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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)
简体中文
约伯记第七章
约伯对以利法的回应（主前1520年）
¹ 人在世上岂无定期呢？他的日子岂不像雇工的日子吗？
² 像奴仆切慕暮色，像雇工盼望工价；
³ 我也照样承受虚空的月份，困苦的夜晚为我所派定。
⁴ 我躺卧时便说：我何时起来，黑夜就过去呢？我满身辗转，直到天亮。
⁵ 我的肉以虫和尘土为衣；我的皮肤破裂，成了可憎恶的。
⁶ 我的日子比织布的梭更快，消耗在无指望之中。
约伯在此为他那无法辩解的事——过分的渴死之念——作辩。他为何不愿求一生的终结呢？那便是他苦难的终结。为加强这个理由，他这样辩论：
一、从人在世上普遍的处境立论（伯 7:1）
「人在世上岂无定期吗？他的日子岂不像雇工的日子吗？」 每个人不久必死，每个人也多少有些理由盼望早死；那么你们为何把我盼望早死看作大罪呢？他又说：「请不要误会我盼死之心，以为我要把神所定的时间提前；不，我知道那是固定的；我只是用这样的话表明我现今的不安。」 原文*「定期」一词，或作「争战之时」*——即当兵之时。请观察：
1. 人现今的所在——他在世上。 这是神*「赐给世人」（诗 115:16）*的地方。这说出人的卑微与下等：他比那在高天精炼之境的居民低了多少！这也说出神对他的怜悯：他还在地上，不在地下；还在世上，不在地狱。我们在地上的日子既短又有限，正如这地的界限狭窄；但天堂不能量度，天堂的日子不能数算。
2. 他在那处的停留——是否有定期？ 是的，确有；是谁定的呢？是那造我们、把我们安置在这里的神。我们不会永远在这地上，也不会长久，只为一段定好的时间——这在谁手里，时间就在谁的手中定下。我们不当以为自己被伊壁鸠鲁派所说的盲目的命运所辖制，而是被神那智慧、圣洁、至高的旨意所引导。
3. 他在那段时间里的处境——人的生命是「争战」，是「雇工的日子」。 我们当每个人这样看自己在世： 〔1〕如士兵——暴露在艰难之中，又在仇敌当中；我们必须服役、服从命令；当我们的争战完毕，我们必须被解散——或带羞辱、或带尊荣地被遣散，全照我们在身内所行的。 〔2〕如日工——当日有当日当作的工，夜晚要交账。
二、从他自己此时的处境立论
他想：他有理由像那厌倦工作的仆人或雇工盼望暮色——好领他的工价去安息——那样盼望死亡（伯 7:2）。夜的黑对劳工而言，正如晨的光对守望的人那样受欢迎（诗 130:6）。造物之神为劳工预备了安息，难怪他们渴慕它。「劳碌之人的睡眠是甜的」（传 5:12）。对奢靡之人而言，没有什么比安息更悦人心；对劳碌之人而言也是如此；富翁从他的收租日所得的喜乐，也不及雇工从他当日工价所得的那样大。这比方是明显的，应用却简略而有些隐晦，但只要补上一两个字，便容易明白；对于一个在约伯处境的人，不能指望其言语十分精确。「正如仆人切慕暮色，照样」——也因同样的理由——「我也切慕死亡；因为我承受了……」——请听他的诉苦：
1. 他的日子徒然无用，已经很久如此。 他完全不能作事，也全然不适合作事。每一天对他都是重担，因为他无力行善，也不能把日子用于任何目的。「他不能以任何有益之事填满他的时间。」 这就是他所说的*「承受虚空的月份」（伯 7:3）*。疾病与年迈使一个好人不能作工，便大大加增他的苦难。他所坚持的，不是这些日子没有快乐，而是这些日子不能行善；正因如此，它们才是虚空的月份。但当我们不能为神作工时，若肯安静为他等候，也是一样；必蒙悦纳。
