Chapter commentary
Job Chapter 7
서론
Untitled
繁體中文
English original
Job, in this chapter, goes on to express the bitter sense he had of his calamities and to justify himself in his desire of death. I. He complains to himself and his friends of his troubles, and the constant agitation he was in, Job 7:1-6. II. He turns to God, and expostulates with him (Job 7:7-21, to the end), in which, 1. He pleads the final period which death puts to our present state, Job 7:7-10. 2. He passionately complains of the miserable condition he was now in, Job 7:11-16. 3. He wonders that God will thus contend with him, and begs for the pardon of his sins and a speedy release out of his miseries, Job 7:17-21. It is hard to methodize the speeches of one who owned himself almost desperate, Job 6:26.
1-21
Job's Reply to Eliphaz (1520 BC)
繁體中文
約伯回答以利法（主前1520年）
¹ 人在世上豈無爭戰嗎？他的日子不像雇工人的日子嗎？
² 僕人切慕黑影，雇工人盼望工價；
³ 我也照樣經過困苦的歲月，夜間為我派定苦楚。
⁴ 我躺臥的時候便說：我何時起來，夜間就過去呢？我盡是翻來覆去，直到天發亮。
⁵ 我的肉體以蟲子和塵土為衣；我的皮膚才收了口又重新流血。
⁶ 我的日子比梭更快，都消耗在無指望之中。
約伯在此為自己無法辯解的事辯解——即他對死亡的過度渴望。他為甚麼不能盼望生命的終結，那也就是他苦難的終結呢？為加強這個理由，他從兩方面來論證：
I. 從人在世上普遍的境況（伯7:1）：「人日子短少，且多受苦難。每個人不久都必死，每個人也都有或多或少的理由渴望早死；那你們為何將我渴望早死算為如此大罪呢？」或者這樣說：「請不要誤解我對死亡的渴望，以為我想提前神所定的時候；不，我清楚知道那已定了；我不過以這樣的話語來表達我目前的不安：人在世上豈無爭戰嗎？（原文如此）他的日子不像雇工人的日子嗎？」請注意：1. 人目前的所在。他在地上——這地是神賜給世人的（詩115:16）。這表明人的卑微和次等。與那些崇高精純之境的居民相比，他的位置何等低下！這也表明神對他的憐憫。他還在地上，不在地下；在地上，不在地獄中。我們在地上的時間有限而短暫，正如這地狹窄的邊界所限；但天不能測量，天的日子也不能數算。2. 他在那裡的停留。他在此的居留難道沒有指定的時間嗎？是的，確實有，而且不難說是誰定的——就是造我們、將我們安置在此的那一位。我們不會永遠在地上，也不會長久，而是為一段確定的時間——由那掌握我們時間的他所決定。我們不可認為自己是由伊壁鳩魯派盲目的命運所支配，而是由神那智慧、聖潔、至高的旨意所引導。3. 他在那段停留中的境況。人的生命是爭戰，如同雇工人的日子。我們每一個人在這世上都當看自己：(1.) 如同兵丁，暴露在艱難之中，處身仇敵中間；我們必須事奉並服從命令；當我們的爭戰完畢，我們就必被遣散，或帶著羞辱或帶著尊榮被解散，全看我們在身內所行的如何。(2.) 如同日間的雇工，有當日的工作要在當日完成，到了晚上必須結算交帳。
II. 從他此時自身的境況。他認為自己有充分的理由盼望死亡，正如一個因工作疲憊的可憐僕人或雇工盼望傍晚的陰影——那時他可以領取他的工錢並去安息一樣（伯7:2）。黑夜的黑暗對勞工而言如同清晨的光對守望者那樣受歡迎（詩130:6）。造物的主為勞工的安息預備了時間，難怪他們渴望它。勞碌人的睡眠是甘甜的（傳5:12）。沒有甚麼比安息更使勞碌的人感到舒暢和有滋味，正如奢侈者之於放縱一般；再富足的人也不能從他的收租日獲得如同雇工從他的日薪中所得的那樣大的滿足。這比喻是明顯的，應用卻簡略而有些隱晦，但我們須補上一兩個字，就明白了：一個在約伯這種境況中的人，不能期望他措辭精確。*僕人切慕黑影，照樣，*也為同樣的理由，我切慕死亡；因為我也照樣經過等等。請聽他的抱怨。
1. 他的日子毫無用處，而且已經很長一段時間如此了。他完全不能做事，也完全不適合做事。每一天對他都是重擔，因為他沒有能力行善，也不能把時間花在有任何用處的事上。這就是他所說的經過困苦的歲月（伯7:3）。疾病和衰老使一個好人被迫離開他的用處，這極大地增加了他的苦難。他堅持說這些不是沒有快樂的日子，而是沒有用處的日子——因此是困苦的歲月。但當我們不能為神工作時，只要我們肯為他安靜等候，也是一樣的；我們必蒙悅納。
