1 And Job answered, and said:
2 Indeed I know it is so, and that man cannot be justified, compared with God.
3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one for a thousand.
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VERS. 3.-- « If he will contend with him, » by presuming upon his own merits, and by arrogating the glory of his own virtue not to God but to himself. « He shall not be able to answer him one for a thousand. » That is, he shall not be able to, etc., *as far as* but lest he contend, let his power, once seen, terrify the weak man.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace?
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VERS. 4.-- « Who hath resisted him and had peace. Who creates, that the things created may accord with him, ordains wherein there may be peace for them; and he who strives to fight against his disposing loses peace: as the angel, who, lifted up by his own unquiet, and man, who is vexed by the trouble of the flesh, each of the two lost peace, because he would not be subject to his Creator.
5 Who hath removed mountains, and they whom he overthrew in his wrath, knew it not.
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VERS. 5.-- « Who hath removed mountains, » etc. The confusion of pride having been spoken of in general, he shows in the destruction of Israel what punishment awaits the lifted up. He removed the mountains, that is, the holy preachers, from the Jews to the Gentiles, which the Jews did not know, who were overthrown in this, reckoning it a joy to themselves that they had lost the light. The mountains being removed, he moves the lands.
6 Who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
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VERS. 6.-- « He moveth the earth out of its place. » Because he drew the Jews out of their own borders by the Romans. « The pillars. » The priests, the princes, the doctors of the law. They were shaken, because not even they were allowed to live to themselves, whence they drove out the apostles; and besides they were left forsaken in the darkness of their own error.
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: and shutteth up the stars, as it were, under a seal:
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VERS. 7.-- « Who commandeth the sun. » The sun shines through the day, etc., *as far as* it is spread abroad into all nations. Whence:
8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and walketh upon the waves of the sea.
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VERS. 8.-- « Who spreadeth out the heavens. » That is, he causes the apostles, put to flight by the Jews, to be honoured everywhere. « Alone. » Who wonderfully dispensed this, and that while the bitterness of the world raged in the slaying of the good. « He walketh upon the waves, » that is, he treads them down while he calms them by the wonder of signs. Jeremias: « I have set the sand a bound for the sea, » that is, to break the glory of the world he chose the abject and the poor; and while the sea rages, the Church advances.
9 Who maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the inner parts of the south.
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VERS. 9.-- « Who maketh Arcturus. » He uses the names of the philosophers, etc., *as far as* nay rather, as Arcturus is turned about, he is raised up. « Orion. » Which rise in the wintry season, etc., *as far as* but he raised up the peaceable unto their slaying. « The Hyades. » They are born in the forehead of Taurus in the spring, etc., *as far as* he may come through to the inward things of the country above, whence he adds: « And the inner parts of the south. » The south wind is the fervour of the Holy Spirit, etc., *as far as* he comprehends better by failing, saying:
10 Who doth things great and incomprehensible, and wonderful, of which there is no number.
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VERS. 10.-- « Who doeth for me. » He fulfils it better who confesses that he cannot fulfil it, and he speaks more eloquently who is silent in astonishment. « Great » in power. « And incomprehensible » in reason. « And wonderful things whereof there is not » in manifoldness. But why should we wonder at the things which are outside us, when we are ignorant even of what is done concerning us? If he come to me.
11 If he come to me, I shall not see him: if he depart, I shall not understand.
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VERS. 11.-- « If he come to me. » He comes when he gives gifts, etc., *as far as* and yet man, thus blind, shall render an account of his acts to God.
12 If he examine on a sudden, who shall answer him? or who can say: Why dost thou so?
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VERS. 12.-- « If suddenly he ask. » He asks suddenly, when the unexpecting, etc., *as far as,* which is shown more plainly when it is added: « Who can say, Why dost thou so? » We ought to venerate the deeds of God, etc., *as far as* which the proud man kindles inextinguishably, whence he says:
13 God, whose wrath no man can resist, and under whom they stoop that bear up the world.
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VERS. 13.-- « God, whose wrath no man can resist. » Moses and Phinees and other saints, etc., *as far as* returning from these to himself, he humbly grows vile in his own eyes before the power of God.
