, of which the first is taken from a comparison to God, and leads to an impossibility: for if a man is punished by God without fault, it follows that man is more just than God. For since it is the work of justice to render to each what is his own, if God should inflict punishment on an innocent man to whom punishment is not owed, while man, who suffers from God, has inflicted punishment on no man without fault—which must be granted if he is supposed innocent—it follows that the man punished by God is more just than God, which is for man to be justified in comparison with God, namely, that he be justified in comparison of righteousness with God. And because perhaps this would not seem incongruous to someone, he leads to another, more evidently incongruous point, saying, "or shall a man be purer than his maker?" For anything has purity insofar as it is preserved in its nature, which it has from its proper causes; the purity, therefore, of any effect depends on its cause, hence it cannot surpass its cause in purity: hence neither can a man be purer than his maker, namely God. He sets down the second argument from a comparison to the angels, and it is from the greater, when he says, "behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and he found perversity in his angels," which statement, according to the teaching of the Catholic faith, is plain: for the Catholic faith holds that all the angels were created good, of whom some fell from the state of rectitude through their own fault, while others attained to greater glory. Now that the angels fell from the state of rectitude seems wonderful for two reasons, one of which pertains to their contemplative power, the other to their active power. From the contemplative power it seemed that there ought to be stability in the angels. For it is manifest that the cause of mutability is potency, and the cause of immutability is act: for it belongs to the nature of potency that it stand in relation to being and not-being, but according as it is more perfected by act it stands more firmly in one state, while that which is act in itself is altogether immovable. It must be known, however, that just as matter is compared to form as potency to act, so is the will compared to the good; that, therefore, which is the good itself, namely God, is altogether immutable, but the wills of other natures, which are not the good itself, are compared to it as potency to act, hence the more they cling to it the more they are made stable in the good; and therefore, since the angels among other creatures seem to cling to God more, and more closely, as those who contemplate him more subtly, they seem more stable among other creatures, and yet they were not stable; hence much less can inferior creatures, namely men, however much they may seem to cling to God by worshipping him, which is to serve him, be judged stable. From the active power, however, it seemed that there could be little or nothing of perversity in the angels: for the closer a rule is to the first rectitude the less it has of crookedness; but God, in whom is the first rectitude, directing all things by his providence, disposes lower creatures through higher ones; hence in the higher creatures, which are called angels, sent, as it were, by God to direct other things, it seemed there was very little or nothing of perversity; hence, since perversity was found in them, it must be believed that in any man whatsoever, however great he may appear, perversity can be found. It must be guarded against, however, lest anyone fall from these words into the error of Origen, who asserted that all created spirits, even now, are unstable and can be led to perversity; for this some have attained by grace, that they cling to God immovably, seeing him through his essence; and according to this, even to some men, although they are of a lower nature than the angels, it is granted by grace, even in this life, that they be free from the perversity of mortal sin. He sets down the third argument, taken from the human condition, to which is joined the conclusion of the preceding argument, hence one argument could even be formed from the two, and this when he says, "how much more those who dwell in houses of clay." Now the human condition is such that his body is compacted from earthly matter, which he designates when he says, "how much more those who dwell in houses of clay": for the human body is called "of clay" because it consists more abundantly of earth and water, the heavier elements, which its movement makes clear, hence in Genesis 1 it is said that "God formed man from the slime of the earth"; this clay body, therefore, is called the house of the soul because the human soul, in a certain respect, is in the body as a man is in a house, or as a sailor in a ship, inasmuch as it is the mover of the body. There were, however, some who on this account said that the soul is united to the body only accidentally, as a man to his garment or a sailor to his ship, but to exclude this opinion he adds, "who have an earthly foundation," by which it is given to understand that the human soul is united to the body also as form to matter: for matter is called the foundation of form because it is the first part in generation, as a foundation in the constitution of a house. Now he uses such a manner of speaking as to attribute to man what belongs to the soul, not because the soul is the man, as some have supposed, saying that man is nothing other than a soul clothed with a body, but because the soul is the more principal part of man: for each thing is wont to be named from that which is more principal in it. Now these two things which he says about the weakness of man seem to be set in opposition to what he had said above about the excellence of the angels: for what he says, "who dwell in houses of clay," seems to be set against what he had said, "who serve him," which is to cling to him and dwell in him spiritually; and what he says, "who have an earthly foundation," is set against what he had said, "in his angels": for angels are incorporeal by nature, according to that saying of the Psalm, "who makes his angels spirits." From the aforesaid condition of man he concludes his miserable outcome, saying, "they shall be consumed as by a moth," and indeed this can be understood, according to the surface of the letter, of bodily death, which man necessarily suffers from the fact that he has an earthly foundation; and according to this a twofold death can be designated, namely natural death in this, that he says, "they shall be consumed as by a moth": for a moth corrodes a garment in such a way that it is born from the garment itself, so also natural death arises from the interior causes of the body; and violent death in this, that it is added, "from morning even to evening they shall be cut down": for the cutting down of a tree proceeds from an external cause. And quite significantly he says, "from morning even to evening," because natural death can indeed be foreknown by certain natural signs, but violent death is altogether uncertain, as being subject to various chances, hence it cannot be known whether a man will come from morning even to evening. It must be known, however, that this is not the intention of the letter: for above he set forth the defect of sin when he said, "he found perversity in his angels"; hence, that the conclusion may correspond to the premises, this too must be referred to sin, by which the life of righteousness is consumed in man in two ways: in one way from interior corruption, which he signifies when he says, "they shall be consumed as by a moth": for just as a garment is consumed by a moth which is born from it, so the righteousness of man is consumed by those things which are in man, such as the corruption of the tinder of sin, evil thoughts, and other such things; in another way from exterior temptation, which is noted in this, that he says, "from morning even to evening they shall be cut down." But it must be considered that interior temptation does not suddenly overthrow a man but gradually, while through negligence someone does not take care to repress in himself the beginnings of sin, according to that saying of Ecclesiasticus, "he who neglects small things falls away little by little," just as also a garment which is not shaken out is consumed by a moth; but exterior temptation for the most part suddenly overthrows a man, as David broke out into adultery at the sight of a woman, and also many have denied the faith under torments. But in whatever way a man falls through sin, if he recognizes his sin and repents he will obtain mercy; but since there is no one who can know all his sins, according to that saying, "who understands sins?", it follows that very many men, not recognizing their sins, do not apply the remedies by which they might be freed, and this is what he adds, "and because no one understands," namely the fall of sinners, "they shall perish forever," namely very many, as it were never freed from sin. But because there are some who apply remedies against sins, although they do not fully understand them, as David who said, "cleanse me, Lord, from my hidden sins," he adds, "but those who shall be left," namely from the number of those who perish forever, "shall be taken away from them," that is, they shall be separated from their company; they shall indeed die, because although a man repents of sin, he is not freed from the necessity of death, but wisdom does not die in them, and this is what he says, "and not in wisdom." Or this saying, "they shall die, and not in wisdom," does not correspond to what was said immediately before but to what he had said above, "they shall perish forever," so that the sense is that they shall die without wisdom. Or this that he says, "those who shall be left," can be understood of the children who are left by their perishing parents, who, because they imitate the sins of their parents, are themselves also taken away, dying without wisdom. Eliphaz, therefore, wishes to gather from all these things that, since the condition of man is so fragile, he easily falls into sin, so that while a man does not recognize it he goes to perdition, both he and his children; and thus, although Job did not recognize himself as a sinner, it was to be believed that on account of some sins he and his children had perished. Thus, therefore, after he had expounded the revelation made to him, because Job might not believe this revelation, he therefore adds, "call, then, if there is anyone who will answer you," as if to say: if you do not believe that this was revealed to me, do you yourself call upon God, if perhaps he should wish to answer you concerning this doubt; and if you do not think you can obtain this from God by your own merits, "turn to one of the saints," so that through his mediation you may be able to know the truth of this matter from God. And it must be noted that he says, "to one of the saints," because it is not lawful to seek by unclean spirits, by whatever manner or hidden art, but only through God or through the saints of God, according to that saying of Isaiah 8:19, "when they shall say to you: seek of pythons and of diviners who mutter in their incantations, should not a people seek of their God a vision for the living or for the dead?"”

“"Anger kills the foolish man." Because in the revelation which he had recounted as having been made to him, Eliphaz included among other things this, that men who have an earthly foundation are consumed as though by a moth; he wishes to show this through the diverse conditions of men: for there is no condition of men to which a proneness to some sin is not present. Now there are two conditions of men: for some are of great and elevated spirit, who are easily provoked to anger, and this is so because anger is an appetite for vengeance arising from a preceding offense; and the more elevated in spirit someone is, the more he thinks himself offended from a lighter cause, and therefore the more easily he is provoked to anger, and this is what is meant by "anger kills the foolish man." Now he calls the man who is of proud and elevated spirit "foolish," because it is especially through pride that man exceeds the bounds of reason, and humility prepares the way of wisdom, according to that saying of Proverbs 11:2, "where there is humility, there is wisdom"; and with this also the folly of anger fits, for the angry man, as the Philosopher teaches, does indeed use reason while he seeks vengeance for an offense, but perversely, since in taking vengeance he does not observe the measure of reason; and perversity of reason is folly. But some are pusillanimous, and these are prone to envy; hence he adds "and envy slays the little one," and this is said reasonably: for envy is nothing other than sadness at another's prosperity, insofar as that prosperity is reckoned as an impediment to one's own prosperity; and this pertains to smallness of soul, that someone does not judge himself able to prosper among others who are prospering. Thus, therefore, it seems evident that man, of whatever condition he may be, is prone to some sin; for it would be easy to bring forward similar things concerning other sins. Thus, then, through all that has been said above, Eliphaz intends to prove that adversities in this world befall no one except for sin. Against this there seem to be two objections, one of which is that many just men seem to be subjected to adversities; but he seems to have dissolved this objection by showing that men are prone to sin. The second objection is that some wicked men prosper in this world, and to satisfy this he intends consequently to show that their prosperity redounds to their own harm. Hence he says, "I have seen a fool," that is, a man puffed up with pride in his riches, "with a firm root," that is, established, as it seemed, in the prosperity of this world; but I did not approve his prosperity — nay rather, "I cursed his beauty immediately." Here it should be noted that he speaks of man under the metaphor of a tree, whose root, when it is firm, gives beauty in branches and fruits; he therefore compares the prosperity of a man established in riches to the beauty of a tree, which he curses, that is, pronounces to be evil and harmful, according to that saying of Ecclesiastes 5:12, "there is also another very grievous infirmity which I have seen under the sun: riches kept to the hurt of their owner." He added "immediately" in order to show that he has no doubt at all about this judgment. He shows, first as regards the sons, what evils proceed from the prosperity of the fool. For it frequently happens that when someone rich and powerful raises his sons without discipline, which is proper to a fool, his sons fall into many dangers; and sometimes, indeed, they are destroyed without judgment because of the hatreds which they stir up against themselves, or else, while not taking heed for themselves and indulging inordinately in pleasures, they lose their lives; and as to this he says, "his sons shall be far from safety." At other times, while they inflict calumnies and injuries on others, they are brought before judges and there condemned; and as to this he says, "and they shall be crushed in the gate," that is, by the sentence of the judges, for judges of old were accustomed to sit in the gates. And because foolish men in their prosperity do not hesitate to offend anyone, in adversity they find no helper, and so he adds, "and there shall be none to deliver them." But because someone might say, "I do not care whatever happens to my sons, so long as I enjoy prosperity in this world," he therefore, in the second place, sets forth the evils that come upon the fool himself both in his goods and in his person, saying, "whose harvest the hungry man shall eat"; for frequently men who are foolish and abound in riches oppress the poor, who, for the most part unable to bear the burdens, are forced by a kind of necessity to seize the goods of the rich; and because such men, living delicately, are wont through the delights of life to lose vigor of spirit and to become unwarlike, they are easily destroyed by warlike poor men; hence there follows, "and the armed man shall snatch it away," as it were without any resistance. And so that what he had said of harvests may be understood generally, he adds, "and the thirsty shall drink his riches," that is, covetous men. The aforesaid objections having been removed, he finally brings forward the argument to prove his principal intention, namely that adversities in this world do not happen to anyone except for sin, and the argument is this: whatever things happen on earth proceed from their own determinate causes; if, therefore, adversities happen to someone in this world, this has a determinate cause, which appears to be none other than sin; this, then, is what he says, "nothing on earth happens without a cause": for we see all effects proceed from determinate causes. From which, as though concluding, he adds, "and sorrow shall not spring out of the ground," and this is a metaphorical expression: for certain herbs are produced without seed, of which it is said that the ground brings them forth of its own accord; whatever, therefore, happened without its own proper cause, as it were without seed, could by a certain likeness be metaphorically said to spring out of the ground; but sorrow, that is, adversity, shall not spring out of the ground, that is, it is not without a cause. That which he had said, "nothing on earth happens without a cause," is made especially clear from this, that all things have a natural disposition fitting to their proper operation, from which it appears that the natural dispositions of things are not without a cause but for a determinate end; and therefore he says, "man is born to labor, and the bird to fly." For it is evident that, because the proper motion which the nature of the bird required was flight, it was fitting that the bird should have from its nature instruments suited to flying, namely wings and feathers; man, however, because he had reason, by which through his own labor he could procure for himself all the necessary aids, was naturally produced without all the aids which nature gave to other animals, namely without covering, without weapons, and other such things which he could prepare for himself by his own labor through the industry of reason. "Wherefore I will beseech the Lord," and so forth. Because Eliphaz had proposed that all things which happen on earth have a determinate cause, and had proved this from the fact that natural things appeared to be disposed for an end, and because this — namely that natural things exist for an end — is the strongest argument to show that the world is governed by divine providence and that not all things happen by chance, Eliphaz therefore at once concludes from what has gone before concerning the governance of divine providence. Now it must be known that if divine providence is taken away, the fruit of prayer is taken away, and likewise the knowledge of God concerning human affairs, which nevertheless must necessarily be posited by one who grants the governance of providence; and therefore Eliphaz, concluding, says: since all things which happen on earth are for an end, one must grant the governance of providence, wherefore "I will beseech the Lord," as though prayer were fruitful inasmuch as God disposes human affairs, "and to God I will set forth my speech," inasmuch as God knows human deeds and words and thoughts. In confirmation of this he adds those things which most show forth divine providence. Now it must be known that those who deny providence say that all things which appear in the things of the world proceed from the necessity of natural causes, namely from the necessity of heat and cold, of heaviness and lightness, and other such things. From those things, therefore, is divine providence most shown, of which no reason can be given from such natural principles; among which one is the determinate magnitude of the bodies of this world: for no reason can be assigned from any natural principle why the sun or the moon or the earth should be of such a size and not greater or smaller; hence it must be said that this apportioning of magnitudes is from the ordination of some intellect, and this he designates when he says, "who does great things," that is, who disposes things in a determinate magnitude. Again, if all things proceeded from the necessity of natural principles, since natural principles are known to us, we would have a way of inquiring into all things that are in this world; but there are some things in this world to the knowledge of which we can attain by no inquiry, such as spiritual substances, the distances of the stars, and other such things; hence it is evident that not all things proceed from the necessity of natural principles, but that things have been instituted by some higher intellect, and for this reason he adds, "and things unsearchable." Likewise, there are certain things which we see of which we can in no way assign the reason, for instance that the stars are disposed according to such a figure in this part of the heaven and according to another in another part; hence it is evident that this does not come from natural principles but from some higher intellect, and for this reason he adds, "and wondrous things": for the unsearchable and the wondrous differ in this, that the unsearchable is that which itself lies hidden and cannot be sought out, while the wondrous is that which indeed itself appears, but its cause cannot be sought out. It must also be known that some have held that the disposition of things proceeds from God according to a certain order of number, namely that from the first, simple one there proceeds only one first effect, in which there is already something of composition and plurality, and thus from it there proceed two or three things which are still less simple, and so, step by step according to them, the whole multitude of things proceeds; according to which position, indeed, the whole disposition of the universe is not from the ordination of the divine intellect but from a certain necessity of nature; hence, to remove this position, he adds, "without number": either because things have been produced into being without the necessity of a numerical order, or because innumerable things have been produced for us immediately by God, which especially appears in the first heaven, in which there are very many stars. Thus, then, Eliphaz shows that the production of things is from God and not from the necessity of nature. Consequently he shows that the course of things once made is governed by divine providence. And first in natural things, from the fact that natural things appear to be tempered to the use of men and of other animals, although the natural order of the elements would seem to require otherwise: for if one considers weight and lightness in the elements, it is evident that by nature earth lies beneath water, and water beneath air, and air beneath fire. Yet some part of the earth is found uncovered by the waters, lying immediately beneath the air; for otherwise animals that breathe could not live on the earth; and again, lest the earth uncovered from the waters should become unfruitful and uninhabitable through its dryness, it is moistened by God in two ways: first, indeed, by rain, by which the surface of the earth is watered, and as to this he says, "who gives rain upon the face of the earth"; in another way, as regards springs, streams, and rivers, by which the earth is irrigated, whose source is under the earth just as the rain's is on high, and as to this he says, "and waters all things." Then he shows the working of providence also in human affairs. And indeed, if human affairs ran according to what their disposition seems to require, little or no trace of divine providence would appear in them; but since human affairs run in another way, fools, who do not consider the higher causes, attribute this to chance and fortune, in whose persons Solomon speaks, Ecclesiastes 9:11, saying, "I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favor to the skillful, but time and chance in all things." Eliphaz, however, refers this to a higher cause, namely to the providence of God. And first as regards the oppressed, who are also raised from the lowest to the height, and as to this he says, "who sets the humble," that is, the cast down, "on high," and are transferred from sorrow to joy, and as to this he says, "and raises up the mourning to health." Second, as regards the oppressors, of whom there are two kinds. For some openly oppress others by power, and as to these it is said, "who scatters the thoughts of the malignant, that their hands may not accomplish what they had begun," because, namely, they are hindered by God in the very carrying out of the deed, lest they be able to bring an iniquitous thought to effect; but some deceive by cunning, and as to these it is said, "who catches the wise in their own craftiness," inasmuch, namely, as the things which they craftily devise turn out contrary to their purpose, "and dissipates the counsel of the wicked," while, namely, the things which seem to have been wisely counseled by them, through certain impediments brought in upon them, they are not able to bring to effect; and sometimes not only are craftily-counseled things hindered in the deed, but their mind itself is darkened so that they cannot discern the better course in counseling, hence he adds, "in the daytime they shall run into darkness," because, namely, in a matter altogether manifest they do not know at all what to do, "and grope at noonday as in the night," that is, in things which are in no way doubtful they shall be as doubtful as in obscure matters. And so that these things may be seen to come from divine providence, he adds the benefit that comes from what has been said. For while the cunning of the malignant is hindered, the poor are freed from their deceptions, and this is what he adds, "moreover he shall save the needy from the sword of their mouth," for those who are cunning in evil are wont to seduce others by flattering and feigned words, which words, in doing harm, are compared to a sword, according to that saying of the Psalm, "their tongue is a sharp sword." When, moreover, the works of the powerful wicked are hindered by God, it is likewise evident that the poor are saved, hence there follows, "and the poor from the hand of the violent." And from this two things follow, one of which is that men, who are of themselves powerless, trust in the divine power, as though God cared for human affairs, hence he adds, "and there shall be hope to the needy"; the other is that powerful and wicked men hold themselves back from being entirely wicked, hence there follows, "but iniquity shall shut her mouth," lest, namely, it pour itself out entirely into the destruction of others. "Blessed is the man who is corrected by the Lord," and so forth. As has been said above, Eliphaz had in what preceded charged blessed Job both with impatience and with presumption in that he had asserted himself innocent; now, however, he endeavors to take away from him the despair from which he believed those words had proceeded by which Job had detested his own life. It must be known, then, that from the things said above, by which he had asserted divine providence both concerning natural things and concerning human affairs, he takes this as known, that all adversities are brought upon men by divine judgment, but upon some indeed unto final condemnation — those who are incorrigible — while upon others unto correction — those who are amended by adversities — whom he asserts to be blessed, saying, "blessed is the man who is corrected by the Lord": for if correction by man is wholesome, though man cannot perfectly know the measure and manner according to which correction can be wholesome, nor is he omnipotent to remove evils and bestow goods, much more ought the correction of God, who is omnipotent and knows all things, to be reckoned wholesome and happy. From this conclusion he draws to his purpose, saying, "therefore do not reject the rebuke of the Lord," as if to say: although you suffer this adversity from God on account of your sins, nevertheless you ought to reckon that this is, as it were, a certain rebuke of the Lord for correcting you, hence you ought not to reject this adversity to such an extent that on account of it you hold your life hateful. And he adds the reason for what has been said, saying, "for he wounds," with a graver adversity, "and heals," by taking away evils and restoring goods; "he strikes," with a lighter adversity, "and his hands," that is, his operations, "shall heal," that is, shall set free. Eliphaz, then, did not assert that the one who is corrected by the Lord is blessed on account of a future life, which he did not believe in, but on account of the present life, in which, after correction, a man obtained from God immunity from evils and abundance of goods. Hence, consequently, concerning immunity from evils he adds, saying, "in six troubles he shall deliver you, and in the seventh evil shall not touch you"; for since all time is measured by the sevenfold number of days, the universality of things is customarily designated by the number seven, so that the sense is that no adversity will harm the one who is corrected by the Lord after his amendment. And because, according to his opinion, the more anyone has been purified from fault, the less adversity he suffers in this world, therefore he says, "in the seventh evil shall not touch you," as though before amendment a man is not freed from adversity, but when he begins to be freed from it he is touched but not overwhelmed, God freeing him, while after perfect liberation he is not touched at all. This is indeed true as regards the mind, which, while it fixes its end in worldly things, is oppressed by worldly adversities; when, withdrawing its love from them, it begins to love God, it is saddened indeed in adversities but is not overwhelmed, because it does not have its hope in the world; but when it has utterly despised the world, then worldly adversities scarcely touch it. This opinion, however, is not true as regards the body, as Eliphaz understood it, since the most perfect men sometimes suffer the gravest adversities, according to that saying of the Psalm, "for your sake we are put to death all the day long," which is adduced concerning the apostles. And because he had touched on seven tribulations, he subsequently enumerates them. Now it must be known that adversity sometimes arises from some particular danger to some person, which is sometimes against his bodily life, which is sometimes taken away through the withdrawal of necessities, and as to this he says, "in famine he shall deliver you from death," as if to say: you will indeed suffer hunger, being rebuked by the Lord, but from this you will not come to death, God delivering you; and this is the first tribulation. Sometimes, moreover, it is taken away through the violence of someone inflicting harm, and as to this he says, "and in war, from the hand," that is, the power, "of the sword," as if to say: war will come upon you, but you will not be brought into the power of the sword; and this is the second tribulation. Bodily life is also taken away by natural death, but this is not counted among tribulations, since the nature of man requires it. Sometimes, moreover, the personal danger is against a man's reputation, which pertains to civil life, and as to this he says, "you shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue": now the scourge of the tongue is called grievous defamation, from which a man is then hidden when the deeds of his, by which he might be defamed, lie hidden from the detractor; and this is the third tribulation. Sometimes, moreover, adversity comes from some general danger, which threatens either persons or goods: persons indeed, as when an enemy army comes upon some country, through which either death or captivity is commonly feared, and as to this he says, "and you shall not fear calamity when it comes," as if to say: with calamity from the enemies of your country impending, you will not be afraid; and this is the fourth tribulation. Common danger threatens goods, moreover, either through the barrenness of the land, which occurs in a time of famine, or through some devastation of the crops by enemies, and as to these two he says, "in famine and devastation you shall laugh," that is, you will have abundance which will be to you a matter of joy; and thus the fifth and sixth tribulations are touched upon. Sometimes, moreover, adversity comes from the assault of brute animals, whether in general or in particular, and as to this he says, "and you shall not fear the beast of the earth"; and this appears to be the seventh tribulation, in which evil does not touch him. After immunity from evils he sets forth abundance in goods, and first as regards the fertility of the lands, saying, "but you shall have a covenant with the stones of the regions," that is, even stony and barren lands will bring forth fruit for you, according to that saying of Deuteronomy 32:13, "that you might suck honey out of the rock," etc.; second, as regards the brute animals, and as to this he says, "and the beasts of the earth shall be at peace with you," that is, they will not harm you — though these two might be otherwise, that could be explained, so that by stones are understood hard and rude men, and by beasts, cruel men; third, as regards the members of his household, when he says, "and you shall know that your tent has peace," that is, your household will have peace among themselves; fourth, specifically as regards his wife, and as to this he says, "and visiting your beauty you shall not sin," as if to say: you will have a wife who is honorable and peaceable, with whom you will be able to live without sin; fifth, as regards sons, hence he says, "your offspring shall be like the grass of the earth," that is, you will have many sons and grandsons; sixth, as regards a peaceful and quiet death, and as to this he says, "you shall go into the grave in abundance," as though not despoiled of your goods, in good prosperity, "as a heap of wheat is brought in its own time," as though not overtaken by an untimely and sudden death. Finally, he confirms the things he had said above, saying, "behold, this, as we have searched it out, so it is." And because he judges Job to be so absorbed in sorrow that he would not much consider such things, he makes him attentive, saying, "hear it, and turn it over in your mind."”