2. 他的夜晚不得安寧（伯7:3-4）。夜晚紓解白日的勞苦和疲憊，不僅對勞工如此，對受苦者也如此：一個病人若能在夜間得到一點睡眠，就有助於恢復，也可望痊癒（約11:12）。無論如何，不論苦難為何，睡眠總能給那些折磨我們的憂慮、疼痛和悲哀一些間歇；它是我們憂愁的括號。但可憐的約伯連這點解脫也得不到。(1.) 他的夜晚令人疲憊不堪，他不僅沒有得到任何安息，反而因輾轉反側直到天亮而更加疲乏。那些因身體疼痛或心靈痛苦而極度不安的人，想藉著翻身、換地方、換姿勢來得到一些舒緩；但只要內在的病因不變，一切都歸徒然；這不過像一個暴躁不滿的心靈的寫照——不斷變換，卻從不安寧。這使他和僕人渴望夜晚恰恰相反地恐懼夜晚，當他躺下時就說：夜間何時過去呢？(2.) 這些困苦的歲月是為他派定的。那位定了先前期限的神，為他分配了這樣的夜晚。無論何時有使我們痛苦的事，當看見那是為我們所派的，好使我們不僅作為不可避免的事而順應其結果，更因它必是為了某個聖潔的目的而設計的。當我們有舒適的夜晚時，也當看見那是為我們所派的，並為之感恩；許多比我們更好的人卻有困苦的夜晚。
3. 他的身體令人作嘔（伯7:5）。他的瘡口生了蟲，結痂如同塵土塊，他的皮膚破裂潰爛；那緊附他身上的病症何等可惡。請看我們的身體何等卑微，我們實在沒有理由驕養它們或以此為傲；它們本身就含有敗壞的根源：我們如今如此迷戀它們，但時候將到，我們可能厭惡它們，恨不得趕快擺脫它們。
4. 他的生命正飛速走向終點（伯7:6）。他認為自己沒有理由期望長壽，因為他發現自己正在急速衰退（伯7:6）：我的日子比梭更快，即「我的時日如今已不多，我的沙漏中只剩少數幾粒沙，即將漏盡。」物體越接近中心，運動越快。約伯認為他的日子過得快，因為他認為自己很快就要到達旅程的終點；他把日子看作已經花光了，因此對恢復從前的昌盛不抱指望。這也可應用於人一生的總體。我們的日子如同織布的梭子，一眨眼間從布的這邊穿到那邊，然後再穿回來，反覆來回，直到最後它所帶的線完全用盡，那時我們就像織布者一樣割斷我們的生命（賽38:12）。時間飛逝而去；它的運行不能停止，一旦過去也不能召回。我們活著的時候，一面撒種（加6:8），一面也在織布。每一天如梭子一般留下一根線在後面。許多人織的是蜘蛛網，終究無用（伯8:14）。我們若為自己織的是聖潔的衣裳和公義的袍子，當我們的工作被審查、各人照他所撒的種收割、照他所織的穿戴時，我們就必從中受益。
⁷ 求你想念我的生命不過是一口氣；我的眼必不再見福樂。
⁸ 觀看我的人，他的眼必不再見我；你的眼目要看我，我卻不在了。
⁹ 雲彩消散而過；照樣，人下陰間也不再上來。
¹⁰ 他不再回自己的家；故土也不再認識他。
¹¹ 故此我不禁止我口；我靈愁苦，要發出言語；我心苦惱，要吐露哀情。
¹² 我豈是洋海，豈是大魚，你竟防守我呢？
¹³ 若我說：我的床必安慰我，我的榻必釋解我的苦情；
¹⁴ 你就用夢景驚駭我，用異象恐嚇我；
¹⁵ 甚至我寧肯勒死，寧肯死亡，勝似留我這一身骨頭。
¹⁶ 我厭棄性命，不願永遠活著。你任憑我吧，因我的日子都是虛空。
約伯也許觀察到他的朋友們雖然不會在他講話時打斷他，卻開始感到厭倦、不太留意他所說的話，於是轉向神，對他說話。若人不肯聽我們，神肯聽；若人不能幫助我們，他能；因為他的膀臂沒有縮短，他的耳朵也不發沉。但我們不當在此向約伯學習如何對神說話；因為必須承認，他在這裡所說的話中攙雜了大量的情感和敗壞。但若神不苛求他百姓失言，我們也當往好處看他。約伯在此求神要麼紓解他，要麼終結他。他在此向神表明自己是：
I. 一個垂死的人，必然且迅速地死去。我們生病時思想並談論死亡是好的，因為疾病正是為了提醒我們死亡而差來的；我們若自己好好記念，就可以憑信心提醒神記念，正如約伯在此所做的（伯7:7）：*求你想念我的生命不過是一口氣。*他以自己是何等軟弱脆弱的受造物這一點來推薦自己作為神憐憫和同情的對象——他在這世上的停留短暫而不確定，他的離去必然且迅速，他的歸回不可能也不能期望——他的生命是氣，正如所有人的生命一樣，也許喧囂澎湃如風，卻空虛短暫，轉眼消逝，一去不返。神憐憫以色列，想到他們不過是血肉之體，是一陣去而不返之風（詩78:38-39）。請注意：
1. 約伯對自己生死所作的敬虔反思。關於生命的短暫和空虛、死亡的不免和不可挽回，這些淺顯的真理惟有當我們加以應用、思想並談論時才於我們有益。那麼讓我們思想：(1.) 我們不久就要告別一切所見的、暫時的事物。身體的眼睛將要閉上，不再見好處——就是大多數人所戀慕的好處；因為他們呼求說：誰能使我們看見好處呢？（詩4:6）。我們若愚蠢到將幸福寄託於可見的好事物上，當它們永遠從我們眼前隱去、我們不再見好處時，我們將如何是好呢？因此讓我們靠信心而活——信心是未見之事的實底和確據。(2.) 我們那時要遷往一個看不見的世界：觀看我的人在此見過我，在那裡必不再見我。原文是陰間——看不見的境界（伯7:8）。死亡將我們的愛人和朋友遷入黑暗中（詩88:18），也必不久將我們遷出他們的視線之外；我們離開這裡便不再被看見（詩39:13），而去與那看不見的、永遠的事物交往。(3.) 神能輕而易舉、在一瞬間結束我們的生命，將我們送到另一個世界（伯7:8）：你的眼目要看我，我卻不在了；你可以一眼看我進入永恆，一個怒目使我進入墳墓，只要你願意。他收回我們的氣，我們就死了；不，他不過看地，地就震動（詩14:29-30）。(4.) 當我們一旦被遷到另一個世界，就永不歸回此世。從這個世界到那個世界的通道是持續不斷的，但卻無回頭的足跡。「因此，主啊，求你以死亡善意地紓解我，因為那將是永久的紓解。我不再歸回這一生的苦難。」我們死後就走了，不再回來——[1.] 不再回到我們地下的居所（伯7:9）：人下陰間也不再上來，直到普遍復活之日，不再上到他在這世上的位置。死是一生只能做一次的事，因此必須做好：那裡的失誤是不可挽回的。這以雲彩的消散和散去來說明。它被消化、消失無蹤，分解為空氣，不再凝聚。別的雲彩會升起，但同一片雲彩永不回來：照樣，新一代的世人被興起，但前一代完全被消化、消失無蹤。當我們看見一片雲彩看似很大，彷彿要遮蔽太陽、淹沒大地，忽然間就被吹散消失，讓我們說：「人的生命正是如此；它不過是出現少時便消失的雲霧。」[2.] 不再回到我們地上的家（伯7:10）：*他不再回自己的家，*不能重新擁有和享受它，不能重新從事其中的事務和樂趣。別人將佔有它，保留它直到他們也讓給下一代。財主在地獄裡指望拉撒路被差到他家，因為他知道求讓自己去是沒有用的。得榮耀的聖徒不再回到他們家的憂慮、重擔和悲哀中；被定罪的罪人也不再回到他們家的奢華和歡樂中。*故土也不再認識他，*不再認他，不再與他有任何交往，不再受他的影響。我們當在死前 securing 一個更好的地方，因為這地方將不再認我們。
2. 他由此作出的衝動推論。從這些前提他本可得出比這更好的結論（伯7:11）：*故此我不禁止我口。*聖潔的大衛在默想人生的脆弱時，卻作了相反的應用（詩39:3：我默然無聲，連好話也不出口）；但約伯發現自己瀕臨斷氣，便急忙申訴，如同要立遺囑一般，或如同非吐露心中的激情便不能瞑目似的。我們只剩幾口氣可喘時，當將之花在信心和禱告的聖潔氣息上，而不是罪和敗壞的惡臭氣息上。寧可禱告讚美而死，不可抱怨爭論而死。
II. 一個身患疾病的人，身心都受到嚴重而痛苦的折磨。在他這番描述中，他十分暴躁，彷彿神對他太苛刻，加給他的過於當有的：我豈是洋海，豈是大魚（伯7:12），是一個翻騰的洋海，必須被限制、遏制其狂傲的波浪，或是一頭不受約束的大魚，必須以武力制止牠吞盡海中一切的魚嗎？我難道如此強壯，需要這麼多周折才能制住我嗎？我難道如此狂暴，非要這些巨大的苦難枷鎖才能馴服我、將我控制在範圍之內嗎？我們在苦難中很容易抱怨神和他的護理，彷彿他對我們的限制過了分；然而我們除非在必要時從不憂愁，也絕不超過所需。1. 他抱怨自己不能在床上安息（伯7:13-14）。當我們因勞碌、疼痛或跋涉而疲憊時，我們指望在那裡得到一些歇息：*我的床必安慰我，我的榻必釋解我的苦情。睡眠必暫時給我一些紓解；*通常如此；睡眠正是為此而設的；多少次它曾減輕了我們的痛苦，我們醒來時精神煥發、力量恢復。當如此時我們大有理由感恩；但可憐的約伯不是這樣：他的床非但沒有安慰他，反而使他恐懼；他的榻非但沒有釋解他的苦情，反而加重了它；因為他若一旦睡著，就被可怕的夢魘所擾，被驚醒後仍然被恐怖的異象所纏擾。這正是夜晚對他如此難熬和令人疲憊的原因（伯7:4）：*我何時起來？請注意：當我們指望得到安逸和歇息的時候，神若願意，可以以恐懼迎接我們；不，他能使我們成為自己的恐怖，而且正如我們常常因不聖潔的幻想之遊蕩而招致罪咎，他也能藉著我們自己想像的力量為我們製造許多痛苦，如此使那常常成為我們犯罪的，成為我們受罰的。在約伯的夢境中，雖然有一部分也許出自他的病症（在發燒或天花中，當全身疼痛時，睡眠不安是常見的），但我們有理由相信撒但也插了一手，因為牠喜歡恐嚇那些牠無力毀滅的人；然而約伯仰望的是神——是他允許撒但這樣做的（你用夢景驚駭我），並把撒但的作為誤認為是神的威嚴向自己列陣。*我們有理由求神使我們的夢境既不玷污也不攪擾我們——既不誘惑我們犯罪，也不以恐懼折磨我們；求那保護以色列、也不打盹也不睡覺的主，在我們打盹睡覺時保護我們，使魔鬼那時不能加害我們——無論是作為詭詐的蛇還是吼叫的獅子；也求神若使我們躺臥、睡眠甘甜、不被如此驚嚇，就為之感恩。2. 他渴望在墳墓中安息——那裡沒有輾轉反側，也沒有任何可怕的夢境（伯7:15-16）。(1.) 他厭倦了生命，一想到它就厭惡：*我厭棄性命；*我受夠了。*我不願永遠活著，*不僅不願永遠活在這種疼痛和痛苦的境況中，也不願活在最安逸昌盛的境況中——免得隨時有被如此打回原形的危險。我的日子即使在最好的時候也是虛空，沒有實質的安慰，卻暴露於實質的憂患；我不願永遠被綁在這樣的不確定上。請注意：一個好人即便可以，也不願永遠活在這世上，即使這世界對他微笑也不願——因為這是一個罪惡和試探的世界，他還有一個更好的世界在盼望中。(2.) 他對死亡戀戀不捨，以此自娛：他的靈（他以為是他的判斷，其實是他的激情）*選擇勒死和死亡勝過生命；*任何形式的死都勝過這樣的一生。這無疑是約伯的軟弱；因為雖然一個好人不願永遠活在這世上，寧可選擇勒死和死亡也不願犯罪（正如殉道者所做的），他卻會甘心活著，只要神喜悅他活著，而不會選擇死而不願活——因為生命是我們榮耀神和預備進天國的機會。
¹⁷ 人算甚麼，你竟看他為大，將他放在心上，
¹⁸ 每早鑒察他，時刻試驗他？
¹⁹ 你到何時才轉眼不看我，才讓我嚥下唾沫呢？
²⁰ 鑒察人的主啊，我若有罪，於你何妨？我何以成為你的負擔？你為何以我為你的箭靶子？
²¹ 為何不赦免我的過犯，除掉我的罪孽？我現今要躺臥在塵土中；你若切切地尋找我，我卻不在了。
