A paraphrase on the Book of Job As likewise on the Songs of Moses, Deborah, David: On Four Select Psalms: Some Chapters of Isaiah, and the Third Chapter of Habakkuk. By Sir Richard Blackmore |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
Ch. XXIV.
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| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
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| LIII. |
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Ch. XXIV.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job |  |
Ch. XXIV.
Why do my Friends Erroneous Doctrines teach
That certain Sufferings here the Wicked reach?
God does conceal the Times and Seasons when
His Vengeance shall destroy flagitious Men.
Ev'n those who most his righteous Laws obey,
And mark with care his Providential way,
Are unacquainted with his Judgment Day.
They know of no determin'd, certain Times,
When he will visit Mens provoking Crimes.
That certain Sufferings here the Wicked reach?
God does conceal the Times and Seasons when
His Vengeance shall destroy flagitious Men.
Ev'n those who most his righteous Laws obey,
And mark with care his Providential way,
Are unacquainted with his Judgment Day.
They know of no determin'd, certain Times,
When he will visit Mens provoking Crimes.
Some Men remove with their perfidious Hands,
The Marks that bound appropriated Lands.
They take their Neighbours Goats from off the Rocks,
And from the Airy Downs their Woolly Flocks.
With wicked Spoils they feast their Luxury,
And gorg'd with Rapine on their Couches lye.
They the poor Widow of her Ox defraud,
They rob the Orphan, and the Deed applaud.
These Robbers scare the Helpless from their way,
Who leave the Road, and o'er the Forrest stray.
Th' affrighted Trav'llers to the Mountains fly,
And to escape their Rage in Caverns lye.
The Marks that bound appropriated Lands.
They take their Neighbours Goats from off the Rocks,
And from the Airy Downs their Woolly Flocks.
With wicked Spoils they feast their Luxury,
And gorg'd with Rapine on their Couches lye.
106
They rob the Orphan, and the Deed applaud.
These Robbers scare the Helpless from their way,
Who leave the Road, and o'er the Forrest stray.
Th' affrighted Trav'llers to the Mountains fly,
And to escape their Rage in Caverns lye.
Other vile Men frequented Towns forsake,
And their Abode in desart Places make.
Where Wild and Salvage grown, at Dawn of Day
They leave their secret Dens to hunt their Prey.
These Men by Plunder and by Rapine thrive
And in a Wilderness in Plenty live.
They suddain Inroads on their Neighbours make,
And from their Fields by Force their Harvest take.
They from another's Vine the Clusters tear
And the rich Spoil to their own Presses bear.
To their Strong-Holds their Booty they convey;
They strip the Lab'rers, make them naked stray,
Expos'd to Cold by Night, to Heat by Day.
The Wretches when they hear a Tempest rise,
And see the gath'ring Clouds o'erspred the Skies,
To neighb'ring Rocks their Flight for Refuge bend;
Their craggy Arms the friendly Rocks extend;
Embrace, and hide them in their Clefts, and show
Less hardness than the cruel Robbers do.
And their Abode in desart Places make.
Where Wild and Salvage grown, at Dawn of Day
They leave their secret Dens to hunt their Prey.
These Men by Plunder and by Rapine thrive
And in a Wilderness in Plenty live.
They suddain Inroads on their Neighbours make,
And from their Fields by Force their Harvest take.
They from another's Vine the Clusters tear
And the rich Spoil to their own Presses bear.
To their Strong-Holds their Booty they convey;
They strip the Lab'rers, make them naked stray,
Expos'd to Cold by Night, to Heat by Day.
The Wretches when they hear a Tempest rise,
And see the gath'ring Clouds o'erspred the Skies,
To neighb'ring Rocks their Flight for Refuge bend;
Their craggy Arms the friendly Rocks extend;
Embrace, and hide them in their Clefts, and show
Less hardness than the cruel Robbers do.
Besides their Substance, which they make their Prey,
By Force they take the Owners too away:
For from their Coverts they Incursions make
Into the Country round, and Captives take
Poor Herdsmen, Trav'llers, lab'ring Swains, and wrest
The struggling Infant from the Nurse's Breast.
They lead them stript and starving to their Caves,
And treat the helpless Creatures, as their Slaves.
Tho' their ill-gotten Substance be immense,
Yet they despoil with salvage Violence
Their hungry Captives of that little Fruit
Which they had glean'd their Vigour to recruit.
They make them labour in their Olive-yard,
But with redoubled Stripes their toil reward.
