ページの画像
PDF
ePub

therefore ought to be rendered-THE OXEN WERE in THE WOODS. What follows confirms this Sense — the Affes were feeding by the Side of them.

V. 21. Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb, and naked shall

Our old [ ערם יצתי מבטן אמי - וערם אשוב שמה : I return tbitber

[ocr errors]

Version has here this Note, viz. "that is, into the Belly of the Earth,
"which is the Mother of us all." Others, who take the Words in
the Proper Senfe, suppose Job to have pointed to the Earth. But, with-
out having recourfe to that Figure or this Hypothefis, may not these
Words, without Violence, be rendered — NAKED CAME I OUT OF
MY MOTHER'S WOMB, AND NAKED SHALL I DEPART with
DESOLATION? o has this Senfe Ifa. XXIV. 12. and feems parti-
cularly fuitable here to Job after all the Difafters which had juft be-
fore happened to him. The Targum has here
the Houfe of the Grave: and this may probably be the Senfe here;
for Job (Ch. X. 19.) puts the Grave in Oppofition to the Womb, viz.—
"I should have been carried from the Womb to the Grave."

CHA P. II.

to,לבית קבורתא

V. 5·

See Ch. I. v. II.

[ אם לא אל פניך יברכך .and be will cure thee to thy Face

in ברך The Verb [ברך אלהים ומת .cure God, and die

V.9.

Chaldee, and in Arabic, is used for taking Leave or bidding Farewell ; and ought I think to be thus rendered here.

V. 12.

[ocr errors]

and Sprinkled Duft upon their Heads toward Heaven.

,This Place would be more intelligible [ויזרקו עפר על ראשיהם השמימה :

were it rendered, AND THREW DUST THROUGH THE AIR UPON THEIR HEADS. See Acts XXII. 23. where this Custom is alluded to.

CHAP. III.

V.3. and the Night in which it conceived. : mn h28 mbbm] read thus — AND THE

והליל האמר

[ocr errors]

was faid, There is a Man Child
Qu. ought not the Text to be
NIGHT WHICH SAID, A MAN

CHILD IS BROUGHT FORTH? For is of the Masculine Gender; and

is here more neceffary, confidered as articular and relative, than as

paragogic.

paragogic. If it be objected that it is too bold a Figure to make the Night fpeak, I answer that it is not bolder than to with the Day to perish; which strictly speaking it can no more do, than the Night speak.

V. 5. let the Blackness of the Day terrify it.

Inny'] Our Verfion does not exprefs the Sense of the Original: and indeed it is no wonder; for this is a very obfcure Place; and the ancient Verfions give us but little Light. However, from the LXX and Vulgate we may perhaps collect the true Reading of 5, by fuppofing that

and that has crept מארות or מארירי is defective for מרירי the Word

into the Place of; Inftances of both which Miftakes are not unfrequent. If this Reading be admitted, the Words before us may be rendered LET THEM DISTURB IT WITH CURSES CONTINUALLY. See thus used, Pf. LX. 8. &c. The 8th Verfe feems to confirm this Senfe.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

V.8. — who are ready to raise up their Mourning. 1 oʻnyn] Rather WHO ARE READY TO RAISE UP THE LEVIATHAN: (whether by this Word be meant the CROCODILE with Bochart, or a great SERPENT with Schultens :) For it is certain that we have no other Authority for the Signification of Mourning here given to this Word, than that of the Rabbi's, which has no Weight. On the other Hand, it is well known that the ancients were skilled in the Methods of charming Serpents, (see Pf. LVIII. 4, 5.) fo that Job may reasonably be fuppofed to be wishing here, that these Inchanters might practise their Arts, to add to the Horrors of that terrible Night, against which Evil is here fo folemnly imprecated.

[blocks in formation]

ואל יראה בעפעפי .neither let it fee the Datening of the Day

n] Qu. might not the literal Version of thefe Words be here admitted, viz. NEITHER LET IT SEE THE EYELIDS OF THE MORNING? This beautiful Image could not I think fail of being underftood by the Vulgar; and it is countenanced by much obfcurer enigmatical Expreffions. It furpaffes in my Opinion Homer's favourite ροδοδάκτυλος Πως - rofy-finger'd Morn.