約伯在此與神理論：
I. 關於他對待人的普遍方式（伯7:17-18）：*人算甚麼，你竟看他為大？*這可以被視為：1. 對神公義作為的衝動質疑；彷彿偉大的神與人較量是貶低和有損他自己。「偉大的人認為關注那些遠不如自己的人、責備和糾正他們的愚妄和失當是有失身分的；那麼神為何要如此看重人，*每早鑒察他，時刻試驗他？*為何要在這樣一個與他完全不對等的人身上如此大費周章？為何要以苦難臨到他，如同一日瘧疾一樣，如同晨光那樣準時不斷地反覆臨到，時刻試驗他能承受多少？」我們若以為神關注他最卑微的受造物是有損於他，那就是誤解了神和他護理的本性。或者，2. 對神恩典之降卑的敬虔驚歎，如詩8:4、144:3所表達的。他在抱怨自己特別的苦難時，仍承認神對人普遍的恩惠。*人算甚麼——*可憐的人，一個貧窮、卑微、軟弱的受造物——你這偉大榮耀的神竟如此對待他？人算甚麼，(1.) 你竟如此尊榮他，以聖約和與你相交的福分將他放在心上？(2.) *你竟如此關心他，*將他放在心上，視他為你所珍愛的、對他有恩情的一位？(3.) *你每早以你的憐憫鑒察他，*如同我們每天去探望一位密友，或如同醫生每天早晨去探視病人、幫助他們？(4.) *你時刻試驗他，*為他號脈、觀察他的面色，如同在掛念他、為他擔憂？像人這樣的地上的蟲竟成為天上的寵兒和至愛，這實在是我們永遠當驚歎的。
II. 關於他對待他自己的特殊方式。請注意：
1. 他對自己苦難的抱怨，在此加以誇大（正如我們都太容易做的），以三句話表達出來：(1.) 他是神箭矢的靶子：你以我為箭靶子（伯7:20）。我的情況獨特，沒有人像我這樣被射。(2.) 他成了自己的負擔，快要被自己生命的重擔壓垮了。不論我們多麼以自己為樂，神若願意，能使我們成為自己的負擔。若神以仇敵的身分對付我們，而我們在他裡面又沒有安慰，我們自己能從自己身上得到甚麼安慰呢？(3.) 他的痛苦沒有間歇（伯7:19）：你到何時才轉眼不看我？或至少減輕管教的嚴厲，哪怕只讓我嚥下唾沫的工夫？看來約伯的病痛在很大程度上在喉嚨，幾乎使他窒息，以至他不能嚥下唾沫。他抱怨（伯30:18）它如同我外衣的領子緊緊束縛我。「主啊，」他說，「你不給我片刻喘息的時間嗎？」（伯9:18）。
2. 他對自己罪的掛慮。最好的人也有罪可抱怨，而且他們越好，就越會抱怨它。(1.) 他坦率地承認自己在神面前有罪：我若有罪。神曾說他是完全正直的人；他自己卻說：我犯了罪。那些正直的人並非沒有罪；而那些真誠悔改的人，藉著中保，就被悅納為在福音上完全的。約伯對朋友辯稱自己不是假冒為善的人，不是惡人；但他在神面前承認自己犯了罪。我們若被保守沒有犯明顯的罪，也不能因此推論我們是無辜的。最好的人在神面前也必須承認自己犯了罪。他稱神為鑒察人的或保護人的主，可以被視為有意加重自己的罪：「雖然神一直看著我——為我好而看著我——我卻得罪了他。」我們在苦難中認罪是合宜的，因為罪是我們苦難的成因。悔改的認罪能淹沒和壓制衝動的抱怨。(2.) 他認真地尋求如何與神和好：我若有罪，於你何妨？——得罪了你，我當怎麼行呢？我們若確知自己犯了罪，又願意承認，我們就不能不推斷：必須做些甚麼來防止罪的致命後果。事情不能就這樣過去，必須採取某種途徑來糾正已經做錯了的。我們若真正感受到自己所陷入的危險，就會願意做任何事、在任何條件下接受赦免；因此會殷勤詢問當做甚麼（彌6:6-7），當向神做甚麼——不是為滿足他公義的要求（那唯有中保才能做到），而是為了使自己符合他恩惠的記號、按照福音聖約的條件。在作這樣的詢問時，將神看作世人的保護者或拯救者，而非毀滅者，是好的。在我們悔改時，必須對神存好的念頭——視他為不以毀滅受造物為樂、寧願他們回轉而存活的那一位。「你是世人的救主；求你作我的救主，因為我將自己投靠你的憐憫。」(3.) 他懇切地懇求赦免他的罪（伯7:21）。他心中的火熱，一方面使他的抱怨更加苦澀，另一方面也使他的禱告更加活潑而迫切；正如在此：*為何不赦免我的過犯？*你不是滿有憐憫、樂意赦免的神嗎？你不是在我心裡動了悔改的善工嗎？那麼為何不赦免我的罪，使我能聽見喜樂歡暢的聲音呢？他的意思肯定不僅僅是除去他外在的患難，而是在此切切尋求神的恩惠歸回——他正是抱怨缺少這恩惠的（伯6:4）。「主啊，赦免我的罪，使我有那赦免之恩的安慰，那時我就能輕易忍受我的苦難了」（太9:2，賽33:24）。當神的憐憫赦免我們所犯的罪過時，神的恩典就除掉在我們裡面作王的罪。神在何處除去罪的罪責，就在何處打破罪的權勢。(4.) 為加強他求赦免的禱告，他以自己即將離世的遠景作為理由：*我現今要躺臥在塵土中。*死亡要將我們安放在塵土中，使我們在那裡安睡，也許就在眼前，不久之後。約伯一直抱怨不得安寧的夜晚，睡眠離他而去（伯7:3-4、13-14）；但那些在鴨絨床上不能安睡的人，不久就要在塵土的床上安睡，不再被夢魘驚嚇，也不再輾轉反側：*你若切切地尋找我，我卻不在了；*那時就太遲了。我的罪若不在活著時得赦免，我就永遠沉淪敗亡了。請注意：想到我們不久必死，也許會忽然死去，就當使我們所有人都殷切地尋求罪得赦免、罪孽得除掉。
English original
Job's Reply to Eliphaz (1520 BC)
¹ Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling?
