And do you open your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
Read Chapter 14
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
With thee. He seems beneath God's attention: (Arist. Met. viii. 9.; Cicero, Nat. ii.) but as the knowledge and other attributes of the Deity are infinite, he must necessarily attend to the whole creation. The moral actions of men being also infinite in their object, tending to God, or contradicting his ordinances, they are not beneath the consideration of an infinite Being. (Calmet)
Job has surveyed both the power of Almighty God and his own frailty. Before he brought himself and God together, he considered who would come into judgment and who would judge. He saw on the one side man, and on the other side his Creator, that is, dust and God. And Job rightly exclaims, “Do you deign to open your eyes on such a one?” With almighty God, to open the eyes is to execute his judgments, to look upon whom to smite. For as it were, with eyes closed, God does not wish to look at him whom he does not wish to smite. Hence it is immediately added also about the judgment itself, “To bring him into judgment with you?” But whereas Job had viewed God coming to judgment, he again takes a view of his own frailty. He sees that no one who comes forth from uncleanness can be clean by his own will. - "Morals on the Book of Job 11.69"
69. For he surveyed above both the power of Almighty God and his own frailty; he brought before his view himself and God, he considered Who would come into judgment, and with whom. He saw on the one side man, on the other side his Creator, i.e. dust and God; and he lightly exclaims, Dost Thou deign to open Thine eyes upon such an one? With Almighty God, to open the eyes is to execute His judgments, to look whom to smite. For as it were with eyes closed He does not wish to look at him, whom He does not wish to smite. Hence it is immediately added also about the judgment itself, To bring him into judgment with Thee? But whereas he had viewed God coming to judgment, he again takes a view of his own frailty. He sees that he cannot be clean of himself, who, that he might be able to be, came forth out of uncleanness.