14 What am I then, that I should answer him, and have words with him?
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VERS. 14.-- « How great therefore himself. » That is, if an angel does not suffice to consider him, with what mind do I, who am pressed by the flesh, dispute of his judgments? Our words to God are works, but with these; because man cannot speak with God, because in them there is no confidence before the subtle judgment of God; whence he adds:
15 I, who although I should have any just thing, would not answer, but would make supplication to my judge.
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VERS. 15.-- « Who, even if I shall have anything, etc., I will beseech. » After God's justice he stands in need of prayer, that what avails less of itself may avail from the mercy of the judge. Though justice be full in the more perfect, « anything » is said to be had of it, because the mind of man scarcely accomplishes what it comprehends, and little is that which it comprehends. But prayer, because it is shaken by many thoughts, even if it is heard, fears to be repelled.
16 And if he should hear me when I call, I should not believe that he had heard my voice.
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VERS. 16.-- « When he shall have heard me calling, not. » For when (as David says) « now they mount up to the heavens, » when they penetrate the heights, and now they go down into the depths through shameful temptations, they have no certainty of being heard. See how subtly he judges himself, and lays open his own weakness. « How great therefore. » He does not trust in justice, but flees to prayer: who, even if I shall have had anything just, being fearful about that very prayer, says: « When calling. » He looks about him thus for this reason, that he sees he cannot bear the force of the judgment, of which he says:
17 For he shall crush me in a whirlwind, and multiply my wounds even without cause.
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VERS. 17.-- « In a whirlwind also he will crush me. » He who, being awaited in tranquillity, despised, shall be crushed in a whirlwind. « A whirlwind: » because in the commotion of the elements he fears that works are there strictly required: since he sees that some also are damned without works by original guilt, in whose voice he says: « He will multiply my wounds. » Because they themselves did nothing, whence it is said: « There is none clean in his sight, nor an infant of one day. » « Without cause. » According to the estimation of human sense; but with God it is just, that a tree should keep in its branches the bitterness which it drew from the root. These things also spiritually of Job, who both, fearing, foresaw the scourges of God in the whirlwind, and, foreseeing, bore them; whence he says: « And he will multiply my wounds without cause, » because he was not struck for a fault; whence above, « that I should afflict him in vain. »
18 He alloweth not my spirit to rest, and he filleth me with bitterness.
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VERS. 18.-- « He granteth not. » A full proving: without, torments tear; within, temptations chastise; whence he says that he is filled with bitternesses; but the equity and the power of him who strikes tempers the force of the sorrow. And this is:
19 If strength be demanded, he is most strong: if equity of judgment, no man dare bear witness for me.
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VERS. 19.-- « If strength be sought. » As if to say: no one dares, because he examines merits who does not search them out by another's testimony, but as a silent observer waits long. Another cannot be a witness for me, because not even I myself for myself.
20 If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I would shew myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked.
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VERS. 20.-- « If I would justify. » I do not suffice to be a witness of innocence, nor do I know that I have it.
21 Although I should be simple, even this my soul shall be ignorant of, and I shall be weary of my life.
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VERS. 21.-- « If I be simple. » He who knows the good things which he does, etc., *as far as* he bears ill this exile of blindness, whence he adds: « And I shall be weary of my life. » But there is a consolation for this darkness: the just power of God brought back to the mind, which both punishes the wicked and surpasses the just.
22 One thing there is that I have spoken, both the innocent and the wicked he consumeth.
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VERS. 22.-- « One thing there is which I have spoken. » Or « the innocent » is consumed, etc., *as far as* he may destroy our double of flesh and of soul.
23 If he scourge, let him kill at once, and not laugh at the pains of the innocent.
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VERS. 23.-- « If he scourge, let him kill himself. » For God to laugh is at affliction, etc., *as far as* he opens that he alone bore the death of the flesh.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, he covereth the face of the judges thereof: and if it be not he, who is it then?
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VERS. 24.-- « The earth is given. » Or « delivered up. » The earth is the flesh, the wicked one the devil. « The hands » of him, the slayers of Christ, etc., *as far as* than Christ came.
25 My days have been swifter than a post: they have fled away and have not seen good.
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VERS. 25.-- « My days have been swifter than a courier. » It belongs to a courier to announce what is to follow: so all the elect who before his coming announced Christ were couriers; but because they die beforehand, they grieve that they pass more swiftly than a courier, so that they do not see him present who is singularly called good; concerning whom also he adds
26 They have passed by as ships carrying fruits, as an eagle flying to the prey.
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VERS. 26.-- « Like ships. » He who carries apples enjoys their fragrance, etc., *as far as* through compassion the discourse is turned also to their hardness, thus.
