CHAP. X. V. 15. — and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my Head: Rather - AND if I BE RIGHTEOUS, SHALL [ וצדקתי לא אשא ראשי I NOT LIFT UP MY HEAD? I am full of Confufion; therefore fee thou mine Affliction. y ,I would connect this Claufe with the preceding one [קלון וראה עניי : and fuppofen understood after ; in this Senfe though I be FULL OF CONFUSION, AND THOU SEE MINE AFFLICTION. V. 16. For it increafeth: Thou bunteft me as a fierce Lion: The Hemiftic feems to require that thefe Words fhould [ כשחל תצורני be connected; which may perhaps be best done thus-While IT (viz. MINE AFFLICTION) INCREASETH, THOU HUNTEST ME &c. The Syriac feems to have read NN ON, If I exalt myself. Rather [ארץ עפתה כמו אפל צלמות V. 22. A Land of Darkness, as Darkness itself; and of the Shadow CHAP. XI. V..3. -and when thou mockeft, fhall no Man make thee ashamed? The Words fignify literally [ ותלעג ואין מכלס THOU MOCK, AND NO MAN MAKE THEE ASHAMED ? V. 6. God exacteth of thee less than thine Iniquity deferveth. Thefe Words feem rather to fignify - GoD [ישה לך אלוה מעונך : COVERETH (literally maketh to be forgotten) A PART OF THINE INIQUITY. Thus Bleed is be whofe Sin is COVERED. Pf. XXXII. 1. and LXXXV. 2. Thou haft COVERED all their Sin. See also Prov. X. 12. V. 17. — thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the Morning. a Senfe תעפה How our Verfion came to give [תעפה כבקר תהיה : directly contrary to that which the Verb y, from which it is derived, conftantly has, I cannot imagine. This particular Word occurs no where else: but by its Form must be a Noun, and fignify DARKNESS: There can therefore be no Doubt, that this Hemiftic ought thus to be rendered rendered THE DARKNESS SHALL BE AS THE MORNING: That is, "thine Affliction shall be converted into Joy." V. 18. Reft in Safety, yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy swn hoa Mon] Rather, I think AND THOU SHALT SEARCH FOR SAFETY, and BE AT REST. Thus on is rendered Ch. III. 21. Deut. I. 22. Josh. II. 2, 3. CHA P. XII. V. 5. He that is ready to flip with his Feet, is as a Lamp defpifed in the Thought of him that is at Eafe. לפיד בוז לעשתות שאנן is here confidered as compounded of the לפיד [נכון למועדי רגל : רגל; 110 Prepofition and a Misfortune: I would therefore render literally thus To CALAMITY is CONTEMPT, IN THE THOUGHTS OF HIM THAT IS AT EASE, PREPARED FOR THE SLIPPING FOOT; which may be thus paraphrafed-"Calamity generally meets with Contempt from the profperous Man, whofe Self-Conceit makes him ready to attribute the Misfortunes of others to Want of Prudence or "Conduct." This was exactly Job's Cafe with his Friends. ובטחות למרגיזי V. 6. — and they that provoke God are fecure; - — THEM THAT PROVOKE GOD. לאשר הביא אלוה .into whole Hand God bringetb abundantly 17] There is no Occafion to fupply any Word in the Verfion, for expreffes the Idea, which is fuppofed to be wanting to complete the Senfe; fignifying Profperity. See Inftances of the prefixed to the Accufative Cafe in Noldius. Thefe Words may therefore be rendered - INTO WHOSE HAND GOD BRINGETH PROSPERITY. V. 17. He leadeth Counsellors away spoiled, sh] It -- would be more accurate to render HE LEADETH COUNSELLORS TO BE SPOILED. For is here the Supine, so likewise V. 19. V. 18. He loofeth the Bond of Kings, and girdeth their Loins with a u. ought not [מוסר מלכים - פתח - ויאסר אזור במתניהם: .Girdle this Verse to be thus rendered - HE CHASTISETH KINGS; HE LOOSETH AND GIRDETH THE ROPE UPON THEIR LOINS? For the the fame Mode of Expreffion (viz. the Participle) is used fix Times in the foregoing and fubfequent Verses. Or thus (in order to preserve the Uniformity of the Hemiftics) HE LOOSETH THE BOND OF KINGS, AND GIRDETH THE GIRDLE UPON THEIR LOINS. By loofing the Bond, or Band, may be meant " depriving them of their "Strength;" a Girdle being ufed figuratively to denote STRENGTH, and fo tranflated at the 21ft Verfe (where what is rendered, weakeneth the Strength, is literally, loofeth the Girdle) and Ifa.XXIII.10. and the not having the Girdle of their Loins loofed (Ifa. V. 27.) is descriptive of "Perfons in full Vigour and Strength." According to this Interpretation, when it is faid, as an Inftance of GoD's Power, that be loofeth the Band of Kings, it may be meant thereby, "that he taketh away their mighty Power; which the next Hemiftic may be understood to intimate was "His original Gift.” CHA P. XIII. V. 12. Your Remembrances are like unto Afbes, your Bodies to Bodies Rather-YoUR [זכרניכם משלי אפר - לגבי חמר גביכם : .of Clay REPETITIONS OF WISE SAYINGS are as ASHES, YOUR SUBLIME Things AS HEAPS OF CLAY. Thein is here comparative, as Jof. VII. 5. 