V. 10. Because it shut not up the Doors of my Mother's Womb:

.with the Vulg בטן We nuit here read fimply לא סגר דלתי בטני

and Targum; or, with the other Verfions, ja, as Ch. I. v. 21.

V. 12. Why did the Knees prevent me? or why the Breafts that I

The Word [מדוע קדמוני ברקים - ומה שדים כי אינק ? bould fuck

[ocr errors]

A 2

prevent

prevent is here at best but equivocal. It generally fignifies in our Verfion, either to go before as a Guide, as thou preventeft him with the Blefings of Goodness; Pf. XXI. 3. or to anticipate, as mine Eyes prevent the Night Watches; Pf. CXIX. 148. But almost the only Senfe in which it is now used is that of hindering or obftructing. The Meaning of the Text is evidently this—" Why did the Knees of the Midwife kindly "affift at my Birth in preferving my Life? And why were the Breafts "of my Mother ready to give me Nourishment?" I would therefore tranflate this Verfe thus --- WHY DID THE KNEES INTERPOSE IN MY FAVOUR? WHY THE BREASTS ALSO, THAT I SHOULD SUCK? The Verb p is ufed precifely in this Senfe, Deut. XXIII. 4. they met you not (i. e. DID NOT INTERPOSE) with Bread and Water: fo Job XLI. 11. Pf. LIX. 10.

[ocr errors]

V. 19. The small and great are there: n 1 ] Rather THERE THE SMALL AND GREAT are THE SAME. For that feems to be the precife Idea of the Particle in this Place. See Lev. XXII. 30. Pf. CII. 27.

[ממטמונים:

[ocr errors]

ויחפרהו

V. 21. and dig for it more than for bid Treafures. " :] Rather AND SEARCH FOR IT MORE &c. For there feems to be an Incongruity in the Expreffion of digging for one's Death: and the Verb on is ufed for fearching, Jof. II. 2, 3. &c.

V. 22. Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad — www] Rather to avoid the Anticlimax

[ ישישו

[ocr errors]

INGLY GLAD and OVERJOYED.

השמחים אלי גיל

'nown

WHO ARE EXCEED

V. 23. Why is Light given to a Man whofe Way is hid, and whom

Our [ לגבר אשר דרכו נסתרה

ויסך אלוה בעדו ? God batb bedged in

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Tranflators repeat here the four first Words from the 20th Verfe: but, besides that this is far fetched, it is unneceffary, if we thus render the Verse YEA, THE WAY OF A MAN IS HIDDEN TO HIMSELF; FOR GOD HATH COVERED IT: i. e. the Defigns of Providence are unknown to a Man: God has referved them to Himself. The words fignify literally - The Step of his Way is hidden to a Man. See in this Signification, Ch. XXXI. 7. 1 Sam. XV. 20. and 172, Amos IX. 10.

V. 25. For the Thing which I greatly feared is come upon me] "♪♫8” would I think be more properly rendered here, HATH HAPPENED UNTO ME, because is tranflated by the Word come in the next Clause.

CHAP.

[blocks in formation]

There [כי עתה תבוא אליך

V. But now it is come upon thee 5. being no Subject to the Verb in the Heb. the LXX supply here πovos, and the Vulgate plaga: and I think it would be better, if, in Imitation of them, we were to add in another Character the Word Misfortune, or Affliction, instead of the Pronoun it, to which there are no Traces of an Antecedent in the Text.

V. 6. Is not this thy Fear, thy Confidence, thy Hope, and the Upright

Rather [הלא יראתך כסלתך - תקותך ותם דרכיך ? nes of thy Ways

[ocr errors]

IS NOT THY FEAR of God THY CONFIDENCE AND THE UPRIGHTNESS OF THY WAYS, THINE HOPE? I add the Words of God. for the fake of Perfpicuity; that being certainly the Meaning of the Word Fear here, as in many other Places in Scripture, as is evident from Chapter I. v. 1. from the whole Scope of this Book, and from the Words the Uprightness of thy Ways, which are exegetical of this Word, as the other Words Hope and Confidence are of each other.