2. 他的夜晚不得安息（伯 7:3-4）。 夜晚能减轻日间的劳苦与疲乏，不仅对劳工如此，对受苦者也是如此：病人若夜里能睡一会儿，便有助于身体康复，便可望他情形好转（约 11:12）。无论如何，无论苦难为何，睡眠能给我们所受的忧虑、痛苦、悲伤一些间断——它是我们忧愁的括号。但可怜的约伯连这点安慰也得不着。 〔1〕他的夜晚令人疲倦；他非但不得安息，反而因辗转反侧到天明而更加疲乏。那因身体疼痛或心中忧虑而大大不安的人，想藉着翻身、易地、改换姿势得着一点舒解；但只要内里的原因不变，一切便都徒然；这正像一个烦躁不满之心，常常变换，却从不安稳的写照。这使他如同仆人渴慕暮色那样惧怕夜晚；当他躺下时，便说：「黑夜何时过去呢？」 〔2〕这些*「困苦的夜晚」是「派定」给他的。神，那「预先定准了他们的年限」（徒 17:26）*的神，把这样的夜晚分派给他。无论何时何事使我们忧愁，看见它是为我们所派定的，便是好的；这样我们便能在结果上安静顺服——不仅因为它是无可避免的（既已派定），更因为它因此是为着某个圣洁目的而设计的。当我们有舒适的夜晚时，也当看见它是为我们派定的，并为它感恩；许多比我们更好的人却有许多困苦的夜晚。
3. 他的身体令人作呕（伯 7:5）。 他的疮生了虫，结的痂如尘土块，他的皮肤破裂——这病紧贴他身上，何等可恶。请看我们所拥有的身体是何等卑微，我们有何理由放纵它或以它为夸；它们里面就有自己腐烂的根源：如今我们如此钟爱它们，时候将到，我们可能要厌弃它们，盼望摆脱它们。
4. 他的生命飞速地走向终点（伯 7:6）。 他想他没有理由期望长寿，因为他发现自己衰败得很快：「我的日子比织布的梭更快」——即*「我的时间如今甚短，我的漏斗里所剩的沙不多，很快就要漏尽。」* 自然的运动越近中心越快。约伯以为他的日子飞快，因为他想自己快要到终点了；他看它们如同已经耗尽，因此无望恢复从前的兴盛。这话也适用于人的一生。我们的日子如同织布的梭，眨眼之间便从布的这一边抛到那一边，又抛回来，一来一往，直到所带的线全然耗尽；然后我们便*「像织布的剪断生命」（赛 38:12直译）*。光阴飞逝；它的运行不能停止，过去之后也不能召回。我们活着的时候，正如我们在撒种（加 6:8），也照样在织布。每一天像梭子一样，留下一条线。许多人织的是蜘蛛的网，不能遮蔽他们（伯 8:14）。我们若为自己织的是圣洁的衣裳、义袍，那么当我们的工受检验、各人照所撒的种收割、照所织的穿着之时，我们便要得益处。
⁷ 求你记念我的生命不过是一阵风；我的眼必不再见福乐。
⁸ 观看我的人，他的眼必不再见我；你的眼目在我身上，我便归于无有。
⁹ 云彩消散而归无有；照样，下阴间的人也必不再上来。
¹⁰ 他不再回自己的家，他本乡也不再认识他。
¹¹ 所以我禁止我口不言；我灵里痛苦，我要说话；我心里苦恼，我要诉苦。
¹² 我岂是洋海，岂是大鱼，你竟防守我呢？
¹³ 我若说：我的床必安慰我，我的榻必减轻我的诉苦；
¹⁴ 你就用梦惊吓我，用异象恐吓我；
¹⁵ 甚至我的灵魂宁选窒息与死亡，胜过留我的生命。
¹⁶ 我厌弃它；我不愿永远活着；任凭我吧；因我的日子都是虚空。
