Brimstone is scattered upon his habitation. And his branches above are withered. He hath no son, nor kinsman amongst his people, They, that come after him shall be amazed at his fate, THE JUSTICE AND THE POWER OF GOD. Job. BEHOLD, God is exalted by his power; What potentate is like him? Who hath prescribed to him his way? Or who can say to him, "Thou hast done wrong.' Forget not to magnify his work, Which men celebrate with songs. All mankind gaze upon it; Mortal, behold it from afar. Behold, God is great; we cannot know him, Nor search out the number of his years. Lo, he draweth up the drops of water, Which form rain from his vapor; The clouds pour it down, And distil it upon man in abundance. Who can understand the spreading of his clouds, And the rattling of his pavilion? Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light, And he covereth the bottom of the sea. By these he punisheth nations, And by these he giveth food in abundance. At this my heart trembleth, Hear, O hear the sound of his voice, He thundereth with the voice of his majesty, And restraineth not the tempest, when his voice is heard. Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. That all his laborers may acknowledge him. And abide in their caverns. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind, And cold out of the north. By the breath of God ice is formed, And the broad waters are made solid. He causeth the clouds to descend in rain, And his lightning scattereth the mists. He leadeth them about by his wisdom, That they may execute his commands throughout the world; Whether he cause them to come for punishment, Or for his earth, or for mercy. Give ear unto this, O Job! Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. And caused the lightning of his cloud to flash? The wondrous works of him that is perfect in wisdom? When he maketh the earth sultry by his south wind? Firm like a molten mirror? Teach us what we shall say to him, For we cannot address him by reason of darkness. Verily if a man speak to him, he will be consumed. Men cannot look upon the light, When it is bright in the skies, When the wind hath passed over them, and made them clear, And a golden splendor cometh from the firmament,— But with God is terrible majesty! The Almighty, we cannot find him out; He is excellent in power and justice, Perfect in righteousness, but he giveth no account of his doings. Therefore let men fear him, Whom none of the men of wisdom can behold. Then spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and said: Who is this that darkeneth my counsels by words without knowledge? Gird up thy loins like a man; I will ask thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, since thou hast such knowledge! Who fixed its dimensions, since thou knowest! Or who stretched out the line upon it! Hast thou ever commanded the morning, Or caused the day-spring to know its place,- It is changed as wax by the seal; And all things stand forth as in rich apparel. Hast thou penetrated to the springs of the sea, Where is the way to the abode of light? That thou mayest lead each of them to its boundary, And know the paths to its mansion? Surely thou knowest! for thou wast then born! And the number of thy years is great! 480 STUDIES IN POETRY AND PROSE. Hast thou entered the storehouses of the snow, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, Where is the way, by which light is distributed, To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, And cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades, Or loosen the bands of Orion? Canst thou lead forth Mazzaroth in its season, Or guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? So that abundance of waters will cover thee? Who hath imparted understanding to clouds? Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness, Who provideth for the raven his food, THE END. |