good things, and euils are come vpon me: I taried for light, and darknesse brake forth. 27My inner partes haue boyled without anie rest, the dayes of affliction haue preuented me. 28I went mourning without furie, rising vp, I cried in the multitude. 29I was the [1] brother of dragons, and felow of Ostriches. 30My skinne is made blacke vpon me, and my bones are dried with heate. 31My harpe is turned into mourning, and my instrument into the voice of weepers.
CHAP. XXXI.
I HAVE [2] made a couenant with mine eyes, that I would not so much as [3] thinke of a virgin. 2For what part should God from aboue haue in me, and inheritance the Omnipotent from on high? 3Is there not perdition to the wicked man, and alienation to them that worke iniustice? 4Doth not he consider my waies, and number al my steps? 5If I haue walked in vanitie, and my foote hath hastned in guile: 6Let him weigh me in a iust balance, and let God know my simplicitie. 7If my step haue declined out of the way, and if my hart hath folowed myne eyes, and if spot hath cleaued to my hands: 8Let me sow, and let an other eate it: and let my progenie be plucked vp by the rootes. 9If my hart hath been deceiued vpon a woman, and if I haue lyen in waite at my freinds doore: 10Let my wife be the harlot of an other man, and let other men lye with her. 11For this is a hainous thing, and most great iniquitie. 12It is a fire deuouring euen to perdition, and rooting vp al things that spring. 13If I haue contemned to abide iudgement with my man-seruant, & my mayd-seruant, when they had anie controuersie against me. 14For what shal I doe when God shal rise to iudge? and when he shal aske, what shal I answer him? 15Did not he make me in the wombe that made him also: & did not one forme me in the matrice? 16If I haue denied to the poore, that which they would, & haue made the eyes of the widow to expect: 17If I haue eaten my morsel alone, and the pulpil hath not eaten therof with me. (18Because from mine infancie mercy hath growen with me: and from my mothers wombe it came forth with me.) 19If I haue dispised him that perisheth, for that he had not clothing, and the poore man without wherwithal to couer him: 20If his sides haue not blessed me, and he was not warmed with the flieces of my sheep? 21If I haue lifted vp my hand ouer the pupil, yea when I saw my self in the gate the superiour: 22Let my shoulder fal from his iuncture, and let my arme
- ↑ Like to such beasts as seeke solitary places to lament in.
- ↑ Wheras there is a continual warre between a chast mind and rebellious flesh, holie Iob made this condition of truce between these enemies: that his eye should neuer giue occasion to carnal concupiscence.
- ↑ By which meanes, he was also safe from carnal cogitations. S. Greg. li. 21. c. 2.