“Job answering said. As is clear from what precedes, Eliphaz had noted three things in Job's lament: despair, because he seemed to desire not to be; impatience, or immoderate sorrow, on account of the sighs and groans which he said he was suffering; and presumption, because he had asserted himself to be innocent. And the whole of Eliphaz's preceding speech turned upon these three things, in which — to show that Job had been subject to sin and had therefore endured adversities — he proposed, among other things, the frailty of the human condition, from which no one can presume himself immune from sin: from this, then, Job takes the beginning of his response. For it is certain that, from the frailty of the human condition, no man is immune from sin, however just he may appear; yet in just men there are not grave and mortal sins, but there are in them light and venial sins, which arise from negligence and subreption. But if what Eliphaz was striving to assert were true — namely, that the adversities of the present life are the proper punishments of sins — it would follow that men would suffer grave adversities on account of grave sins, and light ones on account of light sins, and thus just men would never be subject to grave adversities, which is clearly false. This argument, therefore, Job proposes against Eliphaz's disputation; hence it is said, Job answering said: "Oh that my sins, by which I have deserved wrath, and the calamity that I suffer, were weighed in a balance." As if to say: I cannot say that there are no sins in me, yet I trust that they are not mortal but venial in me; if, therefore, for sins of this sort I have deserved from God wrath, that is, punishment, the calamity and the sin ought to have been weighed in the balance of justice, so that, according to equality, the one might correspond to the other. But the adversity appears much greater, and this is what he adds: "as the sand of the sea," that is, incomparably — this, namely the calamity, would appear graver, if Eliphaz's opinion were true, that adversities in this world are inflicted only according to sins, since it appears that many wicked men, in comparison with whose sins Job's sins were as nothing, endure only certain light adversities. From this he further proceeds to excuse himself from the sorrow which he had expressed in words, saying, "wherefore also my words are full of sorrow," which he infers by way of conclusion, because his sorrow was caused by the magnitude of the adversity. He then adds a twofold cause of his sorrow: for sorrow is caused sometimes by things which one has already suffered, and sometimes by things which one fears to suffer. First, then, he assigns the cause of his sorrow from the things he had already suffered, saying, "for the arrows of the Lord are in me," in which he shows that he was afflicted unexpectedly, for an arrow comes from afar and unexpectedly; and to show the magnitude of the blow he adds, "the indignation whereof hath drunk up my spirit," that is, it did not permit me to breathe, but took away entirely whatever strength or consolation could have been in me. Then he shows the cause of his sorrow from the things he feared to suffer, saying, "and the terrors of God war against me": for those afflicted are wont to be consoled by hope of a better state, but when after affliction someone fears again similar or greater things, no consolation seems to remain. But someone might say: you indeed have a cause of sorrow, but you ought not, on account of it, to break forth into words of sorrow. Against this Job responds from what is found in other animals. For man is similar to other animals in his sensitive nature, wherefore those things which follow upon sensitive nature are naturally present in man just as in other animals; but what is natural cannot be wholly avoided. Now it is found in other animals that they express the affliction of the heart by voice, and this he signifies, saying: "Will the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or will the ox low when he standeth before a full manger?" As if to say, no; but the wild ass brays and the ox lows when they lack necessary food, in which it appears to be natural to animals that they express interior affliction by voice. Again, someone might say that it is natural for sorrow once conceived to be expressed by voice, but that it does not pertain to the wise man to conceive sorrow in his heart from just any causes, as the Stoics held. But Job shows this to be against sensitive nature: for sense cannot but flee from what is harmful or unfitting, and therefore he says, "Or can that which is unsavoury be eaten, that is not seasoned with salt?" As if to say, no, since indeed things of this insipid sort are not suited to the delight of taste; and likewise the heart of man cannot willingly accept things that are not delightful, and much less those that are bitter and harmful, wherefore he adds, "Or can a man taste that which, when tasted, brings death?" As if to say, no; and just as this is impossible in the exterior sense, so it is impossible that those things which are apprehended through the interior senses as harmful should be received without sorrow. But because, although the wise man suffers sorrow, his reason nevertheless is not absorbed by sorrow, Job consequently shows that although he suffered sorrow, yet there was in him the greatest solicitude and fear that he might guard himself against sorrow, lest through sorrow he be led into something vicious; and to avoid this he preferred death, and to express this he says, "the things my soul before would not touch, now, through anguish, are my meats," as if to say: the things which my soul formerly abhorred, it now delightfully desires. And what these things are he shows, saying, "Who will grant that my request may come?" And that it may be shown that he proposes this request not merely with the lips but also from the depths of his heart, he adds, "and that God may give me what I look for?" And what this request is he shows, adding, "and that he that hath begun," namely to afflict me, "may destroy me," namely by death; and this is what he adds, "that he may let loose his hand and cut me off?" By the hand of God he means the divine power by which God himself had afflicted him — which hand seems, in a certain way, to be bound by the divine will and mercy while it ceases to afflict, but is, in a certain way, loosed while the divine blow is brought to the end of slaying. And because he had said that the things he formerly would not touch are now his food, he shows how this is to be understood, namely that death, which had been horrible to him, has now become sweet; hence he adds, "and this be my comfort, that afflicting me with sorrow," namely God, "he spare not," that is, that he not withdraw his hand but bring me to death. And why he desires this he shows by what he adds, "and I will not contradict the words of the Holy One," that is, of God — that is, his judgments or sentences by which he has afflicted me. For Job feared lest, through many afflictions, he be led into impatience, such that reason could not repress sorrow; now the nature of impatience is when someone's reason is so led away by sorrow that it contradicts the divine judgments; but if someone indeed suffers sorrow according to the sensual part, while reason conforms itself to the divine will, this is not the defect of impatience; and thus Eliphaz argued against Job in vain when he had said, "now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou hast fainted": for although he sorrowed, yet he had not fainted. Then he assigns the reason, from his own frailty, why he feared lest he be brought to the point of contradicting the words of the Holy One. For a fear of this kind could be removed for a twofold reason: first, if he had such strength of reason that it could in no way be overcome, as is the case with those whose free will has been confirmed by grace; but he did not feel this strength in himself, wherefore he says, "for what is my strength, that I can hold out?" namely, whatever tribulations may come; secondly, if it were necessary to bear the tribulations and sorrows only for some brief time; and therefore, to remove this too, he adds, "or what is my end, that I should act patiently?" As if to say: what limit has been set to my tribulations, such that, waiting until it, I might presume that I would preserve patience? And in explanation of these he adds, saying, "neither is my strength the strength of stones": for the strength of stones is without sense; but the strength of man exists together with a sense of the things that are harmful, on account of which he adds, "nor is my flesh of brass," that is, without sense, because however strong the reason of mortal man may be, yet it is necessary that, on the part of the flesh, he experience the sense of sorrow. And by this the reproach of Eliphaz, who charged blessed Job with sorrow, is excluded: for although strength of mind was present in blessed Job, yet on the part of the flesh there was present a sense of sorrow, which sorrow followed. At the same time, by this the opinion of the Stoics, who said that the wise man does not sorrow, is also refuted — an opinion which Eliphaz seems to have held; but blessed Job intends to defend this: that the wise man indeed sorrows, but strives through reason not to be led into what is unfitting, which the Peripatetics also held. "Behold, there is no help for me in myself," etc. Job had shown in what precedes that he had reasonably felt sorrow and uttered words of sorrow, yet that he was not absorbed by sorrow on account of what he had suffered; but because sometimes a man, although he suffers certain adversities, so guards himself against adversities by his own and another's help and comfort that he conceives from them little or no sorrow, blessed Job wishes to show that he was destitute of remedies of this kind, so that from this it may appear more evidently that he had reasonably uttered words of sorrow. And first indeed he shows that he was destitute of the aforesaid remedies on his own part, when he says, "behold, there is no help for me in myself": for even if some of his goods had been plundered, he could bear this without sorrow if he could help himself to recover the lost goods and to avenge the injury inflicted; but he could not do this, being destitute of all his riches, his children, and the health of his own body. Again, there are many things we cannot do by ourselves which we can do through friends; and therefore Job secondly shows that he was also destitute of the help of friends, when he says, "and my kinsfolk also," that is, his household and domestics, "have departed from me." And that this was not without their fault, he shows, adding, "he that taketh away mercy from his friend," namely in the time of misery, "forsaketh the fear of the Lord," that is, the reverence which he ought to have toward God, on account of whom, and in whom, one's neighbor is to be loved: "he who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see?" as is said in John 4:20. Then he shows that he was also forsaken by his kinsmen, saying, "my brethren," that is, his relatives, "have passed me by": he speaks after the likeness of those walking together on a road, as when one falls into a pit and the others nonetheless go on ahead, leaving him behind. And indeed they would be in some way excusable if, after having brought help for some time, they had abandoned him either out of weariness or out of despair of helping; and therefore, that they may be inexcusable, he shows that he was immediately and suddenly deserted by them, which he signifies when he adds, "as a torrent that passeth swiftly in the valleys," which moves very quickly. And lest they believe they have done this with impunity, he adds, "they who fear the frost, snow shall fall upon them," as if to say: he who, out of fear of a lesser danger, departs from justice and mercy will be led into greater dangers; wherefore also Job's brethren, who passed him by unwilling to have compassion, will themselves bear sorrow in their own losses. And that their dangers will be in the future without remedy he shows, adding, "at the time wherein they shall be scattered," that is, when they shall incur certain dangers, "they shall perish," namely entirely, "and after it groweth hot, they shall be melted out of their place." He speaks under the metaphor of the snow, of which he had made mention, which, when it has been much hardened by freezing, is not immediately dissolved at the first warmth, but when it is not yet frozen, it is immediately dissolved and flows at the ray of the sun: this, then, is what he says, "after it groweth hot, they shall be melted out of their place," that is, at the very first onset of adversity, as of a certain heat, all their prosperity will be dissolved. And he shows the cause, adding, "the paths of their steps are entangled": for that which is entangled turns back upon itself by a certain twistedness; the paths, therefore, are entangled of those who, in their kinsmen and friends, seek nothing but their own advantage, and on this account, in the time of prosperity, feign friendship, but in the time of adversity forsake it. But men who fraudulently seek their own advantage for the most part fall short of their hope, and therefore he adds, "they shall walk in vain": for some are said to walk in vain when they fall short of the goal of their walking; and not only will their hope be emptied, but also the contrary will happen to them, wherefore it follows, "and shall perish," that is, they shall be utterly destroyed. Thus, then, he had help neither in himself, nor in his household, nor in his kinsmen. He then shows that neither did he have it in other friends, wherefore he says, "consider the paths of Theman, the ways of Saba," in which regions he seemed especially to have had friends — for Eliphaz too had come from Theman — "and wait a little while," namely, considering whether any came by these roads to bring me help; and this you will not see, "because they are confounded," namely to come to me, "because I hoped," that is, because it was a time in which I ought to have hoped for help from them: for men who are unwilling to give help are ashamed to visit those from whom they reckon that help could reasonably be sought of them; "they came also," namely, some of them, "even to me, and were covered with shame," namely because they did not give me help, though they recognized that they owed it. Nor is it surprising in the case of others, since even you, who seem wiser, fail in this too, wherefore he adds, "now you are come, and now, seeing my affliction, you are afraid," namely lest perhaps it should be necessary for you to bring me help; but do not be afraid, for I have not sought your help in anything: for neither do I require of you that you should assist me with money, and this is what he says, "did I say: bring to me, and give me of your substance?" Nor have I sought from you help in war against enemies, and this is what he adds, "deliver me from the hand of the enemy, and rescue me out of the hand of the mighty?" Nor have I sought from you the help of teaching, and this is what he says: "did I say: teach me," namely, in speculative matters, "and I will hold my tongue: and if I have been ignorant of anything perhaps, instruct me?" namely, in matters of action. Nor do you only fail to offer me help, but also, as much as is in you, you further afflict me with words, and this is what he adds, "why have you detracted from the words of truth?" namely, those which I first uttered in my lamentation, which Eliphaz seemed to reprove, as has been said. And that this detraction may be shown to be inexcusable, he excludes all those things by which some reprover might be excused from detraction. The first of these is when someone of greater authority reproves another for a fault, and this he excludes, saying, "whereas there is none of you that can reprove me." The second is when someone utters hard words against another for that person's benefit and not to exasperate him, and this is what he adds, "to rebuke only, and not for advantage, do you compose your words," that is, you carefully compose them so that they may not seem to be spoken lightly. The third is when someone fortifies the words he utters against another with effective arguments, and this he removes, saying, "and you utter words into the wind," as if to say: your words are empty, having no strength of reason. The fourth is when someone reproves another at the time and in the state in which it can be presumed that he will not thereby become worse but better; but if someone wishes to reprove another at a time when he is dismayed in spirit and disposed to anger, he seems to wish not correction but subversion, and therefore he says, "you rush upon the fatherless, and you endeavor to overthrow your friend": he calls himself "the fatherless" because, set in sorrow, he was destitute of all help. And lest anyone should think that he said this fearing contention with them, as though he did not presume upon the truth of his own opinion and the justice of his own cause, he adds, "howbeit, finish what you have begun," so that from mutual disputation the truth may shine forth; wherefore he adds, "give ear," that is, listen, "and see," that is, consider, "whether I lie": for this is the first impediment to finding the truth through disputation, when someone is unwilling to hear what is said by his opponent. The second impediment is when someone responds to what he hears with clamor and insult, and to remove this he says, "answer, I beseech you, without contention": for contention, as Ambrose says, is "an assault upon truth relying on the confidence of clamor." The third impediment is when someone in disputation aims not at truth but at victory and glory, as happens in litigious and sophistical disputations: "and speaking, judge ye that which is just," that is, that you grant what seems true to you, and deny what seems false. And, if you do this, "you shall not find iniquity on my tongue," namely, anything against the justice which is owed to one's neighbor, "neither shall folly sound in my jaws," that is, anything against the wisdom by which one rightly thinks concerning God: for he intended, both concerning divine things and concerning human things, to defend and prove the truth.”

“"Man's life upon earth is a warfare," and so forth. Eliphaz, in the foregoing, wishing to draw blessed Job back from despair, had promised him a certain earthly happiness if he would not reject the Lord's rebuke; hence blessed Job, after he showed the reasonable causes of his sorrow, wishes further to show that the aforesaid consolation of Eliphaz, based on the promise of earthly felicity, is unfitting. And first he shows this from the condition of the present life, but afterward he will show it from his own proper condition. Now concerning the condition of the present life, the opinion of men has been diverse: for some have held that the final happiness is in this life, and the words of Eliphaz seem to follow this opinion. For man's ultimate end is there where he awaits the final recompense for good or evil deeds: hence if in this life man is rewarded by God for good deeds done and punished for evil ones, as Eliphaz strove to maintain, it seems to follow that in this life is man's ultimate end. But Job intends to reject this opinion, and wishes to show that the present life of man does not have the ultimate end in itself, but is related to it as motion to rest and a way to its terminus; and therefore he compares it to those states of men who tend toward some end, namely to the state of soldiers who by warring tend toward victory, and this is what he says: "Man's life upon earth is a warfare," as if to say: the present life which we live upon earth is not like the state of victory but like the state of warfare; he also compares it to the state of hired servants, and this is what he adds: "and his days are like the days of a hireling," namely of a man living upon earth. Now he compares the present life to these two states on account of two things that press upon man in the present life: namely, that he must resist hindrances and harmful things, and on this account it is compared to warfare; and that he must work useful things toward an end, and on this account it is compared to the hireling. From both examples, moreover, it is given to be understood that the present life is subject to divine providence: for soldiers war under a leader, and hirelings await their wage from their master. Also, in these two examples the falsity of the opinion that Eliphaz was defending is sufficiently apparent. For it is manifest that the leader of an army does not spare his vigorous soldiers from dangers or labors, but according as the plan of the campaign requires, he sometimes exposes them to greater labors and greater dangers, yet after the victory has been won he honors the more vigorous the more; so too the head of a household commits greater labors to his better hired servants, but at the time of the wage bestows greater rewards upon them; hence neither does divine providence have this property, that it should exempt the good more from the adversities and labors of the present life, but rather that it should reward them more at the end. Since, therefore, the whole opinion of Eliphaz is undermined by these words, Job intends to confirm them and demonstrates them by an effective argument. For it is manifest that any given thing comes to rest once its ultimate end has been attained; hence it is necessary that when the human will has attained its ultimate end, it should rest in it and be moved no further to the desiring of other things; but we experience the contrary of this in the present life, for man, as though never content with present things, always desires future ones: hence it is manifest that the ultimate end is not in this life, but that this life is ordered to another end, just as warfare is ordered to victory and the hireling's day to the wage. Now it must be known that in the present life present things do not suffice, but desire tends toward future things on account of two causes: namely on account of the afflictions of the present life, and for this reason he introduces the example of the servant desiring shade, saying, "as a servant," afflicted by the heat, "desires the shade," by which he might be cooled; and on account of the lack of the perfect and final good which is not had here, and therefore he sets forth the example of the hireling, saying, "and as a hireling looks for the end of his work" — for man's end is the perfect good — "so I too have had empty months," that is, I have reckoned that the months now past have passed by empty for me, inasmuch as in them I had not attained final perfection; "and nights," appointed for rest against afflictions, "I have counted laborious for myself," that is, I have reckoned them as if they were laborious, insofar as in them I was held back from the attainment of the end. He explains, moreover, how he had empty months and laborious nights, by adding: "if I shall sleep," that is, when it is the time for sleeping at night, I say: "when shall I arise?" longing for the day. "And again," when day has come, "I shall await the evening," thus always tending toward the future through desire. And this indeed is common to every man living upon earth, but men feel it more or less according as they are affected more or less by joys or sorrows: for he who is in joy desires the future less, but he who is in sorrow desires it more; and therefore, that he may show this desire to be vehement in himself, Job adds, "and I shall be filled with sorrows even unto darkness," on account of which sorrows the present time becomes tedious to me and I desire the future the more. "My flesh is clothed with rottenness," and so forth. Blessed Job had shown above that the consolation of Eliphaz, based on the promise of felicity in the earthly life, was unfitting from the general condition of man's life upon earth; now, however, he intends to show that the same consolation is unfitting from his own proper condition. And he sets forth two things which hinder him from awaiting prosperity upon earth, the first of which is the infirmity of body which he was suffering: for to a man held fast by grave infirmity nothing can happen that would make him happy in this life, and therefore he says, "my flesh is clothed with rottenness," as if to say: on every side my body is surrounded with the rottenness of ulcers, just as a body is surrounded by a garment. And since wounds treated from the beginning come to health, he shows that his ulcers had been neglected, hence he says, "and the filth of dust," for they were not treated in due manner, because literally he was sitting upon a dunghill, as was said above. Health, moreover, is sometimes expected even if the ulcers be neglected, when nature is strong; but in Job the vigor of nature had failed, hence he says, "my skin has dried up and shrunk," because, namely, the natural moisture had already been consumed, either on account of old age or of infirmity; hence there does not seem to be room for me to await further happiness in this life. The second is that the greater part of his life's time had already passed, so that little time remained, nor could he expect great happiness in it, and for this reason he says, "my days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut off by the weaver." For man's life, in a certain respect, is like a weaving: just as he who weaves a web joins thread to thread so as to arrive at the completion of the web, and when it is completed cuts it off, so, in order that man's life may be brought to completion, days are added to days, and when it has been completed it is taken away. Yet he says that the days of man pass more swiftly than the web is cut off, because in the work of weaving the weaver sometimes rests, but the time of man's life slips away continuously without rest. But someone could say that although the greater part of the time of his life had passed, he might nevertheless still hope for a return to the state of his past life: for some have held that after death, when many courses of years have elapsed, man was to return to the same sequence of life which he had previously lived, as for instance that Plato would in future times lecture again at Athens and do the same things he had done before; and thus a man, although the greater part of the time of his life had passed, could hope for the restitution of happiness in earthly life; and therefore, to remove this, Job adds, "and they are consumed without any hope," namely of returning to his former days. And to prove this he adds, speaking to God — to whom, from that passage "man's life upon earth is a warfare" onward, he seems to have directed his speech — saying, "remember that my life is wind," that is, like the wind: for just as the wind passes by and does not return again, so man's life, when it has passed, does not return, and this is what he adds, "and my eye shall not return that it may see good things," namely of the earthly life which I once had and have now lost. And just as, when my life has passed, I shall not return to see earthly good things, so neither shall I be seen by an earthly eye, hence it follows, "nor shall the sight of man behold me"; and he sets down these two things to signify that he will not return to human intercourse, which consists chiefly in seeing and being seen: for sight, since it is the subtlest of the senses, holds the primacy in the sensible life. But although he has said that after death he will not be seen by the eye of man, he nevertheless confesses that he will be seen by the divine eye, in that he adds, "your eyes are upon me" — namely, will be: for the dead are visible to God, who beholds spiritual things, because the dead live according to the spirit, not according to the flesh, which the sight of man can behold. From this, however, someone might understand that God's eyes look upon the dead man not according to his present state but as he looks upon future things, as though the dead man were again going to return to the life he had left; and therefore, to exclude this, he adds, "and I shall not subsist," as if to say: I say indeed that your eyes will be upon me after death, yet I shall not afterward again subsist in the state of this earthly life. And he proves this by a comparison when he adds, "as a cloud is consumed and passes away, so he who goes down to the netherworld shall not come up." Now the dead are said to descend to the netherworld either because, before the death of Christ, all descended to hell as to the soul, or because as to the flesh they are placed beneath the earth; for as far as concerns the present matter, it makes no difference however it be explained: for he means nothing other than that the dead do not return to their past life, and he proves this by a certain comparison, a sufficient proof. For as the Philosopher teaches in the second book On Generation, a certain circular motion appears both in corruptible bodies and in incorruptible bodies; but this is the difference, that in the heavenly bodies, according to the circling, the same thing numerically is repeated, just as the numerically same sun which sets returns to its rising, and this because the substance is not corrupted in such a change but only the place is changed; but in the motion of things generable and corruptible, the same thing numerically does not return, but the same in species. For it is clear that, according to the annual circular motion of the sun, a certain circling occurs in the disposition of the air: for in winter there are clouds, and afterward in summer they are consumed, and again, with winter returning, the clouds return, yet not the same numerically but the same in species, because those clouds which existed before perish entirely. And it is likewise with men: for the same men do not return through generations, who existed before, numerically, but only according to species. From this the solution is clear to the argument of those who held a return to the same life and to the same acts: for they believed that lower things are disposed according to the motion of the heavenly bodies, whence, when the same constellation should return after very many spaces of time, they believed that the same thing numerically would return; but it is not necessary that the same things return numerically, as has been said, but only things alike according to species. These men, moreover, held that a dead man, after certain spaces of time, would return not only to life but also to the same possessions and houses which he previously had, and therefore, to exclude this, he adds, "nor shall he return any more to his house." They also held that he would perform the same works which he had performed before, and would hold the same offices and dignities; hence, to exclude this also, he adds, "neither shall his place know him any more," that is, he will not return any further to his place; and here "place" is taken for the state of a person, according to that manner of speaking by which we are accustomed to say: this man holds a great place in this city. It is manifest, moreover, from these things, that Job here does not deny the resurrection which faith asserts, but the return to carnal life which the Jews hold and which certain philosophers also held. Nor does this contradict the narrative of Scripture concerning those who have been raised again to the present life, because what is done miraculously is one thing, and what is done according to the course of nature — as Job is speaking here — is another. It must also be considered that what he said above, "remember that my life is wind," he did not say as though forgetfulness could fall upon God, but he speaks from the hypothesis of the adversaries' position: for if God were to promise good things in this earthly life to a man whose life has already, as it were, passed, he would seem as though forgetful that man's life passes in the manner of wind, without return. "Wherefore I also will not spare my mouth." After Job has shown, by demonstrative arguments, that the consolation of Eliphaz, promising earthly prosperity, was unfitting, he now shows it by leading to absurd consequences, namely that if he were to rest upon that consolation which had been given him by Eliphaz from the hope of earthly prosperity, since that hope is vain, as has been shown, it would follow that he must still remain in sorrow and utter words of grief and despair utterly. And therefore, disputing as it were against the position, he concludes, "wherefore," that is, since it is vain to await earthly prosperity, as has been shown, and you have nothing else from which to console me, "I also," as though destitute of consolation, "will not spare my mouth" from speaking words of lamentation as my mind suggests: and this is what he adds, "I will speak in the tribulation of my spirit," that is, according as the tribulation which I suffer impels my spirit to speak. Nor was there present to him only outward tribulation, but also inward sorrow conceived from it, and therefore he adds, "I will talk with the bitterness of my soul," that is, I will speak empty and, as it were, idle words, according as the bitterness of my soul shall supply them to me. Now among the other things which embittered men are accustomed to talk about, they are especially wont to inquire into the causes of their bitterness, because there is scarcely anyone embittered who does not seem to himself to be afflicted either altogether unjustly or more than is just; and therefore Job, bearing the person of an embittered man, inquires into the cause of his affliction, saying, "Am I the sea, or a whale, that you have surrounded me with a prison?" Here it must be noted that the providence of God operates in one way concerning rational creatures and in another concerning irrational ones: for in rational creatures merit and demerit are found on account of free will, and on this account punishments and rewards are owed to them; but irrational creatures, since they do not have free will, neither merit nor demerit punishments or rewards, but God operates concerning them for their expansion or restriction according as befits the good of the universe. From which provision or plan, indeed, it comes about that God restrains the sea, lest it occupy the whole surface of the earth, so that there may be room for animals and things born of the earth; likewise also he restrains the whale within the ocean sea, lest, if it were led into other seas, it might be harmful to some. And therefore Job inquires whether a cause like that for which the sea or the whale is restrained is the cause of his affliction — namely, that he might be afflicted not on account of any demerit of his own, but on account of some benefit thereby accruing to others. He says, moreover, that he is surrounded by a prison because he was so oppressed by tribulation that from no side did there lie open to him either liberation or consolation; and therefore he next shows that he is deprived of those remedies by which the afflicted are usually consoled, one of which is sleep, for after sleep sorrow is mitigated, and he notes this when he says, "if I say: my bed shall comfort me," namely at the time of sleeping. The other remedy is when wise men console themselves through the deliberation of reason, and he touches this remedy when he says, "I shall be relieved," namely from the oppression of sorrow, "speaking with myself," through the deliberation of reason, "upon my couch": for wise men, when they are alone and removed from the tumults of men and of business, are then more able to speak with themselves by thinking something out according to reason. But these remedies could not help him, because at the time when he ought to have used these remedies there were present to him other hindrances by which he was disturbed, namely terrible dreams and horrible visions, and this is what he adds, "you will terrify me through dreams," which, namely, appear to one sleeping, "and through visions," which, namely, appear to one awake but estranged from the use of the outward senses, "you will shake me with horror." For nocturnal phantasms are usually in keeping with the thoughts of the day, hence, because Job during the day was thinking on things belonging to grief, he was disturbed by similar phantasms at night; the infirmity of the body also contributes to this, that disturbed phantasms appear to those who sleep. Thus therefore, with consolation excluded on every side, no way remains for me of escaping so many anguishes except through death, and therefore I choose death in preference, however abject it be, to a life so wretched, and this is what he says, "wherefore my soul has chosen hanging." And lest this choice be thought to arise from some weak thought, with other strong thoughts resisting it, he adds that there is nothing in him so strong that it does not desire death, and this is what he says, "and my bones death": for in Scripture, whatever strength there is in man is usually designated by the bones. And why he chooses this he shows when he adds, "I have despaired," namely of the hope which you gave me, that I might again enjoy earthly prosperity; and why he has despaired he shows by adding, "I shall by no means live any longer": in which two things can be understood which he had set down above, namely that the greater part of the time of his life had already passed, and that there was no return after death to the same life, so as to live again upon the earth. This absurdity, therefore, followed for Job from the consolation of Eliphaz: namely, that he would despair, would choose death, and would have nothing from which to repress his sorrow. "Spare me, Lord." After Job has shown that the consolation of Eliphaz, based on the promise of earthly happiness, was leading him to despair and the desire of death, he shows what remains for him to hope for from God, namely that the tribulation inflicted on him should cease, and this is what he says, "spare me, Lord," as if to say: I have fallen from the hope of earthly prosperity; let this suffice for you to spare me, that is, to cease from scourging. And since the smallness and wretchedness of man is usually an inducement to sparing, he adds, "for my days are nothing," which seems to refer both to man's smallness and to the brevity of life: both commonly as regards all men, and especially as regards himself, whose days had already, as it were, passed away. He then pursues each of the two in turn, and first, concerning smallness, saying, "what is man," that is, how small a thing and weak as to body, "that you should magnify him" with a certain honor among the rest of creatures, "or that you should set your heart upon him," guarding and protecting him with special care? Here it must be considered that, although all things are subject to divine providence and all things obtain greatness from God according to their state, yet in different ways. For since all the particular goods that are in the universe seem to be ordered to the common good of the universe as a part to the whole and the imperfect to the perfect, in that way certain things are disposed according to divine providence according as they have an order to the universe; but it must be known that, according to the measure in which certain things participate in perpetuity, they pertain essentially to the perfection of the universe, but according as they fall short of perpetuity, they pertain to the perfection of the universe accidentally and not through themselves: and therefore, insofar as certain things are perpetual, they are disposed by God for their own sake, but insofar as they are corruptible, for the sake of another. Those things, therefore, which are perpetual both in species and in individual, are governed by God for their own sake; but those which are corruptible in the individual, perpetual only in species, are disposed by God, as to the species, for their own sake, but as to the individual, only for the sake of the species — as, for example, the good and evil that befalls brute animals, as when this sheep is killed by this wolf, or something else of this kind, is not dispensed by God on account of any merit or demerit of this wolf or this sheep, but for the good of the species, because a proper food has been divinely ordained for each species. And this is what he says, "or that you should set your heart upon him," namely in that you provide for him for the sake of his own good; but God does not set his heart upon individual animals, but upon the good of the species, which can be perpetual. How, moreover, he sets his heart upon him he shows when he adds, "you visit him at daybreak," that is, from the beginning of his birth your providence administers to him the things necessary for life and advancement, both bodily and spiritual; "and suddenly you test him" through adversities, in which it appears how he stands with regard to virtue, because, as is had in Ecclesiasticus 27:6, "the furnace tests the potter's vessels, and the trial of tribulation tests just men." Now God is said to test man, not that he himself may learn what sort of man he is, but that he may make others know him, and that the man himself may know himself. These words of Job, however, are not to be understood as those of one disapproving of the divine solicitude concerning men, but as those of one inquiring and marveling: for that which appears outwardly of man is something small, fragile, and perishable, hence it would seem a marvel that God should have such great solicitude concerning man, unless something lay hidden in him that was capable of perpetuity. Hence, through this inquiry and wonder, the opinion of Eliphaz is excluded, because if there were no other life of man than that which is upon earth, man would not seem worthy of so great a solicitude of God concerning him: therefore the very solicitude which God specially has concerning man demonstrates that there is another life of man after the death of the body. Then he adds another argument that he should be spared, taken from the brevity of life, proposing it under a question when he says, "how long will you not spare me?" as if to say: the time of man's life is short, and the greater part of the time of my life has already passed; what limit, then, is awaited for you to spare me, if you do not spare me now, so that I might at least have some brief space in which to rest? Which he signifies in what he adds, "nor do you let me alone, that I may swallow my spittle?" For men, while they are uttering words, cannot swallow their spittle: it is necessary, therefore, that in speaking some slight pause occur, so that the spittle may either be spit out or swallowed; and to this little hour he compares the remainder of the time of his life, as if to say: if you delay to spare me, there will not remain to me any rest from my labors, even one like that pause by which those speaking swallow their spittle. And this argument, too, proceeds from the supposition of Eliphaz's opinion, because if there is no other life of man than that which is upon earth, there will remain no time for God to spare him, if he does not spare him in this life. Now someone could say that it is unworthy that Job should be spared by God, because his sins deserve that he be afflicted further, according to the opinion of Eliphaz, who thought that he was being scourged on account of sins; and therefore he adds, "I have sinned," as if to say: granted that I have sinned and on this account deserve to be scourged, there yet remains a reason why you ought to spare me. And to this he adds three reasons why he ought to be spared, taken from the weakness of man, the first of which is taken from the powerlessness to make satisfaction. For man can do nothing by his own powers worthy to make recompense for the offense he has committed against God, and this is what he says, "what shall I do to you, O keeper of men?" as if to say: if you have such great solicitude concerning men, as their keeper, so as to require an accounting of each of their acts, my powers do not suffice to do anything on account of which you might remit sins; hence, if this is what is awaited, you would never spare me; and therefore, this notwithstanding, spare me. The second reason is taken from the powerlessness to persevere. For man, after the corruption of human nature, cannot persevere without the grace of God; hence in Sacred Scripture too it is customary to say that God hardens or blinds someone by this, that he does not grant the grace by which he might be softened and might see; according to this manner, then, Job also speaks here, saying, "why have you set me contrary to yourself?" That is, why did you not give me the grace by which I might persevere in this, so as not to be contrary to you through sin? For whoever sins is contrary to God, insofar as he resists the divine commandments, whether those handed down in the written law or those naturally implanted in man's reason. Now it must be known that reason is the strongest among all the powers of the soul, a sign of which is that it commands the others and uses them for its own end; it happens, nevertheless, that reason is sometimes for a little while overwhelmed by concupiscence or anger or the other passions of the lower parts, and thus man sins; yet the lower powers cannot so hold reason bound that it does not always return to its own nature, by which it tends toward spiritual goods as toward its own proper end. Thus, therefore, a certain struggle of man even against himself arises: reason resists that into which it sinned, having been overwhelmed by concupiscence or anger; and because, from past sin, a proneness to similar acts has been added to the lower powers on account of habit, reason cannot freely use the lower powers so as to order them to the higher goods and draw them back from the lower ones: and thus man, while he becomes contrary to God through sin, also becomes burdensome to himself, and this is what he adds, "and have become burdensome to myself?" In which it appears that sin immediately has its own punishment; and thus, after this punishment, it seems easier that man should be spared. The third reason is taken from man's powerlessness to purge sin. For man falls into sin by himself, but it belongs to God alone to remit sin, and therefore Job asks: if my punishment ought not to cease as long as the sin remains, and you alone can take away sin, why do you not take away my sin which I have committed against God or against myself? And why do you not take away my iniquity, if there is any committed against my neighbor? It must be considered, however, that Job asks questions of this kind not as a rash inquirer into the divine judgments, but in order to destroy the falsity which the adversaries were striving to assert, namely that only in this life were good or evil things to be awaited from God for human deeds: for once this is posited, the whole rationale of the divine judgments is thrown into confusion, by which he punishes men in this life for sins or remits sins according as he preordains them to the future life, either by predestining or by reprobating. But if there were no future life but only the present one, there would be no reason why God should delay to spare those whom he intends to spare, or to justify and reward them; and therefore Job, in order to open up his own intention, adds, "behold, now I shall sleep in the dust," as if to say that the end of my life is already at hand, since I shall die, to be dissolved into dust; and on account of the uncertainty of death, not even the morrow can be firmly awaited, and therefore he adds, "and if you seek me in the morning, I shall not be," as if to say: I cannot promise myself life until morning, still less long spaces of life in which I might wait for you to spare me, if there is to be no other life. It must be considered, moreover, that Job proceeds after the manner of a disputant, for whom it suffices at first to refute the false opinion, and afterward he reveals what he himself thinks concerning the truth. It must also be noted that Job, in the words set forth above, touched upon three reasons why someone is scourged by God in this life: the first is that his malice may be restrained, lest he be able to harm others, and he touched this reason when he said, "am I the sea, or a whale, that you have surrounded me with a prison?" The second is for man's testing, that his virtue may be made manifest, and he touched this when he said, "you visit him at daybreak, and suddenly you test him"; the third is as a punishment for sins, and he touched this when he said, "I have sinned, what shall I do to you, O keeper of men," and so forth.”

“"But Bildad the Shuhite answering," etc. In what has gone before, blessed Job had answered Eliphaz's statement, effectively and profoundly emptying it out; but Bildad the Shuhite, agreeing with Eliphaz in the same view, had not grasped the profundity of blessed Job, and therefore he speaks against Job's response just as men are accustomed to speak against statements they have not understood. Now men who do not grasp the minds of speakers commonly fail in two respects: one, that they do not know when the one who is speaking has arrived at his intended goal; the other, that they cannot grasp the ordering of the speaker's discourse. And this appears manifestly in Bildad's words, for it is said, "But Bildad the Shuhite answering said: How long will you speak such things?" For it seemed to him that Job had drawn out his speech too far, since he neither considered nor understood to what end Job wished to bring his discourse; and likewise he did not grasp the ordering of the things Job had said, namely how they were joined to one another, and therefore he adds, "and the manifold spirit of the words of your mouth?" For he reckoned that, because Job had brought forth many things whose order he himself did not grasp, they were disjointed words, as it were of a man speaking various things without order of reason, out of an impulse of spirit, without rational sequence. And because, as has been said, Bildad had not grasped Job's intention, taking his words in another sense, he strives to reduce them to an absurdity. For Job, wishing above to exclude the position of Eliphaz, who held that adversities occur in this world on account of men's sins, and that sinners scourged by God, if they be converted, will be brought back to a state of prosperity, had spoken against both: for against the first, as was explained above, he had said, "Would that my sins and the calamity that I suffer were weighed in a balance." Against the second he had said, "I have despaired, I shall live no more," and many things of this kind, as is clear from what preceded. Now Job was saying these things intending that the punishment of sins and the reward of justice are not to be expected from God in this life; but Bildad, who knew nothing of another life, took these words as though Job intended to say that God does not punish sins nor reward good deeds, which seems to be contrary to divine justice, and therefore Bildad puts forward the objection, saying, "Does God pervert judgment, or does the Almighty subvert what is just?" As if he were saying: this follows from your words, if he punishes men in this world without sin, or beyond the measure of their sin, or if he does not render good things to those who have turned back to him. And it is to be noted that justice is corrupted in two ways, namely through the cunning of some wise man and through the violence of some powerful man; but in God there are both, perfect wisdom and omnipotence, and yet neither through the wisdom that is understood by the name of God does he, as it were cunningly acting, pervert judgment, nor through omnipotence does he, as it were violently, subvert what is just. Now there were two things that seemed to prevent former prosperity from being restored to Job even if he should turn back to God, as Eliphaz had said. One of these was that the children he had lost were dead, and it could not be hoped that they would be raised to life again through his conversion; and therefore Bildad says, "even if your sons sinned against him, and he delivered them into the hand of their own iniquity" — as if he were saying: when you shall have turned back to God, you will recover those things which you lost on account of your sins; but your sons were crushed by death not on account of your sins but on account of their own, whence it is not contrary to Eliphaz's statement — in which he had said that through conversion you will return to prosperity — if your sons are not raised again once you have been converted. And it is to be noted that, because he believed the punishments of this present life happen on account of sins, and the last of the present punishments is death, then a man seems to be perfectly punished for sin when he is brought all the way to death for his sin; and therefore he says pointedly, "and he delivered them into the hand of their own iniquity," as it were into the power of their own sins, so that without any restraint they were led all the way to the final punishment for their sins. The other thing that seemed to prevent a return to former prosperity was that the greater part of Job's lifetime had already passed and little remained, as Job had said above, whence it did not seem that in that little time his former prosperity could be sufficiently restored to him even if he were converted to God; and therefore Bildad promises him that a recompense will be made after his conversion, proportioned to the time, namely that he will obtain goods much greater than he had before, on account of the fact that he would have them for only a short time. And so Bildad first describes to him the manner of the conversion that is required, for which three things are needed. The first of these is that the sinner rise from sin without delay, and this is what he says: "yet if you, at daybreak" — that is, in timely fashion — "shall have arisen to God," having abandoned your sins, according to that word of Ecclesiasticus 5:8, "delay not to be converted to the Lord." The second is that man make satisfaction for his sins, and as to this he says, "and shall have made supplication to the Almighty" — for among the works of satisfaction, prayer seems to be, as it were, the chief. The third is that man persevere, taking care against a relapse into sin, and therefore he says, "if you shall have walked pure and upright," namely, taking care against the uncleannesses of the flesh and against the injustices by which one's neighbor is harmed. This perfect conversion having thus been described, he then adds the promise of prosperity, saying, "forthwith he will awake for you" — for God seems, as it were, to sleep when he permits the just to be afflicted, but to awake when he defends them, according to that word, "Arise, why do you sleep, O Lord?" And he adds the effect of this awakening, saying, "and he will make the dwelling of your righteousness peaceful" — as if he were saying: your house and your household were disturbed in the time of your sin, but in the time of your righteousness it will have peace. And lest he might be able to complain of the shortness of the time, he promises an excess of prosperity, saying, "so that your former things shall have been small" — namely, in comparison with what follows — and this is what he adds: "and your latter things shall be multiplied exceedingly," so that the magnitude of your prosperity may compensate you for the time you were in adversity. "For ask the former generation," etc. Bildad the Shuhite, in what precedes, defending the same position as Eliphaz the Temanite, had proposed that men divinely punished for sin in the present life would, after conversion, return to a state of prosperity, and this he now intends to prove. He proves it in two ways: first from experience, second from a comparison. For experience in particular matters is most effective for proving something, and the more so the longer it has been observed and found infallible. Now things that require a long span of time are proved above all through the memories of the ancients, and therefore, to prove his point, he has recourse to the memories of the ancients — as to the ancients, when he says, "For ask the former generation," and as to those immediately preceding, when he says, "and search diligently into the memory of the fathers," that is, the things your fathers hold in memory. Now to inquire of the former generation is to consider the writings of ancient deeds and the things that are reported of the ancients by common report; and because concerning ancient matters many things are both written and told in a fabulous manner, lest anyone should think himself deceived by this, he refers him to the fathers, who can relate the things they themselves saw. He shows the necessity of this inquiry, adding, "for we are but of yesterday" — as it were born yesterday — "and we are ignorant of ancient things on this account"; and this indeed he says to show the brevity of our life, whence he adds, "because our days upon earth are as a shadow" — for a shadow passes quickly, that is, as soon as the obstacle to the light is removed, and while the body moves, in relation to which the shadow occurs, the earlier shadow passes and another succeeds it: so too the days of man are in continuous passing, as one succeeds another. What benefit follows from the aforesaid inquiry he shows, adding, "they" — namely, the ancients and the fathers who have been asked — "will teach you the truth concerning the aforesaid matters," whether the fathers by word, or the ancients by writings and report; "and will bring forth sayings from their heart," which he adds to show the truthfulness of this teaching, as if he were saying: they will teach nothing other than what they perceived in their heart, because there is in them no reason to deceive. He then introduces a comparison to prove his point, drawn from bodily things. And he sets forth the example of two things that grow from the earth, of which one requires moisture in the ground for its preservation, namely the "scirpus," that is, the rush, whence he says, "can the rush live without moisture?" The other requires watery places, namely the "carex," and these are broad plants, sharp at the top, which grow only in watery places, whence he adds, "or can the sedge grow without water?" For "carectum" is the term for a place in which plants of this kind grow; and that the rush requires moisture and the sedge water he shows because, by the mere withdrawal of moisture or water, they easily dry up, with no other cause of drying present. Now in other plants that grow from the earth there is a twofold cause of drying: one is natural, on account of age, the other is violent, when they are plucked up; but with both these causes absent, the rush and the sedge dry up from the sole withdrawal of moisture and water, and this is what he says: "while it is yet in flower" — that is, while it is yet in its youth and its vigor, by which the antiquity of time is excluded — "and it is not plucked by the hand," by which violence is excluded, "it withers before all other herbs" — that is, more easily than all other plants. This he now applies to the matter at hand. Here it is to be considered that he understood man's cleaving to God to be, in this respect, the cause of worldly prosperity in the way that moisture is the cause of a plant's greenness, and this because he reckoned man's good to be earthly prosperity; but it is evident that man's good consists in this, that man cleaves to God, and therefore he believed that, since he does not cleave to God, his earthly prosperity fails him. This indeed is true of spiritual happiness, which is man's true good, but not of earthly prosperity, which is reckoned among the least of goods, as serving instrumentally toward man's true happiness; and therefore he adds, "such are the ways of all who forget God, and the hope of the hypocrite shall perish." Here it is to be considered that, corresponding to the two things set down above, he here adds two corresponding things: for the sedge requires manifest water for its greenness, and by its withdrawal it dries up, while the rush requires water hidden in the ground and moistening it, and by its lack it dries up; similarly, according to his view, there are some who perish because there is withdrawn from them, in manifest fashion, a cleaving to God — namely, because they manifestly do works contrary to God — and these he signifies by those "who forget God"; for those who do not fear to act wickedly openly seem altogether to set aside reverence for God and not to have him in memory. There are others who, according to his view, perish through the withdrawal of a hidden cleaving to God, and these are the hypocrites, who outwardly pretend as if they cleave to God, but their heart is set on earthly things; and therefore, speaking of the hypocrite, he named "hope," while of those who forget God he named "ways" — that is, operations — because their works are turned away from God, whereas the hypocrite's is hope. How the hypocrite's hope perishes he shows when he adds, "his folly of heart shall not please him" — where it is to be considered that the hypocrite has a heart that is indeed vain and negligent as to spiritual things, but solicitous as to temporal things, and this indeed pleases him as long as things go well for him in temporal matters according to what he hopes; but if temporal things be withdrawn from him, then it is necessary that it displease him that he did not have a true and firm heart toward God. He says therefore, "his folly of heart shall not please him" — that is, when adversity comes it will displease him that he did not have a right heart toward God; and the solicitude he had concerning temporal things will altogether fail him, and this is what he adds: "and his confidence shall be like a spider's web" — that is, the things in which he trusted will easily be broken like a spider's webs: for he trusted not in divine help but in the strength of his house, that is, in abundance of riches, multitude of kinsmen, and other such things, but these will easily fail him, whence it follows, "he shall lean upon his house," that is, he will have confidence in the stability of the prosperity of his house, "and yet it shall not stand," because when divine help is lacking to him it will collapse. Now it happens that someone, foreseeing adversities to come, prepares certain supports for himself and his house against adversities, but this too will avail him nothing, for it follows, "he shall prop it up" — with certain remedies, that is, against adversities, just as certain supports are applied to a house that threatens ruin — "and yet neither he nor his house shall rise up" to a state of prosperity. To this statement, which he had made concerning the fragility of such confidence, he now applies the comparison of the rush that he had set forth beforehand. For confidence in the rush seems to be had on two grounds: first from its own greenness, which nevertheless, when the sun comes and dries up the moisture of the ground, quickly fails, and as to this he says, "it seems moist" — namely the rush — "before the sun comes," which takes away its greenness; "and at its rising" — namely, that of the rush — "its shoot goes forth": for it seems to grow quickly and to produce its own fruit; and similarly the hypocrite, because from the beginning fortune smiles upon him, seems to prosper, but when the sun comes — that is, tribulation — his prosperity quickly fails. Second, confidence in the rush can be had from other things, namely either from the multitude of other rushes clinging together with it, or from the solidity of the place in which it grows, when it is born in a stony place; and therefore he says next, "over a heap of stones its roots" — namely, those of the rush — "shall be thickened," insofar as the roots of many rushes are joined together at once — which he says as to the first point; as to the second he says, "and it shall abide among the stones." So too can some hypocrite have confidence in his own stability, not only on account of his own prosperity but also on account of the multitude of his kinsmen and household, or even on account of the strength of the kingdom or city in which he dwells. But this confidence of his fails him just as happens with the rush, for it follows: "if someone swallows it up" — namely, the rush — "from its place, that place will deny it and say, 'I do not know you'" — as if he were saying: the rush is so torn up from its place that neither does any trace of it appear in the place, nor does its place do anything toward that same rush being planted there again. And he adds the reason, saying, "for this is the joy of its way" — or of its life — "that from the earth others may spring up again" — as if he were saying: the process and life of rushes dwelling together in some place does not tend by natural appetite toward this, nor is it preserved by this, that the very same rush in number which has been torn up should be replanted, but toward this, that others of the same species should be born again; so too it is when someone, through death or in some other way, is separated from some company of the strong: he is at once, as it were, given over to oblivion, according to that word of the Psalm, "I am forgotten as one dead from the heart"; but such a company rejoices in those who succeed to it, according to that word of Ecclesiastes 4:14, "another is born poor in the kingdom. I have seen all the living who walk under the sun, with the second youth who shall rise up in his place." Now these things have been introduced in order to show that, even though some prosperity sometimes befalls the wicked, it is nevertheless not something firm in which they can trust, but it quickly passes, whence it is to be reckoned as nothing. From all that has been said above, he consequently shows what he intends, saying, "God will not cast away the simple" — that is, he will not put him far from himself so as not to sustain him, the one who cleaves to him with a simple heart — "nor will he reach out his hand to the malignant" — that is, he will not give them help so that their prosperity may be confirmed. And because Job could say: whatever you say, and whatever you may wish to confirm by comparisons, yet I have experienced the contrary in myself, who, though I was simple, suffer adversity, and my malignant adversaries have prevailed against me — therefore, to exclude this, he adds, "until your mouth be filled with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing" — as if he were saying: what I have said is true to this extent, that you will experience this in yourself, provided, however, that you be simple, so that from the prosperity that will follow your joy will burst forth into laughter and rejoicing, which are wont to arise from the greatness of gladness; and on the contrary, "those who hate you shall be clothed with confusion" — that is, they shall be manifestly and in many ways confounded, so that confusion shall be to them as a garment. And lest this should seem impossible to anyone on account of the present prosperity in which they seem to flourish, he adds, "and the tabernacle of the wicked shall not stand" — for by "tabernacle," in which very many of the Orientals were accustomed to dwell and to keep their riches and furnishings, can be understood everything that pertains to the prosperity of the present life. It is to be considered, moreover, that Bildad made mention of the hypocrite and the simple because he reckoned that Job had not truly been a saint but a hypocrite, and that his prosperity had therefore not been firm; but if he should begin to be simple, he promises him that prosperity will come to him.”

“And Job answering said: indeed I know it is so. Blessed Job in the preceding response, by which he had answered the words of Eliphaz, seemed to have passed over one thing that Eliphaz had proposed concerning the justice of God, when he had said: shall a man be justified in comparison with God? Rather, by a kind of contentious disputation he seemed to speak to God when he said, am I a sea, or a whale, etc., and again, how long wilt thou not spare me, etc. And therefore Baldad the Suhite, replying against blessed Job's response, began from a defense of the divine justice, saying, does God pervert judgment, etc., and he ended his speech with the same point when he said, God will not cast away the simple, etc. Therefore blessed Job in this response first shows that he does not wish to contradict the divine justice nor to wish to contend against God, as they suspected; and this is what is said: and Job answering said: indeed I know it is so, namely that God does not pervert judgment and that he will not cast away the simple, which Baldad had proposed; and I also know that man compared to God is not justified, that is, compared with him, and he says this in answer to what Eliphaz had said above: shall a man be justified in comparison with God? And whence he knows this, he consequently shows from a certain sign. For when someone is just in comparison with another, he can freely and safely contend with him, because through mutual dispute justice and truth are made manifest; but it is safe for no man to contend with God, and therefore he adds: if he will contend with him, namely man with God, he shall not be able to answer him, namely man to God, one for a thousand. It should be known that the greatest of the numbers which have a proper name among us is the thousand, for all greater numbers are named by the repetition of lesser numbers, as for instance ten thousand, a hundred thousand; and this happens reasonably, for according to certain of the ancients the species of numbers extend up to ten, and afterward the earlier numbers are repeated — which indeed is evident as to their naming, whatever may be the case as to the truth of the thing; but the cube arising from ten is the thousand: for ten times ten times ten make a thousand. He therefore took the number "thousand," as it were the greatest of the numbers named among us, for however great a determinate number one likes: it is therefore the same as if he said that man cannot answer God one for a thousand, as if he were to say that no determinate measure of number can measure how much the divine justice exceeds the human, since the latter is finite, but the former infinite. That man, moreover, in contending can approach God by no proportion, he shows next when he says: he is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, namely God. For contention is twofold: one by which one contends in disputing, and this is through wisdom; the other by which one contends in fighting, and this is through strength; but in both God exceeds, because both in strength and in wisdom he exceeds all strength and all wisdom. And he shows each of these excesses in turn: first the excess of strength, which indeed he begins to show with regard to men when he says: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace? As if he were to say: no one. For it should be known that a man obtains peace from a more powerful one in one way, and from a less powerful one or an equally powerful one in another way: for it is clear that the more powerful obtains peace from the less powerful by fighting against him, as when a powerful king wages war against some rebel in his kingdom and, obtaining the victory, restores peace to the kingdom; likewise also from an equally powerful one someone sometimes obtains peace by fighting: for though he cannot overcome him, yet by the persistence of the fight he wears him down so that he is brought back to peace; but from one more powerful, no one ever obtains peace by resisting or fighting, but only by humbly submitting himself to him. This, then, is an evident sign that the strength of God exceeds all human strength, because no one can have peace with him by resisting, but only by humbly obeying, whence it is said in Isaiah 26:3: thou shalt keep peace, peace, because we have hoped in thee; but the wicked who resist God cannot have peace, according to what is said in Isaiah 57:21: there is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord; and this is what is said here: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace? Then he shows that the strength of God exceeds all the strength of natural things, and this indeed he shows both in the higher bodies and in the lower. In the lower bodies he shows this from the fact that those things which seem most stable and firm among lower bodies he moves according to his will. Among mixed bodies, then, to which he passes after men, mountains seem to be most firm and stable, to whose stability the stability of the saints is compared in the Scriptures, according to that word of the Psalm: they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion; and yet God by his power moves the mountains, and this is what is added: who removeth mountains — which, although it can happen miraculously by divine power (since this seems to be promised to the firmness of faith, according to Matthew 21:21: if you have faith and stagger not, if you shall say to this mountain, take up and cast thyself into the sea, it shall be done, and 1 Corinthians 13:2: if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains), yet it seems more fitting that this be referred to the natural course of things. For this is the order of nature, that everything which is naturally generated should also, at a determinate time, be corrupted: hence, since the generation of mountains is natural, it is necessary that at some time mountains be naturally destroyed; and this natural corruption of mountains he calls a removal, because the dissolution of mountains and their ruin happens with a kind of transferring of their parts. Nor is it unreasonable that he attributes to the divine power things that happen naturally: for since nature acts for an end, and everything that is ordered to a certain end either directs itself to the end or is ordered to the end by another directing it, it is necessary that a natural thing, which does not have knowledge of the end so that it could direct itself to it, be ordered to the end by some higher intelligence. The whole operation of nature, then, is compared to the intellect directing natural things to their end, which we call God, as the motion of an arrow is compared to the archer: hence, just as the motion of the arrow is fittingly attributed to the archer, so the whole operation of nature is fittingly attributed to the divine power; hence if, through the operation of nature, mountains are cast down, it is clear that the stability of mountains is overcome by the divine power. Now it happens sometimes among men that some king by his power takes some strong city by storm, and the more quickly and imperceptibly this happens, the more the power of the king is shown; this, then, that mountains are removed testifies most greatly to the divine power, since it happens as it were suddenly and imperceptibly, so that it cannot even be foreknown by those who dwell around the mountains and perish by the overthrow of the mountains, and this is what is added: and they have not known when he overturneth them in his fury, as if he were to say: God works so great a thing so suddenly that even those who dwell around the mountains cannot foreknow it, which becomes evident from this, that if they foreknew it, they would take precaution for themselves so as not to be overthrown. He adds, moreover, in his fury, to show that God sometimes moderates natural operations according to the order of his providence, as is necessary for punishing the sins of men, toward whom he is said metaphorically to be angry when he exercises vengeance upon them, which among us is usually the effect of anger. From mixed bodies he passes to the elements, among which the firmest and most stable seems to be the earth, which is immobile as the center of the whole motion, and yet at times it is moved naturally according to some of its parts by an enclosed vapor, as the philosophers teach, and this is what he adds: who shaketh the earth out of her place — not indeed wholly according to itself as a whole, but when some parts of it are agitated, as happens in an earthquake; in which motion the mountains too are shaken, which are as it were columns founded upon the earth, whence it follows: and the pillars thereof shall be shaken. The pillars can also be understood literally as columns and whatever other buildings seem to be attached to the earth, which are shaken in an earthquake; or by the pillars can be understood the lower and inmost parts of the earth, because just as the stability of a house is made firm upon columns, so the stability of the earth proceeds from the center, toward which all parts of the earth naturally tend, and consequently all the lower parts of the earth are the sustainers, as it were, of the upper parts, and as it were columns: and thus, since an earthquake proceeds from the deep parts of the earth, it seems to be caused, as it were, by a shaking of the columns of the earth. Lastly he proceeds to the heavenly bodies, which also yield to the divine power. Now it must be considered that just as immobility and rest belong to the nature of earth, so it belongs to the nature of the heavens that they be always in motion; therefore, just as the power of the earth is shown to be overcome by the divine power through the motion that appears in it, so the power of the heavenly body is shown to be overcome by the divine power in that its motion is impeded, by which the rising and setting of the sun and of the other stars comes about, and therefore he adds: who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not. This indeed is not said because the rising of the sun is actually impeded in reality, since the motion of the heavens is continuous, but because according to appearance it sometimes seems not to rise, as when the air has been so clouded that the rising of the sun cannot appear to those dwelling upon the earth in its usual brightness; and such cloudiness, since it comes about through the operation of nature, is fittingly attributed to the divine command, by which the whole of nature is ruled in its operation, as has been said. And that he means the sun not to rise in the sense that its rising is hidden, appears clearly from what is added: and shutteth up the stars as it were under a seal: for the stars seem, as it were, to be shut up when the sky is covered with clouds so that the stars cannot be seen. Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, etc. After blessed Job has shown the vigor of the divine strength, he here begins to show the depth of the divine wisdom. He proceeds now, however, in the reverse order from before: for at first he began from the showing of the divine strength in human affairs and proceeded up to the heavenly bodies, but here he begins from the heavenly bodies and proceeds down to human affairs; and this reasonably, for the wisdom of the maker is shown in this, that he makes stable works, and therefore in showing the divine wisdom he begins from the more stable creatures, as being those in which the token of divine wisdom appears more evidently; but the vigor of some strength is shown from this, that it can change some things from their state — hence men are accustomed to be tested by the lifting or throwing of stones, the throwing down of men, and things of this sort — and therefore, when he was showing the vigor of the divine strength, he began from those things in which change appears more manifestly. So then, to show the divine wisdom, he begins from the heavenly bodies, saying: who alone spreadeth out the heavens. It should be known that the wisdom of God appears especially commendable in three respects: first indeed in this, that he can measure certain great things by his intellect and wisdom, and as to this he says: who alone spreadeth out the heavens: for in the spreading out of the heavens the greatness of their quantity is expressed; thus, then, God alone is said to have spread out the heavens inasmuch as he alone was able to give to the heavens so great a quantity, measured by his wisdom. Second, the wisdom of God appears commendable in this, that he reduces to a fixed order things that are changeable and, as it were, fluctuating into uncertainty, and makes them subject to his governance, and as to this he adds: and walketh upon the waves of the sea: for the waves of the sea seem to be most disordered, inasmuch as they are carried now this way now that by various winds, and yet God walks upon them inasmuch as God subjects them to his governance. Third, the wisdom of God appears commendable from this, that God has established many things according to the plan of his wisdom which appear marvelous to men, and men cannot investigate their rationale, and these are especially the things that appear in the position and arrangement of the stars, which nevertheless have been established by God most wisely and reasonably. And these indeed he enumerates, beginning from the north pole and proceeding as far as the south pole, whence he says: who maketh Arcturus: Arcturus indeed is a certain constellation in the sky which is called the Great Bear and has seven bright stars which never set for us but always circle round the north pole. There follows: and Orion: Orion is a certain constellation very conspicuous in the sky on account of its size and the brightness of the stars, which are said to be in Taurus and Gemini. There follows: and Hyades, which are certain stars existing, as it is said, in the breast of Taurus, and are also very notable to the sight. There follows: and the inner chambers of the south, where it must be considered that for those who dwell under the equinoctial line — if indeed anyone dwells there — both poles are visible, since their horizon cuts the equinoctial at right angles, and thus it must pass through both poles of the equinoctial, whence both poles are rendered visible to those dwelling under the equinoctial, as has been said; but as one withdraws from the equinoctial and approaches toward the north pole, the north pole is raised above the horizon and the south pole is depressed, according to the degree of distance from the equinoctial: hence to us who are in the northern region the south pole can never be visible, and likewise the stars near it are hidden from us according to the extent to which we are distant from the equinoctial, and these are here called the inner chambers of the south because they are hidden from us, as it were concealed and pressed down beneath the horizon. And lest anyone believe that divine wisdom has manifested itself only in the aforesaid things, he shows next that God has made for us many other similar things beyond counting, saying: who maketh great things, in which, namely, the wisdom of God appears commendable from the commensuration of magnitude: and this corresponds to what he had said, who alone spreadeth out the heavens; and unsearchable things, namely which men cannot search out on account of their instability, which are nevertheless ordered by the divine governance: and this corresponds to what he had said, and walketh upon the waves of the sea; and marvelous things, whose rationale, namely, men cannot consider, although they were made by God according to a rationale: and this corresponds to what he had said, who maketh Arcturus, etc. What he adds, moreover, of which there is no number, must be referred to each of the particulars, in such a way, however, that the divine works are understood to be innumerable to men, but numerable to God, who makes all things in number, weight, and measure. If he come to me, I shall not see him. Blessed Job, wishing to show that it is not his intention to contend with God, has shown through many indications the depth of the divine wisdom in natural things; now, however, he wishes to show the depth of the divine wisdom in human affairs. Now it must be considered that three things seem to pertain to the ruler of human affairs: the first is that he dispense to his subjects the precepts of justice and other benefits; the second is that he examine the acts of his subjects; the third is that he subject to punishments those whom he finds culpable. In these three, then, he shows the immense depth of the divine wisdom: first indeed because he provides for his subjects his benefits so deeply and subtly that it is even incomprehensible to those who receive them, and this is what he says: if he come to me, I shall not see him; if he depart, I shall not understand him. Here it must be considered that in the Scriptures God is said to come to a man when he bestows his benefits upon him, whether by illuminating his intellect or by inflaming his affection or by benefiting him in whatever way, whence it is said in Isaiah 35:4: our God himself will come and will save us; but conversely God is said to withdraw from a man when he takes away from him his benefits or his protection, according to that word of the Psalm: why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off, why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the tribulation? Now it happens sometimes that God permits certain tribulations or even certain spiritual defects to befall some in order to procure their salvation, as it is said in Romans 8:28: to them that love God, all things work together unto good; thus, then, God comes to a man in procuring his salvation, and yet the man does not see him because he does not perceive his benefit; conversely, however, God does not withdraw from many manifest benefits which nevertheless tend to their ruin, and therefore it is said that God so withdraws from a man that the man does not understand him as withdrawing. Thus, then, the depth of the divine wisdom appears in the dispensing of his benefits. The depth of the divine wisdom is shown, second, in the examination of human acts, because, namely, he examines so subtly and effectively that no one can escape his examination by any sophistry, and this is what he says: if he should come suddenly to examine, who shall answer him? Now God examines a man when he brings him back to consider his own conscience, either by inspiring him inwardly or by provoking him outwardly with benefits or with scourges, according to that word of the Psalm: the Lord trieth the just and the wicked; but then a man would answer God sufficiently when nothing could be found in him that could justly be reproved by God, which happens to no man in this life, according to Proverbs 20:9: who can say: my heart is clean, I am pure from sin? He says pointedly, if he should come suddenly to examine, because if space to answer were given to a man, he could wash away his offenses through penance. Now it happens at times that someone, in examining the excesses of others, is found lax, fearing lest his own excesses in turn be examined by others; but this need not be feared of God, that he should grow soft in his examination, because he has no superior who could judge of his deeds, and therefore it is added: or who can say to him: why dost thou so? as though chastising him. Third, the depth of the divine wisdom is shown in the punishment of offenses, because wherever a man turns, no cunning, no power can turn aside the vengeance of God, according to that word of the Psalm: whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy face? And this is what he says: God, whose wrath no man can resist: for wrath, as it is attributed to God in the Scriptures, does not import a disturbance of mind but vengeance. He then adduces the proof of this: and they that bear up the world stoop under him. The heavenly spirits are to be understood as bearing up the world, by whose ministry the whole bodily creation is divinely administered, as Augustine says in Book III of On the Trinity. These heavenly spirits stoop under God because they obey him in all things, according to that word of the Psalm: bless the Lord, all ye his angels, ye ministers of his that do his will; thus, then, since the angels obey God, it is manifest that the whole course of bodily things, which is administered through the angels, is subject to the divine will, and thus man can have no help from any creature to escape the vengeance of God, according to that word of the Psalm: if I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art present; nay rather, as it is said in Wisdom 5:21, the whole world shall fight with him against the unwise. It could also be understood that kings and princes of the world, who stoop beneath God, bear up the world, according to Proverbs 8:15: by me kings reign, or because not even kings themselves can resist the wrath of God, so that from this an argument a fortiori could be drawn to the same conclusion regarding others. So then, the immensity of the divine power and the depth of the divine wisdom having been shown in many ways, he concludes his proposition, namely that it is not his intention to contend with God, and this is what he says: how great then am I, that is, how powerful, how wise, that I should answer him, namely God who examines, most powerful and most wise, and should speak with him in my own words, examining his deeds and saying, why dost thou so? As if he were to say: I am not sufficient to contend with God; for contention consists in answering and objecting. Now it happens at times that someone, even though he is not very powerful or wise, does not fear to contend with any judge whatsoever, on account of the security of his own conscience; but this cause too of contending with God he excludes from himself, saying: although I should have some just thing, I will not answer, namely God as he examines, as though defending my own justice, but I will make supplication to my judge, as one seeking not judgment but mercy. He says pointedly, if I should have some just thing, to designate the uncertainty of human justice by saying if I should have, according to that word of the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 4:4: I am not conscious to myself of anything, but yet I am not hereby justified; and to show that the justice of man is small and imperfect when referred to the divine examination, on account of which he says some, according to Isaiah 64:6: all our justices are as the rag of a menstruous woman before him. What follows from his supplication, moreover, he shows when he adds: and when he shall hear me invoking him, I do not believe that he hath heard my voice. For it happens at times that God hears a man not according to his wish but according to his profit: just as a physician does not hear according to his wish a sick man asking that a bitter medicine be removed, if the physician does not remove it because he knows it to be healthful — yet he hears him according to his profit, because through this he brings about the health which the sick man most greatly desires — so God, when a man is placed in tribulations, does not take away the tribulations, although the man prays for it, because he knows they are expedient for his final salvation; and thus, although God truly hears, yet the man placed in miseries does not believe himself heard. And why he does not believe it, he shows by adding: for he shall crush me in a whirlwind; and, as is his manner, he explains what was said metaphorically by adding: and multiply my wounds, even without cause: for this is what it is to be crushed, to have one's wounds, that is, tribulations, multiplied, and this is in a whirlwind, that is, in a horrible darkness, of which he says without cause, namely a manifest cause, one perceptible to the afflicted man; for if the afflicted man perceived the cause why God afflicts him and that the afflictions are useful to him for salvation, it is clear that he would believe himself heard, but because he does not understand this he believes himself not heard. And therefore he is afflicted not only outwardly but also inwardly, like a sick man who did not know that he would attain health through the bitter medicine — he would be afflicted not only in taste but also in mind — and therefore he adds: he alloweth not my spirit to rest: for the spirit rests, even though the flesh is afflicted, on account of the hope of the end, as the Lord teaches in Matthew 5:11: blessed shall you be when men shall revile you, and afterward he adds: be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven; and thus, while I am afflicted outwardly and do not rest inwardly, he filleth me with bitterness, namely within and without. And it must be considered that from that place, and when he shall hear me invoking him, etc., he has evidently expounded what he had said above obscurely, if he come to me I shall not see him: for this must be observed almost everywhere in the sayings of Job, that things said obscurely are expounded by certain following passages. And because he had said above briefly and summarily, how great am I that I should answer him? he now explains this more diffusely, where he also assigns the reason why he does not answer but instead supplicates the judge. For that someone should boldly answer a judge can happen from two causes: first indeed if the judge is weak and cannot coerce his subject, but he excludes this, saying: if strength be sought, namely in God for coercing his subjects, he is most strong, exceeding all vigor; second, someone answers a judge boldly because he trusts in his own case, which sometimes happens because he has many who excuse him, but he excludes this too, saying: if equity of judgment be sought, according to which someone having many witnesses for him is acquitted, no man dare bear witness for me: for the understanding of man does not grasp this, that the justice of man could be greater than the truth of God as he convicts. Sometimes, moreover, though a man has no other witnesses for himself, he yet trusts in his case, relying on the testimony of his own conscience; but the testimony of conscience cannot avail a man against the divine conviction, and this he shows through each of its degrees. For the testimony of conscience has three degrees, the highest of which is when someone's conscience bears witness to him that he is just, according to Romans 8:16: the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God; but this testimony does not avail against the divine reproof, whence he says: if I would justify myself, that is, if I should wish to say that I am just, God objecting to me that I am wicked, my own mouth shall condemn me, that is, shall render me condemnable on account of blasphemy. The second degree is when someone, even though he does not presume himself to be just, is nevertheless not reproved by his conscience of any sin, according to 1 Corinthians 4:4: I am not conscious to myself of anything; but not even this testimony avails against God, whence he says: if I would show myself innocent, that is, if I should wish to show myself to be without sin, he shall prove me wicked, inasmuch as he will manifest to me or to others sins of which I am not conscious, because, as it is said in the Psalm, who can understand sins? The third degree is when someone, even though he is conscious to himself of sin, nevertheless presumes either that he did not have an evil intention, or that he did not act out of malice and deceit but out of ignorance and weakness; but not even this testimony avails a man against God, and therefore he says: even if I should be simple, that is, without deceit or duplicity of a wicked intention, this very thing my soul shall be ignorant of: for a man cannot clearly grasp the movement of his own affection, both on account of its variability and on account of the mixture and impulse of many passions, on account of which it is said in Jeremiah 17:9: the heart of man is perverse and unsearchable, who can know it? And on account of this ignorance, that a man does not know himself nor his own state, life becomes wearisome even to the just, and on account of this he adds: and I shall be weary of my life. One thing there is that I have spoken. After blessed Job has shown that it is not his intention to contend with God, he proposes that point about which there was dispute between him and his adversaries. For Eliphaz had said that punishments are sent by God only for sins, against which Job had spoken in his preceding response; and because Baldad had tried to assert the opinion of Eliphaz, Job repeats his own opinion again, saying: this is one thing that I have spoken: both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth, as if he were to say: not only upon sinners but also upon the innocent is death sent by God, which nevertheless is the greatest of present punishments, and thus it is not true what you say, that man is punished by God only for his own sins. That death, moreover, is from God, is said in Deuteronomy 32:39: I will kill and I will make to live; but since death is sent commonly by God upon all, one thing seems hard, namely that the innocent, besides the common death, sustain many adversities in this life, the cause of which he intends to investigate, and therefore he adds: if he scourge, let him kill also at once, as if he were to say: granted that the scourge of death is common to all, it would nevertheless seem reasonable that upon the innocent, who are not guilty by their own sins, he should not inflict, besides the death which is owed to common sin, another punishment. For if, as you say, there is no other cause why a punishment can justly be inflicted on someone except sin, and yet it is manifest that the innocent suffer punishment in this world, it seems to follow that they are punished without cause, as though the punishments themselves pleased God for their own sake, and therefore he adds: and he laugheth at the pains of the innocent: for we are accustomed to laugh at those things which please us in themselves. But if it is unfitting that the pains of the innocent should please God in themselves, and yet the innocent are frequently found to be punished on earth, another unfitting thing seems to follow, namely that these punishments do not proceed from the divine judgment but from the malice of some wicked lord who has power on earth and punishes the innocent, whence it follows: the earth is given into the hand of the wicked, as if he were to say: if the pains of the innocent, who are nevertheless punished on earth, do not please God in themselves, it will be necessary to say that God has entrusted the rule of the earth to some wicked one, by whose iniquity judgment on earth is perverted so that the innocent are punished; and this is what he adds: he covereth the face of the judges thereof, that is, he beclouds their reason, either by cupidity or by hatred or by love, lest they follow the truth of judgment in judging. But if it be not he, namely the wicked one to whom the earth has been handed over, from whom, namely, the punishment of the innocent is caused, who then is it, namely the cause of this punishment? For it cannot be said, as has been shown, that this is from God, on the supposition of your position that sin alone is the cause of present punishments. Now this that he said, the earth is given into the hand of the wicked, is indeed true in a certain respect, inasmuch as earthly men are left by God under the power of the devil, according to that word: he that committeth sin is the servant of sin; but taken absolutely it is false: for the dominion of the earth is not conceded to the devil absolutely, such that he could freely do in it whatever he wished, but whatever he is permitted to do proceeds from the divine disposition, which dispenses all things from a reasonable cause; hence this very fact, that the innocent are punished, does not depend absolutely on the malice of the devil but on the wisdom of God who permits it. Hence if sin is not the cause of the punishment of the innocent, it does not suffice to reduce this to the malice of the devil, but it is necessary further that there be some reasonable cause on account of which God permits it, and therefore he says pointedly, if it be not he, who then is it? As if he were to say: if the malice of the devil is not a sufficient cause for the punishment of the innocent, another cause must be investigated. In order, then, to investigate the reason why the innocent are punished in this world, he first sets forth the loss that he had sustained in the loss of goods, showing the mutability of present prosperity from a comparison with those things that seem to be the swiftest in this world. But it must be considered that people relate diversely to the prosperity of this world: some indeed hold it as their end, hoping for nothing beyond it — toward which the opinion of those inclined who placed all rewards and punishments in this life — such men do not pass through the prosperity of this world, but the prosperity of this world flees from them when they lose it; others, however, of whose number Job was, do not place their end in the prosperity of this world but tend toward another end, and such men pass through the prosperity of this world rather than are passed through by it. Now for those tending toward some end, three things are necessary: the first is that they fix their heart on nothing else by which they could be delayed from the end, but hasten to attain the end, and therefore he first sets forth the example of a runner, who so tends toward the goal of his course that he contracts no delay along the way, whence he says: my days have been swifter than a runner, in which words he shows both the fleetingness of present fortune and his own intention tending toward something else; they have fled away, as though rest of heart were not to be found in the things of this world, whence follows: and have not seen good, namely that toward which my intention was carried, which is the true good: hence I do not reckon myself rewarded for justice; but if you think present prosperity is a reward, once it is withdrawn I am punished though innocent. Second, it is required that one tending toward some end acquire for himself those things by which he can arrive at the end, just as one who wishes to be healed must acquire the medicines by which he may be healed; likewise one who wishes to arrive at the true good must acquire the virtues by which he can attain it, whence he adds: they have passed by as ships carrying fruits, in which he also shows two things: both the fleetingness of present fortune, because ships carrying fruits for sale hasten lest they rot through delay, and his zeal in tending toward the end, as if he were to say: my days have not passed by empty, but I have gathered virtues with which I tend toward attaining the end. The third remains, the attainment of the end, whence he says: as an eagle flying to the prey, in which the two aforesaid things are also designated: for the eagle's flight is swift especially when it is driven by hunger, and it has the prey as the end by which it is refreshed. Because, then, in these words he had, as it were, hinted that he was just and innocent, which was reckoned presumptuous by his adversaries, he begins to compare his innocence with God, who alone is the judge of conscience, whence he adds: when I shall say, namely in my heart: I will not speak so, namely that I am just and innocent, I change my countenance, namely from the confidence I had conceived about my innocence to a certain anxious searching out of sins, and am tormented with sorrow, in the discussion of my own conscience, thinking over lest perhaps I be so punished for some sin. And he adds the cause of his sorrow, saying: I feared all my works: for it is a great cause of sorrow to someone when he has great anxiety about some matter and yet falls into that which he was striving to avoid; now he applied great anxiety concerning all his works, fearing lest in something he depart from justice, and this is what he says, I feared all my works. And the reason why he feared thus in every work of his was the fear of the severity of the divine judgment, whence it is added: knowing that thou didst not spare the offender, unless, namely, he be converted, because, as it is said in the Psalm, except you be converted, he will brandish his sword. But if, after so great a striving after innocence, I am nevertheless so wicked that I have deserved to be punished by God with such grievous pains, why have I labored in vain in so great a striving to preserve innocence? For he is said to labor in vain who by his labor tends toward an end which he does not reach. But because the purity of man, however great it be, when referred to the divine examination is found deficient, he therefore shows next that when he calls himself pure and innocent, he understands himself to be pure and innocent as a man, not as one who in no respect at all departs from the rectitude of the divine justice. Now it must be known that purity is twofold: one of the innocent, the other of the penitent; and each is imperfect in man if compared to the perfect rectitude of the divine rule. He says, then, as to the purity of the penitent: if I be washed, that is, if I strive to purge myself of my sins, as it were with snow waters, which are said to be well cleansing; but as to the purity of the innocent he adds: and my hands shall shine ever so clean, that is, and in my works, which are designated by the hands, no uncleanness be found, but the brightness of justice shine in them — he says, ever so clean, however, to suggest that perfect cleanness cannot exist in man — if, he says, I be thus clean, yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, that is, I shall be shown to be filthy when compared to thy justice and convicted through thy wisdom. For in human works some defect is always found: sometimes indeed from ignorance, on account of the weakness of reason, sometimes from negligence, on account of the infirmity of the flesh; and sometimes some taint of some earthly affection is mixed in even in good works, on account of the fickleness of the human heart, which does not persevere fixed in the same state: hence something is always found in human works that falls short of the purity of the divine justice. Now when someone is unclean who nevertheless has some outward show of justice, the signs of justice that outwardly appear concerning him do not fit him, and therefore he adds: and my own garments shall abhor me: for by garments are designated the outward works by which a man is, as it were, covered, according to Matthew 7:15: they come to you in the clothing of sheep; then, therefore, someone's garments abhor him when the outward things of the man, which pretend to justice, do not accord with what is within. Now the reason why, however pure he may be, he cannot defend himself from being convicted by God as impure, he shows next from two respects in which God excels men, namely from purity of justice and from authority of majesty. As to the first, then, he says: neither shall I answer a man that is like myself, as if he were to say: if some man wished to convict me of being impure, I could resist him, if he objected to me things that he himself felt could not be preserved in a man as to perfect purity of justice; but I cannot answer thus to God, in whom no defect is found. As to the second he says: nor one that may be heard with me alike in judgment: for when two men contend with one another, they can have a judge who examines the words of both; but this cannot be between God and man, for two reasons: one reason is that it is necessary that in the judge there be a higher wisdom which is, as it were, the rule by which the words of both parties are examined; but it is clear that the divine wisdom is the first rule by which the truth of all things is examined, and on account of this he adds: there is none that may be able to convict both, as if he were to say: there is no one else higher than God by whose greater wisdom the divine wisdom could be corrected. The other reason is that it is necessary that in the judge there be a greater power by which he could restrain both parties, and this he excludes, saying: and to lay his hand between both, that is, to coerce each of the two: for this is excluded by the immensity of the divine power, which he showed above. And because, as has been said, he intends to search out the reason why the innocent are punished in this world, he shows next what could impede him from this searching, and with what intention he wishes to search this out. Now he could be impeded from this searching by two things: first indeed by the affliction which he was suffering: for men whose mind is occupied by sorrow cannot search out subtle matters, and as to this he says: let him take his rod away from me; second by the reverence which he had toward God: for men sometimes, out of a certain reverence which they have toward God, refrain from searching out the things that are God's, and as to this he says: and let not the fear of him terrify me, as if he were to say: let him grant my spirit to rest from the affliction that I suffer, and let it not be imputed to me as irreverence that I dispute about divine things; and thus I shall be able to search these things out, whence follows: I will speak, and will not fear him, that is, as if I did not fear him; for I cannot answer while fearing him, that is, while I am held back from the search by reverence of him. Now it must be known that the fear of God does not always hold back those who fear God from the search into divine things, namely when they search into divine things out of a desire to know the truth, not so as to comprehend the incomprehensible, but always with that moderation whereby they subject their intellect to the divine truth; but they are held back by the fear of God from searching divine things in that manner in which they would seek, as it were, to comprehend them and not regulate their intellect by the divine truth. Thus, then, through these words Job intends to show that he searches into those things that pertain to the divine providence with that moderation whereby he subjects his intellect to the divine truth, not so as to attack the divine truth, which would be contrary to the reverence of the divine fear.”

“My soul is weary of my life, and so on. After Job had proposed above that both innocent and wicked are afflicted in this age, and had touched upon one cause of the punishment of the innocent that might be supposed, namely that the earth is as it were abandoned by God and exposed to the will of a power that is, as it were, unjust, punishing the innocent at its pleasure — this cause being set aside because it contains a manifest impropriety — he inquired who was the punisher of the innocent and for what cause, and he intends here to pursue this question further. But before he proceeds to the inquiry, he shows in what frame of mind he is speaking here: for he speaks in the person of an afflicted man, according to the conceptions which sorrow supplies to him; whence first he sets down the weariness he suffers in this life on account of the tribulations he suffers, which are so grave that they even render life itself wearisome: for although to live is delightful, yet to live in straits is wearisome, whence he says, "My soul is weary of my life." And just as a man to whom his life is delightful wishes to go on living, so one to whom his life is wearisome wishes to be deprived of life, and therefore he adds, "I will let loose my speech against myself"; for that is said "against" someone which is destructive of him: therefore a man speaks against himself when he desires to be deprived of life. But he says pointedly "I will let loose," for often a man suffers certain movements in his heart on account of some passion, whether of sorrow or of desire or of anger or of any other, and yet so restrains all these movements by reason that they do not proceed into outward speech; but when reason, wishing to show what he suffers within, brings forth the hidden movements into words, then he is said to let loose his speech, as one previously held back, and for this reason he adds, "I will speak in the bitterness of my soul," as if to say: the words which I shall utter outwardly show my inward bitterness, so as to give one to understand that he speaks in the person of an embittered man. But lest it again be understood that this letting loose of speech comes about because reason is overcome by sorrow, he adds, "I will say to God: Do not condemn me"; for when reason is conquered by passion, a man murmurs against God and sometimes proceeds even to blasphemy, but while amid tribulations a man's reason remains upright, he submits himself to God and awaits remedy from him, saying to God, "Do not condemn me." At the same time, in this he also approaches the question: for whereas above he had asked who was the cause of the punishment of the innocent in this world, here he now confesses that God is the author of the punishment, since he asks that he not be condemned by him, according to that word of 1 Kings 2:6, "The Lord kills and brings to life," by which the heresy of the Manichaeans is refuted. These things having been premised, on the supposition that God is the author of the punishment, he inquires of God concerning the cause of his own punishment, saying, "Show me why you judge me so," that is, make me know the cause on account of which I am punished by you: for he knew that the investigation of reason cannot arrive at the terminus of truth unless it be taught by God. Now to know the cause of one's own punishment is necessary for a man either for correction or that he may bear the scourges more patiently. He proceeds to the inquiry of this question under a certain disjunction: for it is necessary that the one who is punished be either innocent or a sinner. First he proceeds by supposing that he is innocent; and because we arrive at knowledge of divine things through human things, he sets forth two ways by which, in human judgment, the innocent are sometimes punished. The first way is on account of the malice of the one punishing, from which it happens in three ways that punishments are inflicted upon the innocent: sometimes indeed when through cunning they bring false charges against the innocent, and as to this he says, "Does it seem good to you that you should falsely accuse"; sometimes they oppress by power, and as to this he adds, "and oppress me, the work of your hands"; sometimes again they themselves do not punish the innocent from their own impulse, but because they inordinately love certain wicked men, they help them even in the oppression of the innocent, whence it is added, "and favor the counsel of the wicked?" But it must be considered that sometimes one and the same thing can be good for different natures and evil for others, just as to be irascible is good for a dog, but evil for a man; but no one of sound mind calls into doubt whether God works anything out of malice, for there cannot be anything evil in the highest good; yet it can happen that something which is evil in man pertains to divine goodness, just as not to have mercy, insofar as mercy sounds as a passion in man, is indeed blamed in man, which nevertheless the divine goodness, out of its perfection, requires. Now it is manifest that the three things aforesaid — to falsely accuse, to oppress, and to favor the counsel of the wicked — are evils in men: whence he brings this into question, whether they can be good in God, whence he does not ask, "Do you falsely accuse and oppress?" but "Does it seem good to you that you should falsely accuse and oppress?" as if presupposing as certain that God never does anything except what seems good to him, and this is truly good. Likewise it must be considered that those things which happen naturally are imputed to no one as fault or as evil; and it is natural that each thing should destroy its contrary, whence also God, who is supremely good, hates those things which are done against him and destroys them, according to that word of the Psalm, "You have hated all who work iniquity, you will destroy," etc.; if therefore men had not been made by God but by a contrary principle, as the Manichaeans fable, it would seem good that God should oppress men for his own sake; therefore to exclude this he does not simply say, "that you should oppress me," but adds, "the work of your hands." Likewise it seems good that God should fulfill the wills of the just; but those who wish to falsely accuse or oppress an innocent man are not just but wicked, and especially if they wish this not out of ignorance or by chance but out of counsel and deliberation: whence, since he supposes himself innocent in the first part of the question, it follows that those would be wicked who wished to oppress or falsely accuse him out of deliberate counsel, and therefore he says pointedly, "and favor the counsel of the wicked." This cause therefore being set aside, since this cannot seem good to God, seeing that he himself is the work of God's hands and since his enemies who had oppressed him are proved to be wicked, he proceeds accordingly to the second way by which, in human judgment, the innocent are sometimes afflicted. For it happens sometimes that when someone innocent is falsely accused before a judge, the judge, in order to search out the truth, subjects him to torments, acting according to justice, but the cause of this thing is a defect of human knowledge, which is threefold: one indeed, because all human knowledge proceeds from sense, and since the senses are of bodily things and are themselves bodily, the judge cannot know the interior conscience of the accused; therefore, to exclude this from God, he says, "Do you have eyes of flesh?" As if he were to say: Do you know by bodily senses, so that you see only bodily things and cannot know interior things? He mentions the eyes because sight excels among the other senses. The second defect is that man, through the bodily senses, cannot even behold all bodily things: for he cannot know what is done in remote and hidden places, which he removes from God, saying, "or do you see as man sees," namely so that you cannot know the things that are done everywhere, even hidden things? The third defect of human knowledge is from time, both because man knows more from day to day, and also because through length of time he forgets the things he knew, so that he must, as it were, learn again: this therefore he removes from God, saying, "Are your days as the days of man," namely so that your knowledge grows from day to day; "and your years as the times of man," namely so that something is lost to your knowledge through the course of time? And he adds, "that you should inquire after my iniquity and search out my sin," that is, that through scourges you should inquire whether I have sinned in deed and am wicked in mind, as men search out sins through torments? And thus, after such an inquiry, finding no sins in me, you may know that I have done nothing impious, as if you could not know this otherwise except by searching out my sins through scourges; and that you should do this freely, without contradiction, since there is no one who can snatch anything out of your hand: for sometimes judges fail in this inquiry which is carried out through torments, when those who ought to be tortured are snatched from their hands. And because he had said above that he was the work of God's hands, in order to show from this that it cannot seem good to God to oppress him for his own sake, as if delighting in his oppression, he now makes manifest what he had supposed, whence he adds, "Your hands have made me." And lest anyone believe, according to the heresy of the Manichaeans, that man's soul was made by God but his body formed by a contrary author, he adds, "and fashioned me wholly round about." He says "round about" because the body appears to be, as it were, round about the soul, like a garment around the one clothed, or like a house around its inhabitant; he says "wholly" so that it may be referred to each of the body's members; he says "fashioned" so as to allude to the fact that man is said to have been formed from the slime of the earth; and by "hands" the divine operation is understood, whence he says "hands" in the plural, because although the divine power operating is one, yet its operation is multiplied in its effects, both on account of the diversity of the effects and also on account of the variety of the intermediate causes through which it produces its effects. He adds, moreover, "and will you thus destroy me suddenly?" Because it seems sudden that someone who has produced a thing should corrupt it without a manifest cause: for whoever makes something wills it to be — for he makes it in order that it may be — but whoever destroys something wills it not to be; it seems therefore, if someone destroys what he had previously made, that this is a sudden change of will, unless some manifest cause newly arises from which it may appear that what before was to be made ought now to be destroyed; but such a sudden change of will cannot fall upon God, and therefore, as it were in wonder, he asks, "and will you thus destroy me suddenly?" as if to say: it seems improper that you should now destroy without cause one whom you formerly made. Or what he said, "have made me," can be referred to the constitution of the substance, while what he said, "and fashioned me wholly round about," can be referred to those things which accrue to the substance, whether they be goods of the soul or of the body or of external fortune. And because he had in general set down that he was made and fashioned by God, he pursues in particular the manner of his making, after the likeness of someone who wishes to bring back to another's memory something which he seems to have forgotten: he expounds everything to him in particular so that in this way it may be brought back to his memory. Now God seems to forget the benevolence which he has toward his creature when he exposes it to corruption, for he behaves after the manner of one forgetting; and according to this manner it is said in the Psalm, "How long, O Lord, will you forget me unto the end?" And therefore he says, "Remember, I beseech you, that you made me as clay." Here it must be considered that he commemorates a twofold making of man: first indeed that which pertains to the first institution of nature, alluding to what is said in Genesis 1, "God formed man from the slime of the earth," and therefore he says, "that you made me as clay," where he also seems to touch upon the composition of man from the first elements. And because it was also said to the first man, "You are dust and unto dust you shall return," he consequently adds, "and will bring me back into dust," which also befits natural matter: for it is a consequence of the order of nature that those things which are generated from the earth should be resolved back into the earth. But concerning this someone might wonder, since it seems a greater thing to form man from the earth than to preserve man once formed from being reduced to dust, whence it is that God, who formed man from clay, permits him to be reduced to dust: namely, whether this is solely from the necessity of matter, so that man in this has nothing more than the other things that are formed from the earth, or whether this is from divine providence punishing some fault of man. He then next touches upon the making of man with respect to the work of propagation, according as man is generated by man. Here it must be considered that he attributes all the works of nature to God, not so as to exclude the operation of nature, but in the manner in which those things that are done through second causes are attributed to the principal agent, as the operation of the saw is attributed to the craftsman: for this very fact, that nature operates, it has from God, who instituted it to this end. Now in this generation of man there occurs first the resolution of the seed, and as to this he says, "Have you not milked me like milk?" For just as seed is a superfluity of nourishment, so also is milk. Secondly there occurs the compacting of the bodily mass in the womb of the woman, and as to this he adds, "and curdled me like cheese?" For the seed of the male stands to the matter which the female supplies in the generation of man and of other animals just as rennet stands in the generation of cheese. Thirdly there occurs the distinction of the organs, whose consistency and strength are from the sinews and bones, while they are surrounded on the outside by skin and flesh, whence he says, "You have clothed me with skin and flesh, you have knit me together with bones and sinews." The fourth is the animation of the fetus, and especially with respect to the rational soul, which is not infused except after organization; and together with the rational soul there are divinely infused into man certain seedbeds of the virtues, some indeed common to all, but some proper to certain individuals, according as some men are naturally disposed to one virtue, others to another: for Job says below, "From my infancy mercy grew up with me, and it came out with me from the womb," whence here too he says, "You have granted me life and mercy." The last is the preservation of life, both in the maternal womb and after departure from the womb, which preservation indeed comes about partly through natural principles and partly through other benefits of God added over and above nature, whether they pertain to the soul or to the body or to external goods, and as to this he adds, "and your visitation has preserved my spirit": for just as God is said in the Scriptures to withdraw from someone when God takes away his gifts from him, so he is said to visit him when he bestows his gifts upon him. And lest, from the fact that he had said to God, "Remember, I beseech you, that you made me as clay," anyone might believe him to hold the opinion that forgetfulness could fall upon God, he excuses himself from this, adding, "although you conceal these things in your heart, yet I know that you remember all things"; and God is said, after the likeness of man, to conceal something in his heart when he does not show through effect what he has in knowledge or affection: thus therefore he says God conceals the aforesaid things in his heart because it is not shown in effect that he recognizes him as his own creature, whom he seems thus to destroy so suddenly. If I have sinned, and you have spared me for an hour, and so on. Above, Job inquired into the cause of his punishment on the supposition that he was innocent; now, however, he proceeds to inquire whether he is punished on this account, that he is a sinner. And that he is not punished on account of sin he first shows, using this argument: for if he committed a sin, it seems most likely that he committed it in the time of his prosperity; but if sin were the whole cause why some sustain adversities in the present, then, the cause being posited, the effect is posited, so that it would be necessary that as soon as someone sins, adversity should follow; but it was manifest that Job, in the time of his prosperity, kept the same manner of living: whence if he sinned by living in this manner, he had sinned long before he suffered adversity; it would therefore be necessary to say that, since adversity did not follow immediately after the sin, God spared him for that time in which he did not bring in adversities; but it is improper to say that a sin which God spared should again be imputed unto punishment: it does not seem, therefore, that he is now punished for a sin previously committed by him. This, then, is what he says: "If I have sinned," namely in the time of my prosperity, "and you have spared me for an hour," namely because you did not immediately bring in adversity, "why do you not allow me to be clean from my iniquity?" As if to say: why, since you reckoned me for some time as it were pure, sparing me my iniquity, do you now punish me again as though I were not pure? He then subjoins another argument as well, which is this: if sin is the whole cause of present adversities, it would follow that not so much the just as the sinners suffer adversities in this world; but we see that adversities are common to both the just and to sinners, and this is what he says: "And if I shall be wicked, woe is me" — that is, I sustain adversities; "and if just, either I was so before, or have now become so, I shall not lift up my head" — as if raised up from misery: "I say this, being filled with affliction," as to sorrows, "and misery," as to want and confusion. Now by "being filled" he designates the abundance of affliction and misery, and this he seems to say against the statement of Eliphaz and Baldad, who had said that if he were converted he would be freed from adversity: against which he says that even if he had become just, he is nevertheless not thereby relieved from misery, although for preceding sins, if there were any, he is now sufficiently punished, which he designates by the fullness of affliction and misery. And because Eliphaz had imputed it to him as pride that he called himself innocent, he adds, "and on account of my pride you will seize me as a lioness": for Eliphaz had said above, in denunciation of Job, "the roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the young lions have been broken"; he says therefore, "on account of my pride you will seize me as a lioness," as if to say: you cause me to be reckoned by those who catch at my words as a lioness because of pride. And this very fact, that he was thus reckoned wicked, was to him a punishment upon punishment, whence he adds, "and returning, you torment me wonderfully" — as if to say: you came before, afflicting me through the taking away of possessions and wounds of the body, and now you have returned again and torment me through my friends, which is wondrous because I ought rather to receive consolation from friends; or he says this because a man is afflicted most of all when he is derided by friends. But of what sort this torment is he shows, adding, "you renew your witnesses against me": for Eliphaz, while he seemed to defend the justice of God, and likewise his companions, in which they showed themselves as it were witnesses of God, spoke against Job, accusing him of sin; "and you multiply your wrath against me," that is, the effect of your wrath, in that you punish me in many ways, "and afflictions war against me," as if they attack me with a certain authority and without contradiction: for soldiers are accustomed to attack, with royal authority and without any contradiction, one who is reckoned guilty. Why then have you brought me forth out of the womb, and so on. Job had ended his inquiry with this, that whether he were just or a sinner, he lay under manifold tribulations; and lest anyone should believe that God delights in his tribulations, he wishes to inquire whether this can be true. Now it seems improper that anyone should produce his own effect for this purpose, that it should fare ill, since rather every agent intends good in its effect; but he supposes, as is clear from what has been said, that he is the work of God, and therefore he asks him, "Why have you brought me forth out of the womb?" As if to say: did you cause me to be born for this reason, to subject me to tribulations? And because someone might say that even so, to be amid tribulations is simply better than not to have been born, he excludes this, saying, "Oh, that I had been consumed," namely in the maternal womb, "so that no eye might see me" — that is, so that I might not suffer the confusion which I suffer from such great evils as the eyes of men behold in me; and yet, if I had been consumed in the maternal womb, I would have had the dignity of being without the misery which has befallen me in my existing, and this is what he says, "I would have been" — as it were participating, that is, I would have participated in that which is good in being — "as if I had not been," that is, I would have been free from the evils of this life, as though I had never existed; for it is not the dignity of human being that it should be preserved forever, but that a man should at length die and be carried to the tomb which is prepared for the dead so that some memory of him might remain after death; and this too would not have been lacking to me, whence there follows, "carried from the womb to the tomb." Now no one is found so cruel, delighting in another's punishments, that he does not cease from afflicting even a little; granted, then, that God were not the cause of man's birth, still the days of man are few, especially in comparison to the eternity of God, and this brevity too, when a man has already passed a great part of his life, is expected to be soon ended, and this is what he says: "Shall not the fewness of my days be ended soon," since all the days of my life are few, a great part of that very fewness having already passed? It is not a great thing, therefore, if for the rest you should cease from striking, and this is what he concludes: "Suffer me therefore." And if it seems hard to you that I should be even for an hour without afflictions, it is certain that even with you ceasing from striking, there remains to me nothing whereby I might rejoice but whereby I might grieve, and this is what he adds, "that I may bewail my sorrow a little" — namely, that which I have conceived from the preceding blows; and he says this because he still reckoned himself struck while his friends reproached him, of whom he had said, "you renew your witnesses against me." And because it could be answered to him, "rather, you are to be afflicted here for a little time; when you pass from here you will find consolation," which could be understood in two ways: in one way, by returning again to this life, and this he excludes when he says, "before I go" — namely through death — "and shall not return" — so as to live again — which can be expounded in two ways: in one way, that he says he will not return to a like manner of living, as some fabled; or better, it should be said that he speaks after the manner of a disputant, according to what his adversaries held, before the truth is made manifest: for below, Job will clearly indicate the truth of the resurrection, and therefore in all the foregoing he speaks of the resurrection while supposing the opinion of those with whom he was disputing, who did not believe there was any other life than this one, but that in this life alone men are either punished or rewarded for the evils and goods which they do — in another way, he could expect consolation after the end of this life in the very state of death itself, but this he excludes, saying, "to the land that is dark," namely to which I shall go after death. And this can be expounded in two ways: in one way, of Hell, to which the souls of all men descended, even of the just, before Christ, although the just did not there suffer sensible pains but only darkness, while the others suffered both pains and darkness; but because Job had spoken as though it were doubtful whether he himself were just, as the truth of the matter was, or a sinner, as his friends falsely charged, he describes Hell in common, both as to the good and as to the wicked. Taking Hell, then, in this common sense, it is called a "dark land" insofar as it lacks the brightness of the divine vision; it is called "covered with the mist of death" with respect to original sin, which is a mist inducing death; it is called a "land of misery" with respect to the punishments which the reprobate suffer there; it is called a "land of darkness" with respect to the obscurities of actual sins in which the wicked are involved; and it is said that there is there a "shadow," that is, a likeness, of death, because they are afflicted there just as if they were always dying; and it is said that there is no order there, either on account of the confusion of mind which the damned suffer, or because that order is not observed there which is observed here — for here fire burns and gives light, which is not the case there; and everlasting horror dwells there, because although they always grieve over present punishments, they always likewise fear future ones. But because those against whom he was disputing did not posit the immortality of the soul such that it would remain after death, and he himself still speaks according to their positions, it is expounded better, as to the sense of the letter, that the whole be referred to the body, which is buried in the earth and turned into earth. He says, then, "to the dark land," with respect to the very property of earth, which is in itself opaque; but although it is in itself opaque, yet the living who dwell upon the earth are illumined by the light of the air covering the earth, but the dead do not enjoy this light, whence he adds, "and covered with the mist of death," as if to say: death brings it about that after death one no longer uses the light which the living use. Now it happens sometimes that although someone living does not enjoy the light surrounding the earth, yet, existing in some hidden place of the earth, he enjoys the things he desires as to appetite and considers truths as to intellect, but the dead lack this, whence he adds "a land of misery" with respect to the lack of all desirable things, and "of darkness" insofar as the consideration of truths is wanting. Among the other things, moreover, in which the living delight, the chief is human society with its due order, whereby some preside and others are subject and others serve, but the dead are deprived of this, whence he adds, "where is the shadow of death" — as if to say: among the dead there are nothing but shadows, according to the estimation of the living, as is said in Wisdom 17:4, "Persons appearing sad gave them fright"; "and no order," because, without difference of honor and dignity, the condition of the dead is alike; "but everlasting horror dwells there," with respect to the living, to whom the dead are a horror — as if to say: there is nothing in the state of the dead except what men shudder at, and this will be everlasting among them if they do not return to life. Thus, therefore, Job, in inquiring into the cause of his tribulation, has shown that it is not from some wicked man into whose hand the earth has been given, that it is not from God oppressing him through false accusation, that it is not from God searching out his fault, that it is not from God punishing sins, that it is not from God taking delight in his punishments: whence the cause of his tribulation still remains in doubt. All these things Job pursues so as necessarily to lead his hearers to posit another life in which both the just are rewarded and the wicked punished, since, this not being posited, no cause can be given for the tribulation of the just, who, it is certain, are sometimes afflicted in this world.”

“But Zophar the Naamathite answering said, etc. Above, Job had said, among the other evils that he was suffering, that he was marvelously tormented by his friends who rose up against him as witnesses on God's behalf; touched by this word, Zophar answered. Hence it says, "But Zophar the Naamathite answering said: shall not he who speaks much also hear?" As if to say: you have spoken much and inordinately, wherefore it is no wonder if you have been rebuked by your friends; for if a man who speaks much were not to be rebuked, this inconvenient consequence would follow, that men would be reckoned just from the very fact that they are talkative. Hence it follows, "or shall a man full of talk be justified?" that is, be reckoned just? And because Job could say that deference ought to be shown to him on account of his dignity, Zophar excludes this, adding, "shall men hold their peace to you alone, and when you have mocked others, shall you not be refuted by anyone?" For he understood both himself and others to have been mocked in this, that Job had called them witnesses of God, and in that he had said above, "why do you detract from the words of truth?" And therefore he says it is not to be wondered at if others too speak against him. But perhaps Job could say that they had nothing to say against him or against his words, and to exclude this Zophar adds: "for you have said: my speech is pure" — this he takes from what Job had said above, "you will not find iniquity in my tongue, nor will folly resound in my jaws"; "and I am clean in your sight" — this Job had not said expressly, but Zophar wished to take it from his words, because he had argued that he was not being punished for sin, or from what he had said, "know that I have done nothing wicked," or from what he had said above, "have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence?" Now it is to be considered that, since sin is a deviation from the law of God, sin, or its magnitude, cannot be fully known unless the law of God is known: for "the right is judge both of itself and of the oblique." Since, therefore, Job said himself immune from sin, or that he had not sinned so gravely as he was being punished, Zophar reckoned this to happen because Job did not perfectly know the law of God, and therefore he says, "and would that God would speak with you, and would open his lips to you." This he seems to say in derision of Job, because Job had said, "show me why you judge me thus." And it can be said that God simply speaks to man when he inspires something of his wisdom into his heart, according to that word of the Psalm, "I will hear what the Lord God speaks in me"; but he opens his lips when through certain effects he reveals something to men, for by the lips the exterior voices are formed by which we express the interior conceptions of the heart. Now it is to be considered that we fall short of the understanding of divine things for a twofold reason. First, indeed, because since we cannot know the invisible things of God except through the things that have been made, and the things that have been made fall far short of the power of their maker, it is necessary that many things remain to be considered in the maker which are hidden from us; and these are called the secrets of God's wisdom, concerning which he says, "that he might show you the secrets of wisdom." Second, because we cannot even fully comprehend the very order of creatures, as it is dispensed by divine providence; for it is one way in human government and another in the divine. For among men, the higher someone is in ruling, the more his ordinance extends only to universal matters, leaving particulars to be dispensed by lower rulers, and thus the law of government of a higher ruler is universal and simple; but the higher God is in ruling, the more his ordinance extends even to the smallest things. Wherefore the law of his government is not only secret, if we look to the height of the ruler exceeding the whole proportion of the creature, but is also manifold, dispensing even singular and the smallest things under a fixed order; and therefore he added, "and that his law is manifold." And this indeed is to be considered not only in natural things, insofar as they are subject to the divine government, but also in human affairs. For human laws, because their framers could not have regard to all singular things, have regard to certain universals which occur for the most part; but how universal human statutes are to be applied to singular deeds is left to the prudence of the one acting. Wherefore in many things a man can fall short of rectitude, in which nevertheless he is not contrary to the law humanly enacted; but the divine law, insofar as it is in the wisdom of God, extends to all particular and the smallest things, and thus it cannot happen that a man discords from rectitude in something and is not contrary to the divine law. Since, therefore, man cannot attain to the divine law itself, as it is to be looked into in the secret of God's wisdom, and consequently cannot recognize its manifoldness, it happens that sometimes he does not think himself to be acting against the law of God when nevertheless he is so acting, or thinks he transgresses little when he transgresses much. Wherefore he adds, "and you would understand" — namely, if the secrets of wisdom and the manifoldness of the law of God were shown to you — "that much less is exacted of you by him," namely in enduring punishments, "than your iniquity deserves," which you either do not know or reckon small. And in this he seems to rebuke what Job had said above: "would that my sins, by which I have deserved wrath, and the calamity that I suffer, were weighed in a balance; this would appear heavier than the sand of the sea." And because he had supposed that in the divine wisdom there is something secret which had not yet been shown to Job, lest this could be denied, he confirms it by what follows, saying, "perhaps you will comprehend the footsteps of God." "Footsteps" are signs along the way of one who proceeds; but the works of God are called his ways, and the production of creatures by God is understood as a certain procession of God into creatures, insofar as the divine goodness, from him in whom it exists simply and supremely, proceeds, derived by degrees to its effects, while the higher things are found better than the lower. The footsteps of God, therefore, are certain signs found in creatures, from which God can be known to some extent through them. But since the human mind cannot totally and perfectly know even the creatures themselves, much less can it have perfect knowledge of the Creator himself, and therefore, asking, he adds, "and will you find the Almighty unto perfection?" As if to say: if you cannot perfectly know creatures, much less can you know the Creator; and he says pointedly "find," because reason, by a certain inquiry, proceeds from effects to the cause, which, while it comes to know through the effects, we are said to find. Nor is it a wonder if, the creatures not being perfectly known, the Creator is not perfectly known, because even if the creatures were perfectly known, the Creator would still not be perfectly known: for the cause can be perfectly known through the effects only when the effects equal the power of the cause, which cannot be said of God. And therefore he adds, "he is higher than heaven, and what will you do? deeper than hell, and how will you know? his measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." These things are said under metaphor: for it must not be understood that God, who is incorporeal, is extended by corporeal dimensions, but he describes the greatness of his power under the likeness of corporeal greatness, because however great corporeal quantities appear to be, whether in height or depth or length or breadth, they nevertheless fall short of the greatness of God's power, which could make greater things; and therefore he pointedly named God "Almighty" beforehand. From this, therefore, he shows that he cannot be found perfectly in creatures, because, granted that all creatures were perfectly known, a power equal to him could not be known from them: what middle term, then, can be taken for knowing the power of God insofar as it exceeds every creature? And this he signifies when he says, "what will you do?" and "how will you know?" Now the divine power exceeds every creature not only in producing but also in preserving: for the preservation of a creature is from God alone, nor is there any power in a creature that could resist the divine will if it did not wish to preserve that creature any further. And therefore he adds, "if he overturns all things" — reducing them to nothing, namely by withdrawing being from them — "or gathers them into one" — bringing in confusion through the withdrawal of the order by which he distinguishes things — "who will contradict him?" that is, what power of a creature will be able to be contrary, preserving itself or other things in being against his will? But lest someone say that, although nothing could be preserved in being except through him, yet he preserves things in being as it were by debt, to exclude this he adds, "or who can say to him: why do you act thus?" as though demanding from him an account of a debt omitted. "For he knows the vanity of men," etc. After Zophar has shown that in the divine wisdom there is something secret which is incomprehensible to man, he proceeds to make manifest another thing that he had supposed earlier, namely that God exacts punishment from man for sin, and, to manifest this indeed, that God knows the deeds of men. Hence he says: I rightly say that less is exacted of you by God than your iniquity deserves, "for he knows the vanity of men," that is, the vain deeds of men. Now those things are usually called vain which are unstable because they are not made stable by their due ends; from this, therefore, comes the vanity of man, that his heart is not fixed in truth, by which alone it can be made stable, and from the fact that he withdraws from truth he works iniquity, inasmuch as he desires that which appears good in place of that which is good. Wherefore he adds, "and seeing" — namely, God — "iniquity," proceeding from the vanity of men, "does he not consider it?" namely, so as to punish it? For then a judge seems to let sin pass by inconsiderately when he dissembles and does not care to apply punishment, which does not seem to be said of God: since, therefore, he himself sees the vanity of men, he exacts punishment for iniquity. But just as it happens from vanity that a man declines toward iniquity, so from the same vanity it comes about that a man does not reckon himself subject to the divine judgment, and therefore he adds, "a vain man is lifted up into pride," namely so that he does not believe himself subject to his superior, and this is what he adds, "and thinks himself born free like a wild ass's colt." The wild ass is a forest ass, whose colt is born free from the dominion of man; but the colts of asses that are possessed by men are born into the servitude of men. Men, therefore, who do not think themselves subject to the divine judgment, reckon themselves as it were colts of the wild ass born free, although they see other men of the same condition constrained by divine judgment. This he seemed to say in derision of blessed Job, understanding from his words that he wished to contend as it were on equal terms with God, because he had said, "let him take his rod away from me, and let not his dread terrify me; I will speak and not fear him." And therefore he adds, "but you have hardened your heart," namely so as to defend your iniquity. And yet, with this hardening of heart, you have stretched out your hands to God in prayer, namely above, when he said, "I will say to God: do not condemn me"; and therefore your prayer is useless, for prayer is useful when a man first puts away his iniquity and afterward asks of God that he cease from punishing. And this is what he adds: "if you remove the iniquity that is in your hand from you," namely so that you cease from the wicked deed which you still have at hand, "and injustice does not remain in your tent," namely so that you restore what you have unjustly received and kept, or so that you correct your household, for whose offenses masters are sometimes punished on account of negligence in correcting them, "then you will be able to lift up," namely by praying to God, "your face without blemish," namely of guilt. And thus condemnation will cease, first indeed as regards the future, wherefore he adds, "and you will be steadfast," namely so that you are no longer shaken by tribulations, and you will also not fear future dangers. And because sometimes, although one does not fear the future, a man is nevertheless afflicted on account of the things he has lost or suffered, he adds, "you will also forget your misery," namely that which you have suffered up to now, on account of the abundance of goods that will come upon you; and he confirms this with an example when he adds, "and you will not remember it, like waters that have passed away," which he says because a man, after a rainstorm, when fair weather comes, forgets the preceding rains, or because the waters of rivers run very swiftly, and after they pass by no memory of them remains. But because Job had above raised two objections against the promise of prosperity in this life — namely, the devastation of his own body, when he said, "my flesh is clothed with rottenness," and the passing away of the days of his life, when he said, "my days have passed more swiftly," etc. — therefore, to exclude both objections, he adds, "and it will rise for you at evening like the brightness of noonday," as if to say: although it seems to you that your days have passed and your life is at its end, as it were toward evening, nevertheless so great a prosperity can come upon you that it will bring you back, as it were, to the joy of your youth; for just as by evening old age is understood, so by noonday youth, and he calls "brightness" the splendor of earthly prosperity. But against what he had said about the consumption of his own body, he adds, "and when you shall have thought yourself consumed" — namely on account of the infirmity you have suffered — "you shall rise like the morning star," that is, your body will return to its former beauty. And because Job had again said above that his days were consumed without any hope, he adds, "and you will have confidence, hope being set before you." And because Job had above disapproved the opinion of those who say that man, after death, after many ages have passed, returns again to this manner of living, Zophar says that this hope is not the one set before him, but rather the hope according to which man lives after death in the memories of men. This indeed happens from two things: in one way, from the tombs in which the bodies of the dead are laid up so that the memory of the departed may be preserved, whence they are also called monuments; and as to this he says, "and buried, you will sleep secure," as if no one will violate your sepulcher, nor will it even be feared that anyone will attempt it, wherefore he adds, "you will rest, and there will be none to terrify you." In another way, the dead live in the memories of men on account of the good deeds they did while alive, on account of which their life would be missed; and as to this he adds, "and many will entreat your face," that is, many will greatly desire your presence or will show reverence to your tomb, remembering your benefits. And because he had promised these things if Job wished to depart from iniquity, he consequently shows that these things are not given to the wicked, and therefore he adds, "but the eyes of the wicked will fail," because indeed the good things they desire they will not obtain: for then someone's eyes are said to fail when he looks to apprehend something that he is not able to attain. And just as the desired goods are not attained, so also the evils that they suffer or fear they cannot avoid, wherefore it follows, "and escape will perish from them," because indeed they will not be able to flee the evils. But after death they will not be in veneration or desire but in abomination on account of the evils they did, and this is what is added: "and their hope is the abomination of the soul," that is, that which can be hoped concerning them after death is that they be in abomination.”

“Job answering said, and so forth. In the preceding words Sophar had tried to show that man cannot comprehend the secrets of God's wisdom, in order to humiliate Job, who seemed to be demanding a disputation as it were with God. And as can be gathered from his words and those of the other friends, their whole intention turned about three things: first, they were eager to say certain magnificent things about God, extolling his wisdom and power and justice, so that from this their own cause might appear more favorable; second, they applied these magnificent things assumed about God to certain false doctrines, namely that on account of justice men prosper in this world and on account of sins are afflicted, and that after this life nothing is to be expected; third, from assertions of this kind, on account of the adversity which Job was suffering, they accused him as though he were wicked, and promised him certain empty things if he would abandon iniquity, namely that buried he would sleep secure and that at evening the brightness of noonday would rise for him — which Job reckoned as mockeries. And around these three points Job's whole response turns. First, therefore, he speaks against them concerning the fact that they exalted themselves, proposing certain great things about God as though they alone knew them and Job was ignorant of them; and so it is said, "Job answering said: Are you then the only men?" What follows is: if you reckon that you alone know these things about the greatness of God which all men know; and since wisdom consists in the knowledge of the greatness of God, it follows that, if you alone know these things, wisdom is in you alone, and so when you cease, wisdom ceases — and therefore he adds, "and wisdom shall die with you?" As if he were saying: it is unfitting either that you alone should be men, or that you alone should be wise. But because they might say, "It is not that we alone know, but rather that you do not know," he replies, adding, "I also have a heart," namely for knowing these things, as you do, "nor am I inferior to you," namely as regards this knowledge. And lest this be ascribed to arrogance, he adds, "for who is ignorant of these things which you know?" As if he were saying: it is no great thing if I say that I know what you know, because it is no great thing to know it, since anyone knows it; but in that you reckon me ignorant of these things, you seem to hold me in contempt, as though I were ignorant of what everyone knows. Hence he adds, "He that is mocked by his friend as I am" — namely by you, while you reckon me foolish — "shall call upon God, and he will hear him," because where human help is lacking, there divine help is most present, according to that word of the Psalm: "For my father and my mother have left me, but the Lord hath taken me up" (Psalm 26:10). And in this he seems to answer what Sophar had said above, "Then thou mayest lift up thy face" (Job 11:15), as if to say: I need not wait any longer to pray with confidence, because from this very fact, that I am mocked by friends, hope is given me of having recourse to God. But why one mocked by a friend should be heard by God, he shows, adding, "for the simplicity of the just is laughed to scorn," where he shows both who they are who are mocked and why, and also by whom, when he adds, "a lamp despised in the thoughts of the rich." For to be mocked belongs to one who is deficient, but to mock belongs to one who abounds; now those who abound in virtues do not mock those who are deficient in virtues, but rather have compassion on them and help them if they can; but those who abound in temporal things are especially wont to mock those who are deficient in temporal things, and especially when these apply no effort to acquiring temporal things; but the effort of the just is directed not to acquiring temporal things but to pursuing rectitude, hence they abstain from the frauds and deceits by which riches are for the most part acquired, and from this they are reckoned simple; therefore the just are for the most part mocked. Now the cause of the mockery is simplicity, but it is mocked not as an evident evil but as a hidden good, and so here simplicity is called a lamp on account of the brightness of justice, but "despised in the thoughts of the rich," namely of those who place their end in riches — for whoever places his supreme good in riches must think that things are good in proportion as they serve more to acquire riches — hence the simplicity of the just, by which the multiplication of riches is impeded, must be contemptible to them. But although the simplicity itself of the just is held in contempt in the thoughts of the rich, nevertheless in its own time it is not defrauded of its due end; hence he says, "it is ready for the appointed time." He does not say this as though at some time in the present life earthly prosperity ought to be rendered to the just for their simplicity, but leaves undetermined what this appointed time is and to what end the simplicity of the just is being prepared: for the disputation has not yet arrived at this point, but it will be shown in what follows. Thus, then, Job covertly hints why he was mocked by his friends, whom he calls "rich," because they set the prosperity of this world as man's end, as though it were the reward of man's justice; but he by his simplicity was not seeking this reward but another at the appointed time, and therefore had confidence that if he called upon the Lord he would be heard by him. And because the rich who mock the simplicity of the just do not stop there but proceed even to contempt of God, hence it is added, "the tabernacles of robbers abound." For it follows that, since some place their end in riches, they seek out all ways to attain this ultimate end, whether by fraud or by any other means, and thus they become robbers, and while they rob, they abound in riches; and from this abundance follows contempt of God, hence it is added, "and they provoke God boldly." For then does one do something boldly when he believes that what he does is good; for when conscience gnaws at him about evil, a man does not commit evil without fear, because, as it is said in Wisdom 17:11, "wickedness, being fearful, hath given testimony of her condemnation"; but those who place their ultimate end in riches, from this very fact reckon all things good by which they attain this end; but it is manifest that when they acquire riches by robbery, they provoke God, acting against his justice; hence it follows that they provoke God boldly. Or otherwise: from riches a man is lifted up into pride, reckoning that by them he is sufficient for himself, and from this he contemns God, boldly trusting in his riches, according to that word of Deuteronomy 32:15, "the beloved grew fat, and kicked." But because he had said that the tabernacles of robbers who provoke God abound, lest perhaps it be answered that such abundance is not from God, he adds, "seeing he hath given all things into their hands," that is, into their power, because the power of harming anyone is only from God, but the will to do evil is only from oneself; and therefore in that they rob they provoke God, but the abundance consequent upon it is from God. And this he consequently proves when he adds, "But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: and the birds of the air, and they shall tell thee. Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell." What all these, when asked, would answer, he shows, adding, "Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord hath made all these things?" This, then, is what all confess, that they were made by God; but a man questions creatures when he considers them diligently, but when questioned they answer inasmuch as, through the consideration of them, man perceives that so great an ordering as is found in the disposition of their parts, in the order of their actions, could in no way exist except through the dispensing of some higher wisdom. But if creatures of this kind were made by God, it is manifest that they are in God's power just as artifacts are in the power of the artificer, and therefore he adds, "in whose hand," that is, in whose power, "is the soul of every living thing," and not only of the other animals but also "the spirit of all mankind" (literally: of all flesh of man). But if they are in his power, it is manifest that no one can have them except from him, according to that word of Daniel 4:14, "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him." It is manifest, therefore, that neither the earth nor the animals of which he had spoken above, in which human riches consist, can any man have unless God gives it into his hand; and thus if robbers abound, God has given it into their hands. By this, then, is refuted the opinion of those who held that riches are given by God as a reward of justice, since even to robbers they are given by God. "Doth not the ear discern words," and so forth. Because above Job had set down that the things which Sophar had said about the excellence of divine greatness are manifest to all, he here intends to show that this can come to the knowledge of men through experience of divine power and wisdom in human affairs. Hence first he shows how men come to the knowledge of things through experience, saying, "Doth not the ear discern words," namely when it hears them? "And doth not the palate of him that eateth judge of the taste?" Because experience is from sense, he fittingly manifests the power of experience through the judgment of the senses, and especially through hearing and taste, because hearing among all the senses is the most disciplinable, hence it avails most for the contemplative sciences; but taste is perceptive of foods which are necessary to man for life, hence through the judgment of taste is signified the experience which is had concerning things of the active life. And for this reason, from the judgment of two senses, he shows the power of experience both in speculative and in operative matters, when he adds, "In the ancient is wisdom," which pertains to contemplation, because, namely, the ancients have heard many things; "and in length of days prudence," which pertains to action, because, namely, in a long time men taste many things, useful or harmful. Thus, then, the power of experience having been shown, he adds what men can experience concerning God, when he says, "With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding." Here he attributes to God four things which stand in an order to one another: for the first indeed is to know hidden things, which pertains to understanding; the second is, from those things which a man understands, to find in active matters ways suited to some end, which pertains to counsel — just as also in speculative matters, through the things a man understands, reason deduces to the knowing of certain conclusions; the third is that concerning the things a man has discovered he have a right judgment, which pertains to wisdom; the fourth is that the things which one judges are to be done, he powerfully carry out — and to this pertains strength. But because experience proceeds from things sensible, which although they are prior with respect to us are nevertheless simply and according to nature posterior, he therefore begins to show how men can experience the divine strength, and first indeed in human affairs themselves. For we see that some men are utterly destroyed, either through death as regards the being of nature, or through utter abasement as regards civil being, even though they have many supporters; hence, since they cannot be helped by men so as not to come to destruction, it is manifest that this happens from some hidden cause, both divine and surpassing human power, since human power cannot resist it — and this is what he says: "If he pull down, there is no man that can build up." Likewise we see some men impeded in their undertakings, even if they are not utterly destroyed, though they have very many directors; hence it is manifest that this too comes about from some more excellent power, hence it is added, "and if he shut up a man, there is none that can open," that is, who can extricate him — hence it is said in Ecclesiastes 7:14, "No man can correct whom he hath despised." Then he shows how men can experience the divine power in things of nature, especially as regards rains and droughts, hence he says, "If he withhold the waters," namely so that they do not fall by raining, "all things shall be dried up," namely those which spring from the earth; "and if he send them out," in great abundance, "they shall overturn the earth," as happens in floods. And although this comes about from certain natural causes, that sometimes rains cease even to utter dryness, and sometimes abound even to the overturning of the earth, nevertheless this is not withdrawn from the divine power, which also ordered these very natural causes to their proper effects; thus, then, as if concluding from the foregoing, he adds, "With him is strength." Then, beginning to proceed to the second member, he joins, "and wisdom," as though setting forth what he intends to manifest. Now it is proper to wisdom that through it right judgment be had concerning things; and he judges rightly concerning the truth of things who can discern how someone may be deceived, declining from the truth; and therefore, to show that wisdom is in God, he adds, "he knoweth both the deceiver, and him that is deceived," that is, he discerns by right judgment the deceptions by which someone departs from the truth, distinguishing them from the right knowledge of the truth. And this indeed he supposes from the point on which he and his friends commonly agree, that human affairs are subject to divine judgment — of which he could not judge unless he knew sins, among which deceptions and frauds hold a great place. Then he shows, through the things which appear in human affairs, that counsel is with God. Concerning which, however, it must be considered that just as God knows both the principles of the speculative sciences and the conclusions and their order to one another, yet he does not receive knowledge of the conclusions through the principles but knows all things at once and by a simple glance, so also in operative matters he knows both the ends and the things that are means to the end, and which ways are suited for attaining certain ends, yet he does not seek out the ways from the ends as we do when we take counsel; therefore, just as reason is said to be in God inasmuch as he knows the order of principles to what follows, yet it does not belong to him to investigate anything by way of reasoning as reasoning does, so with him counsel is said to be not by way of inquiry but by way of simple and absolute knowledge. Now the depth of someone in counsels can be gauged from two things: first, when by the subtlety of his counsel he leads adversaries — even if they seem practiced in counsels — to this, that, all their ways failing, they must of necessity arrive at an unfitting end; and as to this he says, "He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end," namely by impeding, through the depth of his counsel, the ways which they devise to avoid an end of this kind. Second, the depth of someone in counsels is shown when he can lead adversaries, by the subtlety of his counsel, to this, that they do not know what they ought to do; and as to this he adds, "and judges to stupidity" — and he calls "judges" the wise, who are accustomed to have right judgment concerning things to be done. Just as also in speculative disputations it happens that someone is held to be an efficacious disputant, who can lead an adversary to something unfitting, or can so establish his own position that nothing can be said against it — so also does God act against his adversaries, because both he leads them to perdition through the very ways which they themselves choose, and he so establishes his own truth and works that they cannot be shaken by adversaries. And because he had said this in general, he consequently manifests it through particular examples, showing how all the things which seem to excel in human affairs are brought, by the depth of divine counsel, to a foolish end and to stupidity. Now in human affairs kings excel in power, and as to these he says he "looseth the belt of kings" — that is, the military girdle — for in their girdle their power is designated, according to that word of the Psalm, "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty" (Psalm 44:4); "and girdeth their loins with a rope," while they are dragged into captivity, in which the greatest defect of power is denoted. Priests, however, excel as regards the reverence in which they are held, of whom he adds, "he leadeth priests away inglorious." The chief men and counsellors of a city or kingdom seem to excel according to prudence in counsels, and of these he adds, "and supplanteth the great," that is, deceives them. Philosophers excel in the consideration of truth, and of these he says, "changing the lip of the truthful," that is, of those who are zealous to speak the truth: for sometimes God beclouds their mind by withdrawing his grace, so that they cannot find the truth and consequently cannot speak it, according to that word of Romans 1:22, "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." The aged also excel in directing the young, and of these he adds, "and taking away the doctrine of the ancients" — either because the aged are made foolish, or because they are wholly removed from the midst, according to that word of Isaiah 3:2, "the Lord will take away from Jerusalem the judge and the prophet, and the diviner, and the ancient." Princes, however, excel in the authority they have of commanding others, and of these he adds, "he poureth contempt upon princes," namely so that they are despised by those who ought to have obeyed them. All these things, then, seem to pertain to what he had said, "he bringeth counsellors to a foolish end"; but that sometimes certain persons are raised from the lowest estate to the highest seems to pertain to what he had said, "and judges to stupidity," and as to this he adds, "and relieveth them that had been oppressed" — so that this refers to the powerless who were oppressed by the power of the greater, who, their oppressors being cast down, are sometimes raised to a state of power. But as to those who are of no glory but lie hidden in the lowest estate, he adds, "who discovereth deep things out of darkness," that is, men placed in the lowest estate, and on this account unknown, as it were existing in darkness — he brings them into glory, revealing them to others. But as to those who are reckoned ignorant and foolish, he adds, "and bringeth up to light the shadow of death"; for the shadow of death seems to be ignorance or foolishness, since it is especially through knowledge that living things are distinguished from non-living things; he brings up to light, then, the shadow of death when he either grants wisdom to the ignorant, or shows that those who were wise are wise, whose wisdom was previously unknown. So that what was said, "he relieveth them that had been oppressed," may be said as it were the opposite of what he had said, "he looseth the belt of kings"; and what is added, "who discovereth deep things out of darkness," against what he had said, "he leadeth priests away inglorious"; and what is added, "and bringeth up to light the shadow of death," against all that follows. And just as he had said that this alternation of exaltation and abasement occurs by God with regard to individual persons, he shows this same thing occurring also with regard to a whole nation, adding, "who multiplieth nations," namely so that they increase in number of men, "and destroyeth them," that is, ruins them either by wars or by pestilences, "and restoreth them being overthrown into their former state" — that is, brings back to a good state those overthrown, whether by these mischances, or by the oppression of some one or several who preside unjustly. Having shown, then, that in God is strength, wisdom, and counsel, he last shows that in him is understanding, which we said pertains to the knowledge of hidden things, which seem especially to be those things that lie hidden in the heart. That God knows these things he shows through the fact that he operates in the hearts of men, and thus knows the hidden things of hearts as it were his own effects. He says, then, "who changeth the heart of the princes of the people of the earth," namely as regards the will, hence it is also said in Proverbs 21:1, "the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord, whithersoever he will he shall turn it." And although God inclines the wills of all men, nevertheless special mention is made of kings and princes, because their wills carry greater weight, inasmuch as many follow their will. But as to the intellect he adds, "and deceiveth them" — which indeed is said not because he leads them into falsity, but because he withdraws his light from them lest they know the truth, and beclouds their reason lest they be able to find fitting ways to attain the evils they propose; hence it follows, "that they may walk in vain where there is no way," that is, that they may proceed by ways unsuited, by which they cannot attain their end. Now it happens that someone errs in what he does in two ways: in one way through ignorance, and as to this he says, "they shall grope as in the dark, and not in light," so that by darkness ignorance is designated, by light knowledge; some grope through ignorance after the manner of the blind, while they consider only what they sense presently, as it were by touching; in another way some err in what they do on account of passions, by which their reason is bound with regard to particulars, so that it does not apply universal knowledge to what is to be done, and as to this he adds, "and he shall make them stagger like men that are drunk" — for thus reason is bound by passion as by a kind of drunkenness.”

“Behold, my eye has seen all these things. After Job had shown that the excellence of the divine power could be known through experience, as though concluding he adds: "behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard them," as if to say: I have come to know the aforesaid effects, by which the divine strength and wisdom are shown, partly by sight and partly by hearing; nor did my knowledge come to rest in these sensible effects, but from them I ascended to an understanding of the truth, whence he adds "and I have understood each one," namely what each single effect demonstrates concerning God, whether concerning his wisdom or his understanding or his counsel or his strength. Hence, excluding their boastfulness, by which, in proposing magnificent things about God, they seemed to set themselves above Job, he adds "according to your knowledge I also know," namely those things which pertain to the magnificence of God, "nor am I inferior to you," as if he knew them either less or more imperfectly, or were now learning them from them. But since Zophar had proposed the divine excellence in order to accuse Job of striving to dispute with God, he subjoins "but yet I will speak to the Almighty," as if to say: although I understand, from his diverse effects, the excellence of divine wisdom and power no less than you, nevertheless on this account I am not reasonably changed from my purpose, so that I should not wish to address God, opening the movements of my heart to him who is the searcher and judge of hearts, and seeking the truth from him who is the teacher of all truth; hence he adds "and I desire to dispute with God," not indeed that I should wish to disapprove his judgments, but that I should destroy your errors, from which, once supposed, it would follow that there was injustice with God; hence he adds, first showing them to be "forgers of lies," because they had invented this lie, that Job had led a wicked life. But they had fallen into this lie on account of the fact that they erred concerning the faith by which God is worshipped, believing that in this life alone the recompense of merits and of punishments was made; and therefore he adds "and worshippers of perverse dogmas": for whoever departs from the true knowledge of God worships not God but his own false dogmas. But what he says, "first showing them," should not be understood as though he were first, in the order of the following teaching, going to destroy their depraved dogmas and afterward dispute with God; rather, since he intends to dispute with God, this is first in his intention, that he destroy their dogmas. Now it happens at times that some propose things that are plausible, though false, but while they do not know how to defend or prove them convincingly, they show forth their folly in speaking, which is what happened to Job's friends; and therefore he adds "and would that you were silent, that you might be thought wise." For this very fact, that you defend and prove your false dogmas unfittingly, shows you to be foolish. Since therefore you propose false dogmas and, in order to manifest them, take up unfitting means, you are therefore in need of correction; and this is what he concludes, adding "hear therefore my correction, by which I shall correct your procedure," and "attend to the judgment of my lips," by which I shall condemn your false dogmas. Now first he intends to correct their unfitting procedure. For since they held that the rewards and punishments of good and evil works are repaid in this life, in order to defend the justice of God it was necessary that they should take up certain lies: for since it is manifest that certain innocent and just men are afflicted with adversities in this life, it was necessary for them to impute crimes to the just in order to defend the justice of God, and thus they accused of impiety Job, whom they saw afflicted; but he does not use a fitting means who defends the truth by lies, and therefore he says "does God need your lie?" As if to say: is it necessary that, in order to defend the divine justice, lies be assumed? For what cannot be defended except by lies is impossible to be true. Now when someone strives to lie against manifest truth, he is compelled to devise certain deceitful and fraudulent ways so as to color the lie with some fraud; so too these men, when they tried to lie against the justice of Job, which was manifest to all, employed certain deceits, namely by showing human frailty, which easily slips into sin, and comparing it to the divine excellence, so that it might seem more probable that Job had been wicked than that God was unjust; and therefore he adds "that you should speak deceits on his behalf?" For they spoke deceits as it were on God's behalf, while they deceitfully strove to impute impiety to Job in order to defend that God is just. But they might say that they were not speaking deceitfully against Job, but were only saying what they believed. Job therefore shows that even if this were true, though excused from deceit they would fall into another vice, namely the acceptance of persons, which excludes the justice of one who judges. For it is acceptance of persons if someone despises or denies the justice of another which is apparent, on account of the greatness of someone else, even though he does not know the other's justice; if therefore the friends of Job judged him to be wicked, though seeing in him manifest justice, and by consideration of the divine greatness alone — though according to their own dogmas they could not understand how Job was justly punished by God — in their judgment by which they condemned Job they seemed to be accepting, as it were, the person of God. And therefore he adds "do you accept his face and strive to judge on God's behalf?" He says this pointedly, because he who does not know another's justice, and yet strives to devise whatever ways he can in order to show that the other's cause is just, strives to judge on behalf of someone. Now it happens at times that someone who defends another's cause fraudulently pleases that other person, even if he is just, which can happen in two ways: in one way, because he is ignorant that his cause is unjust, whence it pleases him to be defended by someone; and this he excludes from God, saying "or will it please him" — namely God — that you strive to judge unjustly on his behalf, since this cannot be unknown to him; on account of which he adds "whom nothing can conceal?" In another way, when he whose cause is defended by fraud is deceived by the frauds of the defender, so that he reckons the defense to be just; and this too he excludes from God, adding "or will he be deceived, as a man, by your frauds?" Thus, then, it is manifest that divine goodness and justice do not need a lie for their defense, because truth can be defended without a lie; from which it is also clear that, if from their dogmas being posited this unfitting consequence follows, that the justice of God needs a lie for its defense, it becomes manifest that the dogmas proposed are false. But further it must be considered that he who uses a lie to show forth the justice or goodness of God not only does something which God does not need, but even by this very act goes against God: for since God is truth, and every lie is contrary to truth, whoever uses a lie to show the magnificence of God, by this very act acts against God. And this is plainly clear through the Apostle in 1 Corinthians, where he says: "we are found even false witnesses of God, because we have given testimony against God that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if the dead do not rise" (1 Corinthians 15:15); therefore to say that God raised up a dead man, if it is not true, is against God, although it seems to show forth divine power, because it is against the truth of God. Thus, then, those who take up a lie in order to defend God not only fail to receive a reward, as though pleasing him, but even merit punishment, as acting against God; and therefore he adds "he himself will accuse you, because in secret you accept his face"; and he says "in secret," because although they seemed outwardly to be pleading God's cause, as though knowing the justice of God, yet in their consciences this was something they did not know — by what justice Job was punished — and thus, as regards the secret of their heart, they were accepting the face of God while they strove falsely to defend his justice. Now he shows how he will accuse them, adding "as soon as he shall move himself, he will trouble you," as if to say: you, because you now suffer no adversity, dispute about the justice of God with a tranquil mind; but if tribulation should come upon you — which he calls a "moving" of God, in that manner of speaking by which punishment in Scripture is called the wrath of God — your mind will be troubled, and especially since it is not grounded in truth. And because they reckoned no goods or evils except these temporal ones, while they were wary of sins lest evils should come upon them, they seemed to wish to serve God only out of fear of present evils; and therefore he adds "and his terror will fall upon you," as if to say: that on account of which alone you fear God so greatly will come upon you, namely present adversity, according to what is said in Proverbs 10:24, "what the wicked man fears will come upon him." And because they had vainly promised Job that even after death he would remain in the memory of men, he promises them the contrary, as though mocking them, saying "your memory shall be compared to ashes": for as ash, after the consuming of wood, lasts but a little while, so the fame of a man after death soon passes away, whence it seems vain to expect fame after death. They had also promised him a certain immunity and reverence to be shown at his tomb after death; but he, reckoning this too as nothing, promises them the contrary, saying "and your necks shall be brought down into clay," designating by their "necks" their power and dignity, which he says will be "brought down into clay," that is, into a contemptible and weak thing. "Be silent for a while, that I may speak," and so on. After Job had corrected the procedure of his friends, who strove to defend the divine justice by lies, he now proceeds to destroy their false dogmas under the figure of a disputation with God, and first he asks for a hearing, as one about to say great things, saying "be silent for a while, that I may speak whatever my mind shall suggest to me"; he adds this lest perhaps they should say: you speak empty things and therefore are not to be heard; but to listen for a little while to whatever someone says is not a hard thing; or he adds this to signify that he is not about to speak by composing lies or devising deceits, but that which he has in mind. Now his friends had imputed two things to Job, namely impatience and boastfulness, both of which he excludes from himself lest he seem, in the disputation to follow, to be about to speak either out of anger or out of pride. Now it must be considered that impatience arises from an excess of sorrow not moderated by reason, and excessive sorrow induces despair; and from despair it happens that a man makes little of the safety of both body and soul: therefore, in order to exclude impatience from himself, he says "why do I tear my flesh with my teeth?" As if to say: there is no reason why I should despair, through impatience, of the safety of my body, after the manner of those who, despairing of bodily life, oppressed by hunger, eat their own flesh; and again "and why do I carry my soul in my hands?" That is, there is no reason why I should make little of the safety of my soul: for that which is carried in the hands is easily lost, whence it seems that its loss is not much feared — for what a man fears to lose he carefully hides. And he gives the reason why he ought neither to tear his flesh through impatience nor carry his soul in his hands, adding, saying "even if he should kill me, I will hope in him," as if to say: do not believe that, on account of the temporal evils which I suffer, I have ceased to hope in God; for if my hope were in God only on account of temporal goods, I would be compelled to despair — as he said above, "I have despaired" — but because my hope in God is on account of spiritual goods that remain after death, even if he should afflict me even unto death, the hope which I have in him will not cease. But because an inordinate hope degenerates into presumption, on this account he adds "yet I will argue my ways in his sight," as if to say: I do not so hope in him as though I were to be freed by him even if I should persevere in sins; but because he will free me if I reprove my own sins, and this is what is added, "and he himself shall be my savior," namely if my sins displease me. Now why he saves those who argue their ways in his sight, he shows, adding "for no hypocrite shall come before his sight," that is, no dissembler, who, though he is wicked, nevertheless professes himself just and does not argue his ways before God: hence he shall not come into his sight so as to see God, in whom the ultimate salvation of man consists, as he will explain further below; yet he shall come into his sight so as to be judged by him. Thus, then, he has excluded from himself not only impatience but also a presumption of innocence, in that he professes that he argues his ways before God, so that every calumny of his friends may cease. Then, about to enter the disputation, he first renders his hearers attentive in two ways: in one way by concealing what is to be said — for when we profess that the things to be said are difficult, hearers become more attentive — hence he says "hear my word and perceive my riddles with your ears": a riddle is called an obscure speech which puts forward one thing on the surface and signifies another thing within; in another way, from the certainty of the truth of the things to be said, hence he adds "if I shall be judged, I know that I shall be found just," which indeed he does not say of the justice of his life, since he had said above "I will argue my ways in his sight," but of the truth of the doctrine over which he was contending as it were in a judgment; now he is found just in a judgment for whom the sentence is given: hence when someone is shown, in disputing, to speak the truth, he is found just as it were in a judgment. After therefore he had rendered his hearers attentive, he determines the manner of his disputation: for he wishes to dispute as though contending with another, and this is what he adds "who is he that shall be judged with me," that is, with whom shall I dispute concerning the truth? "Let him come," that is, let him approach to dispute. Now the reason why he intends to dispute concerning the truth he adds, saying "why am I consumed in silence?" For man, in the course of the present life, is consumed little by little, and especially when he is subject to infirmity, as Job was; now he is consumed in silence who so runs through the present life that he nevertheless leaves no trace of his wisdom through teaching: therefore, lest Job should suffer this, he resolved not to be silent concerning the truth, so that, consumed in body, he might live on after death in his teaching. Or this can be referred to another intention: for when someone expresses outwardly the sorrow which he suffers in his heart, his mind is in some way soothed, but by being silent he is more inwardly straitened by sorrow and in some way is consumed by his own silence. Since therefore he had asked for a disputant, saying "who is he that shall be judged with me?" And had said above "I desire to dispute with God," from now on he speaks as though having God present and disputing with him. Now the disputation of man with God might seem improper, on account of the excellence by which God surpasses man; but it must be considered that truth is not varied by the diversity of persons, hence when someone speaks the truth he cannot be overcome, with whomsoever he disputes; now Job was certain that he was speaking the truth inspired in him by God through the gift of faith and wisdom, hence, not distrusting the truth, he asked that he not be pressed down by the divine power, neither by evils presently inflicted nor by fear of evils to be inflicted, and this is what he says: "only two things do not do to me, and then I will not hide myself from your face," as if to say: I will not fear to dispute with you: for those who fear are wont to hide themselves from the face of those whom they fear. Now what these two things are he shows, adding "withdraw your hand far from me," that is, do not strike me with present scourges; and "let not your dread terrify me," as regards future scourges: for by these two ways a man can be hindered from being able, in disputing, to defend even the truth which he most certainly knows, when he is either afflicted in body or troubled in soul by fear or some other passion. Now a disputation is between two persons, namely one who objects and one who responds; entering therefore into disputation with God, he gives him the choice of either person, whether of objecting or of responding, hence he says "call me, and I will answer you; or certainly I will speak, and you answer me," as if to say: object, and I will answer; or indeed I will speak by objecting, and you answer me; and he says this enigmatically, showing himself ready for either, whether to defend the truth which he professes or to attack what might be said against the truth. Now first he gives God the part of the objector, saying "how many iniquities and sins do I have; show me my crimes and offenses." Here it must be considered that the friends of Job, as though pleading God's cause, seemed to dispute against Job, according to what he said above, "do you accept his face and strive to judge on God's behalf?" Now the friends of Job objected this against him, that he had been punished for his sins: this therefore he asks to be objected to him by God, saying "how many iniquities and sins do I have; show me my crimes and offenses," as if to say: if it is so that you afflict me for my sins, as my friends, trying to speak on your behalf, calumniate, I ask that you show me for what sins you afflict me so grievously. Hence he does not say "what iniquities I have" but "how many," because if there is no other reason for present adversities than the sins of men, as the friends of Job supposed, it is necessary that the sins which are punished by the greatest afflictions be the greatest. Now of sins, some are commissions, which are done against the negative precepts of the law, some are omissions, by which the affirmative precepts are neglected; now something is committed against a precept of the law in three ways: in one way because it is to the harm of one's neighbor, as theft, homicide, and the like, which are properly called iniquities, because they are contrary to the equity of justice which is toward another; in another way insofar as a man sins in himself through the disordering of his own act, as appears especially in the sins of gluttony and lust, and these are called "sins," as it were certain disorderings of a man; in a third way certain things are committed directly against God, such as blasphemies, sacrilege and the like, and these, on account of their gravity, are called "crimes." Now omissions are properly called "offenses." Then, as though he for whom he had given the part of the objector were silent, he himself takes up the part of the one objecting and inquires into the causes of his punishment. And first, because someone might say that God punished him as an enemy, he excludes this cause, saying "why do you hide your face and think me your enemy?" For it seems unjust that someone should reckon another to be his enemy without cause; now the fitting cause of enmity can only be an offense: it is manifest, then, that God reckons a man his enemy when that man's sins are made manifest; but Job had asked that his sins be shown to him, and they were not shown to him; therefore no reason appeared why God should be his enemy, and this is what he suggests, saying "why do you hide your face," as though hating him secretly and for a hidden reason? For the face of a man who hates is open when he does not hide the reason for his hatred. Second, because someone might say that God punished him in order to show forth his power in him, he excludes this cause too, saying "do you show your power against a leaf that is carried off by the wind?" For it is not fitting that one who is most powerful should wish to show his power in the weakest of things; now the human condition is compared to a leaf that is carried off by the wind, because man is in himself frail and weak, like a leaf that easily falls, and nonetheless, in the course of time and the variety of fortune, he is driven about like a leaf by the wind: hence it does not seem fitting to say that God punishes a man for this reason alone, that in him he might show his power. Third, because someone might say that God punished him for sins which he committed in his youth, he excludes this too, saying "and do you pursue dry stubble? For you write bitter things against me and wish to consume me for the sins of my youth?" For a man in youth is compared to green grass, but in old age he is compared as it were to dry stubble: it would therefore seem the same thing to punish a man in his old age for the sins of his youth, as if someone, for the lack of green grass, should vent his fury upon dry stubble. But it must be considered that, in this inquiry, he does not depart from the position that the adversities of men are brought about by divine judgment, to signify which he says "you write bitter things against me," as though bitter things, that is, the adversities of men, proceed from the Scripture of the divine sentence. Fourth, because someone might say that although Job did not commit grave sins, yet he committed certain sins without which the present life is not lived, and that he was punished for these, he excludes this too, saying "you have put my foot in the stocks and have observed all my paths and have considered the footprints of my feet, I who am to be consumed like rottenness, and like a garment that is eaten by the moth?" Here it must be considered that those who are put in the stocks of a prison are so bound that they cannot turn aside from the stocks; now just as a man's foot is constrained by a stock, so a man's conduct is constrained by the law of divine justice, from which it is not lawful to turn aside, and this is what he says, "you have put my foot in the stocks." Now it pertains to divine justice to examine the deeds of men, not only what each one does but also with what mind or to what end, and therefore he says "you have observed all my paths," as regards deeds, and "have considered the footprints of my feet," as regards the affection of the one acting, or also as regards whatever circumstances of the deed. Now it seems unreasonable that God should have so great a diligence concerning the acts of men, if they altogether cease to be through the death of the body — which indeed is sometimes natural, sometimes violent — hence concerning both he adds, saying "I who am to be consumed like rottenness," as regards natural death, and "like a garment that is eaten by the moth," as regards violent death, as if to say: if, as my friends suspect, there is no other life than the present one, which a man loses either by way of rottenness or by way of cutting off, it would seem unreasonable that God should have such strict care for the acts of men as to punish a man even for the smallest sins and negligences. And because this last statement affords a great way toward the inquiry of the truth, he insists further on manifesting it, and what he had said of himself singularly he brings back generally to the whole human race. Here first he expounds the frailty of the human condition: both as regards its origin, when he says "man born of woman," as though of a frail thing; and as regards its duration, when he says "living a short time"; and as regards its condition, when he says "is filled with many miseries" — where he seems, as it were, to be expounding what he had said above, "do you show your power against a leaf that is carried off by the wind?" Second, he excludes those things in which a man might glory, the first of which is the beauty of the body, in which he flourishes in youth: but this glory is nothing, because it passes quickly after the manner of a flower, hence he says "who comes forth like a flower and is crushed," namely easily; the second is fame, which does not last long, hence he says "and flees like a shadow": for of a passing shadow no trace or memory remains; the third is power and strength, by which someone strives to preserve himself and his own, and against this he says "and never remains in the same state." And these three can be referred to the three things above: for man born of woman comes forth like a flower and is quickly crushed; thus he lives so short a time that he flees like a shadow of which no trace remains; and thus he is filled with so many miseries that even if at times he obtains prosperity and joy, yet he never remains in the same state. Third, he wonders at the diligence of divine providence concerning man: for it seems wonderful that concerning a thing so frail and despised God has such great care. Now although all things are subject to divine providence, yet the divine solicitude appears specially concerning man in three things: first indeed as regards the fact that he gave him laws and precepts of living, and this he touches when he says "and do you think it worthy to open your eyes upon such a one," in that manner of speaking by which someone is said to open his eyes upon another when he directs him and considers his ways; second as regards the fact that God rewards man for good things and punishes him for evil ones, and this he touches when he says "and to bring him with you into judgment"; third as regards the fact that God adorns him with virtues by which he keeps himself clean against the foulnesses of sin, and this he touches when he says "who can make clean one conceived of unclean seed?" Now the seed of man is unclean not according to nature but according to the infection of concupiscence; yet from this unclean seed a man conceived is at times found clean through the virtues. Now just as it belongs to that which is per se hot to make hot from cold, so it belongs to that which is per se clean to make clean from unclean, and therefore he adds "is it not you alone," namely who are truly and of yourself clean? For purity and cleanness are found perfectly in God alone, in whom there can be neither potentiality nor any defect, hence whatever is in any way clean or pure has its cleanness and purity from God.”

“"The days of man are short," etc. Job had been marveling at the divine condescension toward men, since man is nevertheless of so fragile and miserable a condition when the state of the present life is considered; but this wonder ceases if one considers that after this life another life is reserved for man in which he abides forever: and therefore he now strives to show this. He therefore sets down beforehand, as though presupposing what he intends to show, both the brevity of the present life, when he says "the days of man are short"; and that the very measure of human life is determined by God, when he says "the number of his months is with you," just as we say that the number of those things is "with" us whose number is fixed by us; and again the immutability of the divine determination, when he says "you have appointed his bounds which cannot be passed": for the divine disposition is not deceived, whence it is impossible for a man to live either longer or less than the divine disposition allows, although it is contingent, considered in itself, that this man die now or earlier. There are, however, also bounds of human life pre-established from certain bodily causes, for instance from one's constitution or something of this kind, beyond which a man's life cannot be extended, although it can fail earlier from some accidental cause; but the bounds pre-established according to divine providence, under which all things fall, a man's life can pass neither in excess nor in defect. He also sets down beforehand the expectation of another life when he says "withdraw a little from him, that he may rest, until his desired day come, like that of the hireling." Here it must be considered that just as the sun is the cause of day, so God is the author of life; but when the sun withdraws, day ends and night comes: therefore by the withdrawal of God he understands the termination of the present life, which is from God to man. But the present life is filled with many disturbances, for according to this it was said of man that "he is filled with many miseries"; and because rest seems to be the end of labor, he therefore calls death "rest": he says therefore "withdraw a little from him that he may rest," that is, withdraw your power by which you give life to man, that he may die. But man's death is not forever, but he will again be restored to immortal life; therefore the state of human death, however long the resurrection be deferred, is brief in comparison to the state of future immortality, whence he significantly says "a little": for from other things which perish never to return, God withdraws not "a little" but forever, but from men who so perish as to rise again, only for a short time. Now it was said above that the life of man upon earth is like the days of a hireling desiring the time of his wage; but the time of man's repayment is not in this life, as Job's friends supposed, but in that life to which man is restored by rising again: he says therefore "that he may rest," that is, that he may die, yet not forever but until his desired day come, just as the hireling's day is desired in which he receives his wage — where Job first disclosed his intention: for he does not thereby deny that present adversities are punishments as though God did not reward or punish the deeds of men, but because the time of repayment properly belongs to another life. "A tree has hope, if it be cut down." Having set down his position, Job here proceeds to its manifestation, and first shows that man, according to what appears in this life, is of a worse condition than even certain lowest creatures which after their perishing are restored, as appears especially in trees. Now the life of a tree fails in two ways, just as also the life of man, namely through violence and through nature: as to the violent failure of a tree, then, he says "if a tree be cut down it has hope," that is, a natural aptitude to be restored again, because it again grows green in itself if it be planted; "and its branches sprout," in which it is shown to recover perfect life just as before. As to the natural failure of the tree, he adds, "if its root has grown old in the earth," since it cannot draw nourishment because of a lack of natural power, and so consequently "its trunk has died in the dust," that is, it has been reduced by rot into dust in some part, "at the scent of water it will bud," that is, when rain comes, from the rot of the wood having a seminal power, "and it will put forth foliage," namely of leaves, "as when it was first planted." But this is not found in man according to the course of the present life, whence he adds, "but man, when he is dead and stripped and consumed, where, I ask, is he?" And he sets down three things which man loses by degrees: for first the soul is separated from the body, and to this pertains what he says, "when he is dead"; second, the coverings and adornments of the body, which sometimes remain to a man after death but afterward he is stripped of these too, and to this pertains what he says, "and stripped"; and last, even the very frame of the body is dissolved, and to this pertains what he says, "and consumed." When these things have been accomplished, nothing perceptibly appears remaining of the man, whence among those who believe there is nothing except sensible and bodily things, he seems to be reduced totally to nothing: expressing therefore the doubt of these men, he says, "where, I ask, is he?" It must be considered, however, that those things which do not totally perish seem able to be restored, as was said of the tree cut down or grown old, but of those things of which nothing remains it seems impossible for them to be restored again, as if all the water of the sea or of a river were totally dried up; but man, as has already been said, seems by death to be so consumed that nothing of him remains, whence according to this reasoning it appears that it is impossible for him to be restored again to life, and this is what he adds, "as if the waters should recede from the sea, and a river, emptied, should dry up, so man, when he has fallen asleep," that is, when he is dead, "shall not rise" from death. It seems to be of the same impossibility that incorruptible things be corrupted and that things totally corrupted be restored again; but heaven is incorruptible, and therefore he adds, "until the heavens be worn away, he shall not awake," as though reviving, "nor arise from his sleep," to carry out the works of life, as if to say: just as it is impossible for the heavens to be worn away, that is, corrupted, so it is impossible for a dead man to rise again; and this indeed is said, as has been said, on the supposition that nothing of man remains after death, according to what was said, "where, I ask, is he?" Or this can be referred to the opinion of those who held that this whole bodily universe was to be corrupted and again restored, in which restoration indeed they held that the same men would return, so that the sense would be: while this world lasts, man shall not rise from death; but the Catholic faith does not hold that the substance of the world will perish, but the present state of this world, according to that saying of 1 Corinthians 7:31, "the fashion of this world passes away"; this change of the world according to fashion, then, can here be understood by the wearing away of the heaven: for the resurrection of the dead is commonly expected at the end of the world, according to that saying of John 11:24, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection, at the last day." "Who will grant me this, that you protect me in Hell," etc. After Job had shown what could be conjectured about man's resurrection from those things which appear sensibly, he here sets down his own position concerning the resurrection. Now it would be exceedingly horrible and pitiable if man should so fail through death that he could never be restored to life, since each thing naturally desires to be: whence Job shows his desire for a future resurrection, saying, "who will grant me this, that even after death you protect me in Hell," that is, contain me under that special care by which you protect men, "until your wrath pass," that is, the time of death — because, as was said above, man's death comes about through the withdrawal of the divine operation which preserves life, whence he had said "withdraw a little from him" — for God seems to be angry with man when he withdraws from him the benefit of life, and especially since we believe that death came about from the sin of the first man. How he wishes to be protected even in Hell he explains, adding, "and appoint me a time in which you will remember me?" For God seems to have forgotten man when he withdraws from him the benefit of life; he remembers him, then, when he brings him back to life: to appoint a time in which God should remember a dead man, then, is nothing other than to appoint the time of resurrection. And quite fittingly he calls this "protection": for when a craftsman, once a work is dismantled, does not intend to build the structure again from the same material — a house, say, or something of this kind — he seems to take no care of the material of the dismantled structure; but when he does intend to build a structure again from it, he diligently guards it lest it perish: this care, then, he calls "protection." After he had expressed his desire concerning rising again, then — since desires are sometimes also of impossible things — he consequently puts under question whether that which he desired will at some time come to pass, whence he adds, "do you think a dead man will live again?" And as to what he himself feels about this, he shows, saying, "all the days in which I now serve as a soldier I wait until my change comes." Here it must be considered that above he had compared man's life upon earth to military service and to the hireling's days, because both soldiers and hirelings expect something after their present condition, and therefore just as above he expressed the state of resurrection by the day desired by the hireling, so now too he shows the same thing under the likeness of a soldier. And it should be noted that he does not expect the desired end at some point within this life, since he assigns all the days of this life to the state of military service, saying "all the days in which I now serve as a soldier"; likewise it should be noted that he does not expect another life similar to this one, since then that too would be military service, but he expects a life in which he will not serve as a soldier but will triumph and reign, and therefore he says, "I wait until my change comes," as if to say: in this whole life I serve as a soldier, subject to change, labors, and hardships, but I wait to be changed into the state of another life which is without labor and hardship; and about this change the Apostle says, 1 Corinthians 15:51, "we shall indeed all rise again, but we shall not all be changed." And lest anyone should believe that man would be changed into the state of another life by his own natural power, he excludes this, adding, "you shall call me, and I will answer you," as if to say: the future change will proceed from the power of your voice, or from your command, according to that saying of John 5:28, "all who are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they who hear shall live"; for to call pertains to command, but to answer pertains to the obedience by which the creature obeys the creator. But because the dead, at God's command, will not only rise again to life but will be changed into a certain higher state, and this by divine power, he therefore adds, "to the work of your hands you will stretch out your right hand," as if to say: man rising again will not be the work of nature but the work of your power, to which work indeed you will stretch out your helping right hand while, through the help of your grace, he is exalted into the glory of newness. Or, what he says, "you shall call me, and I will answer you," can be referred to the restoration of the body, while what he adds, "to the work of your hands you will stretch out your right hand," can be referred to the soul, which naturally desires to be united to its body, to which God will stretch out his helping right hand while it attains by divine power what it cannot attain by its own power. Having then set down his position concerning the future resurrection of the dead, he returns to that at which he had marveled above, namely that God so carefully considers the works of men, when he had said "you have observed all my paths and considered the steps of my feet," whence he adds, "you indeed have numbered my steps," as if to say: it is now no wonder if you so diligently examine the deeds of men, seeing that you reserve him for another life. Now it must be considered that concerning human acts divine providence is attended to in two respects: first, according to this, that it examines and discusses them, which indeed is signified in what he says, "you indeed have numbered my steps": for we number those things about which we take diligent care; and lest it should seem to anyone to be of great severity that God should examine the deeds of fragile man with such diligence, he consequently hints at God's inclination to spare, when he says, "but spare my sins," as if to say: although you number them, yet I retain this hope, that you will spare. Second, according to this, that he keeps the good or evil deeds of men in his memory, to repay for them good or evil, whence he adds, "you have sealed my offenses as it were in a bag": for those things which are sealed in a bag are diligently kept; and lest this sealing should exclude divine mercy, he adds, "but you have healed my iniquity," as if to say: thus you reserve punishment for sins in such a way that nevertheless through penance you heal the offenses. "A falling mountain comes to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place." After Job had set down his position concerning the future resurrection, he here fortifies it with probable arguments, and the first argument is taken from the comparison of man to lower creatures, which are totally consumed without hope of restoration. For all things which are generated are subject to corruption, whence even mountains, although they seem most firm, are nevertheless, from certain causes, dissolved after some courses of time, and this is what he says, "a falling mountain comes to nought"; rocks too, although they seem strongest, are nevertheless cut away either by violence or from some natural cause, and this is what follows, "and a rock is removed out of its place"; stones too, although they seem hardest, are nevertheless hollowed out by waters, and this is what is added, "waters hollow out stones"; the earth too, although it seems most stable, is nevertheless little by little changed from its arrangement, and this is what is added, "and by inundation the earth is little by little consumed." But it would be unfitting if the reason for the corruption of man and of the aforesaid things were the same, and therefore he concludes, as though it were unfitting, "you will destroy men, then, in like manner?" As if to say: it is not fitting that men should be corrupted in like manner as other bodily creatures; for the aforesaid creatures are totally corrupted, whence they are not restored the same in number; but man, although he is corrupted as to the body, nevertheless remains incorruptible as to the soul, which transcends the whole genus of bodily things, so that thus there remains hope of restoration. Then he brings forward toward the same conclusion arguments taken from the properties of man. Now man excels all lower creatures in two things, of which one is operative power: for he is master of his own act through free choice, which belongs to no other bodily creature, and according to this man is more powerful than any bodily creature, whence he also uses other things for his own sake; the other thing in which he excels is intellective knowledge, which, although it is in the mind, some indication of it nevertheless appears in the body, and especially in the face, which man has quite different from other animals; and from these two it appears that man is not corrupted in such a way as the others are, so as never to be forever. As to the first of these, then, he says, "have you strengthened him a little, that he should pass away forever?" As if to say: it is not fitting that you should have granted man so much strength for so short a time, such that afterward he would not be forever; for it would seem foolish if someone were to make a very strong instrument in order to use it for a short hour, and afterward throw it away entirely; but the power of any bodily creature whatsoever is determined to finite effects, whereas the power of free choice extends itself to infinite actions: whence this very fact attests to the power of the soul to the end that it endure forever. As to the second, namely as to the intellect, he says, "will you change his face and send him forth?" As if to say: it is not fitting that you should have changed his face, that is, differentiated it from other animals, and yet send him forth from the state of life never to return, like the other animals. Now by "face" intellective knowledge is customarily understood, because this is proper to the rational creature; but intellectual knowledge cannot belong except to an incorruptible substance, as is proved by the philosophers. But someone might say that, although man does not return to life after death, nevertheless he does not pass away forever, inasmuch as he lives in a certain way in his sons: which indeed the words of Baldad also suggest, when he said above, "this is the joy of his way, that others spring up again out of the earth." But Job excludes this response, adding, "whether his sons be noble or ignoble, he will not understand," as if to say: man grasps the eternal good through the intellect, whence he also naturally desires it; but the good which is in the succession of sons cannot satisfy the intellectual appetite, if man is totally consumed by death so as never to be forever, because the intellectual appetite is not at rest except in a good that is understood; but the good which is in the succession of sons a man does not understand, neither while he lives nor after death if through death he should altogether cease to be. The intellective appetite of man, then, does not tend toward the eternity of this good but toward the good or evil which he has in himself, whence he adds, "yet his flesh, while it lives, will grieve, and his soul will mourn over itself," where he distinguishes a twofold sorrow: one indeed of the flesh, in the apprehension of sense, the other of the soul, from the apprehension of the intellect or the imagination, which is properly called sadness, and here is named mourning.”

