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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
Ch. 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. |
|
|
| LIII. |
 |
Ch. XVIII.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job |  |
Ch. XVIII.
Then Bildad thus:
When wilt thou finish thy prolix Discourse,
Sounding indeed enough, but void of Force?
Consider what shall be alledg'd, and then
To thy Objections we'll reply agen.
What does thy wondrous Arrogance create?
What self-sufficient Fulness thee elate?
What secret Stores of Wisdom hast thou found,
And what new Lights have thy Enquiries crown'd?
That we such vile and sensless Creatures seem,
And are but stupid Beasts in thy esteem?
Impatience and ungovernable Rage,
Thy furious Hands against thy Self engage.
Thy wild Discourses from Distraction flow,
And not Repentance, but Rebellion show.
Sounding indeed enough, but void of Force?
Consider what shall be alledg'd, and then
To thy Objections we'll reply agen.
What does thy wondrous Arrogance create?
What self-sufficient Fulness thee elate?
What secret Stores of Wisdom hast thou found,
And what new Lights have thy Enquiries crown'd?
That we such vile and sensless Creatures seem,
And are but stupid Beasts in thy esteem?
Impatience and ungovernable Rage,
Thy furious Hands against thy Self engage.
Thy wild Discourses from Distraction flow,
And not Repentance, but Rebellion show.
What to appease thy peevish Discontent,
Shall God new Forms of Government invent?
Shall Providence new ways and measures take,
And steddy Nature her old Course forsake?
Shall Rocks and Mountains from their Pillars leap,
Sink down, and humble their aspiring Heap?
Shall Floods and rapid Rivers sullen grow,
Bind up their Waters, and refuse to flow?
Shall God his Truth and Justice disregard,
Neglect the Righteous, and th' unjust reward?
Shall he subvert all Order, with intent
Thy vain Complaints and Clamours to prevent?
O Job, in spite of thy Objections, take
This Rule as sure, that God will ever make
A due distinction of the Good and Bad,
And sparing those, his Wrath shall these invade.
Shall God new Forms of Government invent?
Shall Providence new ways and measures take,
And steddy Nature her old Course forsake?
77
Sink down, and humble their aspiring Heap?
Shall Floods and rapid Rivers sullen grow,
Bind up their Waters, and refuse to flow?
Shall God his Truth and Justice disregard,
Neglect the Righteous, and th' unjust reward?
Shall he subvert all Order, with intent
Thy vain Complaints and Clamours to prevent?
O Job, in spite of thy Objections, take
This Rule as sure, that God will ever make
A due distinction of the Good and Bad,
And sparing those, his Wrath shall these invade.
The Splendor of the Wicked shall decay,
And rising Fogs shall choak his glorious Day.
His brightest Beams, like short-liv'd Sparks of Fire,
Or Flashing Light'ning shine, and strait expire.
Thick Darkness equal to the Shades of Hell,
Shall on his dismal Habitation dwell.
Ne'er from without shall one kind Ray of Light,
Or chearful Lamp within dispel the Night.
He in his wisest steps shall unawares,
Be fetter'd with inextricable Snares;
He'll live in Trouble and perplexing Cares.
By his Projections and his deep Designs,
He his own Peace and Safety undermines.
Into the Net himself has spread he'll run,
Wisely destroy'd, and prudently undone.
His Feet shall be entangled in the toil,
And shouting Hunters seize him as their spoil.
Let him o'er Plains, or Hills, or Forrests stray,
Inevitable Gins obstruct his way,
Which shall entrap this roaming Beast of Prey.
Invading Terrors shall his Soul affright,
The Wretch shall fly, but perish in his Flight.
His Bones the Pillars of his Fabrick crack,
His Joynts grow feeble, and his Sinews slack.
Fierce rav'ning Woes his Flesh and Strength consume,
And Desolation is his heavy Doom.
Death and Destruction o'er his head impend;
All his soft Pleasures shall in Torment end.
The Pillars which his Confidence did prop,
Shall let the high presumptuous Structure drop,
And in the Ruins bury all his Hope.
The King of Terrors with his bloody Dart,
Shall strike the pale Oppressor to the Heart;
Then at his gloomy Wheels shall drag the Slave,
In triumph to his subterranean Cave.
Torments, destructive Plagues, and raging Pain,
Shall horrid Inmates in his House remain.
