Then swift, to Job, a messenger did come,
And say to him, in solemn silence dumb :
The lab'ring oxen ploughed the grassy mead,
The lazy asses cropped the flow'ry feed;
The Sabean hordes in bold and strong array,
Upon them fell, and took them swift away;
The servants too their cruel sword hath slain,
And only I, of all the rest, remain.
While he was speaking, struck with terror dread,
Another came, and, much excited, said:
The fire of God, from out the heavens, did leap,
And burn up all the countless flocks of sheep;
Consumed the servants upon whom it fell,
And I alone escaped their fate to tell;
While he was speaking, swift from danger fled,
Another came, and, much affrighted, said :
The bold Chaldeans came in triple bands,
With swords displayed within their savage hands;
On horses swifter than the leopards fly,
And fiercer far than evening wolves that cry;
And like the eagle, pouncing on his prey,
The camels seized, and carried them away;
They slew the servants with the cruel sword,
And I am left to bring the fatal word.
While he was speaking, pale with fear o'erspread,
Another came, and, touched with sorrow, said:
Thy sons and daughters, round their brother's board,
Were drinking deeply of the wine he poured;
When lo! there came a mighty wind aside,
Across the wilderness of deserts wide;
It smote the corners of the house around,
And hurled the timbers o'er the groaning ground;
Thy sons, and daughters, now alas! are dead,
And I, alone, in terror, hence have fled.
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle round,
He shaved his head, and fell upon the ground;
By sorrow torn, and riven like the clod,
In sweet submission, thus he worshiped God:
I came out naked from my mother's womb,
And naked, too, shall I embrace the tomb;
The Lord, He gave, and He hath taken away,
His name be blessed to eternal day.
In all this, Job, from ev'ry sin, was free,
Nor charged his God with folly foolishly.
Again returned the convocation day,
When angel bands before the Lord did lay;
The embassies, entrusted by his will,
And wait for orders further to fulfill
The sons of God with, therefore, one accord,
Came to present themselves before the Lord;
And Satan also, minister of God,
Despatched abroad to bear his smiting rod;
To make return of trial, and award,
Came to present himself before the Lord;
And rightful, too, amongst them he did stand,
The great ambassador of God's left hand.
And then the Lord to Satan thus did say:
From whence, and, wherefore, hither dost thou stray?
And Satan answered to the Lord, and said:
From distant regions I have hither fled;
From going to and fro the earth around,
And walking up and down its charnel-ground.
Then thus the Lord the Tempter's breast did probe:
Hast thou considered this my servant Job?
That none like him upon the earth hath trod?
A perfect man, and one that feareth God?
Sincere in heart, upright in life, and true?
And evil doth in ev'ry thing eschew?
That swerveth not from daily serving me?
But holdeth fast his own integrity?
Although thou movedst me without a cause,
To swallow him within destruction's jaws?
And Satan answered to the Lord, and said:
Though all this ruin were severe and dread;
Yet skin for skin, yea, all mere paltry pelf,
Will man renounce that he may save himself.
Put forth thy hand, and touch his flesh, and bone,
And he will curse thee with a heart of stone.
Then thus the Lord to Satan did command:
Behold, my servant now is in thy hand;
With my consent, do what thy malice dare,
But this remember that his life you spare.
As soon as Satan heard the final word,
He vanished swiftly from before the Lord;
And covered Job with ulcers up and down,
From feet, and body, to his shaven crown.
The inflammation, and the tumors rose,
In angry swellings and in darting throes;
His flesh was clothed with clods of wormy clay,
And full of tossings to and fro he lay;
With broken furrows, filled with angry gore,
His body seemed a perfect running sore;
In ev'ry limb he felt the pain afresh,
And bit his teeth within his tumid flesh;
His skin acknowledged ev'ry deadly sting,
And perished on him like a rotten thing;
His face was foul, with weeping burning tears,
And filled with wrinkles, and with withered years;
His breath was turned, his flesh was lean, and thin,
His bones were cleaving to his lifeless skin;
His joints were pierced with dreadful pain at night,
And found no respite with the morning light;
His skin was black, his bowels turned his meat,
His bones were leprous, and consumed with heat;
Yet Job did down among the ashes fall,
And with a potsherd scraped himself withal.
Then lo! his wife, with patience poorly blessed,
In sinful anger thus herself expressed:
Dost thou, unchanged by this disease, remain ?
And thine integrity to God retain ?
Arise, O! Job, and vent a fit reply,
In manly anger, curse thy God, and die.
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