He grows green in the sun, and his branch shoots forth in his garden.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
See meth. Hebrew, "he is green before the sun "beat upon him.
Rising, ortu, for horto, (Haydock) as the Hebrew, have "garden "(Menochius) with some Latin editions. He had compared the wicked to a rush without moisture. But the just is like a plant in a fine garden, which is not hurt by the sun beams. It will grow even among stones, (Calmet) and may be transplanted without danger, ver. 19. (Haydock)
The whole may be, however, a continuation of the former simile. The rush will presently be scorched, as if it were thrown among stones, and its place will know it no longer, ver. 18. (Menochius)
76. Oftentimes in Holy Writ the Lord is represented by the title of the Sun, as it is said by the Prophet, But unto you that fear My Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise. [Mal. 4, 2] And as the ungodly that are cast away in the Judgment, are described in the book of Wisdom, as saying, We have erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the Sun rose not upon us; [Wisd. 5, 6] therefore, ‘before the sun the rush is seen moist,’ in that before God's severity burns hot in the Judgment, every hypocrite shews himself bedewed with the grace of holiness. He is seen as it were flourishing, because he is accounted righteous, he wins the post of honour, he is strong in his high repute for sanctity, reverence is awarded to him by all men, his credit for praise is magnified. Thus this rush is full of moisture in the night, but on the coming of the sun it is dried up, in that the hypocrite is accounted holy by all men in the darkness of the presen...
The papyrus and the reed are dried by the scorching heat of the sun and their shoots rot, even though they are moistened by water. In fact, this is what “his branch shall sprout from his dung heap” means. The impious will suffer the same destiny, when the wrath of God falls upon them. Bildad appears to allude to the death of Job’s children through his use of “branch,” which can indicate shoots, branches or flowers. - "Commentary on Job 8.16"
