“ Ayub seems to have, so far, at least, discerned between the Almighty and the god- ling Satan as to feel that any paltering with the latter would be fatal to him.
19. Only two things do not against me, then I shall not be hidden from thy presence : Remove thy hand from off me ; and thy terror shall not overwhelm me. But call and I will reply, or I will speak and do Thou restore me.
20. For what are my crimes and shortcomings ? Shew me my transgression and my failure. Why wilt Thou turn away Thy face and count me as Thine enemy? Wilt shake a leaf driven by the wind, and hunt a dry straw? ”

“ Eliphaz seems to regard this as a heartless exposure of the woes of mankind, which it is useless to drag into the light ; a wanton mockery of human nature and an exposure of its nakedness as it were. Eliphaz seems to be of the very common opinion that mankind ought to be pitied for their misfortunes and treated gently ; whereas the true attitude of the understanding is rather to treat all the troubles of this mortal life as mere childish trifles, which man when he comes to maturity will rise above and forget as he does the mishaps and trials of childhood. ”

“ Darkness is a stone, and so is the shadow of death ; a torrent that breaks over the stranger. Those who lose foothold lack manhood and staunchness.
13. THE EARTH ! Out of her grows food. Underneath she is spinning like fire. Her stones are the home of the sapphire, and her dust is gold. ”

“ For there is hope for a tree, if it shall be cut down and again spring up, that its suckers will not fail ; though its root grow old in the earth, and the trunk perish in the dust ; at the scent of water it will burst forth and yield fruit as a plantation. ”

“ Is it by thine understanding that the hawk hovers, spreading out his wings to the South wind ? Or will the vulture mount at thy bidding, and make her nest on high ? The precipice is her abode, and she hangs on the fang and snare of the rock. There she will feel the sting of hunger, from afar her eye will make search ; and her brood will guzzle blood, and where the wounded fall there is she.
27. And Jehovah answered Ayub, and said : He who impeaches a mighty one is a censor. One who criticises God shall answer it. ”

“ Why does He give light to the wretched, and life to the bitter of soul ? Who long for death and find it not, and dig for it among hidden things ; who rejoice and dance in ecstasy, who are exultant when they find a grave. ”

“ Can one who hates justice govern? And will you condemn the Just and Great ; tell a king he is profitless, and nobles they are evil ? Such as lift not up the face of leaders, and repudiate not the wealthy in the presence of the feeble ? When everything is the work of His hand ! ”

“ For there is a vein for silver, and a place for gold, where they will wash it out. Iron is got from earth, and copper is smelted from stone. He sets a limit for darkness,, and all perfection he searches out. ”

“ And when He hides His face, who will go to Him, either on behalf of a nation or on behalf of an individual ; because of a king who is a profane fellow, a snare of the people ?
14. For to God one should say: I was at fault; I am not wilfully perverse. That I see not, shew Thou. If I wrought perversity I will not add to it. Did he recompense according to Thy mind ? It is for Thee to reject ; for Thou puttest to the test, not I. And who can see anything?
15. Men of heart will say to me ; and hear me, oh, wise man. Ayub has not spoken intelligently, and his words are thoughtless. ”

“ The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, the face of her judges he covers. If not, who is this ?
11. My days are swifter than a runner; they fleet by, they see no good. They glide away like vessels of reed ; as an eagle swoops upon its prey. ”

“ Far be evil from God, and perversity from the Almighty! For the works of man He will requite to him, and according to a man's ways He will see him repaid. Assuredly then God will not foster disorder nor the Almighty pervert judgment.
7. Who overlooks His management of the earth, and who set in order the habitable globe ? If He shall set His heart upon him, collect upon him his spirit and his breath ; all flesh will expire together, and man will return to dust : and if you will attend to Understanding, hear this which is the matter of my discourse. ”

“ At a precipice it stretches out its hand. It overturns mountains from the roots. Among stones it cleaves rivers, and its eye sees every difficulty. It binds up rivers that they flow not. And secrets it expels like light. ”

