So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Seven days They sat with him for a good part of the day, and of the night, during seven days: and spoke nothing all that time that could give him any uneasiness. (Challoner) (Menochius) (Olympiad.)
They mourned for him as if he had been dead. Their mutual grief was too great for utterance. But the text seems to intimate that they remained with Job, all this time. (Scultet.) (Calmet)
Their design in coming was really to afford him consolation; but being under a mistake, respecting the conduct of Providence towards mankind, (Calmet) they erred involuntarily, (Tirinus) and by attempting to prove their assertions, as if none but criminals could be so grievously afflicted, they eventually insulted the holy man, Tobias ii. 15.
They argued on the principle, "that under a just God no one is miserable, unless he have deserved it "not reflecting that God sometimes puts his best servants to the trial, that their merit and glory may increase. Notwithstanding their piety and learning, they becam...
If the heart feels true sorrow, the vices cannot speak against it. And when one genuinely seeks an upright life, it is fruitless to prompt that person to do evil. But frequently, if we vigorously brace ourselves against the incitements of evil habits, we transform even those very evil habits into virtue. For some people are possessed by anger. Yet if they bring their anger under reason’s influence, it is transformed into service rendered to holy zeal. Some are lifted up by pride. But when they bow the mind before the fear of God, pride is transformed into a free and unfettered authority for the defense of justice. Physical strength is a snare to some. Yet when we control our physical strength through the practice of works of mercy, we purchase pity’s gains and are freed from the prompting of wickedness. - "Morals on the Book of Job 3.70"
68. For by the weeping pity is betokened, discretion by the cutting of the garments, the affecting [al. ‘effecting’] of good works by the dust upon the head, humility by the sitting. For sometimes the enemy in plotting against us feigns somewhat that is full of pity, that he may bring us down to an end of cruelty. As is the case, when he prevents a fault being corrected by chastisement, that that, which is not suppressed in this life, may be stricken with the fire of hell. Sometimes he presents the form of discretion to the eyes, and draws us on to snares of indiscretion, which happens, when at his instigation we as it were from prudence allow ourselves too much nourishment on account of our weakness, while we are imprudently raising against ourselves assaults of the flesh. Sometimes he counterfeits the affecting of good works, yet hereby entails upon us restlessness in labours, as it happens, when a man cannot remain quiet, and, as it were, fears to be judged for idleness. Somet...
50. In the day we make out the objects that we look at, but in the night, either from the blindness we discern nothing, or from the uncertainty we are bewildered. Accordingly by ‘day’ we have ‘understanding’ represented, and by ‘night,’ ‘ignorance.’ And by the number seven the sum of completeness is expressed; and hence in seven days, and no more, the whole of this transitory period is accomplished. How then is it that the friends of blessed Job are said to sit with him seven days and seven nights, saving that heretics, whether in those things wherein they admit the true light, or in those wherein they are under the darkness of ignorance, as it were feign to let themselves down to Holy Church in her weakness, while under colour of caresses, they are preparing their snares to catch her withal? and though, whether in the things which they do understand, or in those which they are unable to understand, through the swelling of a bloated self-elation, they account themselves great in t...
22. Whether they sat with the afflicted Job for seven days and seven nights together, or possibly for seven days and as many nights kept by him in assiduous and frequent visiting, we cannot tell. For we are often said to be doing any thing for so many days, though we may not be continually busied therein all those days. And often holy Scripture is wont to put the whole for a part, in like manner as it does a part for the whole. Thus it speaks of a part for the whole, as where, in describing Jacob's household, it says, All the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten. [Gen. 46, 27] Where indeed, while it makes mention of souls, it clearly takes in the bodies also of the comers. Again it puts in the whole for a part, as where at the tomb Mary complains, saying, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him. [John 20, 2] For it was the Body of the Lord only that she had come to seek, and yet she bewails the Lord as though His...
