Let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof: let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day:

“HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION. Let the stars be darkened with the shadow thereof. In Holy Scripture by the title of stars we have set forth sometimes the righteousness of the Saints which shineth in the darkness of this life, and sometimes the false pretence of hypocrites, who display all the good that they do, that they may win the praise of men; for if well doers were not stars, Paul would never say to his disciples, In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine like lights in the world. Again, if among those that seem to act aright, there were not some that sought by their conduct to win the reward of man's esteem, John would never have seen stars falling from heaven, where he says, The dragon put forth his tail, and drew the third part of the stars of heaven. Now a portion of the stars is drawn by the dragon's tail, in that, in the last efforts of Antichrist to win men, some that appear to shine will be carried off. For to draw the stars of heaven to the earth is by the love of earth to involve those in the froward ways of open error, who seem to be devoted to the pursuit of the heavenly life. For there are that as it were shine before the eyes of men by extraordinary deeds; but forasmuch as these very deeds are not the offspring of a pure heart, being struck blind in their secret thoughts, they are clouded with the darkness of this night, and these often lose the more outward deeds, which they do not practise with any purity of heart. And so because the night is permitted to prevail, whenever even amidst good works the purpose of the heart is not cleansed, let it be said with justice, Let the stars be dark with the shadow thereof; i.e. 'let the dark malice of our old enemy prevail against those who in the sight of men shew as bright by good works, and that light of praise, which in the eye of man's judgment they had taken, let them lay aside;' for they are 'overshadowed with the darkness of night,' when their life is brought to shame by open error, so that verily they may also appear outwardly such in practice, as they do not shrink from appearing to the Divine eye in their secret hearts. Let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day. In the Gospel Truth declares, I am the light of the world. Now as this same Saviour of us men is one Person with the assembly of the good, for He is Himself the Head of the Body, and we all are the Body of this Head, so our old enemy is one person with the whole company of the damned; in that he as a head out-tops them all in iniquity, and they, whilst they minister in the things he prompts, hold fast to him like a body joined below to the head. And so it is meet that all that is said of this night, i.e. of our old enemy, should be applied to his body, i.e. to all wicked persons. Wherefore because our Redeemer is the light of mankind, how is it that it is said of this night, Let it look for light, and have none; but that there are some, who exhibit themselves as maintaining by words that faith, which they undo by works? Of whom Paul saith, They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him; with these, indeed, either the things which they do are bad, or they follow after good deeds with no good heart. For they do not seek everlasting rewards as the fruit of their actions, but transitory partiality. And yet, because they hear themselves praised as Saints, they believe themselves to be really Saints, and in proportion as they account themselves unblameable according to the esteem they are in with numbers, they await in greater security the Day of strict account. Of whom the Prophet well says, Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord. To these blessed Job utters the sentence due to them, saying in the temper of one foretelling the thing, and not as the wish of one that desired it, Let it look for light, but have none. For that night, I mean the adversary of darkness, in his members doth look for the light, but seeth none; in that whether it be they who retain the faith without works, these, trusting that they may be saved at the final Judgment by right of the same faith, will find their hope prove vain, because by their life they have undone the faith, which in the confession of the lips they have maintained; or they, who for the sake of human applause make a display of themselves in doing well, they vainly look for a reward of their good deeds at the hand of the Judge, when He cometh; for that whereas they do them out of regard to the notoriety of praise, they have already had their reward from the lips of men. As the Truth testifies, Which saith, Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. Neither let it see the dawning of the day. For the dawn is the title of the Church, which is changed from the darkness of its sins into the light of righteousness. And hence the Spouse, admiring her in the Song of Solomon, saith, Who is she that goeth forth as the morning arising? for like the dawn doth the Church of the Elect arise, in that she quits the darkness of her former iniquity, and converts herself into the radiance of new light. Therefore in that light, which is manifested at the coming of the strict Judge, the body of our enemy when condemned seeth no dayspring of the rising dawn, in that when the strict Judge shall come, every sinner, being overlaid with the blackness of his own deserts, knows not with what wondrous splendour Holy Church rises into the interior light of the heart. For then the mind of the Elect is transported on high, to be illuminated with the rays of the Divine