約伯倫理 第 1319 章

God's devout and moderate rebuke of Job. — The holy man did not reckon, by this severe stroke of the scourge, that his merits were being increased, but that his vices were being cut away. And because he recognized no vices in himself, he believed himself to be smitten unjustly, and to argue against the smiter is nothing else than to murmur about the smiting. But the Lord, considering that what Job had uttered he had gathered not from the swelling of pride but from the quality of his life, mercifully rebukes him, saying: 'Shall he who contendeth with God so easily be at rest? Surely he who reproveth God ought also to answer Him.' As if He more openly said: You who have spoken so much about your own conduct, why, on hearing the life of the saints, have you fallen silent? For it was mine to reprove; to doubt whether My smiting was just was yours.

And you have indeed truly set forth your own good things, but you knew not to what these scourges were tending, because, although you now have nothing to correct, you still nevertheless have something whereby to grow. But into how great a citadel of virtue I raise very many, you have now learned, behold, from My narration. You were considering your own loftiness, but you knew not that of others. Having heard, therefore, the virtues of others, if you have any strength, answer concerning your own. But we know that he extinguishes the eye of his own heart through the darkness of self-exaltation, who, when he does right things, neglects to consider the merits of his betters.

On the contrary, he illumines his own works with the great ray of humility, who subtly weighs the good things of others; because, while he beholds the deeds which he himself has done to be done outwardly also by others, he presses down that swelling of pride which strives to break forth from within out of singularity. Hence it is that by the voice of God it is said to Elijah, who reckoned himself alone: 'I have left me seven thousand men, who have not bowed their knees before Baal' (1 Kings 19:18), so that, while he recognized that not he alone had remained, he might be able to shun the glory of exaltation which could arise for him out of singularity. Blessed Job, therefore, is not rebuked as having done anything perversely, but is taught also concerning the good deeds of others, so that, while he considers himself to have others as his equals, he may humbly submit himself to Him who is singularly

and supremely the highest.