A LETTER FROM MY FATHER,
AND YOURS ...

Do you know the story of Job? This Book of the Bible is thought to be the oldest scripture. There wasn't any wordly thing that Job had, that he didn't lose - his family, his health, his wealth. His friends came to advise him. GOD listened and watched as all unfolded, and when all was done, HE said this:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and you answer me.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who has laid the measures of it, if you know? Or who has stretched the line upon it? Where are the foundatins of it fastened? Or who laid the corner stone of it; when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment of it, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it, and broke up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said "you shall come up to here, but no further; and here shall your proud waves be stayed"?

Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.

Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare if you know it all. Where is the way where light dwells? And as for darkness, where is the place of it. So that you should take it to the bound of it, and that you should know the paths to the house of it? Do you know it, because you were then born? Or because the number of your days is great?

Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? Or have you seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind upon the earth? Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; to cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, where there is no man; to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it? The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? Or can you guide Arcturus with his sons? Do you know the ordinances of heaven? Can you set the dominion of it in the earth? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that abundance of waters may cover you? Can you send lightnings, so that they may go, and say to you, "Here we are"?

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? Or who can stay the bottles of heaven, when the dust grows into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

Will you hunt the prey for the lion? Or fill the appetite of the young lions, when they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

Who provides for the raven his food?, when his young ones cry to God, they wander for lack of meat.

Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or can you mark when the hinds calve? Can you number the months that they fulfil? Or do you know the time when they bring forth? They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows. Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and do not return to them.

Who has sent out the wild ass free? Or who has loosened the bands of the wild ass, whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings? He scorns the multitude of the city, and he doesn't regard the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.

Will the unicorn be willing to serve you, or abide by your crib? Can you bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after you? Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave you labor to him? Will you believe him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather it into your barn?

Did you give the goodly wings to the peacocks? Or wings and feathers to the ostrich, which leaves her eggs in the earth, and warms them in the dust, and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them? She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labor is in vain without fear; because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding. Whenever she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.

Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? Can you make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength: he goes on to meet the armed men. He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; neither does he turn back from the sword. The quiver rattles against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage: nor does he stand firm because the trumpet has sounded. He says among the trumpets, "Aha"! He smells the battle far off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make her nest on high? She dwells and abides on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From there she seeks the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said: Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct him? He that reproves God, let him answer it.

Then Job answered the LORD, and said: Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer you? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice; but I will proceed no further.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: Gird up your loins now like a man: I will demand of you, and you declare to me.

Will you also disannul my judgment? Will you condemn me, so that you may be righteous? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like him? Deck yourself now with majesty and excellency; and array yourself with glory and beauty. Cast abroad the rage of your wrath; and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.

Behold now behemoth, which I made with you; he eats grass as an ox. Look now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach him. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. He lies under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Behold, he drinks up a river, and hurrys not: he trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. He takes it with his eyes: his nose pierces through snares.

Can you draw out leviathan (king over all the children of pride) with a hook? Or his tongue with a cord which you let down? Can you put a hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak soft words to you? Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him for a servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your maidens? Shall the companions make a banquet of him? Shall they part him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears? Lay your hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain; shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? Who has prevented me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. Who can discover the face of his garment? Or who can come to him with his double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face? His teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. By his sneezings a light shines, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth. In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. His heart is as firm as a stone; yes as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. When he raises up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: sling stones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laughs at the shaking of a spear. Sharp stones are under him: he spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire. He makes the deep boil like a pot: he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. He makes a path shine after him, one would think the deep to be hoary. Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. He beholds all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

Then Job answered the LORD, and said: I know that you can do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from you. Who is he that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have said that I didn't understand; things too wonderful for me, which I didn't know. Hear, I beseech you, and I will speak: I will demand of you, and declare you to me. I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; because of it I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends: for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has. Therefore, take seven bullocks and seven rams and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you; for him I will accept; lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Then all Job's brothers, and all his sisters came to him, and all of those that had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had 14,000 sheep, and 6,000 camels, and 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 she asses. He had also 7 sons and 3 daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.

After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.

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ŠJoan Sholl Francis, 1999 - 2003. Email: joanfran@ptd.net