约伯看见朋友们虽不打断他的话，却已开始疲倦，不大留意他所说的，便在此转向神，对神说话。人若不听，神必听；人若不能帮助，他能帮助；因为他的臂没有缩短，他的耳并不发沉（赛 59:1）。然而我们在祷告的话上不可向约伯学习；因为必须承认，他在此所说的话中，夹杂了许多的激情与败坏。但神若不苛求他的子民失言，我们也当尽力以善意的眼光去看。约伯在此求神或是减轻他的苦，或是终结他的命。他在此向神描述自己：
一、如同一个将死的人——确然且速然将死
我们在病中思想并谈论死亡，是好的；因为疾病正是为叫我们想起死亡；我们若自己留心这事，便可以像约伯在此所作的，凭信心叫神也想起这事（伯 7:7）：「求你记念我的生命不过是一阵风。」 他以自己为可怜脆弱的受造者——在世的日子又短又无定，离世既确又快，再来世上既不可能也不可望——以此为理由，求神怜悯顾念：他的生命是风，正如一切人的生命也是风——也许喧嚣狂烈如风，却虚浮空空，转眼即逝；既逝，便不可再得。神曾怜悯以色列，「记念他们不过是血肉，是一阵过去不再回来的风」（诗 78:38-39）。请观察：
1. 约伯对自己生死所作的敬虔反思。 论到生命短促虚浮、死亡无可避免且不可挽回这些浅显的真理，只有当我们以应用到自己的心来思想、来谈论之时，才能对我们有益。让我们那时便思想： 〔1〕我们必须不久便要离别一切所见、属暂时的事物。身体的眼必闭上，必*「不再见福乐」——即大多数人所系念的那福乐；因为他们呼求：「谁能使我们见福乐呢？」（诗 4:6）* 我们若愚昧地把幸福置于可见之物上，到它们永远从我们眼前隐藏之时，到我们不再见福乐之时，我们便要怎样呢？所以让我们凭那*「是未见之事的实底和确据」（来 11:1）之信心而活。 〔2〕我们那时要迁到不可见的世界：「在这里看过我的人的眼，在那里必不再见我。」* 原文是*「hades」——「不可见之境」。死把我们所爱和所亲的迁入黑暗（诗 88:18），不久也要把我们迁出他们的眼目之外；当我们「离去，便不再见」（诗 39:13），乃去与那不见的、永远的事相交（林后 4:18）。 〔3〕神能轻易、能在瞬间了结我们的生命，把我们送到另一个世界（伯 7:8）：「你的眼目在我身上，我便归于无有」——只要你乐意，你一看便能把我们送入永恒，一皱眉便能将我们送入坟墓。他收回我们的气息，我们便死亡；不，他但「看地，地便消化」（诗 104:32）。 〔4〕我们一旦迁到另一个世界，便永不再回到这里。从这世界到那世界，迁移不断；「却无脚印折回」——「所以，主啊，求你以死亡仁慈地减轻我的苦；那将是永远的减轻。我必不再回到这今生的苦难中。」* 我们死了便去了，不再回来—— ① 不再从地下的家回来（伯 7:9）：「下阴间的人必不再上来」——直到普遍复活之日，不再上来回到他在世的位置。死是一生只作一次的工，所以必须作好：那里一旦错了，便无可挽回。这正如云彩被涂抹消散：它消解归无，再也不凝结。别的云兴起，同一片云却不再回来；照样新一代的人被兴起，前一代却全然消耗消散。我们看见一片大云，似乎要遮蔽太阳、淹没大地，忽然分散消失——那时我们当说：「人生正是如此；它是一阵出现少时便消失的云气（雅 4:14）。」 ② 不再回到地上的家（伯 7:10）：「他不再回自己的家」——不再归回占有、享受其中的产业，不再经营其中事务、享受其中的乐趣。别人要占有，并保留到他们又转交给下一代。地狱里的财主求拉撒路被差到他家里去，知道自己求让自己回去是徒然的（路 16:27-29）。得荣耀的圣徒不再回到他们家中的忧虑、重担与忧愁；被定罪的罪人也不再回到他们家中的奢华与享乐。「他本乡也不再认识他」——不再承认他，不再与他相熟，不再受他的影响。为我们自己预备一个更好的去处，实在是当尽的本分；因为这地不再承认我们。