They ne'er permit them who their Vineyards dress,
And tread the swelling Clusters in the Press,
To take, tho' faint, a Grape from off the Vine,
Or tast, tho' fry'd with Heat, one drop of Wine.
These desp'rate Outlaws distant Towns invade,
Their cruel Yoke is on whole Cities laid.
In whose sad Streets the suff'ring People groan,
And make, like wounded Men, a dismal Moan.
By Force they take the Owners too away:
107
Into the Country round, and Captives take
Poor Herdsmen, Trav'llers, lab'ring Swains, and wrest
The struggling Infant from the Nurse's Breast.
They lead them stript and starving to their Caves,
And treat the helpless Creatures, as their Slaves.
Tho' their ill-gotten Substance be immense,
Yet they despoil with salvage Violence
Their hungry Captives of that little Fruit
Which they had glean'd their Vigour to recruit.
They make them labour in their Olive-yard,
But with redoubled Stripes their toil reward.
They ne'er permit them who their Vineyards dress,
And tread the swelling Clusters in the Press,
To take, tho' faint, a Grape from off the Vine,
Or tast, tho' fry'd with Heat, one drop of Wine.
These desp'rate Outlaws distant Towns invade,
Their cruel Yoke is on whole Cities laid.
In whose sad Streets the suff'ring People groan,
And make, like wounded Men, a dismal Moan.
There is, besides this more audacious Race,
Whose open Crimes the Noon-day Sun out-face;
A sort of secret Sinners, who require
Darkness to hide them, and from Light retire.
For instance, at th' uncertain Dawn of Day,
The lurking Murd'rer does his Neighbour slay.
Then full of Fear away th' Assassin flies,
And all the Day in some close Covert lies.
Then turning Thief, by Night he comes abroad,
And with stoll'n Substance does his Shoulders load.
His guilty Joys th' Adulterer delays,
And for the Evening's doubtful Twilight stays.
To pass unseen he muffles up his Head,
And steals in secret to the Harlot's Bed.
Hot with unbridled Flames, he in the Dark
Breaks Houses up, on which he set his mark
The Day before, where to asswage his Lust;
But he can only to the Darkness trust:
Before the Morn returns, he takes his Flight,
He hates the Day, and courts the welcome Night.
For if discover'd, all the marks of Fear
And Consternation, in his Looks appear.
Whose open Crimes the Noon-day Sun out-face;
A sort of secret Sinners, who require
Darkness to hide them, and from Light retire.
For instance, at th' uncertain Dawn of Day,
The lurking Murd'rer does his Neighbour slay.
Then full of Fear away th' Assassin flies,
And all the Day in some close Covert lies.
108
And with stoll'n Substance does his Shoulders load.
His guilty Joys th' Adulterer delays,
And for the Evening's doubtful Twilight stays.
To pass unseen he muffles up his Head,
And steals in secret to the Harlot's Bed.
Hot with unbridled Flames, he in the Dark
Breaks Houses up, on which he set his mark
The Day before, where to asswage his Lust;
But he can only to the Darkness trust:
Before the Morn returns, he takes his Flight,
He hates the Day, and courts the welcome Night.
For if discover'd, all the marks of Fear
And Consternation, in his Looks appear.
To this vile Crew you may the Pyrate add,
Who puts to Sea the Merchant to invade,
And reaps the Profit of another's Trade.
He sculks behind some Rock, or swiftly flies
From Creek to Creek, rich Vessels to surprize.
By this ungodly Course the Robber gains,
And lays up so much Wealth, that he disdains
And mocks the poor, unprofitable toil
Of those, who plant the Vine, or till the Soil.
Who puts to Sea the Merchant to invade,
And reaps the Profit of another's Trade.
He sculks behind some Rock, or swiftly flies
From Creek to Creek, rich Vessels to surprize.
By this ungodly Course the Robber gains,
And lays up so much Wealth, that he disdains
And mocks the poor, unprofitable toil
Of those, who plant the Vine, or till the Soil.
Others as Vile, deflower a Virgin first,
And then destroy the Offspring of their Lust
Within the Mother's Womb, to hide their Shame,
And scape Reproaches that would blast their Fame.
The poor and helpless Widow they abuse,
And Reparation cruelly refuse.
Their Power and Threats the timorous Judges awe,
And to their side the Great and Mighty draw.
For if the Villains, on pretence of Wrong,
Assail the mighty, be they ne'er so strong,
Can they against Assassins make Defence?
