❧ CHAPTER XXX.
Vers. 1. But novv they that are younger then J, mocke me, whose fathers J would not haue vouchsafed to haue set with the dogges of my flockes.
2 And whereunto should the strengeh of their hands haue serued
Page [unnumbered] me? old age was lost vpon them.
1 SVch a one was I within these few daies. But (good God) how are all things chaunged with me, and what a great and sudden alteration hath followed? for loe, I am become a laughing stocke to those, who in yeares come very farre be∣hind me, and whose fathers I would not haue once vouchsa∣fed to haue in the same estimation, that I had my dogges, which were set to keepe the flocks. 2 For, to say the truth, the strength of those young striplings could not haue stoode me in any stead at all: and as for the old age of their fathers, it was such, that hauing spent the greatest and best parte of their life, partlie in idlenes, and partlie in diuers wicked and lewd pranks, they might worthelie seeme to haue liued in vaine all that while.
3 Jn pouertie and famine beeing solitarie, fleeing into the wil∣dernes into darknes, desolation, and destruction,
4 Pulling vp mallowes by the bushes, and (whose) meat (was) rootes and Iuniper:
5 Chased from among men, (and) against whome, men cried out as (against) theeues.
6 Therefore they dwelt in the cleftes of riuers, (and in) caues of the earth and of the rocks,
7 Who rored among the bushes, and gathered them selues vnder the thornes.
8 The children of fool•, and the children without name, more vile then the earth it selfe.
9 Now am I their song, and J am made their talke.
10 They abhorre me, they flee from me, and they spare not to spit in my face.
3 & 4 Men, I say, so odious and detestable, that euen in ex∣treme penurie and famine no man could away with them: in so much that fleeing from the companie and fellowship of men, beeing constrained to withdraw themselues into vn∣pleasant & solitarie places, they prolonged their life in great miserie, feeding vpon bitter and vnsauerie meates, as mal∣lowes, rootes, and berries pulled from the Iuniper tree. 5 Men banished, and through the outcries of the people, driuē foorth of the citie for theeues and robbers. 6 To whome scarselie the clefts, by which the streames of waters doe flow, the caues of the earth, and the hollow rockes, could Page [unnumbered] afford any abiding place. 7 Wandering among the shrubs, and meeting togither among the thornes. 8 Men of no discretion or foresight, vnthriftie persons and good for no∣thing: men of no name or estimation, men more abiect and contemptible, then the verie ground vpon which they doe tread. 9 These are they, who doe now make songs and so∣nets of me, I am all their talke, neither haue they any thing else whereof to chat and babble, but onelie of me. 10 They abhorre me and flie from my presence, as one that is pollu∣ted, yea, they are not afraide in contempt and despight, to spit in my face.
11 Because that (God) hath loosed my corde, and afflicted me, (they) also haue loosed the bridle before my face.
12 The wanton youth rise vp at my righte hande: they push my feet, and vppon me treade the pathes of their vnhappi∣nesse.
13 They haue destroied my pathes: they helpe to bruise me, (there is) not an helper for them (that is, against them)
14 They haue broken in, as it were at a great breach, and vnder the ruines thereof they presse vpon me.
11 And how commeth this to passe? Surelie because it hath pleased God, as it were, to loose the bandes of mine au∣thoritie, by which they were fast tied and kept within com∣passe of their duetie, therefore beeing now touched with no reuerence at all towardes my person, they runne riot, and are caried against me without all reason. 12 This like∣wise is the cause, that young men, abusing the prime and flower of their age to pride and wantonnesse, are not asha∣med in my presence, and euen at my right hande, to rise vp against me, to push my feete; in a worde, to make me, as it were, a path, in which they may practise that their malapert boldnesse in doeing mischiefe. 13 Thus the whole state of my life is chaunged and turned vpside downe, thus one mischiefe and calamitie commeth in the neck of another, and (alasse) there is not one, who will take vpon him to de∣fende me sielie wretch, from their outrage and iniurie. 14 For all without exception, so soone as the wal, within which I was safelie inclosed, beganne to fall, as if now there had beene a great breach and entrance laide open for them, Page [unnumbered] rushed violentlie vpon me, and shrouding them selues vnder the ruins of my house, that is, taking occasion by this my fall, which they ought rather to haue lamented and pitied, they vnmercifullie fell vpon me.
15 All terrors that maie bee, are turned vpon me, (and) haue as a winde borne downe mine honour, and my health is passed away as a cloud.
16 Now therefore my soule is powred out vpon mee: the daies of affliction haue taken hold on me.
17 God pearceth my bones in the night, my pulses take no rest.
18 By reason of the great force thereof my garment is chaun∣ged, (that is, hath changed colour, and) he compasseth me about as the coller of my coate.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and J am become like dust and ashes.
20 I cried vnto thee, and thou didst not heare mee: I stood by, (that is, I presented my selfe before thee) and thou regardedst me not.
