rd

Job 14

1 Job describeth the shortenes & miserie of the life of man. 14 Hope susteineth the godlie. 22 The condition of man’s life.
1.Man athat is borne of woman, is of short continuance, and ful of trouble.
2.He shooteth forthe as a flowre, and is cut downe: he vanisheth also as *a shadow, and continueth not.
3.And yet thou openest thine eyes upon suche bone, and causest me to entre into judgement with thee.
4.*Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines? there is not one.
5.Are not his dayes determined? the nomber of his moneths are with thee: thou hast appointed his boundes, which he can not passe.
6.Turne from him that he may cease until his desired day, cas an hyreling.
7.For there is hope of a tre, if it be cut down, that it wil yet sproute, and the branches thereof wil not cease.
8.Though the rote of it waxe olde in the earth and the stocke thereof be dead in the grounde,
9.Yet by the sent of water it wil bud, and bring forthe bowes like a plant.
10.dBut man is sicke, and dyeth, and man perisheth, and where is he?
11.As the waters passe from the sea, & as the flood decayeth and dryeth up,
12.So man slepeth & riseth not: for he shal not wake againe, nor be raised from his slepe til the heaven be nomore.
13.O that thou woldest hide me in the grave, and kepe me secret, until thy ewrath were past, and woldest give me terme, and fremember me.
15.Thou shalt call me, and I shal hanswer thee: thou lovest the worke of thine owne hands.
16.But now thou *nombrest my steps, and doest not delay my sinnes.
17.Mine iniquitie is sealed up, as in a ibagge, & thou addest unto my wickedness.
18.And surely as the mountain that falleth, cometh to noght, and the krocke that is removed from his place:
19.As the water breaketh the stones, when thou overflowest the things which growe in the dust of the earth: so thou destroyest the hope of man.
20.Thou prevailest alway against him, so that he passeth away: he changeth his face when thou casteth him away.
21.And he knoweth not if his sonnes shalbe honourable, nether shal he understand concerning them, whether they shalbe of lowe degre,
22.But while his lflesh is upon him, he shalbe sorowful, and while his soule is in him, it shal mourne.

Notes

1-a.
Taking occasion of his adversarie’s words, he describes the state of man’s life from his birth to his death.
2-*.
Chap. 8.9, Ps. 144.4.
3-b.
His meaning is, that seeing that man is so frail a creature, God should not handle him so extremely: wherein Job shows the wickedness of the flesh, when it is not subject to the Spirit.
4-*.
Ps. 51.7.
6-c.
Until the time that you have appointed for him to die, which he desires, as the hireling waits for the end of his labour to receive his wages.
10-d.
He speaks not here as though he had not hope of the immorality, but as a man in extreme pain, when reason is overcome by affections and torments.
13-e.
Hereby he declares that the fear of God’s judgement was the cause why he desired to die.
13-f.
That is, release my pains and take me to mercy.
14-g.
Meaning, unto the day of the resurrection when he should be changed, and renewed. 0
15-h.
Though I be afflicted in this life yet in the resurrection I shall feel your mercies, and answer when you call me.
16-*.
Pro. 5.21.
17-i.
You lay them all together & suffer none of my sins unpunished.
18-k.
He murmurs through the impaciencie of the flesh against God, as though he used as great severity against him as against the hard rocks, or waters that overflow so that hereby all the occasion of his hope is taken away.
22-l.
Yet while he lives, he shall be in pain and misery.