Whose Life is safe from secret Violence?
Tho' by repeated Vows they should declare,
That their Intentions inoffensive are;
And make such solemn Promises, that you
May think you're safe, because you think them true;
Yet they will wait, and all occasions watch,
The mischief they design'd you, to dispatch.
And then destroy the Offspring of their Lust
Within the Mother's Womb, to hide their Shame,
And scape Reproaches that would blast their Fame.
109
And Reparation cruelly refuse.
Their Power and Threats the timorous Judges awe,
And to their side the Great and Mighty draw.
For if the Villains, on pretence of Wrong,
Assail the mighty, be they ne'er so strong,
Can they against Assassins make Defence?
Whose Life is safe from secret Violence?
Tho' by repeated Vows they should declare,
That their Intentions inoffensive are;
And make such solemn Promises, that you
May think you're safe, because you think them true;
Yet they will wait, and all occasions watch,
The mischief they design'd you, to dispatch.
These in their wicked Courses, free from fear,
Because they live unpunish'd, persevere.
'Tis true, th' Almighty sees their Insolence,
But unconcern'd, no Vengeance does dispence.
The troubled Skies with Lightning grows not red,
Nor does his Thunder strike Oppressors dead.
Th' Eternal pours no dreadful Viols forth,
On Rebels worthy of exalted Wrath.
Among 'em no strange Plagues are sent abroad,
No Tempests Vengeance on their heads unload.
In Peace and Plenty they securely live,
And from Impunity their Pride derive.
All things to make them happy here comply,
And, as they liv'd, they unmolested Dye.
They to the Grave a quiet, easy Bed
In Peace, as much as others, are convey'd,
Part of the long Procession of the Dead.
With grievous Sickness they are ne'er distrest,
Nor dye with long tormenting Pains opprest.
Gently cut down by Fate, like Ears of Corn
When fully ripe, they to the Tomb are born.
By slow degrees they sink and wear away,
Their Death's a kind, insensible decay.
Their Streams of Life, like peaceful Rivers flow,
And when they dye, they gently melt, as Snow.
God no such marks of Wrath does on them set,
But that the Mothers may their Sons forget.
Their Bodys hang not by the publick way,
To Men a Terror, and to Beasts a Prey.
But Men in Pomp their Carcasses inter,
To be a Feast for Worms, as others are.
There they enjoy profound Tranquility,
And buried with them their Oppressions lye.
When they are Dead, the Age that next succeeds,
As quickly will forget their wicked Deeds,
As a lost Tree by Time to Atomes worn,
Or by a riving Storm to Shivers torn.
I these remarks deliberately have weigh'd,
And know no strong Objections can be made.
I on the Truth of this Discourse rely,
And all Opposers Arguments defy.
Because they live unpunish'd, persevere.
'Tis true, th' Almighty sees their Insolence,
But unconcern'd, no Vengeance does dispence.
The troubled Skies with Lightning grows not red,
Nor does his Thunder strike Oppressors dead.
Th' Eternal pours no dreadful Viols forth,
On Rebels worthy of exalted Wrath.
Among 'em no strange Plagues are sent abroad,
No Tempests Vengeance on their heads unload.
In Peace and Plenty they securely live,
And from Impunity their Pride derive.
All things to make them happy here comply,
And, as they liv'd, they unmolested Dye.
110
In Peace, as much as others, are convey'd,
Part of the long Procession of the Dead.
With grievous Sickness they are ne'er distrest,
Nor dye with long tormenting Pains opprest.
Gently cut down by Fate, like Ears of Corn
When fully ripe, they to the Tomb are born.
By slow degrees they sink and wear away,
Their Death's a kind, insensible decay.
Their Streams of Life, like peaceful Rivers flow,
And when they dye, they gently melt, as Snow.
God no such marks of Wrath does on them set,
But that the Mothers may their Sons forget.
Their Bodys hang not by the publick way,
To Men a Terror, and to Beasts a Prey.
But Men in Pomp their Carcasses inter,
To be a Feast for Worms, as others are.
There they enjoy profound Tranquility,
And buried with them their Oppressions lye.
When they are Dead, the Age that next succeeds,
As quickly will forget their wicked Deeds,
As a lost Tree by Time to Atomes worn,
Or by a riving Storm to Shivers torn.
I these remarks deliberately have weigh'd,
And know no strong Objections can be made.
I on the Truth of this Discourse rely,
And all Opposers Arguments defy.
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Ch. XXIV.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job | |