21 Thou art become cruell to me, & according to the strength of thine handes art thou angrie with me.
22 Thou takest me vp with the winde, whereupon thou ma∣kest me to ride, and thou dissoluest the frame of my bodie.
15 And these grieuances which I haue hitherto spoken of, are without me. Now touching those griefes and vexati∣ons which are vvithin me, whatsoeuer there is in the world by which the minde of the most constant and resolute man may be terrified and dismaid, al that, or if so bee any greater thing can possiblie be imagined, hath come vpon mee, and as a whirlewind hath with such violence throwne to the ground all mine honour, whereby I vvas so beneficiall and profitable vnto others, that on a sudden all hope of health and recouerie is taken from me; neither can I be perswaded that I shall euer escape out of this miserie. 16 My minde therfore hath novv been destitute of all liuely courage, euer since I vvas fallen into these miserable daies. 16 For I am so farre from taking anie rest at all in the night season, what time all creatures are woont to bee at quiet; that contrari∣wise, euen then the verie marrovve of my bones rageth tho∣rough Page [unnumbered] intollerable paine, vvherevvithall it is continuallie pearced, and as for my pulses, they vvoonderfullie pant and beate without anie intermission. 18 Yea, so vehement is this euill, vvhich is come vpon mee from aboue, that the filth, vvhich runneth out of my sores, hath quite chaunged the colour of my garments: neither doeth the coller of my coate in more straite manner pinch my necke, then doeth the hande of God gripe and girde mee rounde about in e∣uerie parte of my bodie. 19 In a vvorde, I lie vvallovv∣ing and tumbling in this moste loathsome durte: and beeing couered all ouer vvith the scales and scrapings, that fal from my scabbes, I am become more like vnto the vnprofitable duste and ashes, then vnto a man. 20 And that vvhich greeueth mee moste, I haue cried aloude vnto thee, O God, and yet thou hast not giuen eare vnto mee; neither hast thou regarded mee, vvhen I presented my selfe before thy tribunall seate. 21 And albeit thou art by nature in mer∣cie infinite: yet to mee thou arte become cruell and vnmer∣cifull: yea, and thou doest practise all thy might vpon mee. 22 Thou hast laide me open to bee, as it vvere, tossed too & fro vvith the vvinds; and whatsoeuer did remaine sound in this my sillie bodie, that also hast thou in such sorte dissol∣ued & consumed, that ere it be long I shal come to nothing.
23 For J know that thou callest me to the death, and to the house appointed for all the liuing.
24 But he shall not send his hand into the graue, though in his broosings they crie.
23 For I see and perceiue wel enough, that I am called out of this life, to go vnto that house, which is ordained for the gathering together of al mortall men. 24 Notwith∣standing this one thing doth not a litle comfort me, that al∣though the afflicted crie neuer so much in vaine while they are in miserie: yet after they are become a sencelesse carkase and are once laid into the graue, God shall not stretch forth his hand to touch them anie more.
25 Vnlesse I haue wept for the hard daie, (that is, haue be∣wailed with teares those that were in miserie) (and) vnlesse my soule was heauie ouer the needie.
26 When I looked for good, then euil came: I waited for light, Page [unnumbered] darkenes came.
25 And what place, I pray you my friends, is there here left, wherein your excellent wisdome may be seene. For let me neuer finde mercie at the handes of God, whom I call to witnesse, and to bee my iudge in this matter, if I haue not with teares lamented the estate of those, whom I sawe affli∣cted: as also if I haue not beene inwardlie mooued with com∣passion towardes the poore, who liued in want. 26. But when I looked to haue all things at will, then straight way al things fell out quite contrarie; and as I haue stood waiting for the light, darkenes presentlie came vpon me.
27. My bowels are hot, neither are they at quiet, the daies of affliction haue taken hold of me,
28. I walke being blacke with out the sunne; J stand in the as∣semblie of men and do crie out.
29. I am become a brother to the dragons, and companion to the Ostriches young ones.
30 My skinne is made blacke vpon me; and my bone is withe∣red by reason of drinesse.
31 My singing was (turned) into mourning, and my harp in∣to the voice of them that weepe.
27. My bowels being enflamed, do make a great noise: this most bitter time stole vpon mee suddenlie, before I had once so much as thought of it. 28. & 29. My skinne is be∣come black, and yet not through the heat of the sunne: yea, and of such force is this my affliction, that it driueth mee, e∣uen openly in the great meetings and assemblies of people, to giue foorth these most rude & confused cries, as if I were the brother of dragons, who run hissing vp and downe the deserts in moste dolefull manner, or companion to the yong whining and grunting Ostriches. 30 The skinne of my whole bodie is made black through sorrowe and mourning: and my iavves are dried and pined awaie for want of moi∣sture. 31 And so is my song chaunged into teares, and my reioycing into most bitter lamentations.