Triumphant Woe with hideous Terrors crown'd,
Anguish with all her Agonies around,
Wild Consternation with erected Hair,
Yellings, Distress, and sullen mute Despair,
Th' Apartments of his Dwelling shall divide,
And dire Companions with him shall reside.
Because his rich Possessions and Abode,
By Violence were gotten, or by Fraud.
When falling Floods of Fire, and Sulphur Showers,
O'erturn'd high Sodom's and Gomorrah's Towers,
The flaming Inundation from the place,
Swept off their Dwellings, and the impious Race.
So shall the proud Oppressor be devour'd,
Such Fire and Brimstone on his Palace pour'd;
Which shall all Marks and Monuments destroy,
Of the vile Wretch, that did the Seat enjoy.
His Roots grown dry, shall perish in the ground,
His Head and Limbs cut off shall lye around.
In after-times he'll be unknown to Fame,
Or mention'd only with Reproach and Shame.
From off the Earth God's vengeful Darts shall chase
The wicked Man, and all his hateful Race.
No Offspring in his Dwelling shall remain,
His Family and Honour to sustain.
Ages to come with Horror shall relate
His suddain Ruin, and his dismal Fate;
As that he liv'd in, was amaz'd to see
So strange a Turn, such Woe and Misery.
So shall the Hopes of all the wicked end,
Such Desolation does their House attend.
And rising Fogs shall choak his glorious Day.
His brightest Beams, like short-liv'd Sparks of Fire,
Or Flashing Light'ning shine, and strait expire.
Thick Darkness equal to the Shades of Hell,
Shall on his dismal Habitation dwell.
Ne'er from without shall one kind Ray of Light,
Or chearful Lamp within dispel the Night.
He in his wisest steps shall unawares,
Be fetter'd with inextricable Snares;
He'll live in Trouble and perplexing Cares.
By his Projections and his deep Designs,
He his own Peace and Safety undermines.
Into the Net himself has spread he'll run,
Wisely destroy'd, and prudently undone.
His Feet shall be entangled in the toil,
And shouting Hunters seize him as their spoil.
78
Inevitable Gins obstruct his way,
Which shall entrap this roaming Beast of Prey.
Invading Terrors shall his Soul affright,
The Wretch shall fly, but perish in his Flight.
His Bones the Pillars of his Fabrick crack,
His Joynts grow feeble, and his Sinews slack.
Fierce rav'ning Woes his Flesh and Strength consume,
And Desolation is his heavy Doom.
Death and Destruction o'er his head impend;
All his soft Pleasures shall in Torment end.
The Pillars which his Confidence did prop,
Shall let the high presumptuous Structure drop,
And in the Ruins bury all his Hope.
The King of Terrors with his bloody Dart,
Shall strike the pale Oppressor to the Heart;
Then at his gloomy Wheels shall drag the Slave,
In triumph to his subterranean Cave.
Torments, destructive Plagues, and raging Pain,
Shall horrid Inmates in his House remain.
Triumphant Woe with hideous Terrors crown'd,
Anguish with all her Agonies around,
Wild Consternation with erected Hair,
Yellings, Distress, and sullen mute Despair,
Th' Apartments of his Dwelling shall divide,
And dire Companions with him shall reside.
Because his rich Possessions and Abode,
By Violence were gotten, or by Fraud.
When falling Floods of Fire, and Sulphur Showers,
O'erturn'd high Sodom's and Gomorrah's Towers,
79
Swept off their Dwellings, and the impious Race.
So shall the proud Oppressor be devour'd,
Such Fire and Brimstone on his Palace pour'd;
Which shall all Marks and Monuments destroy,
Of the vile Wretch, that did the Seat enjoy.
His Roots grown dry, shall perish in the ground,
His Head and Limbs cut off shall lye around.
In after-times he'll be unknown to Fame,
Or mention'd only with Reproach and Shame.
From off the Earth God's vengeful Darts shall chase
The wicked Man, and all his hateful Race.
No Offspring in his Dwelling shall remain,
His Family and Honour to sustain.
Ages to come with Horror shall relate
His suddain Ruin, and his dismal Fate;
As that he liv'd in, was amaz'd to see
So strange a Turn, such Woe and Misery.
So shall the Hopes of all the wicked end,
Such Desolation does their House attend.
|
Ch. XVIII.
A paraphrase on the Book of Job | |