Nature, and in the degree that it is penetrated with the light of that Countenance, it is lifted above itself in the refulgence of grace. Then doth Holy Church become a full dawn, when she parts wholly and for ever with the darkness of her state of mortality and ignorance. Thus at the Judgment she is still the dawn, but in the Kingdom she is become the day. For though together with the renewal of our bodies she already begins to behold the light at the Judgment, yet her vision thereof is more fully consummated in the Kingdom. Thus the rising of the dawn is the commencement of the Church in light, which the reprobate can never see, because they are closed in upon and forced down to darkness by the weight of their evil deeds from the sight of the Righteous Judge. And hence it is rightly said by the Prophet, Let the wicked be taken out of the way, that he see not the glory of God. It is hence that these words are uttered by the Psalmist concerning this dawn, Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy Presence from the pride of men. For every Elect one at the Judgment is hid in the countenance of the Godhead in interior vision, whereas the blindness of the reprobate without is banished and confounded by the strict visitation of justice. And this too we not irrelevantly interpret with reference to the present time likewise, if we minutely search the hearts of dissemblers. For the proud and hypocritical look on the deeds of the good on the outside, and they find that such are commended by men for their doings, and they admire their high repute, and they see that these receive praises for their good deeds, but they do not see how studiously they eschew such praises; they regard the overt acts, but are ignorant that these proceed from the principle of the interior hope alone. For all that shine with the true light of righteousness are first changed from the darkness of the inward purpose of the heart, so that they wholly forsake the interior dimness of earthly coveting, and entirely turn their hearts to the desire of the light above, lest while they seem to be full of light to others, they be in darkness to themselves; thus persons that assume, because they regard the deeds of the righteous, but do not survey their hearts, imitate them in the things from whence they may obtain applause without, but not in the things whereby they may inwardly arise to the light of righteousness; and they as it were are blind to see the dayspring of the rising dawn, because they do not think it worth their while to regard the religious mind's intent. ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION. Let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day. The holy man, who was filled with the virtue of the prophetic Spirit, may also have his eye fixed upon the faithlessness of Judaea at the coming of the Redeemer, and in these words he may be speaking prophetically of the mischievous effects of her blindness, as though in the character of one expressing a wish, so as to say, Let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day. For Judaea 'looked for the light but had none;' since by prophecy she waited indeed for the Redeemer of Man that should come, but never knew Him when He came; and the eyes of the mind, which she opened wide to the expectation, she closed to the presence of the Light; neither did she see the dayspring of the rising dawn, in that she scorned to pay homage to those first beginnings of Holy Church, and while she supposed her to be undone by the deaths of her members, was ignorant to what strength she was attaining. MORAL INTERPRETATION. Let the stars thereof be overshadowed with darkness. For the stars of this night are overshadowed with darkness, when even they that already shine with great virtues, still bear something of the dimness of sin, while they struggle against it, so that they even shine with great lustre of life, and yet still draw along with unwillingness some remains of the night. Which as we have said is done with this view, that the mind in advancing to the eminence of its righteousness, may through weakness be the better strengthened, and may in a more genuine manner shine in goodness by the same cause, whereby, to the humbling of it, little defects overcloud it even against its will. And hence when the land of promise now won was to be divided to the people of Israel, the Gentile people of Canaan are not said to be slain, but to be made tributary to the tribe of Ephraim; as it is written, The Canaanites dwelt in the midst of Ephraim under tribute. For what does the Canaanite, a Gentile people, denote saving a fault? And oftentimes we enter the land of promise with great virtues, because we are strengthened by the inward hope that regards eternity. But while, amidst lofty deeds, we retain certain small faults, we as it were permit the Canaanite to dwell in our land. Yet he is made tributary, in that this same fault, which we cannot bring under, we force back by humility to answer the end of our wellbeing, that the mind may think meanly of itself even in its highest excellencies, in proportion as it fails to master by its own strength even the small things that it aims at. Hence it is well written again, Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them. For it is for this that some of our least faults are retained, that our fixed mind may ever be practising itself heedfully to the conflict, and not presume upon victory, forasmuch as it sees enemies yet alive within it, by whom it still dreads to be overcome. Thus Israel is trained by the Gentile people being reserved, in that the uplifting of our goodness meets with a check in some very little faults, and learns, in the little things