² As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
³ So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
⁴ When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
⁵ My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
⁶ My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
Job is here excusing what he could not justify, even his inordinate desire of death. Why should he not wish for the termination of life, which would be the termination of his miseries? To enforce this reason he argues,
I. From the general condition of man upon earth (Job 7:1): "He is of few days, and full of trouble. Every man must die shortly, and every man has some reason (more or less) to desire to die shortly; and therefore why should you impute it to me as so heinous a crime that I wish to die shortly?" Or thus: "Pray mistake not my desires of death, as if I thought the time appointed of God could be anticipated: no, I know very well that that is fixed; only in such language as this I take the liberty to express my present uneasiness: Is there not an appointed time (a warfare, so the word is) to man upon earth? and are not his days here like the days of a hireling?" Observe, 1. Man's present place. He is upon earth, which God has given to the children of men, Ps 115:16. This bespeaks man's meanness and inferiority. How much below the inhabitants of yonder elevated and refined regions is he situated! It also bespeaks God's mercy to him. He is yet upon the earth, not under it; on earth, not in hell. Our time on earth is limited and short, according to the narrow bounds of this earth; but heaven cannot be measured, nor the days of heaven numbered. 2. His continuance in that place. Is there not a time appointed for his abode here? Yes, certainly there is, and it is easy to say by whom the appointment is made, even by him that made us and set us here. We are not to be on this earth always, nor long, but for a certain time, which is determined by him in whose hand our times are. We are not to think that we are governed by the blind fortune of the Epicureans, but by the wise, holy, and sovereign counsel of God. 3. His condition during that continuance. Man's life is a warfare, and as the days of a hireling. We are every one of us to look upon ourselves in this world, (1.) As soldiers, exposed to hardship and in the midst of enemies; we must serve and be under command; and, when our warfare is accomplished, we must be disbanded, dismissed with either shame or honour, according to what we have done in the body. (2.) As day-labourers, that have the work of the day to do in its day and must make up their account at night.
II. From his own condition at this time. He had as much reason, he thought, to wish for death, as a poor servant or hireling that is tired with his work has to wish for the shadows of the evening, when he shall receive his penny and go to rest, Job 7:2. The darkness of the night is as welcome to the labourer as the light of the morning is to the watchman, Ps 130:6. The God of nature has provided for the repose of labourers, and no wonder that they desire it. The sleep of the labouring man is sweet, Ec 5:12. No pleasure more grateful, more relishing, to the luxurious than rest to the laborious; nor can any rich man take so much satisfaction in the return of his rent-days as the hireling in his day's wages. The comparison is plain, the application is concise and somewhat obscure, but we must supply a word or two, and then it is easy: exactness of language is not to be expected from one in Job's condition. "As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, so and for the same reason I earnestly desire death; for I am made to possess, etc." Hear his complaint.
1. His days were useless, and had been so a great while. He was wholly taken off from business, and utterly unfit for it. Every day was a burden to him, because he was in no capacity of doing good, or of spending it to any purpose. Et vitæ partem non attigit ullam—He could not fill up his time with any thing that would turn to account. This he calls possessing months of vanity, Job 7:3. It very much increases the affliction of sickness and age, to a good man, that he is thereby forced from his usefulness. He insists not so much upon it that they are days in which he has no pleasure as that they are days in which he does not good; on that account they are months of vanity. But when we are disabled to work for God, if we will but sit still quietly for him, it is all one; we shall be accepted.
2. His nights were restless, Job 7:3,4. The night relieves the toil and fatigue of the day, not only to the labourers, but to the sufferers: if a sick man can but get a little sleep in the night, it helps nature, and it is hoped that he will do well, Joh 11:12. However, be the trouble what it will, sleep gives some intermission to the cares, and pains, and griefs, that afflict us; it is the parenthesis of our sorrows. But poor Job could not gain this relief. (1.) His nights were wearisome, and, instead of taking any rest, he did but tire himself more with tossing to and fro until morning. Those that are in great uneasiness, through pain of body or anguish of mind, think by changing sides, changing places, changing postures, to get some ease; but, while the cause is the same within, it is all to no purpose; it is but a resemblance of a fretful discontented spirit, that is ever shifting, but never easy. This made him dread the night as much as the servant desires it, and, when he lay down, to say, When will the night be gone? (2.) These wearisome nights were appointed to him. God, who determines the times before appointed, had allotted him such nights as these. Whatever is at any time grievous to us, it is good to see it appointed for us, that we may acquiesce in the event, not only as unavoidable because appointed, but as therefore designed for some holy end. When we have comfortable nights we must see them also appointed to us and be thankful for them; many better than we have wearisome nights.