2. 他从中所得的激情推论。 从这些前提他原可推出比这更好的结论（伯 7:11）：「所以我禁止我口不言；我灵里痛苦，我要说话；我心里苦恼，我要诉苦。」 圣洁的大卫思想了人生的脆弱之后，作相反的用处（诗 39:2-3——「我默然无声，连好话也不出口」）；但约伯觉得自己濒临断气，便急于诉苦，如同要立遗嘱，又如同若不发泄激情便不能平安而死。当我们只有几口气可喘之时，当用以发出信心与祷告那圣洁蒙恩的呼吸，而不是罪与败坏那害人害物的呼吸。与其抱怨相争而死，不如祷告赞美而死。
二、如同一个患病的人——身体心灵都患了重病、苦病
在这部分的描述里，他十分急躁，似乎神待他过严，加在他身上的过于所当受的：「我岂是洋海，岂是大鱼」（伯 7:12）——「岂是汹涌的洋海，必须把它圈在界限之内，好阻挡它骄傲的波浪？岂是失控的大鱼，必须以武力拘束，免得它吞尽海里一切的鱼？我岂如此强壮，需要这么多对付才能制服我？我岂如此狂暴，除了这一切患难的大锁链，便不能驯服我、把我圈在范围之内？」 我们在苦难中很容易抱怨神和他的护理，似乎他加给我们的约束过于所需；然而我们除了必要之时，从不忧愁，也从不越过所需。 〔1〕他抱怨自己床上不得安息（伯 7:13-14）。疲倦之时——无论是因劳碌、疼痛或行路——我们总盼望在那里得些安歇：「我的床必安慰我，我的榻必减轻我的诉苦。睡眠一时会给我些解脱。」 平素确是如此；这是为此而设立的；多少次它减轻了我们，我们醒来精神焕发，力量更新。当如此时，我们大可感恩；但可怜的约伯却非如此：他的床非但没有安慰他，反倒惊吓他；他的榻非但没有减轻诉苦，反倒加增诉苦；因为若他刚入睡，便被噩梦惊醒；醒了之后，又被可怕的幻象搅扰。正是这使夜晚对他如此不可欢迎、如此令人疲倦（伯 7:4）：「我何时起来呢？」 请留意：神若乐意，能在我们盼望安息之处以惊吓迎接我们；不，他能使我们成为自己的惊吓；并且正如我们屡次因不圣洁的幻想之漫游而陷罪，他也能藉着我们自身想象的力量，造成我们许多的忧愁，使那常作我们罪的，成为我们的刑罚。约伯的梦虽部分源于他的疾病（发烧或天花之时，全身疼痛，睡眠往往不宁），但我们有理由认为撒但也在其中作工，因为他乐于恐吓那些他无法毁灭的人；然而约伯举目望神，因神许可撒但如此行（「你用梦惊吓我」），便误把撒但的表象，当作*「神的威严列阵攻击他」（伯 6:4直译意译）。我们有理由求神使我们的梦既不玷污也不搅扰我们——既不引诱我们犯罪，也不以恐惧折磨我们；求那「保护以色列的，也不打盹，也不睡觉」（诗 121:4）的主，在我们打盹睡觉时保护我们，使魔鬼那时不能害我们——无论是作潜伏的蛇，还是吼叫的狮子；又当为我们的睡眠甜美、不受如此惊吓而称颂神。 〔2〕他渴慕在坟墓里安息——那是没有辗转、也没有惊吓之梦的床（伯 7:15-16）。 ① 他厌弃生命，厌恨它的念头：「我厌弃它」——我受够了。「我不愿永远活着」——不仅不愿永远活在这种境况之中、在疼痛苦难之中，甚至不愿在最安逸最兴盛的境况中永远活着，免得常陷于被如此降卑的危险中。「我的日子至终都是虚空」——没有坚实的安慰，却暴露于真实的忧患；我不愿永远被系于这样的不定之中。