that withstand it, that it does not subdue the greater ones by itself. Yet this that is said, Let the stars thereof be overshadowed with darkness, may also be understood in another sense; for that night, viz. consent to the sin, which was derived to us by the transgression of our first parent, has smitten our mind's eye with such a dimness, that in this life's exile, beset by the darkness of its blinded state, with whatever force it strain after the light of eternity, it is unable to pierce through; for we are born condemned sinners after punishment has begun, and we come into this life together with the desert of our death, and when we lift up the eye of the mind to that beam of light above, we grow dark with the mere dimness of our natural infirmity. And indeed many in this feeble condition of the flesh have been made strong by so great a force of virtue, that they could shine like stars in the world. Many in the darkness of this present life, while they shew forth in themselves examples above our reach, shine upon us from on high after the manner of stars; but with whatsoever brilliancy of practice they shine, with whatever fire of compunction they enkindle their hearts, it is plain that while they still bear the load of this corruptible flesh, they are unable to behold the light of eternity such as it is. So then let him say, Let the stars thereof be overshadowed with darkness; i.e. 'let even those in their contemplations still feel the darkness of the old night, of whom it appears that they already spread the rays of their virtues over the human race in the darkness of this life, seeing that, though they already spring to the topmost height in thought, they are yet pressed down below by the weight of the first offence. And hence it comes to pass that at the same time that without they give specimens of light, like the stars, yet within, being closely encompassed by the darkness of night, they fail to mount up to the assuredness of an immoveable vision. Now the mind is often so kindled and inflamed, that, though it be still set in the flesh, it is transported into God, and every carnal imagination brought under; and yet not so that it beholds God as He is, in that, as we have said, the weight of the original condemnation presses upon it in corruptible flesh. Oftentimes it longs to be swallowed up, just as it is, that if it might be so, it might attain the eternal life without the intervention of the bodily death. Hence Paul, when he ardently sought for the inward light, yet in some sort dreaded the evils of the outward death, said, For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burthened, for that we would not be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Therefore holy men long to see the true dawn, and, if it were vouchsafed, they would even along with the body attain that deep of inmost light. But with whatever ardour of purpose they may spring forth, the old night still weighs upon them, and those eyes of our corruptible flesh, which the crafty enemy has opened to concupiscence, the just Judge holds back from the view of His inward radiance. Let it look for light and have none, neither let it see the dawning of the day. For with whatever strength of purpose the mind, while yet in this pilgrimage, labours to see the Light as It is, the power is withheld, in that this is hidden from it by the blindness of its state under the curse. But the rising of the dawn, is that new birth of the Resurrection, whereby Holy Church, with the flesh too raised up, rises to contemplate the sight of Eternity; for if the very Resurrection of our flesh were not as it were a kind of birth, Truth would never have said of it, In the Regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of His glory. This then, which He called a regeneration, He beheld as a rising. But with whatever virtue the Elect now shine forth, they cannot pierce to see what will be that glory of the new birth, wherewith they will then mount up together with the flesh to contemplate the sight of Eternity. Hence Paul says, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. Let him say then, Let it look for light and have none, neither let it see the dawning of the day. For our frail nature, darkened by its spontaneous fault, penetrates not the brightness of inward light, unless it first discharge its debt of punishment by death.”

“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.”

“Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark,.... Either of the morning or evening twilight; both may be meant, rather the latter, because of the following clause; the sense is, let not these appear to adorn the heavens, and to relieve the darkness of the night, and make it more pleasant and delightful, as well as to be useful to travellers and sailors: let it look for light, but have none; that is, either for the light of the moon and stars, to shine in the night till daybreak, or for the light of the sun at the time when it arises; but let it have neither; let the whole time, from sun setting to sunrising, from one twilight to another, be one continued gross and horrible darkness; here, by a strong and beautiful figure, looking is ascribed to the night: neither let it see the dawning of the day; or, "let it not see the eyelids of the morning" (l), or what we call "peep of day"; here, in very elegant language, the dawn of morning light is expressed, which is like the opening of an eye and its lids, quick and vibrating, when light is let in and perceived; or this may be interpreted of the sun, the eye of the morning and of light, and of its rays, which, when first darted, are like the opening of the eyelids. (l) "palpebras aurorae", Montanus, Mercerus, &c.”