wafted) FROM THEIR MOUTH; AND THE POOR FROM THE HAND OF THE MIGHTY. It is remarkable that the Vulgate here, and in fome other Places, gives n both Senfes; viz. Porro falvum faciet EGE

NUM A GLADIO oris eorum.

V. 24. And thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle fhall be in Peace:

-is not here a Subftantive, but the In שלום [וידעת כי שלום אהלך

finitive. This Hemiftic ought therefore to be rendered― AND THOU

SHALT PERCEIVE THAT THY TABERNACLE IS SAFE.

and thou shalt vifit thy Habitation, and shalt not fin.

Rather [נוך ולא תחטא :

AND THOU SHALT GO TO SEE THY

HABITATION, AND SHALT NOT MISS
NOT MISS THE MARK. See the
Verb on thus ufed Judg. XX. 16. and Note, Ch. XLI. 25. That
this is the true Senfe of this Hemiftic, is I think evident from the
foregoing one.

V. 26. Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full Age, like as a Shock of

תבוא בכלח אלי קבר- כעלות גדיש בעתו .Corn cometb in in bis Seafon

Rather - THOU SHALT COME TO THE GRAVE IN FULL AGE,
LIKE THE OFFERING OF A SHOCK OF CORN IN ITS SEASON.
Though fome Interpreters are of Opinion that there is no Allufion to
the Mofaic Institution in this Book; yet I think this Verse has a plain
Reference to the waving the Sheaf of the first Fruits at the Time of
Harvest. See Lev. XXIII. 10, 11.

V. 2..

4

CH A P. VI.

and my Calamity laid in the Balances together! ''

והיתי

is marked by the Maffora as erroneoufly והיתי [במאזנים ישאו יחד :

written for : but I think it is more probable that the true Lection is 'as in v. 30. or that it is contracted, the formative of the Plural being omitted. The LXX and Targum have here that Number, and the Verb which agrees with it plainly fhews that it ought to be thus conftrued.

Rather [ בריר חלמות :

V. 6. -or is there any Tafte in the White of an Egg? DVD WON IS THERE any TASTE IN THE SLAVER OF DREAMERS? To this Effect the LXX, viz. es de 151 govμa ev prμaor κενοις ; non properly fignifies Dreams, but feems here used by a Metonymy for Dreamers. Terence uses the Word Somnium precifely

in

Ille,

in the fame Senfe. Tu quantus quantus, nihil nifi fapientia es: Adelphi A&t. III. Sc. 3. V. 40. See Schultens and

SOMNIUM

Taylor.

V.40.

[כדוי לחמי .are as

V.7. - are as my forrowful Meat. n ] The Vulgate feems to have read here 72; which makes a much better Sense; viz. "are "MY MEAT IN MY SORROW." Our Verfion is indeed scarcely intelligible in this Place.

V. 10.-yea, I would harden myself in Sorrow: let him not spare ;

This is only one Hemiftic, and ought I [ואסלדה בחילה לא יחמול

think to be thus rendered YEA, LET HIM NOT SPARE, I SHALL DANCE WITH ACTIVITY: That is, I fhould be overjoyed if God would put an End to my Life. The Verb D occurs only in this Place and the Signification here given to it is borrowed from the Arabic Verba, in faltu pedum terram pedibus percuffit; and from the Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and LXX Versions, which are all to the fame Effect. I can find no Authority to confirm the Sense of our Verfion.

V. 14. To him that is afflicted Pity should be fhewed from his Friend; but he forfaketh the Fear of the Almighty.

למס מרעהו חסד - ויראת and render the ; חסדו יראת I read חסד ויראת Inftead of [ שדי יעזוב :

Verse thus AS FOR HIM THAT IS EXHAUSTED OF (or, FAILETH IN HIS COMPASSION FOR HIS FRIEND, HE FORSAKETH THE FEAR OF THE ALMIGHTY. Or THE FEAR OF THE ALMIGHTY FORSAKETH HIM. The is used in this Sense, 1 Sam. IX. 20. Pf. XVII. 4. Ezek. X. 13. See also Ifai. XVI. 7. and Ch. IX. 19. And this is the Senfe given by the Targum, the Vulgate, the Syriac and Arabic Verfions. I think it cannot be doubted that the Verb DD has the Signification here given it.

[הקדרים מני קרח

V. 16. Which are blackish by Reafon of the Ice, - 7p7] As the Verb p has no Signification which is fuitable to this Place, (for it is contrary to Fact to say that Ice makes Water black) we may reasonably fuppofe that there is fome Error in it. And what is more probable, than that the Word ought to be written P, WHICH STAND STILL? The Verb P fignifies to be quiet, and to remain fixed in a Place.

V. 18. The

V. 18. The Paths of their Way are turned afide; nns inob, 7] It would be more agreeable to the Rules of Grammar, and to the Context, to render --- THEY PERVERT THE PATHS OF THEIR WAYS.

V. 21. For now ye are nothing; — on”n nny,')] It is very doubtful whether thefe Words will bear that Senfe. is marked in the Maffora for ; and accordingly we read in the Margin of our Bibles

For now ye are like unto them. Heb. to it. But it seems more probable to me, that the true Lection is and; for is the Particle which usually correfponds to ; and would be particularly suitable here after a Comparison, which continues for fix Verses. And the Syriac, LXX, and Arabic, seem to have read the Pronoun as here propofed. If this Reading be admitted, the Senfe will be THUS ARE YE NOW

TO ME.

ye fee my cafting down.] Inftead of nлn the LXX and Vulgate

חתתי read

V. 22. Did I fay] DID I INDEED SAY? for has that Force here.

V. 26. Do ye imagine to reprove Words, and the Speeches of one that

הלהוכח מלים תחשבו – ולרוח אמרי ?is defperate, which are as Wind [ : Rather [ נואש :

Do YE IMAGINE TO REPROVE WORDS, AND TO PUT AWAY THE SPEECHES (COMPLAINTS) OF HIM THAT IS DESPERATE? That is here a Verb, may be concluded from the preceding Hemiftic; and that it has the Signification contended for, or of difperfing and fcattering with a Blaft, cannot I think be doubted from the Use of the Noun.

V. 29. Return, I pray you, let it not be Iniquity; yea, return again,

[שבו נא אל תהי עולה - ושבו עוד צדקי בה : .my Righteounes is in it

Rather, I think ---RETURN, I PRAY YOU, LEST IT BE INIQUITY: YEA, RETURN AGAIN TO JUSTIFY ME IN THIS. In this Book the Infinitive with the Affix is used precisely in this Form, viz. 1PTY, to justify him, and PT to justify thee, Ch. XXXII. 2. XXXIII. 32.

CHAP. VII.

V. 2.—and as an Hireling looketh for the Reward of his Work. AND AS AN HIRELING LOOKETH

Rather [ וכשכיר יקוה פעלו :

FOR HIS WAGES. See by thus rendered Lev. XIX. 13.

-

V. 8. thine Eyes are upon me, and I am not. 1 TUY] As the preceding Hemiftic is expreffed in the future, so I think this should also be viz. THINE EYES fhall be UPON ME: BUT I shall NOT be. It is fo rendered in the last Verse of this Chapter; and for the fame Reason.

CHAP. VIII.

V. 6. — furely now he would awake for thee, y, any ">] Would not the Verb y be here more properly rendered, HE WOULD STIR, as in other Places in this Book, and elfewhere?

V. II.

- can the Flag grow without Water? :D ba in8 nav"]

-and it would be more pro : ישנא is here corruptly written for ישגה

perly rendered, INCREASE, because is tranflated in the preceding Hemiftic, grow up.

באבו לא יקטף

ערנן

V. 12. Whilft it is yet in his Greenness, and not cut down, — op 18] Rather-SHALL IT NOT BE CUT DOWN, WHILST IT IS YET IN ITS GREENNESS? The Interrogation being fupplied, and continued, from the preceding Verfe. Or the Text may be thus WHILST IT IS YET IN GREENNESS, AND NOT CUT DOWN. The LXX read it fo.

עדנו באב ולא יקטף,read

ולפני כל חציר ייבש : .it witheretb before any other Herb

Rather-AND WITHER &c. Our Verfion omits the Copulative Particle.

V. 14. Whofe Hope shall be cut off,- op] The Sense here given is a good one: but the Words of the Text will not bear it. The following is certainly nearer the Original, viz. WHO WILL DETEST HIS OWN EXPECTATION.

V.17. His Roots are wrapped about the Heap, — ba by I Rather - ABOUT A FOUNTAIN, as in the old Verfion. a fignifies a Fountain, Jof. XV. 19.

שרשיו יסבכו

גלה

Thefe [ בית אבנים יחזה :

and feeth the Place of Stones. Words are fo obfcure, that the Integrity of the Text may reasonably be queftioned. There is no Doubt that the LXX and Vulgate read here a and '; from which flight Alteration a better Senfe may be deduced, viz. HE LIVETH BETWEEN THE STONES.

V. 18. If he destroy him —

] Rather, with our old Verfion, IF any DESTROY HIM: for God is at too great a Distance to suppose that He is the Antecedent.

CHAP.

CHAP. IX.

לא יעננו אחת מני .be cannot anfwer bim one of a thoufand

As is here feminine, which anfwers to the neuter in other Languages, it would be better expreffed here by ONE THIng, as in the old Verfion; or adverbially, as ONCE IN A THOUSAND TIMES.

V. 11. Lo, he goetḥ by me, and I fee him not: he paffeth on alfo, &c.

ought אראה ויחלף The Words [הן יעבר עלי ולא אראה - ויחלף וגו

I think to be read thus

1788; for the Pronoun is here wanting, and not the Copulative Particle; as is apparent from our Verfion, which fupplies the one, and omits the other.

[אם לכח אמיץ הנה

V. 19. If I fpeak of Strength, lo, he is strong:-nan pas nas ON] As the Particle is always put first in a Sentence; it is probable that it is here a Miftake for or 8, which are generally used in fimilar Cafes. The Particle feems to fignify here IN RESPECT TO, OF IN REGARD OF; and DN may be conftrued TRULY, as Pf.CXXXIX. 19. Prov. XXIII. 18. et paffim. Thus most of the ancient Verfions

or

confidered them.

V. 27. I will leave off my Heaviness: Days] I cannot find that ever fignifies Heaviness: it is used for ANGER, Lam. IV. 16. which Senfe might be here adopted.

V. 29. If I be wicked, yw '******* ***] Here are manifeftly fome Words wanting to complete the Hemiftic and none will be more fuitable than thofe, with which the 27th Verfe begins

IF I SAY.

V. 35. but it is not so with me." ] Rather, with the old Verfion - but BECAUSE 1 am NOT so, I HOLD ME STILL. being there confidered as the Participle with the paragogic, or as the Infinitive with the Affix of the first Person.

B 2

CHAP.