V.10. The Roaring of the Lion, and the Voice of the fierce Lion, and

שאגת אריה וקול שחל - ושני .the Teeth of the young Lions are broken

w] As there is only one Verb in this Verfe, which affects every Member of it, it ought if poffible to be fo rendered, as to be applicable to each Part. Now the Verb broken fuits only the latter Claufe but that of fruftrated, which yn may equally fignify, will answer that Purpose. The Senfe is -The Strength and Terror of the Mighty are rendered useless.

V. 19.

[ ידכאום לפני עש .which are cruised before the Motb

This Word as it is now read is the 3d P. pl. of the Fut. Pih. or Hithp. and fignifies, they shall crush them: but doubtless the Text is here cor

ידכאו מלפני עש - rupt, and ought to be read thus

WHICH ARE

CRUSHED BY THE MOTH.

V. 20.

they perish for ever without any regarding it. Op has 1728] The Verb D fimply is never ufed in Scripture for laying to Heart, or regarding: the Word or by are conftantly added. I therefore think a ought to be read, and the Conftruction will then be this

--

THEY PERISH FOR EVER SO THAT NONE LAYS

it TO HEART. See the Prep. thus used Mic. III. 6. and the Note Ifa. LVI. 11.

V. 21. Doth

[ocr errors]

הלא

V. 21. Doth not their Excellency which is in them go away? Don' you] Rather DOTH NOT THEIR EXCELLENCY GO AWAY WITH THEM?

נסע יתרס בס

[blocks in formation]

V. 3. I have feen the foolish taking Root: but fuddenly I curfed his

ואקוב נוהו פתאם .Habitation ,The LXX [אני ראיתי אויל משריש

Syriac and Arabic Versions seem to have read 7281 instead of 21px; for they all render the Verfe thus I HAVE SEEN THE FOOLISH TAKING ROOT, AND HIS HABITATION SUDDENLY PERISHED.

[ואל מצנים יקחהו,and taketh it even out of the Thorns

V. 5. Not one of the ancient Verfions feems to have read the Text as we now do and the Senfe given to it, though but indifferent, is rather forced. I have no doubt that the two first Words were originally written either

both which will convey nearly the fame ; ואלס צנים or,ואיל מצנים

Senfe, viz. AND A MIGHTY MAN WITH ARMS WILL TAKE IT, or A TROOP with ARMS &c. The Targum reads here

זינא ידברוניה

and armed Men with warlike Arms will take it: Aquila's Verfion is αυτοι δε προς ενοπλων αρθησοντη : and the Vulgate et ipfum rapiet armatus. These Evidences feem to be fufficient Authority to restore the Text by either of the Methods here proposed.

and the Robber Swalloweth up their Subftance.

[ocr errors]

n] This Word occurs only here and Chap. XVIII. 9. and, what is remarkable, though it has a plural Form, is really fingular, as we may judge by the Verbs in both Places. Our Tranflators give it the Signification of Robber, on the Authority of Aben Ezra, but that of CALAMITY from the Chaldee and Arabic, or of SWORD from the Syriac, may be more proper.

V.9.

נפלאתו עד אין מספר .marvellous Things without Number

All the ancient Verfions inftead of 1D HIS marvellous Things, read ), AND MARVELLOUS &c. which doubtless is the true Reading. V. 15. But he faveth the poor from the Sword, from their Mouth,

-

[וישע מחרב מפיהם - ומיד חזק אביון .and from the Hand of the mighty

I confider as the Participle Hophal of 7, as Ezek. XXIX. 12. and render the Verfe thus BUT HE SAVETH THE OPPRESSED (or wafted)

[ocr errors]
« 前へ次へ »