请留意：一个好人不愿（即使他能）永远活在这世上，即使这世对他微笑，也不愿；因为这是罪与试探的世界，并且他有盼望中的更好世界。 ② 他喜爱死亡，以它的念头自娱：他的「灵魂」（他以为他的判断如此选了窒息与死亡胜过生命，其实乃是他的激情）*；与其过这样的一生，他宁可任何一种死。这无疑是约伯的软弱；因为一个好人虽不愿永远活在这世上，虽宁选窒息与死亡也不肯犯罪（如殉道者所作的），却仍愿意照神所喜悦的时日活多久便活多久，不愿选择死而不愿生——因为生命是我们荣耀神、为天堂作准备的时机。
¹⁷ 人算什么，你竟看他为大，将他放在心上？
¹⁸ 每早晨鉴察他，时刻试验他？
¹⁹ 你到何时才转眼不看我，才任凭我咽下唾沫呢？
²⁰ 我犯了罪，造化主阿，我向你作了什么呢？你为何立我为你的箭靶子，使我成为自己的重担呢？
²¹ 为何不赦免我的过犯，除掉我的罪孽？因我现在要卧在尘土中；你若清晨寻找我，我便不在了。
约伯在此与神辩论：
三、关于神对世人一般的对待（伯 7:17-18）
「人算什么，你竟看他为大？」 这话可从两面看： 1. 作为对神公义作为的激情指控——似乎大神与世人相争，是自贬自辱。 「大人以为注意那远不如自己的人——责备纠正他们的愚妄与失体统——是有失身份的；那么神为何看人为大，鉴察他、试验他，为他如此大费周章呢？他为何要将一切兵力倾倒在一个与他太不相称的对手身上呢？为何要用如同每日清晨必至的疟疾那样按时按候返回的患难鉴察他，又每时刻试验他能担多少呢？」 我们若以为神注意那最微小的受造者是有损于他的尊严，便是误解了神和他护理的本性。 2. 作为对神恩典俯就的敬虔赞叹，如诗 8:4，144:3所言。 他承认神对一般世人的恩惠，即便在他抱怨自己特殊苦难之时也是如此：「人算什么——可怜的人，卑微软弱无能的受造者——你，至大至荣的神，竟如此待他！」 〔1〕「你竟这样尊荣他——把他纳入与你的约和相交之中，便算他为大！」 〔2〕「你竟这样关怀他——把他放在心上，看他为珍宝，看作你所喜爱的人！」 〔3〕「你竟每早晨以怜悯鉴察他——正如我们每日去探望一位密友，正如医师每日清晨探望病人要帮助他们！」 〔4〕「你竟每时刻试验他——为他按脉、观察他的气色，如同关心他、为他担忧！」 像人这样地上的虫，竟是天堂的宠儿，我们实在有理由永远希奇赞叹。
四、关于神对他特殊的对待
请观察：
1. 他对自己的苦难所发的诉苦——他在其中加以渲染（正如我们都太容易作的），用三句话说出来： 〔1〕他是神箭靶的目标：「你立我为你的箭靶子」（伯 7:20）。「我的情形独特，没有人像我这样被射击。」 〔2〕他成了自己的重担——几乎被自己生命的担子压沉。无论我们对自己如何满意，神若乐意，能使我们成为自己的重担。神若作为仇敌起来攻击我们，我们又在其中无安慰，对自己还能有什么安慰呢？ 〔3〕他没有片刻的间断（伯 7:19）：「你到何时才转眼不看我，或减轻刑罚的严酷，至少容我咽下唾沫呢？」 看来约伯的病多在喉咙，几乎叫他窒息，连唾沫也咽不下。他后来抱怨（伯 30:18）它*「如衣领紧紧束缚他」。「主啊，你不给我一些喘息、一些空隙吗？」（伯 9:18）*
