約伯倫理 第 1079 章

Verse 16. — If therefore you have understanding, hear what is said, and give ear to the voice of my discourse. 50. The proud, by seeing more, grow dim and blind. The more we suffer the vice of pride, the less we see. — All arrogant men have this as their own property, that when perhaps they perceive something acute, they thence presently break out into the vice of elation, and despise the understanding of all in comparison with themselves, and in their own judgment set themselves before the merits of others. To these wretches it happens that by seeing more they grow dark, because while they attend to subtle things, they know not how to look upon themselves; and the more acutely they perceive understanding, the more grievously do they fall through pride. They would indeed behold subtle things well, if in that which they utter they saw themselves. For above Elihu had said:

If you have anything to say, answer me: speak, for I wish you to appear just (Job 33:32). But now he says: If you have understanding, hear what is said. Behold how, little by little, elation advances through the increments of his words. Above he doubted whether blessed Job could bring forth what is just; but now he examines whether he can even hear what is said. There he said: If you have anything to say, answer me. As if he said: Say something, if only you can be worthy to speak. But here he says: If you have understanding, hear what is said. As if he openly says: Hear me, if only you can be worthy to hear.

These are the daily failings which occur in the hearts of the reprobate, by which they descend unceasingly to worse things, because while they carelessly neglect lesser things, they perniciously break out into greater. It was already from pride that he doubted whether blessed Job could speak what is just. But while he neglects to consider this in himself, he arrives at more wicked things, so that he not only doubts whether what is just could be said by him, but also despairs that he who says just things could be understood by him. Whence the vice of pride is to be cut off from its very root, so that when it secretly arises, it may then be vigilantly cut away, lest it flourish by advancement, lest it be strengthened by use.

For it is difficult for anyone to detect in himself an inveterate pride, because indeed the more we suffer this vice, the less we see it. For pride is generated in the mind just as darkness is in the eyes. The more widely it spreads itself, the more violently it narrows the light. Little by little, therefore, elation grows in the inmost parts, and when it has extended itself more vastly, it utterly closes the eye of the oppressed mind, so that the captive soul both can suffer the swelling of elation, and yet cannot see that which it suffers. But because arrogant men sometimes, as we have said, perceive right things not rightly, and have known how to find good things, but scorn to bring these forth well, Elihu, after the swelling of elation, by which he had said: If you have understanding, hear what is said, adds, saying: