Thomas Aquinas, on Job 20:8

“As a dream that fleeth away he shall not be found, he shall pass as a vision of the night:”

“To show his dejection is irreparable he then says "Like a dream flying away he will not be found," for as a bird flying away easily disappears from the eyes of men, so also dreams easily disappear from human knowledge. As little or no trace remains of them, nor does there exist any testimony by which it could be brought back if it is lost, his knowledge passes away irreparably. Sophar likewise gives one to understand that the downfall of the wicked is irreparable. He shows the causes of this irreparability are many. First, on the part of the sinner himself who perishes, and so the text says, "he will pass away like a vision in the night," which is a vision of sense image which is not lasting, and so after he loses it, it cannot return. A vision during the day is of something permanent, which if someone has ceased to see it, he can run back to see it again. In the same way, as long as he remains a sinner, if adversity should come to him, he can hope for recovery. But when he passes out of this life, there is not further hope for recovery.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.