Chapter XXI.
But Job answered and said: Hear, I beseech you, my words, and do penance. Suffer me, that I may speak, and after my words, if it shall please you to deride. As for me, is my complaint to man? and why should I not be angry? Hearken ye then to my words, and give ear to my speech. Behold now, I have opened my mouth, let my tongue speak within my jaws:
Is my debate against man: so rightfully I should not be sad? First to me that is a burden, and very troublesome, and horrible: because it is not with man, but with God that I have a reason to speak: to whom I presented my purified righteousness, that he would reward the work of this: Behold now like a guilty one of all crimes I am afflicted with miseries. Here he says he is sad, because he knows God does nothing unjustly.
Listen to me, and be amazed, and put your finger to your mouth. What is this secret, that the good and righteous God would work in such a way towards me: especially when I have his testimony of goodness towards me.
And when I remember, I am terrified, and trembling shakes my flesh. For when I think of this affliction which I justly endure while living, and of God's judgment, who afflicts no one unjustly, I am reminded and greatly terrified. I know very well that no one suffers any evil unless God permits it. He does not inflict evil on anyone unless He has judged it to be most just to inflict. But these things have happened to Job so that it may become apparent outwardly to people what was already inwardly before God.
Therefore why do the wicked live, become old, and grow mighty in power? Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes. Their houses are safe and without fear, and no rod of God is upon them. Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and does not miscarry. They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They sing to the tambourine and the lyre and rejoice to the sound of the pipe. They lead their days in goodness: and in a moment they descend to hell. Those who said to God: depart from us, and we do not desire the knowledge of your ways. Who is almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit is it to us if we pray to him? And another said: Why does the life of the wicked prosper? And another said: Why do you not look upon those who do evil? Answer me, I pray: If I am wicked, and forgetful of good works according to righteousness, as you affirm, why do the wicked live and are raised up, and are strengthened and comforted by riches? Therefore, I implore you, I ask, respond: Are you, who defend God against me, accusing him of injustice in this place, so that he may be an unjust avenger against me and merciful to those like me? For these, of which he speaks now, the end and destruction will be eternal death and the damnation of hell.
But because their goods are not in their hands, let the counsel of the wicked be far from me. Because for this glory of theirs, and temporary bloom, they will be clothed with perpetual shame before the angels.
Whenever the lamp of the wicked is extinguished, and a flood comes upon them, and the pains of their fury divide them. They will be like chaff before the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters. But the light of the righteous is everlasting: for in this night of the world, the lamp of faith is not extinguished by any wind of temptation, and there it is prepared for the glory of eternal light. However, the light of the sinner is extinguished within a short time of life: for it passes away like a shadow. There will be, and it will come for the wicked, as Job says, a flood: that is, an abundance of torments. He divides the pains of his rage among them. Without a doubt, God divides the pains, he said, because he will repay each one with the punishment they deserve.
God will save the children from the pain of their father, and when he has repaid, then he will know. The devil reserves the punishment of hell, so that he and those whom he made his children by his example of evil may be punished equally: which, when God repays, their father the devil will then know, that is, then he will feel: when he will suffer eternal punishment with his children.
His eyes will witness his own death. Or rather, his own murder, as others have said. For it is a double torment, to see the punishments you endure.
And she will drink from the fury of the omnipotent. She herself is the golden cup of the Lord in the hand of Babylon.
For what does it matter to him about his house after himself? And if the number of his months is halved. Concerning the same devil, it is said, about whom Solomon says: When the wicked comes into the depths of his evil and sins, he despises it in despair. For now he knows that he and his, who are of his household, and his kingdom, are condemned forever: because there is no will for him to perform repentance.
Will anyone teach God knowledge, who judges the exalted? For he who has a just judgment of the exalted and sublime powers of the angels, how can he be taught by anyone, so that his judgment in these matters we have mentioned above may be criticized?
He dies strong and healthy, wealthy and happy: his organs are full of fat, and his bones are irrigated with marrow. Another, however, dies in the bitterness of his soul without any wealth, and yet they will sleep together in dust, and worms will cover them. Of the blessed in this world, and the unfortunate in this life, it is said to be a common condition: His organs, or rather his intestines, as others have said, are full of fat, and his bones are irrigated with marrow. But the other one dies in bitterness of soul without any wealth: and yet they sleep together in the dust, and worms cover them. Therefore, the meaning of this discourse is: that in this world the just and sinners live indifferently, but this difference will be changed in the future, as it happened to the rich man and Lazarus the poor man.
Certainly I know your thoughts and unjust opinions against me. Therefore, I define rightly, says he, what you perceive: that there is one condition in this world for both the sinner to die and the holy one. However, they should be separated afterwards, so that the righteous may be transformed into a reward, but the sinners may be dragged into punishment. But you, on the other hand, unjustly pass judgment on the innocent.
And you say. Insulting me, and mocking me.
Where is the house of the prince, and where are the dwellings of the wicked? Ask any traveler, and you will come to understand the same. Therefore, because you think this of me, that the time of my condemnation has come, it is not so, as you believe: for this is a temporal punishment from God, not eternal damnation.
Because the wicked is kept for the day of destruction, and will be led to the day of wrath. And he must be led to the day of God's wrath, so that he may receive the sentence of eternal death. For all the saints are rightly called travelers, because, being unburdened and cheerful, they tread their earthly soil with a brave heart, hastening towards the blessed homeland, and complete the laborious journey of this world. Therefore, those who ascend to the foreign people, whether adorned or with the belt of faith, gird the loins of their mind against the dissolution of vices.
Who will argue his ways before them, and who will repay him for what he has done? It seems to me that Job specifically spoke about the devil, although it can also be understood generally about all sinners. Who among men can argue against him because of his most polluted way, through which he made the whole world journey: or give him what the creature can deserve, unless it is the Lamb of God alone, who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.
He himself will be led to the tombs. To death indeed of torments; which he himself brought upon men in Adam, and he himself will be led down to the underworld, so that he may be perpetually punished there.
And in the heap of the dead, it will watch. And although it must be led to be condemned to punishments, yet rejoicing in the death of men, with every urgency of cheerfulness, it will watch the same heap of the dead being destroyed: or certainly it will always live in death.
The river of Cocytus was sweet. They say that Cocytus is the river of the underworld. However, in the divine Scriptures, we read of the same river as a torrent, a well, a furnace, eternal fire, a lake, a pool, and Gehenna. By the name of glaciers, I think are meant the very duties of the Tartarians themselves, and the ministers of infernal punishments bound in places of torment, and it has been said almost ironically, because they desire him and the inhabitants of the underworld, so that he may punish them and they may be satiated by his destruction. Certainly sweet was death: it acquired countless peoples for him in peace.
And after him, he will draw all men. Those who imitate his example, whether he draws all men after him, according to the transgression of the human race in Adam.
And before him countless (ones). What he deceived, and (he) sends (them) ahead to punishment to follow (them).
Therefore, how do you console me in vain, when your response has been shown to contradict the truth? In this verse, he concludes all argumentation of his dispute: he convicts his friends, who without cause argue against him about the aforementioned reasoning: when they doubt that the wicked and sinners are punished in this world, among whom they also condemn him; he convicts them that even though they may boast greatly in this age, they are being led to the judgement of damnation.