3. His body was noisome, Job 7:5. His sores bred worms, the scabs were like clods of dust, and his skin was broken; so evil was the disease which cleaved fast to him. See what vile bodies we have, and what little reason we have to pamper them or be proud of them; they have in themselves the principles of their own corruption: as fond as we are of them now, the time may come when we may loathe them and long to get rid of them.
4. His life was hastening apace towards a period, Job 7:6. He thought he had no reason to expect a long life, for he found himself declining fast (Job 7:6): My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, that is, "My time is now but short, and there are but a few sands more in my glass, which will speedily run out." Natural motions are more swift near the centre. Job thought his days ran swiftly because he thought he should soon be at his journey's end; he looked upon them as good as spent already, and he was therefore without hope of being restored to his former prosperity. It is applicable to man's life in general. Our days are like a weaver's shuttle, thrown from one side of the web to the other in the twinkling of an eye, and then back again, to and fro, until at length it is quite exhausted of the thread it carried, and then we cut off, like a weaver, our life, Isa 38:12. Time hastens on apace; the motion of it cannot be stopped, and, when it is past, it cannot be recalled. While we are living, as we are sowing (Ga 6:8), so we are weaving. Every day, like the shuttle, leaves a thread behind it. Many weave the spider's web, which will fail them, Job 8:14. If we are weaving to ourselves holy garments and robes of righteousness, we shall have the benefit of them when our work comes to be reviewed and every man shall reap as he sowed and wear as he wove.
⁷ O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
⁸ The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
⁹ As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
¹⁰ He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
¹¹ Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
¹² Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
¹³ When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
¹⁴ Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
¹⁵ So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
¹⁶ I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
Job, observing perhaps that his friends, though they would not interrupt him in his discourse, yet began to grow weary, and not to heed much what he said, here turns to God, and speaks to him. If men will not hear us, God will; if men cannot help us, he can; for his arm is not shortened, neither is his ear heavy. Yet we must not go to school to Job here to learn how to speak to God; for, it must be confessed, there is a great mixture of passion and corruption in what he here says. But, if God be not extreme to mark what his people say amiss, let us also make the best of it. Job is here begging of God either to ease him or to end him. He here represents himself to God,
I. As a dying man, surely and speedily dying. It is good for us, when we are sick, to think and speak of death, for sickness is sent on purpose to put us in mind of it; and, if we be duly mindful of it ourselves, we may in faith put God in mind of it, as Job does here (Job 7:7): O remember that my life is wind. He recommends himself to God as an object of his pity and compassion, with this consideration, that he was a very weak frail creature, his abode in this world short and uncertain, his removal out of it sure and speedy, and his return to it again impossible and never to be expected—that his life was wind, as the lives of all men are, noisy perhaps and blustering, like the wind, but vain and empty, soon gone, and, when gone, past recall. God had compassion on Israel, remembering that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away and cometh not again, Ps 78:38,39. Observe,
1. The pious reflections Job makes upon his own life and death. Such plain truths as these concerning the shortness and vanity of life, the unavoidableness and irrecoverableness of death, then do us good when we think and speak of them with application to ourselves. Let us consider then, (1.) That we must shortly take our leave of all the things that are seen, that are temporal. The eye of the body must be closed, and shall no more see good, the good which most men set their hearts upon; for their cry is, Who will make us to see good? Ps 4:6. If we be such fools as to place our happiness in visible good things, what will become of us when they shall be for ever hidden from our eyes, and we shall no more see good? Let us therefore live by that faith which is the substance and evidence of things not seen. (2.) That we must then remove to an invisible world: The eye of him that hath here seen me shall see me no more there. It is hades—an unseen state, Job 7:8. Death removes our lovers and friends into darkness (Ps 88:18), and will shortly remove us out of their sight; when we go hence we shall be seen no more (Ps 39:13), but go to converse with the things that are not seen, that are eternal. (3.) That God can easily, and in a moment, put an end to our lives, and send us to another world (Job 7:8): "Thy eyes are upon me and I am not; thou canst look me into eternity, frown me into the grave, when thou pleasest."
He takes away our breath, and we die; nay, he but looks on the earth and it trembles, Ps 14:29,30. (4.) That, when we are once removed to another world, we must never return to this. There is constant passing from this world to the other, but vestigia nulla retrorsum—there is no repassing. "Therefore, Lord, kindly ease me by death, for that will be a perpetual ease. I shall return no more to the calamities of this life." When we are dead we are gone, to return no more, [1.] From our house under ground (Job 7:9): He that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more until the general resurrection, shall come up no more to his place in this world. Dying is work that is to be done but once, and therefore it had need be well done: an error there is past retrieve. This is illustrated by the blotting out and scattering of a cloud. It is consumed and vanisheth away, is resolved into air and never knits again. Other clouds arise, but the same cloud never returns: so a new generation of the children of men is raised up, but the former generation is quite consumed and vanishes away. When we see a cloud which looks great, as if it would eclipse the sun and drawn the earth, of a sudden dispersed and disappearing, let us say, "Just such a thing is the life of man; it is a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." [2.] To return no more to our house above ground (Job 7:10): He shall return no more to his house, to the possession and enjoyment of it, to the business and delights of it. Others will take possession, and keep it till they also resign to another generation. The rich man in hell desired that Lazarus might be sent to his house, knowing it was to no purpose to ask that he might have leave to go himself. Glorified saints shall return no more to the cares, and burdens, and sorrows of their house; nor damned sinners to the gaieties and pleasures of their house. Their place shall no more know them, no more own them, have no more acquaintance with them, nor be any more under their influence. It concerns us to secure a better place when we die, for this will no more own us.
