To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?

“"Death is rest for man." This is what Job declares. Now if death brings rest, why don't the majority of people rush to it? Because God has made life desirable in order to prevent us from running to death. "Its way is hidden." In my opinion Job is speaking about death, but by pretending that his words are about the way of humankind. This indicates that Job's words concerning death are what has been said before, especially in the expression, "they dig for it more than for hidden treasures," things that are evidently hidden. Our future is unknown, Job says. We do not uncover it. Please do not speak to me about those who hang themselves, because Job speaks about what conforms to nature and the commandments of God. "God has surrounded it," he says, "with a wall." As the gospel states, "The day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night." To avoid the response, "Why do you not choose death?" Job answers, "The Lord has surrounded it with a wall." Its doors are closed.”

“Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath encompassed with darkness? For 'man's way is hid to him,' in that though he already takes cognizance of the kind of life that he is leading, he does not yet know to what issue it tends. Though his affections are now fixed on things above, though he seeks them with all his longings, he is yet ignorant whether he shall persevere in the same longings. For forsaking our sins we strive after righteousness, and we know whence we are come, but we know nothing whereunto we may arrive. We know what we were yesterday, but we cannot tell what we may chance to be to-morrow. 'Man's way then is hid to him,' in that he so sets the foot of his labour, that, this notwithstanding, he can never foresee the issue of the accomplishment thereof. Now there is also another 'hiding of our way.' For there are times when we are ignorant, whether the very things which we believe we do aright, are rightly done in the strict Judge's eye. For, as we have also said a long way above, it often happens that an action of ours, which is cause for our condemnation, passes with us for the aggrandizement of virtue. Often by the same act, whereby we think to appease the Judge, He is urged to anger, when favourable. As Solomon bears witness, saying, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. Hence, whilst holy men are getting the mastery over their evil habits, their very good practices even become an object of dread to them, lest, when they desire to do a good action, they be decoyed by a semblance of the thing, lest the baleful canker of corruption lurk under the fair appearance of a goodly colour. For they know that they are still charged with the burthen of corruption, and cannot exactly discern the things that be good. And when they bring before their eyes the standard of the final Judgment, there are times when they fear the very things which they approve in themselves; and indeed they are in mind wholly intent on the concerns of the interior, yet alarmed from uncertainty about their doings, they know not whither they are going. Hence after he had said, Wherefore is light given to one that is in misery? it is with propriety added, to a man whose way is hid? As though the words were, 'Why has that man this life's success for his portion, who knows not of his course of conduct, in what esteem it is held by his Judge. And it is rightly subjoined, And whom God hath encompassed with darkness. For man is 'encompassed with darkness,' since howsoever he may burn with heavenly longings, he is ignorant how it goes with him in the interior. And he is in great fear lest aught concerning himself should meet him in the Judgment, which is now hidden from himself in the aspirations of holy fervour. 'Man is encompassed with darkness,' in that he is closed in by the clouds of his own ignorance. Is not that man 'encompassed with darkness,' who most often neither remembers the past, nor finds out the future, and scarce knows the present? That wise man had seen himself to be encompassed with darkness, when he said, And with labour do we find the things that are before us; but the things that are in heaven who shall search out? The Prophet beheld himself 'encompassed with' such 'darkness,' when he was unable to discover the interior springs of His inmost economy, saying, He made darkness His secret place. For the Author of our being, in that, when we were cast out into this place of exile, He took from us the light of His vision, buried Himself from our eyes as it were 'in the secret place of darkness.' Now as often as we attentively regard this same darkness of our blind estate, we stir up the mind to lamentation. For it weeps for the state of blindness, which it is under without, if it remember in humility that it is bereft of light in the interior, and when it looks to the darkness which surrounds it, it is wrung with ardent longing for the inward brightness, and rent with thought's whole effort, and that light above, which as soon as created it relinquished, now debarred, it makes the object of its search. Whence it very often happens that that radiance of inward joy bursts out amidst those very tears of piety; and that the mind, which had lain torpid in a state of blindness, being fed with sighs, receives strength to gaze at the interior brightness.”

“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.”

“Why is light given to a man whose way is hid,.... Some of the Jewish writers connect this with Job 3:22, thus; "who rejoice and are glad when they find a grave for a man", &c. but it should be observed that such are said to rejoice at finding a grave, not for others, but for themselves; the words stand in better connection with Job 3:20, from whence the supplement is taken in our version and others; and so it is a continuation or repetition of the expostulation why light and life, or the light of the living, should be given to persons as before described, and here more largely; and Job himself is principally designed, as is generally thought, whose way, according to him, was hid from the Lord, neglected and not cared for by him but overlooked and slighted, and no regard had to the injuries done him, as the church also complains, Isa 40:27; or front whom the way of the Lord was hid; his way in the present afflictive dispensations of Providence, the causes and reasons of which he could not understand; not being conscious of any notorious sin committed, indulged, and continued in, that should bring these troubles on him: or the good and right way was hid from him in which he should walk; he was at a loss to know which was that way, since by his afflictions he was ready to conclude that the way he had been walking in was not the right, and all his religion was in vain; and according to this sense he laboured under the same temptation as Asaph did, Psa 73:13; or his way of escape out of his present troubles was unknown to him; he saw no way open for him, but shut up on every side: or there was no way for others to come to him, at least they cared not for it; he who had used to have a large levee, some to have his counsel and advice, and to be instructed by him, others to ask relief of him, and many of the highest rank and figure to visit, caress, and compliment him; but now all had forsaken him, his brethren and acquaintance, and his kinsfolk and familiar friends kept at a distance from him, as if they knew not the way to him: and whom God hath hedged in? not with the hedge of his power, providence, and protection, as before; but with thorns and afflictions, and in such manner as he could not get out, or extricate himself; all avenues and ways of escape being blocked up, see Lam 3:7; though, after all, the words may be considered as a concession, and as descriptive of a man the reverse of himself, and be supplied thus; "indeed light may be given to a man", a mighty man, as the word (e) signifies, a man strong, hale, and robust; "whose way is hid", or "covered" (f); who is hid in the secret of God's presence, and in the pavilion of his power; who dwells in his secret place, and under the shadow of the Almighty, Psa 31:20; who is under the shelter of his providence, preserved from diseases of body, and protected from the plunder and depredations of enemies, and enjoys great affluence and prosperity, as his three friends about him did, and whom he may point at: "and whom God hath hedged in"; as he had formerly set a hedge about him in his providence, though now he had plucked it up; see Job 1:10. (e) "emphatice ponitur saepe, ut notetur praepollentia", Coccei. Lexic in rad (f) "tecta", Cocceius; "velo septa est", Schultens.”

“To. Why is life given to? &c. The uncertainty whether a man be worthy of love or hatred, (Ecclesiastes ix. 1.) and whether he will persevere to the end, is what fills Job with distress; though we must trust that God will suffer none to be tempted above their strength, 1 Corinthians x. 13. — He finds himself surrounded with precipices, and in the dark. (Calmet) — So God often tries his faithful servants. (Du Hamel)”