2. 他对自己罪的担忧。 最好的人也有罪可诉；他们越好，便越要为此诉苦。 〔1〕他坦白承认自己在神面前有罪：「我犯了罪。」 神曾说他是*「完全正直」（伯 1:8）；他却说自己「犯了罪」。人可能正直，却并非无罪；凡真心悔改的人，藉着中保，便被算为福音意义上的完全。约伯向朋友坚持自己不是假冒为善的，不是恶人；却向神承认自己犯了罪。我们若被保守未犯大罪，不能因此就算为无辜。最好的人在神面前也当承认自己有罪。他称神为「造化主」——或作「保全主」——可能有意加重他的罪：「虽然神的眼目常在我身上——为善的眼目常在我身上——我却得罪了他。」* 在苦难中认罪正是合宜的，因罪是苦难的招致之因。悔改的认罪当淹没并止息激情的诉苦。 〔2〕他认真地寻求如何与神和好：「我向你作了什么呢？——既然我既得罪了你，我当怎样行呢？」 我们既确信自己有罪，又被带去承认它，岂能不结论说：必须有所行动以防止其致命的后果？这事不能就此放着；必须采取什么方法去挽回所行错的。我们若真感觉到自己所陷入的危险，便甘愿作任何事，按任何条件接受赦免；因此便*「殷勤查问我们当怎样行」（弥 6:6-7）——我们向神当怎样行——不是为满足他公义的要求（那唯有中保才能成全），而是为使自己符合他恩惠的标记，照着福音之约的条款。在这寻求中，以神为世人的保全者或救主，而不是毁灭者，是好的。在悔改中我们当对神存善念——看作不喜悦受造之物灭亡，宁愿他们回头存活的神。「你是世人的救主；求你作我的救主，因为我将自己投在你的怜悯上。」* 〔3〕他恳切地求神赦免他的罪（伯 7:21）。他灵里的发热，一方面使他的诉苦更苦，另一方面却使他的祷告更加活泼、更加迫切；正如在此：「为何不赦免我的过犯呢？」——「你岂不是无限怜悯、乐意赦免的神吗？你岂不是在我心里动了悔改之工吗？那么你为何不赐我罪的赦免，使我听见那喜乐欢呼的声音呢？」（诗 51:8）他的意思当然不止于免去他外面的苦难；他在此所切望的，是神恩惠的归回——这正是他所抱怨失去的（伯 6:4）。「主啊，赦免我的罪，又赐我那赦免的安慰，我便能轻易担当我的苦难」（太 9:2；赛 33:24）。 当神的怜悯赦免我们所犯的罪，神的恩典便除掉我们里面作王的罪。神在哪里除去罪孽，就在哪里打破罪的权势。 〔4〕他为支持自己求赦免的祷告，便以快将死去的展望为理由：「因我现在要卧在尘土中。」 死要把我们放在尘土里，使我们睡在其中，也许就是现在，不久的将来。约伯一直抱怨不能安息的夜晚，抱怨*「睡眠远离他的眼目」（伯 7:3-4、13-14）；但那些不能在羽绒床上睡眠的人，不久便要在尘土床上睡眠，再不被梦惊吓，也不辗转反侧：「你若清晨寻找我要向我施恩，我便不在了——那时已经太晚了。我的罪若不在活着时得赦，我便永远失丧灭亡了。」* 请留意：想到我们不久必死，也许可能突然死去，这应当使我们大家都极其关心，要使自己的罪得赦、罪孽得除。
영문 원문
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.
约伯在本章继续表达他对自身灾祸的深切感受，并为自己求死的愿望辩护。I. 他向自己和朋友们倾诉他的苦楚，以及他心中持续不断的搅动不安（伯7:1-6）。II. 他转向神，与他理论（伯7:7-21，直至末了），其中：1. 他诉诸死亡对我们现今状态所设定的终局（伯7:7-10）。2. 他热切地抱怨自己当下所处的悲惨境况（伯7:11-16）。3. 他诧异神竟如此与他争论，并恳求赦免他的罪、使他速速从苦难中得解脱（伯7:17-21）。要为一位自认几近绝望之人（伯6:26）的发言梳理出条理，实非易事。