2. The passionate inference he draws from it. From these premises he might have drawn a better conclusion that this (Job 7:11): Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak; I will complain. Holy David, when he had been meditating on the frailty of human life, made a contrary use of it (Ps 39:3, I was dumb, and opened not my mouth); but Job, finding himself near expiring, hastens as much to make his complaint as if he had been to make his last will and testament or as if he could not die in peace until he had given vent to his passion. When we have but a few breaths to draw we should spend them in the holy gracious breathings of faith and prayer, not in the noisome noxious breathings of sin and corruption. Better die praying and praising than die complaining and quarrelling.
II. As a distempered man, sorely and grievously distempered both in body and mind. In this part of his representation is he is very peevish, as if God dealt hardly with him and laid upon him more than was meet: "Am I a sea, or a whale (Job 7:12), a raging sea, that must be kept within bounds, to check its proud waves, or an unruly whale, that must be restrained by force from devouring all the fishes of the sea? Am I so strong that there needs so much ado to hold me? so boisterous that no less than all these mighty bonds of affliction will serve to tame me and keep me within compass?" We are very apt, when we are in affliction, to complain of God and his providence, as if he laid more restraints upon us that there is occasion for; whereas we are never in heaviness but when there is need, nor more than the necessity demands. 1. He complains that he could not rest in his bed, Job 7:13,14. There we promise ourselves some repose, when we are fatigued with labour, pain, or traveling: "My bed shall comfort me, and my couch shall ease my complaint. Sleep will for a time give me some relief;" it usually does so; it is appointed for that end; many a time it has eased us, and we have awaked refreshed, and with new vigour. When it is so we have great reason to be thankful; but it was not so with poor Job: his bed, instead of comforting him, terrified him; and his couch, instead of easing his complaint, added to it; for if he dropped asleep, he was disturbed with frightful dreams, and when those awaked him still he was haunted with dreadful apparitions. This was it that made the night so unwelcome and wearisome to him as it was (Job 7:4): When shall I arise? Note, God can, when he pleases, meet us with terror even where we promise ourselves ease and repose; nay, he can make us a terror to ourselves, and, as we have often contracted guilt by the rovings of an unsanctified fancy, he can likewise, by the power of our own imagination, create us much grief, and so make that our punishment which has often been our sin. In Job's dreams, though they might partly arise from his distemper (in fevers, or small pox, when the body is all over sore, it is common for the sleep to be unquiet), yet we have reason to think Satan had a hand, for he delights to terrify those whom it is out of his reach to destroy; but Job looked up to God, who permitted Satan to do this (thou scarest me), and mistook Satan's representations for the terror of God setting themselves in array against him. We have reason to pray to God that our dreams may neither defile nor disquiet us, neither tempt us to sin nor torment us with fear, that he who keeps Israel, and neither slumbers nor sleeps, may keep us when we slumber and sleep, that the devil may not then do us a mischief, either as an insinuating serpent or as a roaring lion, and to bless God if we lie down and our sleep is sweet and we are not thus scared. 2. He covets to rest in his grave, that bed where there are no tossings to and fro, nor any frightful dreams, Job 7:15,16. (1.) He was sick of life, and hated the thoughts of it: "I loathe it; I have had enough of it. I would not live always, not only not live always in this condition, in pain and misery, but not live always in the most easy and prosperous condition, to be continually in danger of being thus reduced. My days are vanity at the best, empty of solid comfort, exposed to real griefs; and I would not be for ever tied to such uncertainty." Note, A good man would not (if he might) live always in this world, no, not though it smile upon him, because it is a world of sin and temptation and he has a better world in prospect. (2.) He was fond of death, and pleased himself with the thoughts of it: his soul (his judgment, he thought, but really it was his passion) chose strangling and death rather than life; any death rather than such a life as this. Doubtless this was Job's infirmity; for though a good man would not wish to live always in this world, and would choose strangling and death rather than sin, as the martyrs did, yet he will be content to live as long as pleases God, not choose death rather than life, because life is our opportunity of glorifying God and getting ready for heaven.
¹⁷ What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
¹⁸ And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
¹⁹ How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
²⁰ I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
²¹ And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Job here reasons with God,
I. Concerning his dealings with man in general (Job 7:17,18): What is man, that thou shouldst magnify him? This may be looked upon either, 1. As a passionate reflection upon the proceedings of divine justice; as if the great God did diminish and disparage himself in contending with man. "Great men think it below them to take cognizance of those who are much their inferiors so far as to reprove and correct their follies and indecencies; why then does God magnify man, by visiting him, and trying him, and making so much ado about him? Why will he thus pour all his forces upon one that is such an unequal match for him? Why will he visit him with afflictions, which, like a quotidian ague, return as duly and constantly as the morning light, and try, every moment, what he can bear?" We mistake God, and the nature of his providence, if we think it any lessening to him to take notice of the meanest of his creatures. Or, 2. As a pious admiration of the condescensions of divine grace, like that, Ps 8:4,144:3. He owns God's favour to man in general, even when he complains of his own particular troubles. "What is man, miserable man, a poor, mean, weak creature, that thou, the great and glorious God, shouldst deal with him as thou dost? What is man," (1.) "That thou shouldst put such honour upon him, shouldst magnify him, by taking him into covenant and communion with thyself?" (2.) "That thou shouldst concern thyself so much about him, shouldst set thy heart upon him, as dear to thee, and one that thou hast a kindness for?" (3.) "That thou shouldst visit him with thy compassions every morning, as we daily visit a particular friend, or as the physician visits his patients every morning to help them?" (4.) "That thou shouldst try him, shouldst feel his pulse and observe his looks, every moment, as in care about him and jealous over him?" That such a worm of the earth as man is should be the darling and favourite of heaven is what we have reason for ever to admire.
