For (sayeth he) look me upon a poor bondman or slave (for he speaketh not of servants, hinds, or serving men as they be in these days: but of such as were slaves: and afterward he addeth covenant servants (that are hired for wages,) look me then upon a slave how he longeth for the shadow: that is to say, for the rest of the night, by cause he never ceaseth labouring all day long: very well then, such a one desireth the shadow. Again, he that is at wages, longeth to have his days work at an end: and if he have a mooneth or more or less to serve, he hath an eye to the end of his term, that he may have some rest. But as for me (saith he) I have neither rest nor release. When I lay me down, I say, how shall I come to the morning? And when shall I rise again? When I am up in the morning▪ the day seemeth to me to be a whole year long. Then seeing ⟨p. 138⟩I am in this plight. It is well seen, that God is not contented to plague me after the ordinary manner of men: but that he meaneth to thunder down upon me, that I may not know what to do nor what to say. This is the complaint that Job maketh, saying that his misery is excessive▪ and no common misery, so as here is no cause why any man should say to him, Thou seest that so long as men are in this world, they have many miseries to endure, thou hast experience of it, and thou knowest after what manner God is wont to deal in that behalf: but God (saith he)§10 uttereth all his force against me, so as it seemeth he will overwhelm me altogether: and when I compare myself with others whom he correcteth, I see my self to be in the bottom of hell, and them to have yet some hope of help, that they shall be delivered of their miseries. And here we have to mark that which hath been touched already heretofore: that is to wit, that Job was not pressed with bodily adversity only, but that his chief grief was to feel that God was against him. And therefore addeth he this that ensueth immediately. Behold (saith he) my §02flesh is as it were clinged to my bones, and my skin is alto broken and as it were rotten: I am in that behalf as a poor forlorn caitiff, and yet notwithstanding my life passeth and glideth away even as a weavers shuttle, which runneth so swiftly as a man perceiveth it not, neither can he measure the nimbleness of it.
For (sayeth hee) looke mee vpon a poore bondman or slaue (for hee speaketh not of seruants, hindes, or seruing mē as they be in these dayes: but of such as were slaues: and afterward he addeth couenaunt seruantes (that are hired for wages,) looke me then vpon a slaue howe hee longeth for the shadow: that is to say, for the rest of the night, by cause hee neuer ceasseth laboring all day long: verie well then, such a one desireth the shadowe. Againe, he that is at wages, longeth to haue his dayes worke at an end: and if he haue a mooneth or more or lesse to serue, he hath an eye to the ende of his terme, that he may haue some rest. But as for mee (sayth he) I haue nother rest nor release. When I laye mee downe, I say, howe shall I come to the morning? And when shall I ryse againe? VVhen I am vppe in the morning▪ the day seemeth to me to be a whole yere long. Then seeing ⟨p. 138⟩I am in this plight. It is well seen, that God is not contented to plague me after the ordinarie manner of men: but that he meaneth to thunder downe vpon me, that I maye not know what to doe nor what to say. This is the complaint that Iob maketh, saying that his miserie is excessiue▪ and no common miserie, so as heere is no cause why any man should saye to him, Thou seest that so long as men are in this world, they haue many miseries to indure, thou hast experience of it, and thou knowest after what maner God is wont to deale in that behalf: but God (saith hee)§10 vttereth all his force against mee, so as it seemeth he will ouerwhelme me altogither: and when I compare myself with others whome he correcteth, I see my selfe to bee in the bottome of hell, and them to haue yet some hope of helpe, that they shall be deliuered of their miseries. And here wee haue to marke that which hath bene touched alreadie heretofore: that is to wit, that Iob was not pressed with bodily aduersitie only, but that his chiefe griefe was to feele that God was against him. And therefore addeth he this that insueth immediatly. Beholde (sayth hee) my §02fleshe is as it were clinged to my bones, and my skin is alto broken and as it were rotten: I am in that behalf as a poore forlorne caytife, and yet notwithstanding my life passeth and glydeth awaye euen as a weauers shettle, whiche runneth so swiftly as a man perceyueth it not, neyther can he measure the nimblenesse of it.