“ Against Ayub was his anger kindled, because he justified his life rather than the Unseen Powers. And against his three friends his wrath burned, inasmuch as they found no answer, and yet exclaimed against Ayub.
3. And Elihu had waited for Ayub while he was speaking,
40. Will my land cry out ? St. Paul says, There are, it may be, so many voices in the Universe, and nothing voiceless. To credit inanimate objects with indifference because they betray no sign of feeling, is merely to shew the ignorant heartlessness of childhood. ”

“ Will you set up your heart, and spread out your hands to Him ? Is vanity in your hand ? Put it away and it will not cause the wicked to dwell in your tent. For
several meanings, e.g., " My way of taking things is simple and plain," and so not open to blame. The usual rendering, " My doctrine is pure," seems very wide of the mark, as Ayub has made no endeavour to teach any one, and his attitude suggests the words, " Si rixa est ubi tu pulsas ego vapulo tantum."
2. Wisdom is manifold; Gesenius renders it "God's wisdom has double folds." ”

“ Have your sons been wanting towards Him, and He cast them down by the hand of sinners Are YOU seeking to the strong, and respectful to the Almighty ? Are YOU pure and upright that now you should awake compassion over you, and an abode should be secured you as your right ? ”

“ They will rise at the light; eagerly they will cut the afflicted and needy, and at night they will be like thieves. And their eye commits adultery ; it watches for evening to say, No eye will see me ; and they set their face in secret. ”

“ The righteous will see and rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh over him. Have not those who have risen up against us been disowned, and has not fire devoured their cords? Dwell, I pray you, with him and be at peace, receive instruction from his mouth, and lay his words to heart. ”

“ Gesenius gives weariness, tiring labour, hence wealth derived from labour. Ayub contended in his last speech that temporal prosperity is worthless, and the favour of the Almighty the only thing worth striving for. Eliphaz entreats him to give up so hopeless a position, and treat the Almighty as men treat the rock from which they extract the precious metals, i.e., as quite unfeeling and impersonal, a source of wealth to the industrious, but quite incapable of any sympathy with man. ”

“ Who overturns mountains, and they perceive not how He has turned them in His anger. Who shakes the earth from her place, and her pillars are broken.
3. Who speaks to the sun and it rises not, and seals up the stars. Who stretches out the heavens alone, and treads upon the heights of the sea.
4. He made the Wain, Orion, and the Pleiades ; and
io. Bildad seems to exhort Ayub to humble himself before it is too late, and to lay aside his presumption, so that he may not be found among those previously described. ”

“ In a moment they will die, and arrows by night will strike down a people, and mighty ones will pass by and be removed without hand. For His eye is upon man's way, and He will see his every step ; there is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of vanity may be hidden. ”

“ The idea is evidently to express that what appears chance or accident to us is no more accidental in reality than the wind before which the husbandman sifts his grain in order that the chaff may be separated from it. The so-called winnowing-fan is not used to make the wind, but as a basket or shovel for the mingled chaff and grain ”

“ This respect of persons is hateful to God, and those who intimidate will receive their portion from Shaddai. Even if his sons are multiplied it is for the sword, and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread ; those who survive will be overwhelmed by death, and his widows will not weep.
7. Though he heap up silver like dust, and prepare raiment like foam ; he shall prepare and the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide the silver.
8. He builds a house like the moth, and like a garden- watcher's booth. Rich he will lie down, and it will not be gathered ”

“ Wilt thou confide in him because his strength is great, and leave to him thy labour? Wilt thou trust him to bring in thy produce, and gather it to thy threshing floor ?
23. The wing of song-birds exults ; will the feathers and pinions of the pious ostrich do the like ? For she will leave her eggs to the earth, and hatch them upon the dust; and forgets that the foot will press, and the beast of the field trample. She is hardened against her offspring and disowns them ; she labours fruitlessly, and yet she has no fear. For God has stilled for her the voice of wisdom, .and has given ”