Job 37 · The Lantern

Yea, at this, my heart quaketh, and starteth up out of its place.

At this my heart trembled, and was moved from its place. Because, while fear strikes the mind, it estranges it from itself, the Latin translations sometimes call an ecstasy fear, as is said by the Psalmist, I said in my fear, I am cast out from the sight of Thine eyes; [Ps. 31, 22] Where, namely, it could have been called not fear, but a transport ['excessus'].

Now this is the most wonderful thing that earthly and corruptible man is advanced to the possession of spiritual and heavenly things, and so he says, "About this," that man can ascend to possess the light, "my heart trembled," from the fear of wonder and astonishment, "and leapt out of its place," so that it not only desires and eagerly strives after those things seem connatura…

Hear! oh hear! the raging of his voice, A growling sound also, out of his mouth, goeth forth;

It will hear a hearing in the terror of His voice, and a sound going out of His mouth. It is the habit of Holy Scripture, that, when it informs us that any thing is heard with the hearing, it says that this hearing is heard. As Habakkuk says, O Lord, I have heard Thy hearing, and was afraid. [Hab.

[By] the words "the judgment that comes from his mouth; under the whole heaven he will be praised," [the author] speaks about the thunder that is produced in the instant itself, in which punishment is inflicted on sinners; it is heard everywhere and everyone who hears it praises God.

After sight which is the knowledge of corporeal light, comes hearing which especially serves the intellect because by it one perceives the voices which express intellectual conceptions.

Under the whole heavens, he letteth it loose, His lightning also, unto the wings of the earth;

After it, roareth a voice, He thundereth with his voice of majesty, Nor will he hold them back, when his voice is heard.

GOD thundereth with his voice, wonderfully, Doing great things, which we cannot know;

For, to the snow, he saith, Fall earthwards,—Also to the downpour of rain, yea the downpour of his mighty rains.

On the hand of every man, he setteth a seal, that all men may take note of his doing.

This is the reason, he says, for the grandiosity of his creations, the reason for the cold and the heat, the reason for the irregularity of the winds. Was it impossible to produce a harmonious blend? [If God did not do that], it is because he wants to prevent by any means the pride and arrogance of thought.

Who sealeth the hand of all men, that every one may know his works. For men scorn to think of the sins they commit. But when they hear the power of heavenly severity, they discern this burden of misdeeds which weighs them down.

Since everything which happens in lower things is somehow or other ordered to man, he says, "he has put signs on the hand of every man that they might each know his works." For different dispositions of the air correspond to the different works of men.

So then the wild-beast hath gone into covert, and, in its lairs, doth it remain.

Out of a chamber cometh a storm-wind, and, out of the north, cold.

By the breath of GOD, is given—frost, and, the breadth of waters, is congealed;

Also, with moisture, burdeneth he the thick cloud, He disperseth his lightning-cloud;

Yea, the same, in circles, turneth itself to and fro, by his steering them to their work, whithersoever he commandeth them, over the face of the world, towards the earth.

Whether, as a rod, or for his earth, or in lovingkindness, he causeth it to come.

Give thou ear unto this, O Job, Stay, and consider well the wonders of GOD:—

Canst thou got to know of GOD’S giving charge over them, or of the causing of the lightning of his cloud to shine forth?

Canst thou get to know concerning the poisings of the thick cloud, the wonders of one who is perfect in knowledge?

Dost thou know the mighty paths of the clouds, and their perfect knowledge? These clouds have most subtle paths, namely, the ways of holy preaching. For narrow is the gate, which leadeth unto life. [Matt. 7, 14] They confine then those by paths, who do not depart from the track of their purpose by wandering through the wide desires of the world.

"Do you know the paths of the clouds, the great paths and perfect sciences?" He says "great paths," that is, philosophical and theological knowledge, which are called "great paths," because they comprehend many sciences; he says "perfect paths" with respect to gratuitous and glorious knowledge.

He speaks about their motion saying, "Do you know the paths of the clouds?" namely, how and from what cause they are propelled to various regions by the breath of the winds?

That thy garments should be hot when he quieteth the earth from the south?

Here he may mean, You are now in the midst of afflictions, but later you will have rest—and there is also the proof given by divine wisdom, which has foreseen death as a solution and end to human tribulations. Or perhaps [he means], even in the midst of your trials, you remain out of the fight of the war and the troubles, and he punishes you in this manner.

Are not thy garments warm, when the earth hath been blown upon by the south wind? We have often said already that blessed Job stands for a type of Holy Church. But all they, who are joined to it by the unity of the Faith, are the garments of the Church.

Since the clouds are driven by the winds, he consequently adds the effect produced by the wind saying, "Are not your garments hot when the South wind blows on the earth?" For the South wind makes the air warm because it comes from warm regions. From this heat, the garments of a man can make him hotter.

Didst thou spread out, with him, the skies, strong as a molten mirror?

Let us know what we shall say to him, We cannot set in order, by reason of darkness.

Shall it be declared to him—that I would speak? Were any man to say aught, he might he destroyed?

Yet, now, men see not the light, bright though it is in the skies, when, a wind, hath passed over, and cleansed them.

"But now they do not see the light; suddenly the sky is covered with clouds; and the passing wind will drive them away." With his words he demonstrates how they do not see the light he demonstrates with his words by saying, "Suddenly the sky is covered with clouds"; the splendor of the sun is hidden by thick clouds and a darkened sky, but it is called back for the use of mortal…

But now they see not the light. The air will suddenly be gathered into clouds. And the wind passing over will drive them away. Of which light doubtless it is said even by the Prophet, The people which was sitting in darkness, saw a great light. [Is. 9, 2] But he shews how this light is seen by men, when he immediately adds; The air will suddenly be gathered into clouds.

But to preclude one from believing that the knowledge of divine truth must be withdrawn from man forever he says, "But now," in the present time, "they (men) do not see the light," which is the clarity of divine knowledge. Yet he proclaims to the friend of God that, "he can ascend to this light" at some time as he already said.

Out of the north, a golden light cometh, Upon GOD, is fearful splendour:

"From Aquilon comes gold." "From Aquilon the golden-colored clouds [come], the great glory and honor of God is in them." "From Aquilon gold comes." He said "Aquilon" for the east and "gold" for dawn, which imitates the appearance of the shining metal with its glowing color.

Gold will come from the north. And from God fearful praise. What is designated by the 'north,' but the Gentile world, fast bound in the cold of sin? Which he held under the yoke of his tyranny, who proudly said, I will sit in the mount of the covenant, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. [Is. 14, 13.

Sometimes shiny objects are discovered in dark places. The Northern region is called dark because of its distance from the sun, and yet much gold is discovered in Northern regions which is one of the most glittering metals.

The Almighty, whom we have not fully found out, is great in vigour,—Neither, justice nor abounding righteousness, will he weaken.

Therefore, do men revere him, He will not regard any who are wise in heart.

Therefore men will fear Him, and all who seem to themselves to be wise, will not dare to contemplate Him. Eliu in this place calls those who are strong of understanding 'men.' And we must note that he says not, 'And wise men will not dare to contemplate Him,' but, They who seem to themselves to be wise. By which words, namely, he implies those who are skilful, but arrogant.

This is the reason why his praise is dreadful, and so he then says, "Therefore men," no matter how powerful they are, "will fear him" because of the greatness of his power, "and they will not dare to contemplate him," i.e., presume to know him fully, "all those who seem to themselves to be wise." He says this clearly because the wisdom of a man, however great it may seem to him…

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