“But Eliphaz the Temanite, answering, said. Having heard Job's words, Eliphaz does not respond to the depth of his statements but strives to reprove, in a slanderous manner, certain words spoken by Job, considering them according to the surface of the words themselves and not according to the depth of their meaning. And first indeed he reproves that which Job had said at the beginning of his speech, "and I too have a heart, just as you do, nor am I inferior to you," in which he indeed notes two things about him: first, empty glory, because he commends himself, and this is what he says: "will a wise man answer as though he were speaking into the wind?" — for one who composes words in order to catch glory seems to speak into the wind; second, wrath, because he had begun to speak reproachfully when he said "therefore you alone are men," etc., and therefore he adds "and fill his stomach with heat," that is, his mind with wrath? Then he reproves him for having said, "I desire to dispute with God," and again, "only do not do two things to me, and then I shall not be hidden from your face," etc., in which he notes him in many ways: first, of pride, because he contends against one greater than himself, and this is what he says: "you argue against him with words, who is not your equal"; second, of folly, because Eliphaz reckoned such a dispute harmful, whence he adds: "and you speak what is not expedient for you," namely, in disputing with God. And why it is not expedient to dispute with him, he shows by this: that a dispute of this kind seems to exclude two things that are very necessary, of which the first is the fear of God — for he who fears someone does not presume to contend with him, whence also Job had said above, "let not your strength terrify me," and therefore Eliphaz here adds, "as much as is in you, you have emptied fear," because, namely, you have striven to exclude the fear of God from yourself; the second is prayer to God — for it does not belong to the same man both to contend with someone and to entreat him, and therefore he adds, "and you have taken away," that is, removed, "prayers from before the Lord," contrary to what Eliphaz had said above, "wherefore I will entreat the Lord." Now Job had disputed with God not out of pride but out of confidence in the truth, but Eliphaz rashly judged that this proceeded from iniquity, whence he adds: "for your iniquity has taught your mouth"; and this appears from its effect, because you blaspheme, whence there follows: "and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers." For he who blasphemes is one who denies the justice of God, but he who disputes with God about his justice seems to imitate the tongue of a blasphemer: for to dispute about something seems to belong to one who doubts concerning it, and one who doubts is close to one who denies. Therefore Eliphaz, wishing to speak against Job's dispute, first says that Job spoke so manifestly ill that he needs no other reprover, but his own words indicate his malice, and this is what he says: "your own mouth will condemn you, and not I, and your own lips will answer you," as if to say: your words need no other to answer them, but they destroy themselves. He shows, however, in many ways that this dispute was not fitting: first, by a comparison of him to all creatures; for if any creature could contend with God, this would belong especially to the first and most excellent creature — which did not apply to Job, whence he says: "were you born the first man, and formed before all the hills," that is, that on this account it would belong to you, on behalf of the whole human race or of the whole of creation, to dispute with God? Second, by comparison to God: for he can fittingly dispute with someone about his deeds who knows the reason by which the one with whom he disputes operates, which indeed he can know in two ways — one, as learning it from him; the other, as judging the deeds of another by a superior wisdom; but neither applies to Job in the comparison of man to God, and this is what he says: "have you heard the counsel of God," as to the first, "and will his wisdom be inferior to you," as to the second, so that you could thus dispute with God? Third, by comparison to other men, to whom he does not appear more knowing, so that out of confidence in greater knowledge he might presume to dispute with God, whence he says: "what do you know," namely by faith or revelation, "that we do not know? What do you understand," by natural knowledge, "that we are ignorant of?" But because Job might boast of knowledge received from others, he adds: "and there are among us men both old," namely in dignity of knowledge and of life, "and ancient in time, much older than your fathers," that is, than your teachers from whom you received your knowledge, or, according to the letter, than your forebears; and by greater age he wishes greater wisdom to be understood, because through the experience of a long time someone is rendered wiser. Fourth, on the part of Job himself, he shows that his dispute with God was unfitting, and first indeed because it was harmful to him, explaining what he had said above, "you speak what is not expedient for you," whence he says: "is it a great thing that God should console you?" As if to say: it is easy for God to bring you back to a state of prosperity, since he himself wounds and heals, as he had said above, but your wicked words prevent this, by which you provoke the wrath of God against you all the more. Second, he shows that it was vain and proud, as if explaining what he had said above, "will a wise man answer as though he were speaking into the wind?" Whence he adds: "what does your heart lift you up," namely through pride, that you presume so far concerning your wisdom? And he shows the sign of pride, adding: "and, as if thinking great things, do you have astonished eyes?" For when someone considers certain great and wondrous things, he is brought into amazement, and from this it happens that he has astonished eyes. Third, he shows that his dispute was presumptuous and impious, explaining what he had said above, "you argue against him with words, who is not your equal," whence he adds: "why does your spirit swell against God, that you utter from your mouth words of this kind," namely by which you provoke God to a dispute? "What is man, that he should be spotless," etc. After Eliphaz had reproved Job for this, that he had provoked God to a dispute, which seemed to pertain to a presumption of wisdom, now he reproves him for a presumption of righteousness, because he had said, "if I am judged, I know that I shall be found just." This indeed Eliphaz attacks, first from the frailty of the human condition, through which man both with difficulty avoids sin, whence he says: "what is man, that he should be spotless?" And also with difficulty performs good, whence he adds: "and that he who is born of woman should appear just?" For, as it is said in Proverbs, "in abundant righteousness there is the greatest power," which does not seem to belong to one who has his origin from a weak thing. Second, he attacks the same point from a comparison with the higher creatures, whence he adds: "behold, among his holy ones," that is, the angels, "no one is unchangeable," namely by his own nature but only by the gift of divine grace, so that he could not be turned aside into sin; "and the heavens," which hold the highest place of purity among bodies, "are not clean in his sight," that is, in comparison to him, because they are material and corporeal and changeable. Third, he attacks the same point from Job's own condition, arguing as it were from the greater to the lesser: how much more abominable, through sin, and useless, through a defect of righteousness, is man, who drinks iniquity like water, that is, who commits iniquity for nothing and without any restraint; for he who drinks wine drinks with some restraint lest he become drunk, which is not observed in the drinking of water: in this, therefore, he notes of Job himself that he would easily incline to iniquity, just as someone easily and readily has it to drink water. "I will show you, hear me," etc. After Eliphaz had reproved Job for having provoked God to a dispute and for presuming upon his own righteousness, now he reproves him concerning the words that he had spoken in disputing, and especially those: "you think me your enemy"; "you show your power against a leaf that is carried off by the wind"; and "you have put me in the stocks," etc. And first he stirs up attention, saying, "I will show you," namely that which you were seeking from God, "hear me attentively"; but from whence he can show it, he makes clear by adding, "what I have seen," namely finding it out from his own understanding, "I will tell you"; and again he will not be ashamed to say what he has heard from others, bringing them forward as authorities, because "the wise confess and do not hide their fathers," namely those from whom they received wisdom — for it belongs to fools and the proud to ascribe to themselves what they have received from others. And why they are not to be hidden, he shows from their dignity when he adds, "to whom alone the land was given"; and this can indifferently and in the same sense be referred either to the wise or to the fathers of the wise, whom he wishes also to be understood as wise — for the land is said to be given to the wise alone because they are the lords of earthly goods, using them for their own good, whereas fools use them to their own harm, according to that word of Wisdom 14:11: "creatures were made a snare for the feet of the foolish." And again, to show their dignity, he adds, "and no stranger will pass through them," namely because those who are strangers to wisdom cannot be numbered in the company of the wise; or because the wise are not supplied by outsiders — for a stranger is said to pass through those who are conquered and subjected by some outsider. After, then, he had made his hearer attentive, he now strives to answer against the words of Job disputing, from which he understood two things: first, that Job lived in anguish and fear, as though God were persecuting him and laying snares for him, because he had said, "you think me your enemy" and "you have observed all my paths"; second, that he believed him to doubt concerning his own destruction, because he had said, "you write bitter things against me, and want to consume me for the sins of my youth": therefore he speaks first against the first point, and second against the second, at the place "he will dwell in desolate cities." He shows, then, first, from what root this suspicion arises in Job's heart: because from his impiety and will to harm, whence he says: "the wicked man is proud all his days," that is, he is lifted up against God and to the harm of men. Now by "his days" he means not the days of his life but the days of his power or prosperity; but because the will to harm is in man from himself, while the power is from God, he cannot know for how long a time the power to fulfill his impious will is given to him, whence there is added: "and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain." And from this uncertainty follow suspicion and fear, which he consequently describes, saying: "the sound of terror is always in his ears," because, namely, at any rumor whatsoever he fears that something is being prepared against him, trusting in no one, as it were, on account of which he adds: "and when there is peace, he suspects ambushes," that is, when no one is contriving anything against him, he nevertheless dreads everyone on account of his own impious will, by which he would be ready to harm everyone. Now when someone fears certain of his enemies, he can hope for deliverance, even if he succumbs for a time, through the help of friends; but he who trusts in no one but fears everyone cannot hope that he will be relieved after being oppressed, and therefore he adds: "he does not believe that he can return from darkness to light," that is, from a state of adversity to a state of prosperity, "looking about on every side for the sword," that is, seeing enemies threatening him from every direction; and he says this particularly on account of the fact that Job had said, "I am to be consumed like rottenness, and like a garment that is eaten by a moth," by which Eliphaz understood Job to despair of his own deliverance. Now it sometimes happens that some tyrant, even though he fears all outsiders, nevertheless has some intimates and household members with whom he associates in security; but when his malice is overflowing, he fears even his own household members with whom he lives, whence there follows: "when he has moved to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness is ready at hand," that is, the day of death, as if to say: he suspects ambushes not only in outward acts, in which he must necessarily associate with outsiders, but also in domestic acts, in eating and drinking and the like, believing that death is being prepared for him by his own household. And since he thus fears concerning everyone, he does not rest but always contrives something against those he fears, and thus the occasion of his fear grows, whence he adds: "tribulation will terrify him," namely, threatening him from others, "and anguish will surround him," namely, through fear of heart from every side, "as a king who is preparing for battle" — for a king who is preparing for battle is thus straitened by the fear of losing, and yet he still strives to destroy his enemies. By what merit, however, the wicked man and tyrant comes into such misery of fear, he shows, adding: "for he has stretched out his hand against God," by acting against God, "and has strengthened himself against the Almighty," that is, he has used the power given to him against God. And how he has acted against God, he shows, adding: "he ran against him with outstretched neck," that is, by being proud — for it is especially through pride that man resists God, to whom he ought to be subjected through humility, according to that word of Ecclesiasticus 10:14: "the beginning of man's pride is to apostatize from God"; and just as he who loves God is said to run in his way on account of the readiness of his will to serve him, so also the proud man is said to run against God on account of the presumption of his spirit. Now pride is accustomed to arise from an abundance of temporal things, and therefore there follows: "and he is armed with a fat neck," namely, by being proud against God — for fatness is caused by an abundance of humors, whence it signifies an abundance of temporal things. Now just as humility is the beginning of wisdom, so also pride is an impediment to wisdom, whence there follows: "fatness has covered his face" — for by the covering of the face is designated an impediment to knowledge. Nor is the opulence which is the cause of pride found only in him, but it is also derived to those beside him, whence there follows: "and fat hangs down from his sides." By all of which he intends to signify that Job fell from opulence into pride, through which he raised himself up against God and exercised tyranny over men, and therefore came into this suspicion, that he suspected God to be his adversary and one laying snares for him. "He will dwell in desolate cities," etc. After Eliphaz has shown the anguishes of fear which the wicked man suffers even while existing in a state of prosperity, he now speaks of the bitternesses by which, cast down into adversity, he is consumed, on account of the fact that Job had said, "you write bitter things against me, and want to consume me for the sins of my youth." Among the other bitternesses he sets down first that he is made a fugitive; now it is the custom of fugitives to seek hidden and uninhabited places, and therefore he says: "he will dwell in desolate cities and in deserted houses, which have been reduced to heaps" — for places of this kind are accustomed to be the shelters of fugitives. As the second, that he is despoiled of his riches, whence he says: "he will not be enriched," namely so as to acquire riches anew, "nor will his substance persist," so that he could retain riches previously acquired. As the third he sets down the impossibility of recovering, saying: "nor will he put his root into the earth" — for a tree, if it is uprooted and planted again, grows strong again if it puts its root into the earth, but if it cannot put its root into the earth, it cannot grow strong again. And as if explaining this, he adds: "he will not depart from the darkness," that is, from the state of adversity; and he assigns the reason for not returning to the light, adding: "the flame will dry up his branches" — for if a tree is uprooted, while the branches remain green there still remains hope of restoration, because they can be grafted in or planted, but if the branches are burned, no hope of recovery remains any further; now the branches of a man are his sons and other conjoined persons through whom a man sometimes rises again from a state of adversity, but Job's sons had been killed and his household had perished; and he himself was oppressed by infirmity, which he hints at, adding: "and he will be taken away by the breath of his own mouth," that is, by the pride of his own words, so that he could in no way hope for recovery, not even from God, whom he has offended by the pride of his words, whence he adds: "let him not believe, vainly deceived by error, that he is to be redeemed at any price," that is, that he is to be freed from tribulation by any help. As the fourth bitterness he sets down the shortening of life, whence he adds: "before his days are fulfilled he will perish," that is, he will die before the time of his life is completed, "and his hands will wither," that is, his sons and kinsmen will fail. And he adds an example, saying: "his cluster of grapes will be harmed, like a vine, in its first blossom" — which harm is indeed accustomed to happen from cold, whence it signifies external persecution; "and like an olive tree casting off its flower," which is accustomed to happen from some interior cause, whence it signifies the merit of the adversity on the part of the one who suffers it. Whence, concerning this merit, he adds: "for the congregation of the hypocrite is barren," that is, those things which are gathered together by the hypocrite are rendered fruitless, "and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who gladly receive gifts" — for it sometimes happens, by divine judgment, that things which have been ill acquired are easily consumed; and he says this, noting Job for rapacity and hypocrisy, as though adversity had befallen him on account of sins of this kind. And he adds a third sin, namely deceitfulness, whence there follows: "he has conceived sorrow," that is, he devised beforehand in his heart how he might inflict sorrow upon another; and the offspring of this conception indeed is the harm unjustly inflicted, whence there follows: "and has brought forth iniquity." He subsequently adds the manner in which he accomplishes this, saying: "and his womb prepares deceits" — for it belongs to hypocrites to inflict harm on others not openly but deceitfully; and by "womb" is understood the heart, in which spiritual conceptions occur, just as bodily conceptions occur in the womb.”

“But Job, answering, said, etc. Eliphaz had spoken rather harshly against Job in his reply; hence Job, at the beginning of his speech, charges him with an unfitting consolation — first, indeed, because he frequently repeated the same things, both he himself and his friends, whence he says, "I have heard such things many times," as if to say: your speech always turns upon the same point. For in different words they were aiming at the same thing, namely, at charging Job with having fallen into adversities on account of his sins; and therefore he adds, "burdensome comforters are you all"; for it is the office of a comforter to say those things by which sorrow is mitigated, and therefore a burdensome comforter is one who speaks things that rather exasperate the mind. Yet these things could have an excuse when exasperating words were uttered for some usefulness and contained truth, or even were said briefly and in passing; but if someone should pursue exasperating words against one already grieved, falsely, uselessly, and at length, he appears a burdensome comforter; hence he adds, "Shall windy words have no end?" For in saying "shall they have no end," he shows that they lingered at length over exasperating words; but in saying "windy words," he shows that they were useless and false, having no solidity. He then goes on to show that there was no equality on both sides in this dispute, because Job's friends spoke without trouble to themselves, whence he says, "Or is it troublesome to you if you speak?" As if to say: you speak so lengthily against me in calumny because from this you feel no trouble; but Job was troubled. And lest anyone should believe that this disputation was easy for Job's friends on account of eminent knowledge, but troublesome to Job on account of a lack of knowledge, he excludes this, showing that if he were not weighed down by adversity and were in the state of his friends, he could speak similar things; hence he says, "I too could speak like things to you," namely, if I were not burdened by adversity. And he desires the opportunity of experiencing this thing for himself, saying, "And would that your soul were for my soul," that is, that you might suffer the adversity which I suffer. He says this indeed not out of a feeling of hatred or the malice of revenge, but so that they might be called back from the cruelty which they were using in exasperating Job with their words, when they should feel that such harsh words would be similarly grievous to themselves if said to them; whence he adds, "I too would comfort you with words," namely, with words similar to those with which you comfort me, "and I would move my head over you," as a sign of compassion or as a sign of reproach, just as you accuse me; "and I would also strengthen you with my mouth," lest you should fail through impatience, "and I would move my lips," namely to speak, "as though sparing you," that is, pretending that I would speak to you out of the mercy which I would have toward you, just as you do concerning me. Thus, then, it would be easy for me to speak just as it is for you, if I were in your state; but now I am hindered by a sorrow that is removed neither by speech nor by silence; whence he adds, "But what shall I do? If I speak, my sorrow will not rest; and if I am silent, it will not depart from me." Now there are two kinds of sorrow: one interior, which is called sadness, arising from the apprehension of some inherent evil; the other is exterior sorrow, which is pain according to sense, as arising from the dissolution of continuity or from something of this sort. The first of these sorrows, then, can be removed by conversation, but not the second; and therefore he goes on to show that he means this second sorrow, which is not removed by words, saying, "But now my sorrow has oppressed me," that is, it has hindered me from being able easily and freely to use reasoning as I was accustomed before: for when there is a vehement pain in the sense, it is necessary that the mind's attention be called away or hindered from the consideration of intellectual things. And that he means bodily pain, he shows by adding, "and all my limbs have been reduced to nothing"; for all his members were ulcerated, as was said above, that Satan struck Job with a most grievous ulcer from the sole of the foot even to the crown of the head. And not only do the wastings of my members bring sensible pain upon me, but they also serve as an argument against me: for Job's friends, seeing him thus ulcerated, argued from this that he had grievously sinned, thinking that this had happened to him as a punishment for sin; and this is what follows, "my wrinkles bear witness against me"; for the body becomes wrinkled from infirmities on account of the consumption of moisture, just as also from old age. But how the wrinkles bear witness against him, he shows by adding, "and a false speaker rises up against my face, contradicting me"; for Eliphaz had falsely said that he had fallen into this infirmity on account of sin. Or it can be said that Job understood, through the Holy Spirit, that his adversity had been procured by the Devil, with God permitting it; whence whatever he suffered, whether in the losses of his goods and children, or in the ulcer of his own body, or even in the vexation of his wife and friends, all of this he attributes to the Devil as its instigator; he therefore calls him the false speaker raised up against his face, because he understood that his friends were contradicting him at the Devil's instigation. And according to this sense, what follows is plainer: "he has gathered his fury against me"; for the Devil seems to have gathered his whole fury against Job, since he assailed him by every manner of harming; and not only has he afflicted me in the past but he also threatens me for the future, and this is what follows, "and threatening me he has gnashed his teeth against me." And he speaks by the likeness of a beast which, in threatening a man, bares its teeth against him; but he says this because Eliphaz had foretold that evils, under the guise of the impious man, threatened him even unto death: Job understood that such threats, uttered through the mouth of Eliphaz, had been procured by the Devil, and therefore he said that he had gnashed his teeth against him. Not only, however, had Eliphaz used words of threat against him by foretelling evils, but he had also judged ill of his deeds, calling him impious and a hypocrite; and therefore he adds, "my enemy has looked upon me with terrible eyes"; for one looks upon another with placid eyes when one interprets his deeds kindly, but when one interprets good deeds as evil, then one looks with terrible eyes; and therefore he adds, "they have opened their mouths against me," namely, my friends, instigated by my enemy; and he explains this by adding, "reproaching me they have struck my cheek"; for one is said to strike another on the face who utters reproach to his face; but Job's friends had spoken many reproaches against him, upbraiding him with many sins. And because just men, seeing sins punished, rejoice on account of justice, according to that word of the Psalm, "The just man shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge," Job's friends, reckoning themselves just and Job a sinner, rejoiced in a certain way over his punishments, as though congratulating themselves on divine justice; and therefore it follows, "they have been sated with my punishments." And lest anyone should believe that Job thought that such punishments had not been inflicted on him by God, because he had said that he was afflicted by an enemy, to exclude this he adds, "God has shut me up with the wicked one," that is, the Devil, by handing me over, namely, to his power, "and has delivered me into the hands of the impious," as regards those who, at the instigation of the Devil, had afflicted him either by deeds or by words: for Job understood that his afflictions had been inflicted upon him indeed through the Devil, but with God permitting it. And he shows a fourfold evident sign of this: first, indeed, because he did not fall gradually from the greatest prosperity, as is customary in human affairs, but suddenly collapsed entirely, which does not seem able to have happened by sudden chance but only from divine ordination; and this is what he says, "I who was once wealthy have suddenly been crushed"; and in saying "wealthy" the abundance of riches is designated, but in saying "that one" the renown of his fame, by which he was pointed out by all, is designated. The second sign is that he collapsed entirely; to signify which he adds, "he has taken hold of my neck, he has broken me"; and he speaks by the likeness of some very strong man who, having seized the neck of some weak person, would break it and thus utterly take away his life: for thus Job seemed to have utterly lost his state of prosperity. The third sign is that he was oppressed not by one adversity but by many concurring together at once, as was narrated above; and as to this he adds, "he has set me up for himself as a target," namely, one that is set to be struck by various arrows; and therefore he adds, "he has surrounded me with his lances," where he describes the multitude of his adversities in three ways: for first he shows that he was wounded outwardly in his possessions, and to this pertains what he says, "he has surrounded me with his lances"; for external things around us are, as it were, extrinsic to us: a man is therefore surrounded by the lances of adversity when he is harmed in external things. Secondly, he says he was struck inwardly as regards the affliction of persons, and this is what he adds, "he has wounded my loins"; as if to say: not only have I been lanced round about, but the wounds have reached even to the interior parts in which he delighted, which are signified by the loins, in which there is delight or even the origin of generation, whence also by the loins his oppressed children can be designated; and moreover he shows the multiplicity of the striking by the bitterness of the wound, when he adds, "he has not spared," as though withdrawing his hand from striking lest he wound more gravely — but he wounded most gravely, and this is what he adds, "and he has poured out my bowels on the ground," namely, because he crushed all his sons and daughters in death in a single ruin. Thirdly he shows the multitude of the striking from what he suffered in his own person, whence he adds, "he has cut me down," namely in his own person, with the wound of a most grievous ulcer, added on top of the wound of the death of his children. The fourth sign is that his tribulation proceeded from divine providence, in that it could not be resisted nor could a remedy be applied, according to what was said above at Job 9:13, "God, whose wrath no one can resist"; and this is what he adds, "he has rushed upon me like a giant," whom, on account of the greatness of his power, a weak man cannot resist. And all these things can be understood either of God, who shut him up, or better of the wicked one, namely the Devil, with whom he shut him up. All these things, then, Job recounted concerning the greatness of his adversity, to show that he could not contend with them on equal terms, because they were immune from adversities of this kind. But Eliphaz had charged him with pride, saying, "Why does your heart lift you up," etc. — a pride which would have been all the more detestable in that it could have been corrected by grave adversities, according to what is said against certain men in the Psalm, "they were broken and were not pierced with compunction"; and therefore, having described his adversity, he next shows himself to have been humbled — first indeed as to his outward garb, when he says, "I have sewn sackcloth upon my skin"; for such a garb is a sign of humility, as is read concerning the Ninevites at Jonah 3:5; likewise also ashes are applied for the recognition of one's own frailty — whence Abraham said at Genesis 18:27, "I will speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes" — whence he adds, "and I have covered my flesh with ashes"; for it is read above that he sat in the dunghill as a sign of humility. Secondly, he shows his humility through the abundance of weeping, of which he sets down two signs: first, the swelling of the face, when he says, "my face has swollen from weeping"; for when much matter of tears ascends to the head, the face of those weeping swells; second, the impediment of sight, and this is what he adds, "and my eyelids have grown dim," namely from weeping: for literally, on account of the flowing of the humors, the sight of the eyes is impeded. Now from these things which he set forth concerning the gravity of his adversity and the greatness of his humiliation, someone might suspect that he, as it were recognizing the gravity of his sins, had humbled himself in repentance, reckoning himself afflicted for his sins — which Eliphaz wished to insinuate, saying, "Behold, among the saints none is unchangeable," etc. — and therefore, to remove this, he says, "I have suffered these things without iniquity of my hand," by which he excludes from himself the sins of deeds; he then adds, "while I had pure prayers to God," so as to exclude from himself the sin of undevotion and omission, by which he seems to answer what Zophar had said above at Job 11:14, "If you take away the iniquity that is in your hand, you will be able to lift up your hand without stain." But to exclude Job's innocence, Eliphaz had already twice used an argument drawn from the frailty of earthly nature: for above at Job 4:18 he had said, "Behold, those who serve him are not stable, how much more those who dwell in houses of clay"; and afterward above at Job 15:15 he had repeated the same, saying, "The heavens are not clean in his sight, how much more the abominable and useless man"; and therefore, to exclude this, he adds, "O earth, do not cover my blood," and by "blood" he means the affliction of his body: now this blood would be covered if it had been poured out on account of guilt, for then it would have no glory; and it would be covered by the earth if, on the occasion of earthly frailty, a presumption of preceding guilt were presumed. But if his blood was poured out without guilt, he had a just complaint against the one pouring it out, just as it is said at Genesis 4:10, "Behold, the voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the earth"; but this cry would lie hidden if his complaint should seem unjust, as of one who had been punished for guilt; and therefore he adds, "nor let my cry find in you a place to hide," namely, lest, on account of the frailty of earthly life, I should seem to complain unjustly, as though I were punished for guilt. It is true, however, that it is difficult for a man to conduct an earthly life without the iniquity of mortal sin; yet it is not impossible, with God helping through grace, who is also the witness of interior purity; and therefore he adds, "For behold, my witness is in heaven," as if to say: therefore the earth cannot cover my blood, because the testimony of heaven is greater than a presumption drawn from the frailty of earth. Now this witness of heaven is fitting because he even searches out the secrets of conscience, whence he adds, "and he who knows me is on high," as if to say: therefore in the lowest part of the earth my cry cannot find a place to hide, because my conscience is known on high. "My wordy friends," etc. After Job has described the greatness of his adversity and his humility and innocence, he proceeds further to disprove the vain consolation which his friends frequently repeated to him, namely, concerning the hope of recovering temporal prosperity; whence Eliphaz too had said above, "Is it a great matter that God should comfort you," etc. Hence, intending to show the vanity of this consolation, he first sets down, "my wordy friends," as if to say: they promise me empty words; for my consolation lies not in the recovery of temporal things but in attaining the enjoyment of God, and this is what he adds, "my eye drips toward God," that is, weeps for the desire of God, according to that word of the Psalm, "My tears have been my bread day and night, while it is said to me daily, Where is your God?" And in explanation of what he had said, he adds, "And would that a man might be judged with God just as the son of man is judged with his fellow." For a man is judged with his fellow when one is present to the other and they mutually set forth their arguments to one another: he desired, therefore, to be present to God and to know the reasons of the divine works and judgments, in which human happiness consists, in the hope of which was his consolation — not in the vain words of his friends by which they promised the recovery of temporal prosperity; and therefore, to show the vanity of this promise, he adds, "For behold, brief years pass away," because, namely, man lives for a short time, as was said above at Job 13:1; but a great part of the time of Job's life had already passed, whence brief years remained to him, in which, even if there were prosperity, it would not bring great consolation on account of the shortness of the time. Now there were some who believed that man returns again after death to the course of the present life, and thus it might seem that Job could have consolation in the hope of recovering earthly prosperity at least in that future life; and therefore, to exclude this, he adds, "and I walk on a path by which I shall not return": for man in this mortal life tends toward death through the progress of age, nor in this progress can there be repetition, namely, that man should again become a boy and pass anew through the ages of this life.”

