Over. Hebrew, "within him." (Haydock) --- During life man is full of cares, and presently he is consigned to the dreary tomb, ver. 19. (Calmet) CHAPTER XIV. Heat. Hebrew, "east wind," (Haydock) or give vent to passion. (Haydock) --- Eliphaz now rebukes Job without any reserve. (Calmet) --- He was perhaps displeased at the comparison used by the latter, chap. xiii. 4. Baldad had also hinted that Job's discourse was nothing but wind, chap. viii. 2. (Haydock) --- Being unable to answer his arguments, he reviles him as an enemy of God. (Worthington) Equal. God, who is far above thee. Hebrew, "Will he (the wise) argue with less words, or with speeches which are nothing to the purpose?" (Calmet) God. Another, after thy example, will assert his own innocence under affliction, and will not fear, nor have recourse to God by humble prayer. Behold the dangerous consequences of thy principle. (Calmet) Blasphemers. Hebrew, "of the crafty," which is sometimes taken in a good sense. Septuagint, "thou hast not distinguished the speeches of the princes." Thou hast not shewn respect to our admonitions, (Calmet) or understood our meaning. (Haydock) --- Thou rather choosest to imitate those false sages, who strive to deceive the world. Abuse could hardly be carried to greater lengths than it is by this man; who before spoke with some moderation, chap. iv. (Calmet) First. Is thy experience so great, (Menochius) or art thou the most excellent of men? To hear thee we are but novices, chap. xiii. 5. (Calmet) His. Hebrew, "dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? Septuagint, "or has wisdom come to thee?" (Haydock) Fathers. Hebrew and Septuagint, "father." (Haydock) --- Eliphaz always speaks first, and hints that he was as old, perhaps older, than Job; who had rather found fault with the youth of Sophar, chap. xii. 12. He also boasts that they, or their country, furnished master of great wisdom and experience than even Job's father. (Calmet) Thee. This would not be difficult, (Tirinus) if thy presumption did not prove an obstacle. Thou makest small account of those comforts or of our advice, trusting in thy own justice. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "Thou hast been chastised little, considering thy sins. Thou hast spoken with excessive insolence." Why. Septuagint, "What has thy heart dared, or what have thine eyes brought thee?" Hebrew, "what do thy eyes wink at?" (Haydock) through pride and disdain, Psalm xxxiv. 19., and Proverbs vi. 13. (Calmet) --- We need not wonder that Eliphaz should misunderstand the looks of Job, (Haydock) since he gives such a false notion of his speeches. (Calmet) Just. Few are free from all spot; but venial sins do not hinder a man from being styled truly virtuous. (Worthington) Unchangeable, of his own nature, and during this life. (Calmet) --- Hebrew and Septuagint, "is not trusted by him," till they have been tried, (Haydock; chap. iv. 17.; None is good but God alone, Mark x. 18.) in comparison. (Tirinus) Water, with the utmost avidity and unconcern, Proverbs x. 23., and xxvi. 6. Seen. He had before given himself out for a prophet. Perhaps he may only mean to deliver what he had been taught, or had learned by experience, ver. 18. His observations are in themselves just; but the application to Job is no less insulting. (Calmet) Wise. Protestants, "which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it, " chap. viii. 8. The authority of tradition was then very great; and why should it now be despised? (Haydock) Them. Their antiquity, courage, and purity of morals must consequently be greater, as they have preserved themselves from the inroads of strangers. (Calmet) Proud; uncertain. Hebrew, "in pain." (Haydock) --- Septuagint, "numbered," or few, Genesis xxxiv. 30. These are the maxims which Eliphaz had received in a vision, or from the ancients, ver. 17. The description of a tyrant's life was admirably verified in Dionysius, of Syracuse, (Calmet) and in our Cromwell, (Haydock)---"-----pale and trembling in the dead of night." (Pope) ---who rarely lodged two night in one chamber. (Clarendon.) --- Such live in dread, (Haydock) and seldom die a natural death. Ad generum Cereris sine c\'e6de et vulnere pauci Descendunt reges et sicca morte Tyranni. (Juvenal x. 113.) Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem. (Juvenal xiii.) They bear always about the witness, "conscience." (Haydock) --- They distrust every one, and are hated by all. Districtus ensis cui super impia Cervice pendet, &c. (Horace iii. Ode 1.) --- These miseries are incident to the wicked, but are improperly addressed to Job. (Worthington) CHAPTER XV. And is. Hebrew, "even upon the thick bosses of his buckler." (Haydock) --- God thus seizes his antagonist, who, like Pharao, swells with pride. (Calmet) (Deuteronomy xxxii. 15.) Heaps, by his ambition and fury, (Calmet) and exactions, (Cajetan; Menochius) till the king chooses to rebuild the cities. (Vatable) That he. Hebrew and Septuagint, "for vanity shall be his reward." (Haydock) --- If he would repent, he might still be safe. (Menochius) Hands; strength and prosperity. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "his branch shall not grow thick." (Haydock) First. Hebrew, "unripe." (Haydock) --- He shall derive no aid or comfort from his young family. Congregation, or family. --- Bribes. Literally, "presents," which (Haydock) frequently were not given freely, but extorted as a real tribute. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "for the death of the wicked is a martyrdom," or proof of his impiety. "But fire shall consume the houses of the present (or bribe) receivers." Sorrow. Hebrew, "mischief." (Haydock) See Psalm vii. 15., and Isaias xlix. 4. --- The tree is known by its fruit. Eliphaz sufficiently insinuates, that he is speaking of Job. (Calmet) --- His, or "its," the congregation's womb, ver. 34. Protestants, "their belly." (Haydock) Comforters. "Job's friends or comforters," are become proverbial, to denote people who do the contrary to what they seem to promise. (Haydock) --- Never did men sustain worse the character of comforters. They all magnify their knowledge and piety, and make the most absurd application of their principles to Job's condition. (Calmet) --- He was not ignorant that tyrants and wicked men were often, may generally till the age in which he lived, visited with visible judgments. (Haydock) Windy, inconclusive arguments. They all entertain a mean opinion of their adversaries, as they did not agree in the application of the propositions. Hence though they might be true, they were nothing to their present purpose, chap. xv. 3. (Haydock) --- Trouble. You can speak without any pain: but the case is far different with me. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "what emboldeneth thee to answer?" (Haydock) --- Who asks thee for advice? (Calmet) --- True friends will give it without upbraiding, or laying false crimes to the charge of any one. (Worthington) My soul. If you had experienced my state of misery, (Haydock) I surely would not have behaved thus to you. (Calmet)Facile, cum valemus, recta consilia \'e6grotis damus: Tu si hic sis, aliter sentias. (Terent. Andria.) Wag, or shake my head out of pity, chap. xlii. 11., and Nahum iii. 7. The same sign often indicates astonishment or contempt, Psalm xxi. 8., and Matthew xxvii. 28. (Calmet) But. Hebrew, "If I speak," &c. Limbs. Hebrew, "company," (Haydock) or family. The assemblage of my limbs is also disordered by the leprosy. Against me, in your opinion, as if I were guilty of lies. Hebrew, "my leanness bears witness, my falsehood has risen up against me and answered me to my face;" which may be understood in the same sense as the argument of Eliphaz. He is designated by the false speaker; (Calmet) unless we explain it of the wrinkles, which falsely indicated that Job was advanced in years, or of the malady; whence it was gathered that he must be a criminal. (Menochius) --- Protestants, "my leanness riseth up." (Haydock) Cheek. His friends seemed so enraged, as to be disposed to do so. (Calmet) --- These expressions were strikingly verified in Christ. (Menochius) --- The outrages may also be attributed to the devil; (Calmet) or, by personification, to the malady of Job. (Menochius) Lances. Hebrew, "archers." Septuagint, "they have encompassed me, throwing lances into my veins, or loins, not sparing," &c. (Haydock) --- Bowels. Hebrew and Septuagint, "gall," being afflicted with a dysentery. St. Thomas Aquinas explains it of his children, who were slain. (Haydock) Flesh. Hebrew, "horn." Septuagint, "strength." (Haydock) --- I have lost all my beauty and splendor, and have put on the garments of penance. (Calmet) Dim. Hebrew and Septuagint, "covered with the shadow of death," (Haydock) greatly impaired. Some have almost lost their sight by weeping; and death seemed ready to close Job's eyes. (Calmet) Hand, which has not been defiled with any injustice. (Menochius) --- When. Hebrew, "and my prayer was pure." I never neglected this sacred duty, (chap. i. 5.) as my friends accuse me, chap. xv. 4. (Haydock) --- They continued in their false accusation: so he repeats the same true answer. (Worthington) In thee. Let the cry of my blood, which issues from my wounds, and the injury which my reputation has suffered, come before the throne of God. Calumny is a species of murder. See Genesis iv. 10. (Calmet) --- If I be really guilty, I am willing to remain unburied. Let the dogs lick up my blood. (Cajetan) --- Cry. Let the hills re-echo my sufferings. (Pineda)Et quodcumque me\'e6 possunt narrare querel\'e6, Cogar ad argutas dicere solus aves. (Propertius) Full. Hebrew, "scorners." Therefore I appeal to inanimate things; and, above all, to God, who cannot give a wrong judgment. Judged. Hebrew, "might plead." (Haydock) --- Earthly judges may be compelled to pronounce sentence publicly. Job is afraid lest the justice of his cause should remain undecided, till death overtook him, ver. 23. (Pineda)