become so insignificant, does he read them a severe lecture? does he in general act towards them as vanquished? No indeed, but solemnly, and without vaunting himself over his accusers, he affirms his innocence; earnestly, but in a winning manner, he admonishes them, by tempering and modifying what was vehement and extreme in his previous replies. He humbly submits himself to the divine wisdom, by setting the fear of God, as man's true wisdom, before himself and the friends as their common aim. Thus he utters “the loftiest words, which must surprise the opponents as they exhibit him as the not merely mighty, but also wonderfully calm and modest conqueror, who here for the first time wears the crown of true victory, when, in outward victory conquering himself, he struggles on towards a more exalted clearness of perception.”
Chap. 29
Verses 1-6
Job 29:1-6 1 Then Job continued to take up his proverb, and said: 2 O that I had months like the times of yore,
Like the days when Eloah protected me, 3 When He, when His lamp, shone above my head,
By His light I went about in the darkness; 4 As I was in the days of my vintage,
When the secret of Eloah was over my tent, 5 When the Almighty was still with me,
My children round about me; 6 When my steps were bathed in cream,
And the rock beside me poured forth streams of oil.
Since the optative מי־יתּן (comp. on Job 23:3) is connected with the acc. of the object desired, Job 14:4; Job 31:31, or of