27 If I say: I will not speak so: I change my face, and am tormented with sorrow.
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VERS. 27.-- « When I shall say: By no means. » Israel, as before, would not speak, when he denied him whom he had foretold: in which his inner face is changed with the filth of perfidy, so that he is not acknowledged by God; whence it remains for him to be tormented with eternal sorrows. « My days have passed more swiftly. » The first man was so made that his life could be stretched out through times, not run out; but because he sinned he underwent a running-down, which man always endures, and yet desires, so long as he seeks to live. The losses of this running-down he laments with the voice of the human race. « They have fled, » because man would not stand in the light, by fleeing he lost his sight, so that he could not see the good which is, for which he was made. « Like ships carrying apples. » The fruits of the earth through the waves, etc., *as far as* lest that thought break out into pride, he humbly restrains himself, saying: « I will by no means speak thus. » But, being weak, let me be restrained from such an inquiry. In which the face of the mind is changed, because that which sought high things, seeing itself weak, venerates what it does not know. In which there is sorrow, because he is greatly afflicted who is blinded for the understanding of the things which are of himself. To these common evils he fears to join his own: « I feared all, » etc.
28 I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender.
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VERS. 28.-- « I feared all my works. » They were indeed good, etc., *as far as* as though not even through labours he might come to life, whence:
29 But if so also I am wicked, why have I laboured in vain?
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VERS. 29.-- « But if I am wicked even thus. » He does not repent of having laboured, but grieves that amid his labours he is uncertain about the rewards. So is the just man uncertain, that he may trust; so he trusts, lest being secure he grow torpid. « In vain: » I say because.
30 If I be washed, as it were, with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean:
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VERS. 30.-- « If I be washed as it were with waters of snow. » He who crushes himself as with laments, etc., *as far as* he who is pricked in prayer for earthly things, the water of the earth. « The hands, » are works. « As most clean, » as though not truly clean under this corruption.
31 Yet thou shalt plunge me in filth, and my garments shall abhor me.
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VERS. 31.-- « Thou shalt dip » that is, thou shalt show me dipped, because the more we draw near to him, the more we recognize our own filth from his cleanness. « The garments. » The garment of the soul is the body, which Solomon commanded to be white at all times; and if it be mingled with blood, that is, with carnal desires, Isaias says it must be burned. « They shall abhor, » that is, they shall render him abominable, as it is said of Judas: « He possessed a field of the reward of iniquity, » that is, he caused it to be possessed. In the abhorrence of the garment it has this the heavier, that it does not know the mind of him who reproves it.
32 For I shall not answer a man that is like myself: nor one that may be heard with me equally in judgment.
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VERS. 32.-- « For neither, he being seen. » Among men we both hear the charges brought against us, and answer them, and are heard; but in the judgment of God, he himself hears us, because he sees all that we do, but we do not hear him, because we do not fully understand what displeases him. He cannot be heard on equal terms.
33 There is none that may be able to reprove both, and to put his hand between both.
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VERS. 33.-- « Who may avail for both: » that is, may be able for God and for me: « To reprove. » He reproves who from the authority of reason, etc., *as far as* that he corrected the hearts of offenders by gentleness rather than by terror, whence he adds:
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me.
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VERS. 34.-- « Let him take away the rod from me » of the law, by which he punishes; but Christ took it away, and through gentleness showed the ways of life. He willed to be feared as God, but to be loved as a father.
35 I will speak, and will not fear him: for I cannot answer while I am in fear.
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VERS. 35.-- « I will speak and I will not fear him. » He has fear no longer, but rather affection as toward a father. Behold, the staff, that is, the fear of the law, when sent does not raise up the boy; but Eliseus himself, brought down to the boy's measure, and breathing seven times, that is, through the love of the spirit. « To answer » is to render in recompense deeds that are worthy; but does no one who fears in servile fashion answer to the benefits of God? Only he who through the confidence of love does not fear that worthy service be rendered to him. He is not pure who would do evil things if it were allowed. But to one who loves there is a weariness of this life, which before was sweet, even mourning he endures it.