When'er a naked wretch before me pass'd,
His starv'd limbs shivering in the wintry blast;
Has the warm life, new bounding in his veins,
Not bless'd the woolly riches of my plains?
If my house attest not; "When he din'd,
"Who unreplenish'd from his table pin'd ?"
My gate flew open at the pilgrim's voice,
Beneath my roof I bade his heart rejoice.
If I e'er whisper'd to the precious dust,
Be thou my idol, thou my sov'reign trust,
Or gloried in the pow'r vast wealth bestows,
My pulse high beating as my treasure rose-
If on the rising sun, or silver moon
Majestic walking to her starry noon,
I look'd; and in the folly of my soul,
My palm the kiss of silent homage stole ;
This, O my Judge, were treason; this denies
Thy sole dominion in the earth and skies.
If my defence, like Adam's, is but art,
While, unconfest, guilt rankles in my heart;
With vengeance let th' assembled clans pursue
My name; and exil'd from the public view,
In lonely silence may I veil my head,
O'erwhelm'd with terror and with shame o'erspread!
Who now an umpire in my cause will find,
Behold my plea, with my own signet sign'd;
Let God vouchsafe his answer; or indite,
And the just roll of my offences write:
Th' accusing bill, upon my shoulders borne,
Or as a crown about my temples worn,
I'll show; and princely in the noble strife,
To the great Plaintiff I'll display my life.
24
The last chapter, Job was in high spirits triumphing in the goodness of his cause, &c. The present chapter contains Elihu's address to his seniors, disapproving Job's justification of himself, &c.blames them for their failure in the dispute, and observes the irresistible impulse he labored under to give his thoughts vent, &c.
Jon ended his defence-They ceas'd reply-
He stood absolv'd in his own partial eye.
A youth attentive sat, Elihu nam'd,
Against them all with holy zeal inflam'd:
'Gainst him, who full of self-exalting praise,
Above his Maker's justified his ways;
Them, who, inglorious, left this high dispute;
Fierce to accuse, but feeble to confute.
Silent he was, while Job his cause display'd;
This honour to respected age he paid;
At length, none answ'ring such a vain defence,
Ardent he rose, and gave his modest sense.
Fathers, my youth thus long, through bashful fear,
Refrain❜d to reason in your aged ear:
Reply, I thought, beseem'd the head of snow,
And wisdom's voice from ancient lips should flow.
But wisdom is a gift, the breath divine
Moves on the soul, and calls the light to shine:
The fam'd for wisdom are not always wise,
Nor in grey locks the power of judgment lies.
Hear, then, my sense; I waited, while you sought:
For answers, and exhausted all your thought:
Yea, still I wait, attentive-but I find
Nor Job confuted, nor reply design'd:
Say not; 'Tis wisdom, that we leave to God
66 To humble this stiff sinner with his rod-"
His words unaim'd at me, shall meet reply,
Unlike to yours; a differing path I'll try.
His words chastises some offence of thine;
Scorn or submission be thy choice, not mine:
Reveal your thoughts. Ye men of prudence, speak :
Are not Job's answers libertine and weak?
Again (I counsel) let us try their sense;
Try to the utmost; for his first offence
Is grown rebellion; petulent to God,
This babbler triumphs, and insults his rod;
Amaz'd, confus'd, they sit; bereav'd of tongue
Patient of this delay, I've waited long-
Dumb they remain-not one essays to speak-
My meaner voice must, must the silence break;
My soul, so deeply and so long attent,
Is crowded full, and labours for a vent;
My thoughts ferment like wine; restraint is vain-
Pierce, pierce the vessel, or 'twill burst in twain:
My lips shall ease me, shall effuse abroad
This honest heart by no man's person aw'd:
Unskill'd in courtly titles, plain and free
My phrase, expect no soothing arts from me;
Lest he, who gives my heaving lungs to breathe,
That instant hurl me to the shades beneath.
Contains further remarks of Elihu to Job, tendering his advice,—and shews the folly and wickedness of tyranny and oppression, &c.
THEREFORE attend, while I my thoughts reveal,
Just to the ways of God I'll none conceal :
Persist to credit what your eyes attest,
Why trifle you in proving things confest ?
O Job, the grandeur of his works admire,
Hymn'd in loud anthems by the righteous choir :
Aloft presented to all mortal eyes,
Above all mortal thought his wonders rise.
Curb then thy will, his wrath already burns;
Beware its fury, which no ransom turns:
Anger, despising all the wealth of kings,
And all the force that wide dominion brings.
Wish not that dismal night, which sweeps away
The race of mortals from the walks of day.
There are, I yield, some dire examples giv❜n,
Some thoughtless mortals of the frown of heav'n;
Some lofty tyrants, from whose fatal bed
A race increasing for the sword is bred:
Vagrant and starving see the downward line;
See the last thin remains their breath resign,
Without a solemn dirge, without a bier,
Without a grave, without a widow's tear.
Where lies the silver heaps, and purple dies,
The proud progenitor's extorted prize;
Amass'd as dust? A worthier lineage wears
The robes of purple, and the silver heirs.
Wretch ! as a moth, that ravages the looms,
Weaves her frail bow'r, and as she weaves consumes;
Or as the hireling warder of the vines,
His green booth, lodging of a summer twines;
With like vain toil, for a like fleeting date,
He builds his grandeur, and enjoys his state:
Or else God's pow'r commissions fierce disease,
Th' oppressor in his lusty bloom to seize.
Cast on his bed, he groans in grinding pain,
While raging fever boils in every vein:
His flesh consumes away, the bones within,
Transparent starting through his shrivel'd skin;
His soul now trembles on the verge of fate,
And death's dread angels for the signal wait.
If then some delegate of heav'n, renown'd
For sacred skill, (rare gift on human ground,)
The sick his duty, shews the fav'ring Power,
Salvation wills:-" Seek health to yonder bow'r,
"Contrition hath appeas'd my wrath ; go, save
"The penitent, and disappoint the grave."
Contains further observations from Elihu to Job, in vindication of the ways of God to man, solicits his candid attention by several engaging motives, &c. &c.
INDULGE me still; Elihu spake again,
And thus address'd the melancholy man.
Hear me once more; thus far I will remove
Injustice from the scepter'd power above;
Whose retributions with exactest plan,
Answer to virtue and to vice in man,
I'll justify my Maker without art,
Truth I explore and faithful I impart,
God injures none; his independent might
Disdains to bend th' eternal rule of right.
Or is he viceroy of this puny ball?
Who, then, the founder of the world's vast all?
Were God a tyrant, would he not resume
His quick'ning spirit? terrible the doom!
Which in a moment would unpeople earth,
And into dust resolve all fleshly birth.
But he, who reigns the highest of the high,
Sees prince and peasant with impartial eye.
Maker of both! His equal judgments sweep
An impious city, in the midnight sleep;
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