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. |
Chap. VIII.
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| IX. |
| X. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| 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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Chap. VIII.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job |  |
Chap. VIII.
Then Bildad:
How long wilt thou the Bounds of Patience break?
And thus absurdly and perversly speak?
How long shall thy Reproaches Heav'n Arraign?
Does the least Spot Eternal Justice stain?
Why does thy Passion's Tyde its Bank o'erflow?
Why do thy Words, like Winds, Tempestuous grow?
Does God Deceit to Sacred Truth prefer?
Rather than Job, must God be thought to err?
If thy Rebellious Children did provoke
Th' Allmighty's Wrath, and felt his Vengeful stroke,
If thou his Perfect Justice would'st adore,
If thou his Mercy humbly would'st implore;
And to thy Pray'r joyn Purity of Heart,
For thy Support he would his Power exert.
His Blessings yet would Crown thy righteous Ways,
And thou in Peace might'st pass thy prosp'rous Days.
Tho' thou art Poor and despicably low,
Thy Substance should increase and vastly grow,
And Wealth around thee would profusely flow.
Consult thy Fathers, look on Ages back,
Turn o'er the Rolls of Time, and strict enquiry make.
We are of no Experience, no regard
When with our long-liv'd Ancestors compar'd:
Those Venerable Heads will give thee Light
In this Debate, and set thy Judgment right.
They'll from repeated Observation shew,
That all the Maxims we advance, are true.
And thus absurdly and perversly speak?
How long shall thy Reproaches Heav'n Arraign?
Does the least Spot Eternal Justice stain?
30
Why do thy Words, like Winds, Tempestuous grow?
Does God Deceit to Sacred Truth prefer?
Rather than Job, must God be thought to err?
If thy Rebellious Children did provoke
Th' Allmighty's Wrath, and felt his Vengeful stroke,
If thou his Perfect Justice would'st adore,
If thou his Mercy humbly would'st implore;
And to thy Pray'r joyn Purity of Heart,
For thy Support he would his Power exert.
His Blessings yet would Crown thy righteous Ways,
And thou in Peace might'st pass thy prosp'rous Days.
Tho' thou art Poor and despicably low,
Thy Substance should increase and vastly grow,
And Wealth around thee would profusely flow.
Consult thy Fathers, look on Ages back,
Turn o'er the Rolls of Time, and strict enquiry make.
We are of no Experience, no regard
When with our long-liv'd Ancestors compar'd:
Those Venerable Heads will give thee Light
In this Debate, and set thy Judgment right.
They'll from repeated Observation shew,
That all the Maxims we advance, are true.
Ev'n as a Rush that in a Wat'ry Mead
With hasty growth reers its presumptuous Head;
In its chief Verdure withering away,
Prevents the Mower by a swift decay.
The Plants that once with Envy on him gaz'd,
Stand at this unexpected Change amaz'd.
So shall the Beauty of the Wicked fade,
Who to endure has no Foundation laid.
His swelling Hopes in their high Tyde shall ebb;
His Trust is weaker than a Spider's Web.
He on his House shall lean, a fruitless Prop,
His House will sink, and disappoint his Hope.
Will he on Servants and his Wealth depend,
Servants and Wealth their Lord shall not defend.
Tho' he to Heav'n should raise his shady head,
And his thick Branches o'er the Garden spread;
Should he beneath the Summer's burning Ray
Continue Green, which makes the Rush decay;
Should all his interweaving Roots around,
Embrace the Stones in firm and solid ground;
Could he deride the Winds that him invade,
And Tempests with their Impotence upbraid;
Did he thus stand secure from Storms and Heat,
Proud of the Strength and Beauty of his Seat;
He shall his suddain Extirpation Mourn,
Fell'd by the Axe, or else by Thunder torn.
Compleat Destruction shall all marks efface,
And all Remains, that might confess his place.
The ground shall no discov'ring Footsteps shew,
Nor neighb'ring Trees remember, where he grew.
No other milder Fate or happier End,
Shall all his Pomp and prosp'rous Pride attend.
He shall be rooted up, and in his Ground
No fruitful Plant shall be hereafter found,
But neighb'ring Trees shall thrive, that stand around.
With hasty growth reers its presumptuous Head;
In its chief Verdure withering away,
Prevents the Mower by a swift decay.
The Plants that once with Envy on him gaz'd,
Stand at this unexpected Change amaz'd.
31
Who to endure has no Foundation laid.
His swelling Hopes in their high Tyde shall ebb;
His Trust is weaker than a Spider's Web.
He on his House shall lean, a fruitless Prop,
His House will sink, and disappoint his Hope.
Will he on Servants and his Wealth depend,
Servants and Wealth their Lord shall not defend.
Tho' he to Heav'n should raise his shady head,
And his thick Branches o'er the Garden spread;
Should he beneath the Summer's burning Ray
Continue Green, which makes the Rush decay;
Should all his interweaving Roots around,
Embrace the Stones in firm and solid ground;
Could he deride the Winds that him invade,
And Tempests with their Impotence upbraid;
Did he thus stand secure from Storms and Heat,
Proud of the Strength and Beauty of his Seat;
He shall his suddain Extirpation Mourn,
Fell'd by the Axe, or else by Thunder torn.
Compleat Destruction shall all marks efface,
And all Remains, that might confess his place.
The ground shall no discov'ring Footsteps shew,
Nor neighb'ring Trees remember, where he grew.
No other milder Fate or happier End,
Shall all his Pomp and prosp'rous Pride attend.
He shall be rooted up, and in his Ground
No fruitful Plant shall be hereafter found,
But neighb'ring Trees shall thrive, that stand around.
32
His God will ne'er the Perfect Man reject,
Nor may the Wicked e'er his Aid expect.
Hence, Job, thy want of Virtue does appear,
That God abandons thee to thy Despair.
But this is certain, if thou wilt not mourn
Offences past, and to thy God return,
Utter Destruction shall thy Ways attend;
But if convinc'd thou wilt thy Errors mend,
He shall thy former Joy and Power restore,
Encrease thy Friends, and multiply thy Store;
Till Songs and Shouts thy great Delight attest,
And mighty Joy extends thy lab'ring Breast.
Those who revil'd thee, and thy Dwelling curst,
Shall blush with Shame, with Indignation burst;
When they shall see thy Happy Days restor'd,
And greater Wealth and Honour on thee pour'd.
Mean time resistless Ruin shall efface
The Wicked Man, and all his impious Race.
Nor may the Wicked e'er his Aid expect.
Hence, Job, thy want of Virtue does appear,
That God abandons thee to thy Despair.
But this is certain, if thou wilt not mourn
Offences past, and to thy God return,
Utter Destruction shall thy Ways attend;
But if convinc'd thou wilt thy Errors mend,
He shall thy former Joy and Power restore,
Encrease thy Friends, and multiply thy Store;
Till Songs and Shouts thy great Delight attest,
And mighty Joy extends thy lab'ring Breast.
Those who revil'd thee, and thy Dwelling curst,
Shall blush with Shame, with Indignation burst;
When they shall see thy Happy Days restor'd,
And greater Wealth and Honour on thee pour'd.
Mean time resistless Ruin shall efface
The Wicked Man, and all his impious Race.
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Chap. VIII.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job | |