“My spirit shall be wasted, etc. Job had shown above the manifold nature of his affliction, and the humility and innocence of his mind, and the brevity of a life that cannot return, from which the wordiness of his friends was being refuted; and therefore in this chapter he intends to make plain what has been said before, and finally to conclude to their ignorance. First, however, he begins to make plain what he had said about the course of human life, and he sets down beforehand the cause of the brevity of life, when he says my spirit shall be wasted: for the life of the body is through the vital spirits which are diffused from the heart to all the members, which, so long as they endure in the body, the body lives; but when the power of natural heat begins to grow weak in the heart, spirits of this kind are diminished — and this diminution and weakening he designates by the wasting of the spirit. And to this cause he subjoins the effect, saying my days shall be shortened: for the weakness of the vital spirit shortens the days of life. And lest anyone should believe that the wasted spirit would again have to be strengthened according to the species of this mortal life, to exclude this he adds and only the grave remains to me, as if to say: when the few days of this life are finished, nothing of the present life remains to me except the grave and those things which befit the grave. Then in another way he shows the vanity of their consolation: for they consoled him by saying that adversities of this kind had come upon him on account of sins, and that if he repented of these he would return to prosperity; but he, excluding this, says I have not sinned, namely because he did not have a conscience gnawing at him over any grave sin on account of which he might have incurred such great adversities — whence also below, in Job 27:6, he says "for my heart does not reproach me in all my life," and therefore this is not contrary to what is said in 1 John 1:8, "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves," and through this he expresses what he had said above concerning his innocence, "I have suffered these things without iniquity of my hand." He then adds and my eye dwells in bitternesses; he speaks in the plural, bitternesses, on account of the manifold adversities which he enumerated above; and he says dwells, because although amid his bitternesses he humbled himself, sewing sackcloth upon his skin, nevertheless the bitternesses still persist; he attributes bitternesses to the eye on account of weeping, of which he had said above, "my face is swollen with weeping," and again "my eye drops toward God" — for his eye wept in this way amid the bitternesses, that it was intent only on divine help, and therefore here it is added, deliver me: for he understood that he could be delivered only by him who had shut him up in the presence of the unjust one. But he was not asking to be delivered from adversity in the way that those seek who, after adversity, attain earthly prosperity, but he asks to be led to a spiritual height, whence he adds and set me beside you: for since God is the very essence of goodness, it is necessary that whoever is set beside God be delivered from evil. Now a man is set beside God insofar as he draws near to him in mind through knowledge and love, but this indeed happens imperfectly in the state of the way, in which man suffers assaults, yet because he is set beside God he is not overcome by them; but perfectly a man is set beside God in mind in the state of final beatitude, in which he can no longer suffer assaults, and this is what he shows himself to desire when he says and let the hand of whoever fight against me, because namely, however much some may wish to assail me, if I shall have been set perfectly beside you, no one's assault will trouble me: this, then, is that in which Job, amid his bitternesses, had consolation, hoping that he would be set beside God, where he could not fear assaults. But this spiritual consolation of Job's own wordy friends did not understand, and therefore he adds you have driven their heart far from discipline, namely your spiritual discipline, by which you teach men to hope for spiritual goods with temporal things despised; and because they place their hope only in temporal and lowest things, they cannot arrive at spiritual height so as to be set beside God, and this is what he adds, therefore they shall not be exalted. And from the fact that they have been made far from spiritual discipline, it follows that Eliphaz was promising Job only temporal things for his consolation, and this is what he adds, he promises spoil to his companions, that is, the acquisition of temporal things, which cannot come to one except by another's loss, whence the acquisition of temporal things is likened to plunder. But it is not universally true that after repentance men recover temporal prosperity, since not even the good always flourish in temporal prosperity, whence he adds and the eyes of his sons shall fail; by his sons he means those who, believing his promise, hope for temporal goods from the good deeds they do, but while they do not obtain them their eyes fail, as if falling from their hope. But just as Eliphaz was promising temporal goods to those who do well, so also he was asserting that all temporal adversities come upon the one who suffers them on account of his sins; and because Job had suffered many adversities, he set him up as an example before the common people, and this is what he adds, he has made me as it were a byword of the people, and his example before them, because namely, to assert his own opinion about the cause of adversities, he set up Job as an example, as if he had been punished for sin. Now it pertains to the zeal of the just that, seeing the rightness of the divine judgments perverted through false doctrine, they should be indignant, and therefore Job accordingly shows the greatness of his zeal in two ways: first indeed through a certain disturbance of mind — for anger through vice blinds the eye, but anger through zeal disturbs the eye, as Gregory says — and therefore he adds my eye has grown dim with indignation, namely the eye of reason, whose keenness is disturbed by the anger of zeal; second, through the fact that anger through zeal also produces a certain commotion in the body from grief — whence it is said in 1 Maccabees 2:24 that Mattathias, seeing a Jew sacrificing to idols, grieved and his reins trembled — and therefore here it is added and my members are reduced as it were to nothing, inasmuch as, namely, through grief the body of man seems to waste away. But someone might believe that this dimming of the eye was against justice, and this indignation against innocence, and therefore to exclude this he adds the just shall be astonished at this, as if he were to say: it also pertains to the just that, seeing the doctrine of the wicked, they should be astonished, and this astonishment he called dimming above. There follows and the innocent shall be roused against the hypocrite, as if to say: it is not against innocence if someone, moved by the zeal of justice, is stirred to indignation against a hypocrite who perverts true doctrine. And because, as has been said, anger through zeal disturbs the mind but does not blind it, thus the just man is astonished or grows dim from zeal, yet without departing from justice, and this is what he adds and the just man shall hold to his way, because namely he will not abandon it on account of the anger of zeal: for such anger does not precede reason but follows it, and therefore it cannot separate a man from justice; for anger through zeal is useful because it makes a man rise up against evils with greater strength of mind, and this is what he adds and he that has clean hands shall add strength, being stirred, namely, by zeal — whence also the Philosopher says in Book 3 of the Ethics that anger assists fortitude. Therefore turn, all of you, etc. After Job had set forth the things by which the opinion of Eliphaz is refuted, here he gathers together what has gone before and orders it toward showing his purpose. And first he rouses attention, saying therefore — namely, since the aforesaid things are true — all of you, who have gathered together against me, and your fathers, turn back from your errors, and come to consider the truth, which once seen it will be plain how far you are from true wisdom, and this is what he adds and I shall not find among you any wise man, and this he says to repress the boasting of Eliphaz, who had said above in Job 15:9, "What do you know that we do not know?" etc., and again, "the wise confess," etc. Now in this he intends chiefly to show their folly, in that they were promising him the consolation of temporal prosperity; against which he first sets forth that the time of his life has already for the most part passed away, and this is what he says, my days have passed. Then he sets forth the evils he suffers when he adds my thoughts are broken, that is, impeded from the quiet contemplation of wisdom on account of the bitterness of bodily pain, and this is what he adds tormenting my heart, because namely his thoughts were led away from the sweet consideration of truth into the bitterness by which his heart was tormented. Now this torment of heart not even the night interrupted, which is the time appointed for human rest, whence he adds they have turned night into day, because namely, on account of the aforesaid thoughts, he passed the night sleepless as if it were day. Now it is more grievous to suffer lack of sleep at night than in the day, because in the day a man's mind is relieved by the company of men and the sight of light; and therefore, while the night was sleepless for him, he desired that it end quickly, and this is what he adds and again after darkness I hope for light, that is, I hope that the light of day will again come after the darkness of night. But because Eliphaz was urging him to bear all adverse things patiently in expectation of the future, he accordingly shows what seems to him to remain for the future concerning temporal things, whence he says if I endure, that is, if I patiently bear such sorrows, nothing remains to me except the dwelling of the grave, and this is what he says, hell is my house; he calls the grave hell according to the opinion of those against whom he was disputing, who did not believe that the soul of man remained after death but only the body in the grave, which they called hell because it is situated beneath the earth. Now a man lying in the grave suffers darkness both on account of the failure of sense and also on account of the failure of external light, and therefore he adds in darkness I have spread my couch. But just as a man being born takes his origin from his parents, from which he contracts kinship with them, so after death, lying in the grave, he is dissolved into rottenness and worms, which are generated from his body, and therefore he adds I have said to rottenness, you are my father; my mother and my sister, to the worms, as if to say: since no other temporal thing will remain to me, kinship in the grave will remain to me only with rottenness and worms. From these things, then, drawing as it were to an absurdity, he concludes, saying where then is now my expectation? As if he were to say: if I should be consoled on account of the expectation of temporal prosperity, my expectation would be vain. And again he draws to a greater absurdity, adding and who considers my patience? As if to say: if I shall have endured through patience, nonetheless nothing remains but the grave and its darknesses, rottennesses and worms; if therefore I should have patience in order to merit temporal goods from God, it would follow that God does not consider patience, which is to deny providence. And lest perhaps someone should say that even in the grave temporal prosperity would be given to him by God, therefore, as though mocking this, he adds all that is mine shall go down into the deepest hell, that is, whatever is mine will be brought down to the grave, which alone remains to me; do you think that there at least there will be rest for me? That is, must I expect earthly prosperity even there? It is plain that this is ridiculous.”

“But Bildad the Shuhite answering, and so on. Because Bildad the Shuhite was unable to grasp with his understanding the words of blessed Job set forth above, he supposed that what he himself did not understand was also being uttered in vain by the one speaking; hence at the beginning of his response he says, "How long will you cast forth words?" In this he seems to accuse him of three things: first, of the ineffectiveness of his speech, as though the aforesaid words of Job had no efficacy to establish anything, which is signified by his saying, "to what end"; second, he accuses him of a vain multiplication of words, as though Job's aforesaid words lacked the weight of sound meaning, which is signified by his saying, "words"; third, he notes in him a disordered connection of words, which is signified by his saying, "will you cast forth": for a man is said to cast forth words who scatters them in a disordered way, although this third point could also be referred to the boastfulness of arrogance. Now these three things arise in a person's speech from a defect of understanding; and since it is useless to converse with one who is deficient in understanding, he adds, "understand first, and so let us speak," as if to say: from the fact that you speak ineffectively, lightly, and in a disordered way, it is clear that you are deficient in understanding; therefore apply yourself first to understanding, and afterward we shall be able to confer with one another. Then he accuses him of presumption, because he had not accounted them wise, when he said, "I shall not find among you any wise man"; and so, answering to this, he adds, "Why are we reputed as beasts, and have become vile in your sight?" For a man who lacks wisdom appears like the beasts and vile, because it is in wisdom that man's honor and adornment consist. Consequently he rebukes him for anger, because he had said, "my eye grows dim with indignation," which he had wrongly understood, believing it to be such an indignation as had taken away from him the light of wisdom, not attending to what he had said afterward, "and the just man will hold to his way"; and so he adds, "Why do you destroy your soul in your fury?" For that man destroys his soul in fury who, on account of fury, falls away from wisdom and justice, which are especially the goods of the soul. These things, then, having been premised, by which he noted in the person of Job a defect of understanding, presumption, and fury, he consequently proceeds to the principal point on which the controversy turned, namely that the adversities of the present life were the punishments of sins — against which Job had said, "I have not sinned, and my eye abides in bitterness." But because Bildad was unable to use reasons in asserting his position, he wished to establish his position as though most firmly grounded on common opinion, and therefore he compared it to things that cannot be removed, namely the earth and the rocks; hence he says, "Shall the earth be forsaken for your sake, and shall the rocks be moved out of their place?" As if to say: this position, that adversities happen for sins, is as firm as the earth and the rocks; shall it, then, be able to be removed on account of your disputations, so that you may be proved innocent? Then he pursues his position more diffusely, recounting one by one the evils that befall sinners; among which he first sets down the cessation of prosperous successes, which he compares to light, because "he who walks in the light does not stumble," as is said in John 11:9; hence those to whom all things succeed prosperously according to their wish seem to walk in the light. Concerning the loss, then, of this light, that is, of prosperity, he says, "Shall not the light of the wicked be extinguished," that is, shall not his prosperity cease? But just as bodily light proceeds from the flame of a fire, so also the brightness of prosperity proceeds from a man's affection, when what he desires comes about for him; and therefore he adds, "nor shall the flame of his fire shine"? For by fire the ardor of love is customarily signified, according to that saying in Song of Songs 8:6, "its lamps are lamps of fire and flames." Now it must be considered that the prosperity of human success proceeds from a twofold cause: sometimes from human providence, as when a man prudently and cautiously arranges each and every thing, and with respect to this, concerning the cessation of prosperity, he says, "the light shall grow dark in his tabernacle," because, namely, both he himself and his household will lack prudence in their counsels; and sometimes the prosperity of human success proceeds from a higher cause, namely from divine providence, and with respect to this, describing the cessation of prosperity, he says, "and the lamp that is above him shall be extinguished" — not indeed that it does not shine in itself, but that it does not enlighten the wicked man. And he well called man's providence "light," as though borrowed from another, and God's providence a "lamp," as shining of itself. He set the light of human providence first, because by the fact that a man abandons the light of reason he seems to merit that he not be protected by the light of divine providence. Consequently, after the cessation of prosperity, he adds concerning adversity; with respect to which he first sets down impediments to action and endeavor. Now a man strives to attain the effect of his action from two sources: in one way through his own strength, and against this he says, "the steps of his strength shall be straitened," because, namely, the endeavor of his strength could not have ample progress; in another way a man endeavors to obtain something through wisdom, and with respect to this he says, "and his own counsel shall cast him down headlong," namely when what he had devised as useful becomes harmful to him. He says that the cause of these impediments proceeds from the man's own sin, when he adds, "for he has cast his feet into a net"; for just as one who of his own accord puts his foot into a net prepares himself for capture, so one who of his own accord thrusts himself into sinning disposes himself thereby to have his progress impeded, according to that saying in Proverbs 5:22, "his own iniquities catch the wicked man"; and just as in a net there are various meshes, so too in sin there are many diversities by which men are ensnared in different ways; and therefore he adds, "and he walks in its meshes," namely when he proceeds from one kind of sin to another, or from one manner of sinning to another. And because he of his own accord thrusts himself into dangers and does not desist but always proceeds further, therefore he will at some point feel an impediment; hence he adds, "his sole shall be held by a snare," that is, the progress of his will and action will be impeded by some contrary thing. Now harms of this kind arise, for those who proceed in sin, from a threefold cause: first, on the part of the sinner himself, who, the more he sins, the more he increases in himself the desire of sinning; and with respect to this he adds, "and thirst shall burn against him," because, namely, a sinful man sometimes considers by reason that something is harmful to him, but the burning desire of sinning compels him to act against his own judgment. Second, the cause of harm is sometimes from the very things in which he sins, as Ecclesiastes 5:12 says, "riches are kept to the hurt of their owner"; and harms of this kind arise sometimes from things already acquired, and with respect to this he says, "his snare is hidden in the earth," because, namely, in earthly things themselves there lies hidden some danger by which the feet of the sinner may be caught; and sometimes harms of this kind arise while a man is on the way of acquiring, and with respect to this he says, "and his trap is upon the path," because, namely, before the sinner obtains what he seeks, dangers lie hidden in the very way. Third, harms of this kind are caused on the part of other men, whose ambushes and assaults are feared; hence he adds, "terrors shall frighten him on every side," because, as is said in Wisdom 17:10, "since wickedness is timid, it has been given over to the condemnation of all"; and since a man is on guard against all, it is necessary that his acts be impeded in many ways; hence he adds, "and they shall entangle his feet," so that, namely, he cannot proceed freely anywhere. "Let his strength be weakened by hunger," and so on. Bildad had set forth beforehand the punishments of sinners pertaining to outward adversities; here, however, he begins to pursue the punishments pertaining to their persons. Now it must be considered that sins themselves are bound up with outward adversities, and therefore he pursued the outward adversities by foretelling them, as it were with a certain certainty; but bodily punishments do not seem to be directly caused by sins themselves, except perhaps by some, such as especially by gluttony and lust, by which a man sins against his own body; and therefore he does not pursue bodily punishments by way of pronouncement but rather by way of imprecation. He sets forth first the bodily punishments preceding death; and since life is preserved by nourishment, he first imprecates upon him the withdrawal of nourishment, from which a man first begins to be weakened, and with respect to this he says, "let his strength be weakened by hunger." Then, with nourishment failing, life too is taken away, and with respect to this he adds, "and let starvation invade his ribs," by which is signified the weakening of the vital operations, whose principle is the heart, which is contained beneath the ribs. Now the goods of the body which begin to be weakened by hunger are totally consumed by death; and the chief goods of the body seem to be beauty and strength, and therefore he adds, "let the firstborn death devour the beauty of his skin" — since, namely, beauty is considered in outward appearance — "and consume his arms," in which strength is especially observed — that is, an untimely death, forestalling the natural end of his age. Now a dead man is carried out from his house, and with respect to this he adds, "let his confidence be torn away from his tabernacle," because, namely, he placed his hope not in God but in the wealth and glory of his house, from which he is cast out after death. But cast out from his house, he is shut up in the tomb, where he is totally destroyed by death, and with respect to this he adds, "and let destruction tread upon him as a king," because, namely, death, with the full power as it were of a king, grinds him down into dust. But when he has gone out from his house, the household members remain, who are as dead to him, with whom he had society in life; and with respect to this he adds, "let the companions of him who is not dwell in his tabernacle," that is, of the dead man who has now ceased to be among human affairs. Now the household, when their patron has died, perform mourning and display certain signs of sadness, whether as to black and squalid garments or also as to certain foul odors; and with respect to this he says, "let brimstone be sprinkled in his tabernacle," by which is understood everything that can be a sign of sadness, just as also good odors are taken up as a sign of joy. Now when a man has died, frequently all the things that were his perish; showing this in turn, he begins first from things that spring from the earth, of which some, when he has died, still remain sown, and with respect to these he says, "let his roots be dried up beneath," so that, namely, whatever he sowed or planted may be destroyed so as not to bear fruit; and some indeed have already been brought to fruit, and with respect to these he adds, "but above let his harvest be crushed"; and this can be referred to any undertakings begun or already nearly completed. Then he proceeds to the fame that remains concerning a man after death, on account of which some desire to live on in the memories of men and to have glory even after death; hence, with respect to the blotting-out of the sinner from the memories of men, he adds, "let his memory perish from the earth"; and with respect to the cessation of his celebrated fame he adds, "and let his name not be celebrated in the streets," which he says pointedly, because there is no celebrity of a name except among a multitude, which is customarily found in the streets. And so, with memory and the celebrity of his name ceasing, the brightness of his glory will be changed into the darkness of perpetual oblivion; and this is what he adds, "he shall drive him out of light into darkness," that is, from worldly glory into oblivion. Now with his fame ceasing and his body consumed by death, nothing further of him will remain in the world — for Bildad and his companions were of the opinion that the soul did not remain after death — "and he shall remove him from the world," so that, namely, nothing of his remains in the world. But because parents also live on in their children, therefore, to exclude this too, he adds, "there shall be no seed of his," because his children will die, "nor offspring among his people," because neither grandsons nor great-grandsons will remain; nor even any who belong to him, hence he adds, "nor any remnants in his regions," that is, neither kinsmen nor household members through whom memory might be had of him. But he shows what effect follows from this in the hearts of others when he adds, "in his day" — namely, the day of his ruin — "the last shall be astonished," that is, the lesser ones of the people, out of excessive wonder, unable to consider how so great a glory of the sinner has suddenly been reduced to nothing; and as regards the greater ones he adds, "and horror shall invade the first," who fear, namely, lest something similar befall them. And this seems to have led him to reply to what Job had said above in 14:21: "whether his sons be noble or ignoble, he shall not understand it; yet his flesh, while he lives, shall grieve" — from which it seemed that Job had refuted the threats of his friends, or their promises concerning future contingent events after death; but here Bildad replies that misfortunes of this kind which happen after death, even though the dead man does not know of them, are nevertheless inflicted by God — such punishments — for the correction of others. And because he had set forth beforehand certain punishments of the sinner pertaining to the way of the present life, and certain others pertaining to the end of the way, namely to death or to what happens after death, therefore, as if by way of epilogue, he adds, "such then are the tabernacles of the wicked man," that is, his course along the way of the present life — for travelers make use of tabernacles; and as regards the ultimate end, which is as it were the terminus of the movement, he adds, "and this is the place of him who does not know God," whether through unbelief or through disobedience.”

“Job, answering, said: How long do you afflict my soul, etc. In these opening words Baldad seems to have intended two things: first, to refute Job for folly and pride and fury, by which he intended to afflict him just as his other friends did; and therefore he says, How long do you afflict my soul? Second, to confirm his own opinion that the adversities of the present life come upon men for their sins — an opinion which he had pursued at length by enumerating various adversities without adducing any other proof; and as to this Job adds, and bruise me with words, that is, you wear me out with words, you do not convince me with proofs. Now it is tolerable if someone speaks once against his friend, but if a man multiplies words of this kind it seems to be a sign of settled malice; hence he adds, behold, ten times you have confounded me, both by speaking yourselves and by hearing me with a certain indignation. Now before this reply Job is found to have spoken five times, if we begin from where he said, Let the day perish in which I was born, and his friends are found to have answered him five times; but at least out of shame, even if not out of friendship, they ought to have ceased afflicting one already afflicted; hence he adds, and are you not ashamed to oppress me, namely, weighing me down both with reproaches and with the length of your words. Among the other reproaches, Baldad seems to have taxed him with ignorance, when he said, understand first, and so let us speak — an ignorance which ought to have been tolerated by friends and excused on that account, and ought not to have been thrown in his face, especially in a time of adversity; and therefore he adds, and if indeed I have been ignorant, my ignorance shall be with myself, as if to say: it burdens no one but me, and so it was not your business, amid my adversities, to reproach me with ignorance; and therefore he adds, but you rise up against me, namely, displaying your own excellence, and you argue against me with my reproaches, that is, with things that pertain to me alone and burden no others. Having premised these things pertaining to the refutation of his friends, he proceeds to pursue his principal proposal, intending to show that what they said is false — that present adversities always come on account of past sins. From this supposition he immediately, from the very outset, draws out an absurdity, saying, at least now understand that God has not afflicted me with an equal judgment, as if to say: if adversities do not come except for sins, then God's judgment is not equitable, by which he has afflicted me grievously when I have not sinned grievously; and he says at least now, because up to this point he had not enumerated his adversities so particularly as now. Now he says that he is not only afflicted by adversities but also hemmed in by them so that he cannot find a way of escape; hence there follows, and has encompassed me with his scourges, because, namely, these very scourges have cut off the way of remedies; and he begins to pursue this in the following order. Now a remedy can be found in adversities, first through human help, and this in two ways: in one way, in the very deed, as when someone is violently oppressed by another and receives aid from a third party; and to exclude this he says, behold, I will cry out suffering violence, and no one will hear, as if to say: if I should cry out against those who oppress me violently, no one would hear so as to bring help. In another way, after the deed, as when someone who has suffered an injury complains to a judge who restores and vindicates him by sentence; and excluding this he adds, I will cry aloud, and there is none to judge, that is, if I should cry out complaining, there would be no judge present to free me by his judgment. Second, a remedy in adversities is found in the man himself who escapes the adversities, and this in two ways: in one way through power, and this he excludes, saying, he has hedged in my path round about, and I cannot pass, as if to say: he has placed so many obstacles in the way of my progress that I cannot remove them. In another way through prudence, and to exclude this he adds, and he has set darkness in my path, namely, so that I cannot see how I ought to proceed. Then, the remedies having been excluded, he goes on to add the adversities, beginning from the external goods which he lost. Among these he first places the loss of honor and glory, when he says, he has stripped me of my glory, because whereas before he had been held in honor and reverence, then even the younger men mocked him in time, as is said below in chapter 30. Second, he places the loss of dignity, when he adds, and has taken the crown from my head, because he who before sat as it were a king with the army standing about him, as is said below in chapter 29, now sitting on a dunghill scraped his sores with a potsherd, as was said above in chapter 2. Third, he places the loss of external goods when he says, he has destroyed me on every side, namely, all his external goods having been laid waste, and I perish, the adversity enduring, because there is no hope of recovery; hence he adds, and he has taken away my hope like a tree torn up: for a tree, as long as it clings to the earth by its roots, has hope, if its branches are cut off, of growing green again; but if its roots are torn out of the ground, it must necessarily dry up and perish; so too he himself, his roots as it were torn out, had no hope of recovering temporal prosperity. Now the root of hope is twofold: one on the side of divine help, the other on the side of human help. The root of hope that is on the side of divine help seemed to have been torn out by this, that God seemed to be gravely angry with him, according to the opinion of those who located divine punishment solely in the adversities of this life; hence he says, his fury is enraged against me, which he says to designate the vehemence of the anger: for fury is inflamed anger. Now the more vehement fury is, the sooner it is wont to pass, and so hope can remain for the future concerning one who is angry; but if anger passes over into hatred, then no hope at all seems to remain; and to signify this he adds, and thus he has treated me as his enemy: for no remedy is hoped for from an enemy. Now he places a sign of divine anger and hatred when he adds, his robbers have come together at once: he calls the Sabeans and the Chaldeans and the demons robbers, who had laid waste his goods all at once as if by agreement; and he calls them God's robbers, as though this had happened by divine ordinance, just as Job's friends also said. Now these aforesaid robbers plundered Job publicly, without any reverence or fear; hence he adds, and they have made themselves a way over me, as if to say: they have plundered me just as an enemy who is found on the road plunders. They also assailed him universally and persistently, and as to this he adds, and they have besieged, namely persistently, round about, that is, universally in every respect, my tabernacle, that is, the goods of my household. Then he shows that the root of hope which is on the side of human help has been torn out, showing that he could expect no help from those from whom it seemed most likely, and he enumerates first those who are separated from him in the dwelling of the house, beginning with his brothers, saying, he has made my brothers to be far from me, namely so that they either are unwilling or unable to bring me help; then he sets down familiar friends, when he adds, and my acquaintances have withdrawn from me like strangers, namely, not bringing me help; and as to blood relations, or those joined by any other tie of kinship, he adds, my kinsmen have forsaken me, not bringing help; and as to those with whom he had at some time associated, he adds, and they who knew me, namely formerly as a familiar friend, have now in my tribulation forgotten me, namely, not caring about me. After these he goes on to enumerate the members of his household, saying, the tenants of my house, namely those who used to be accustomed to serve me, and my maidservants have held me as a stranger, namely, not caring about my afflictions, and I was as a stranger in their eyes, namely, utterly despising me. Then, concerning the disobedience of his servants, he adds, I called my servant, and he did not answer me; and he adds also a proud contempt: I entreated him with my own mouth, that is, I had to deal with him not by command but by entreaties, because he despised me. Then he enumerates the persons most closely joined to him, namely his wife and children. Now the presence of a husband is wont to be most pleasing to a wife, unless perhaps he is rendered horrible by some grave corruption; and to signify this he adds, my wife has abhorred my breath, namely on account of the stench of the ulcers by which he was rendered horrible to her. Now it belongs to children to fulfill the parent's will at his mere nod; but it comes from a great contempt of the parent that the father, to whom reverence ought to be shown by the son, should have to entreat the son suppliantly; and to show this he adds, and I begged the sons of my own body. But this seems to be against what was said above in chapter 1, verse 19, that his sons and daughters were crushed by the collapse of the house; but it can be said that some little ones had remained who had not been present at that feast, or perhaps some children of his sons, who, imputing the death of their own parents to their own sins, held Job himself in contempt for it because of his sins. After he has said, therefore, that he was despised by his household and by outsiders, he next shows that he was despised also by fools and by the wise. Now it is proper to fools to despise those whom they see in miseries, because they think only earthly goods are to be honored; and therefore he says, even fools also despised me, namely while present in their sight, and when I had withdrawn from them they spoke against me, namely, pronouncing with their mouth what they were afraid to say in my presence. Then he also says he was despised by wise men whom he had once held as intimates, hence he says, they that were once my counselors have abhorred me, namely, whom I used to admit to my counsel on account of their wisdom, and he whom I loved most has turned against me: and perhaps he says this on account of one of them who was present, who was opposing him more grievously. Thus, then, the adversities pertaining to external things having been set forth, he adds concerning the wasting away of his own body, saying, my bone has cleaved to my skin, my flesh being consumed, because, namely, on account of the severity of his sickness his flesh had been consumed so that his skin cleaved to his bones. But because the lips are fleshy parts which cleave to the teeth as to bones, therefore, to except these, he adds, and only my lips are left around my teeth, by which he seems covertly to intimate that, all the other functions of his members having ceased, only the function of speech remained to him. His adversities having thus been enumerated, he invites them to compassion, doubling the petition for mercy on account of the multitude of his miseries, saying, have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you, my friends, since I have been forsaken by others; now the cause of pitying is misery, which is the graver the more forcibly it is brought on; and therefore he adds, because the hand of the Lord has touched me: for he understood himself to have been struck by God. Now it does not seem fitting that a man should add affliction to one already afflicted; and therefore he adds, why do you persecute me as God does? As if to say: the persecution that comes from God is enough for me; but it would be more fitting for you to offer consolation instead. And how they were persecuting him he shows by adding, and are you filled with my flesh? Which properly pertains to detractors, who are said to feed on human flesh insofar as they take delight in the infirmities of others: for the flesh is the weaker part of an animal. Who will grant me that they may be written, etc. Job had said above that his hope had been taken away like that of a tree torn up, which indeed he said referring to the hope of recovering temporal prosperity, to which his friends had incited him in many ways; and that this hope was not to be held he had shown above at length by leading it to various absurdities. But now he openly discloses his intention, showing that he had not said the foregoing as one despairing of God, but because he bore a loftier hope concerning him, referred not indeed to present goods but to future ones. And because he was about to say great and wondrous and certain things, he shows beforehand his desire that the statement he was about to make might be perpetuated in the faith of those who come after; now we transmit our thoughts and words to posterity through the office of writing, and therefore he says, who will grant me that my words may be written — namely, those which I am about to say concerning the hope which I have fixed in God — lest they be blotted out by oblivion? Now things that are written in ink are wont to be effaced through length of time, and therefore, when we wish some writing to be preserved for a long time, we do not merely write it in the manner of ordinary script but by some impression, whether in leather, or in metal, or in stone; and because that which he was hoping for was not to come about in the near future but was reserved to be fulfilled at the end of time, therefore he adds, who will grant that they may be engraved in a book with an iron pen — as it were by some impression made in leather — or, if this is too little, by an impression made more strongly on a sheet of lead, or, if this too seems too little, that they may surely be carved with an iron pen into flint? Now what these words are, which he wished to be preserved with such great care, he shows by adding, for I know that my Redeemer lives, and he pointedly assigns this in the manner of a cause: for we are not careful to commit to memory those things which we do not hold as certain, and therefore he pointedly says, for I know, namely, through the certitude of faith. Now this hope concerns the glory of the future resurrection, regarding which he first assigns the cause when he says, my Redeemer lives. Here it must be considered that man, who had been constituted immortal by God, incurred death through sin, according to that saying of Romans 5:12, by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin, death — from which sin indeed the human race was to be redeemed through Christ, which Job foresaw through the spirit of faith. Now Christ redeemed us from sin through death, dying for us; but he did not die in such a way that death swallowed him up, because although he died according to his humanity, he could not die according to his divinity; and from the life of the divinity even the humanity was restored to life by rising again, according to that saying of 2 Corinthians, the last chapter, for although he was crucified out of our weakness, yet he lives by the power of God; and the life of Christ rising will be diffused to all men in the common resurrection, whence the Apostle adds in the same place: for we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God in us; whence also the Lord says in Job 5:25 — the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they who hear shall live: for as the Father has life in himself, so has he given to the Son also to have life in himself. The primordial cause of human resurrection, therefore, is the life of the Son of God, which did not take its beginning from Mary, as the Ebionites said, but always was, according to that saying of Hebrews, the last chapter, Jesus Christ, yesterday and today, the same also forever; and therefore he pointedly does not say, my Redeemer will live, but lives. And from this cause he foretells the future resurrection, determining its time, when he adds, and on the last day I shall rise again from the earth, where it must be considered that certain persons, positing that the motion of the heavens and this present state of the world will endure forever, held that after certain revolutions of years, the stars returning to the same positions, dead men would be restored to life; but since a day is caused by the motion of the heavens, if the motion of the heavens should endure forever there would be no last day: and therefore, to remove the aforesaid error, he pointedly says, on the last day, and this agrees with the saying of the Lord, who says in John 6:40, I will raise him up on the last day. There were others who said that men will rise again resuming not earthly but certain celestial bodies; but to exclude this he adds, and again I shall be surrounded with my skin, which he says pointedly because he had said above that only the skin remained around his bones; and from this very manner of speaking he assigns the reason for the resurrection, namely, lest the soul should always remain stripped of its own garment. Again, there were others who said that the soul would resume the same body it had laid down, but under the same condition, namely so that it would need food and drink and would carry out the other fleshly works of this life; but this he excludes by adding, and in my flesh I shall see God. For it is manifest that the flesh of man, according to the state of the present life, is corruptible; but the body which is corrupted weighs down the soul, as is said in Wisdom 9:15, and therefore no one living in this mortal flesh can see God; but the flesh which the soul will resume in the resurrection will indeed be the same in substance, but will have incorruption by a divine gift, according to that saying of the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:53, this corruptible must put on incorruption; and therefore that flesh will be of such a condition that it will in no way impede the soul from being able to see God, but will be entirely subject to it. Not knowing this, Porphyry said that, in order for the soul to become blessed, every body must be fled from, as though it were the soul that would see God, not the man; and to exclude this he adds, whom I myself shall see, as if to say: not only my soul will see God, but I myself, who subsist from soul and body. And to show that the body too will in its own way be a partaker of that vision, he adds, and my eyes shall behold — not because the eyes of the body will see the divine essence, but because the eyes of the body will see God made man; they will also see the glory of God shining forth in the creature, according to Augustine at the end of the City of God. And so that man might be believed to be restored to see God the same not only in species but in number, he adds, and not another, namely in number, lest it be believed that he expects such a restoration of life as Aristotle describes in the second book of On Generation, saying that whatsoever things are of corruptible substance, when set in motion, are repeated the same in species, not the same in number. These things having thus been premised concerning the cause of the resurrection, its time and manner, and the glory of the one rising and the identity of the same, he adds, this my hope is laid up in my bosom, as if to say: my hope is not in earthly things, which you vainly promise, but in the future glory of the resurrection. He pointedly says, it is laid up in my bosom, to show that he held this hope not merely in words but hidden in his heart — not doubtful but most firm, not as something cheap but as something most precious: for what is hidden in the bosom is kept in secret, and is firmly preserved, and is reckoned dear. Thus, then, the loftiness of his hope which he had concerning God having been shown, he excludes their calumnies which they sought against him, as though he had cast aside hope in God and fear of him because he did not place his hope in temporal things; hence he adds, why then do you now say: let us persecute him, namely, as one despairing of God or not fearing God, and let us find a root of the matter against him — by disproving my words as though I had denied the providence of God? Which I do not deny, but assert, saying that rewards and punishments are prepared by God for men even after this life; and therefore he adds, flee then from the face of the sword, that is, of the divine vengeance reserved for you in the future life, although you flourish in temporal prosperity, since the sword is the avenger of iniquities, that is, the vengeance which he himself will properly bring after death; and know that there is a judgment, not only in this life but also after this life, in the resurrection of the good and the wicked.”