II. Concerning his dealings with him in particular. Observe,
1. The complaint he makes of his afflictions, which he here aggravates, and (as we are all too apt to do) makes the worst of, in three expressions:—(1.) That he was the butt to God's arrows: "Thou hast set me as a mark against thee," Job 7:20. "My case is singular, and none is shot at as I am." (2.) That he was a burden to himself, ready to sink under the load of his own life. How much delight soever we take in ourselves God can, when he pleases, make us burdens to ourselves. What comfort can we take in ourselves if God appear against us as an enemy and we have not comfort in him. (3.) That he had no intermission of his griefs (Job 7:19): "How long will it be ere thou cause thy rod to depart from me, or abate the rigour of the correction, at least for so long as that I may swallow down my spittle?" It should seem, Job's distemper lay much in his throat, and almost choked him, so that he could not swallow his spittle. He complains (Job 30:18) that it bound him about like the collar of his coat. "Lord," says he, "wilt not thou give me some respite, some breathing time?" Job 9:18.
2. The concern he is in about his sins. The best men have sin to complain of, and the better they are the more they will complain of it. (1.) He ingenuously owns himself guilty before God: I have sinned. God had said of him that he was a perfect and an upright man; yet he says of himself, I have sinned. Those may be upright who yet are not sinless; and those who are sincerely penitent are accepted, through a Mediator, as evangelically perfect. Job maintained, against his friends, that he was not a hypocrite, not a wicked man; and yet he owned to his God that he had sinned. If we have been kept from gross acts of sin, it does not therefore follow that we are innocent. The best must acknowledge, before God, that they have sinned. His calling God the observer, or preserver, of men, may be looked upon as designed for an aggravation of his sin: "Though God has had his eye upon me, his eye upon me for good, yet I have sinned against him." When we are in affliction it is seasonable to confess sin, as the procuring cause of our affliction. Penitent confessions would drown and silence passionate complaints. (2.) He seriously enquires how he may make his peace with God: "What shall I do unto thee, having done so much against thee?" Are we convinced that we have sinned, and are we brought to own it? We cannot but conclude that something must be done to prevent the fatal consequences of it. The matter must not rest as it is, but some course must be taken to undo what has been ill done. And, if we are truly sensible of the danger we have run ourselves into, we shall be willing to do any thing, to take a pardon upon any terms; and therefore shall be inquisitive as to what we shall do (Mic 6:6,7), what we shall do to God, not to satisfy the demands of his justice (that is done only by the Mediator), but to qualify ourselves for the tokens of his favour, according to the tenour of the gospel-covenant. In making this enquiry it is good to eye God as the preserver or Saviour of men, not their destroyer. In our repentance we must keep up good thoughts of God, as one that delights not in the ruin of his creatures, but would rather they should return and live. "Thou art the Saviour of men; be my Saviour, for I cast myself upon thy mercy." (3.) He earnestly begs for the forgiveness of his sins, Job 7:21. The heat of his spirit, as, on the one hand, it made his complaints the more bitter, so, on the other hand, it made his prayers the more lively and importunate; as here: "Why dost thou not pardon my transgression? Art thou not a God of infinite mercy, that art ready to forgive? Hast not thou wrought repentance in me? Why then dost thou not give me the pardon of my sin, and make me to hear the voice of that joy and gladness?" Surely he means more than barely the removing of his outward trouble, and is herein earnest for the return of God's favour, which he complained of the want of, Job 6:4. "Lord, pardon my sins, and give me the comfort of that pardon, and then I can easily bear my afflictions," Mt 9:2, Isa 33:24. When the mercy of God pardons the transgression that is committed by us the grace of God takes away the iniquity that reigns in us. Wherever God removes the guilt of sin he breaks the power of sin. (4.) To enforce his prayer for pardon he pleads the prospect he had of dying quickly: For now shall I sleep in the dust. Death will lay us in the dust, will lay us to sleep there, and perhaps presently, now in a little time. Job had been complaining of restless nights, and that sleep departed from his eyes (Job 7:3,4,13,14); but those who cannot sleep on a bed of down will shortly sleep in a bed of dust, and not be scared with dreams nor tossed to and fro: "Thou shalt seek me in the morning, to show me favour, but I shall not be; it will be too late then. If my sins be not pardoned while I live, I am lost and undone for ever." Note, The consideration of this, that we must shortly die, and perhaps may die suddenly, should make us all very solicitous to get our sins pardoned and our iniquity taken away.
約伯在本章繼續抒發他對自身災禍的強烈感受，並為自己求死的心願辯護。I. 他向自己和朋友们抱怨他的苦難，以及他所處的持續不安（Job 7:1-6）。II. 他轉向神，與神理論（Job 7:7-21，至末了），其中：1. 他申明死亡為我們現今的狀態所劃下的終結（Job 7:7-10）。2. 他激烈地抱怨自己如今所處的悲慘境況（Job 7:11-16）。3. 他詫異神竟要這樣與他爭辯，並懇求赦免他的罪、速速將他從痛苦中釋放（Job 7:17-21）。要為一個自認幾近絕望之人的言辭理出頭緒，實屬不易（Job 6:26）。