1 Sam. XXV. 37. And must have the Senfe here given it; for it is never used but in Niphal to denote Likeness. V. 13. Hold your Peace, let me alone, fignify literally -interrupt me. nn] The Words HOLD YOUR TONGUES FROM ME, viz. do not V. 14. ונפשי אשים בכפי : and put my Life in mine Hand? This Phrafe occurs in feveral Parts of Scripture; and always fignifies to expofe one's Life to imminent Danger. The Ground of it feems to me to be this; that, as the Hand is often used by a Metaphor for Power, a Perfon is faid to put his Life in his Hand, when he is "re"duced folely to his own Power, or Agency, for the Preservation of it." Or the putting of any Thing valuable into one's Hand may fignify, exposing it to Danger; on this Account, because it is then ready to be fnatched away by any one that is ftronger; whereas a Treasure locked up, and kept in a retired Place, is not fo eafy to be come at, nor affords the like Temptation. This Expreffion has been thought to be an Hebraifm: but but it is found, and used in the fame Senfe, in the best Greek Writers; thus Titus addreffes the Jews – ω ταλαίπωροι, τινι πεποιθότες; 8 νεκρος μεν υμών ο δήμος, οιχεται δε o vaos, ὑπ ̓ εμπι δε η πολις, ΕΝ ΧΕΡΣΙ ΔΕ ΤΑΙΣ ΗΜΑΙΣ ΕΧΕΤΕ ΤΑΣ ΨΥΧΑΣ, εθ ̓ ὑπολαμβανετε δεξαν ανδρειας το θάναταν ; Jofeph. de bello Jud. Lib.VI. Cap.VI. Hudf. p.1285. It is alfo found in a Fragment of Xenarchus the Poet, preferved by Athenæus, Lib. XIII; where, fpeaking of those who courted the Athenian Matrons, he fays Ας στ' ιδειν ες', 89' ορων θ' ιδείν σαφως, Αει δε τε τρεμαίνοντα και φοβέμενον Δειδίοτα, ΕΝ ΤΗ ΧΕΙΡΙ ΤΗΝ ΨΥΧΑΝ ΕΧΟΝ TA, &c. V. 18. Behold now I have ordered my Caufe: DDWD 'n The LXX, Syriac, and Arabic, seem to have read "DDD MY CAUSE. The next Word beginning with a might occafion the Omiffion. Rather [כי עתה אחריש ואגוע : V. 19. —for now, if I hold my Tongue, I shall give up the Ghoft. FOR SHALL I NOW HOLD MY TONGUE, AND GIVE UP THE GHOST? i. e. " die without clear"ing my Character." here feems to be interrogative (as well as caufal) as Prov. XXX. 4. Ifa. XXIX. 16. Rather [רגלי תתחקה : V. 27. -thou fetteft a Print upon the Heels of my Feet.by THOU ENGRAVEST UPON THE SOLES OF MY FEET, viz. the Marks of thy Difpleasure. Alluding perhaps to the Custom of beating Slaves upon the Soles of the Feet. See Taylor. V. 28. And be as a rotten Thing confumeth, &c.] As this Verse is quite unconnected with what precedes, and the Pronoun has no Antecedent, I cannot but fufpect that it has, by the Negligence of the Transcribers, got out of its Place, and ought to have come after the next Verfe, i.e. the first Verse of the next Chapter, where it would fuit admirably well. CHA P. XIV. V. 6. -till be fhall accomplish, as an Hireling, bis Day. Rather [כשכיר יומו : TILL HE SHALL BE SATISFIED, LIKE AN HIRELING, with HIS DAY. For never fignifies to accomplish. Or Or might not be rendered, fo far as, thus TURN FROM HIM THAT HE MAY REST, SO FAR at least AS TO BE SATISFIED, LIKE AN HIRELING, WITH HIS DAY, or CONDITION; though it be none of the best? Rather [ולא יבין למו : .but be perceiveth it not of them BUT HE DOTH NOT ATTEND TO THEM. V. 20. CHAP. XV. and the Number of his Days is hidden to the Oppressor.] Here and in the preceding Verfe feem to be plain Allufions to the Sanctions of the Mofaic Law. For no other Inftitution ever insured Long Life, and other temporal Bleffings, to the Obfervers of it. See Ch. V. v. 26. V. 23. He wandereth abroad for Bread, faying, Where is it? 773 Rather - HE WANDERETH ABROAD FOR BREAD [הוא ללחם איה WHEREVER it is; viz. to be found. V. 26. He runneth upon him, even on his Neck; -8 bx pu] In our present Version it is not clear whether God, or the Wicked Man, is here the Aggreffor: from the Construction the latter might seem most probable; but from Reason, it must be the former. I would therefore, with our old Verfion, fupply-Therefore God, and thus render the other Words WILL ATTACK HIM ON THE NECK. -- [ וישכן ערים נכחדות V. 28. And be dwelleth in defolate Cities, This Verse ought I think to be expreffed by the future Tenfe, as the two following Verses are; being rather a Judgment denounced against the wicked Man, than a Description of the State he is in. [בלא יומו תמלא V. 32. It shall be accomplished before his Time :If the next Hemistic be construed first, the Sense will be clearer, and there will be a proper Antecedent to : thus AND HIS BRANCH SHALL NOT BE GREEN: IT SHALL HAVE AN END CHAP. |