Empowered to torment him short of death, The Adversary scourged on Arab prince: With ruptive hatred reft his herds and heirs. A leprous outcast caked with clots of filth, Job squats, ash-covered, in the refuse. And swollen blister-pouches burst with worms As suppurating ulcers belch decay.

“The Lord, who gives and takes, be blessed,” he said Despite the agony of loss; and when His wife seduced: “Curse God and die!” Job’s faith Rebuked her. Now, beside him brooding for A silent week sit three savants, who muse Self-righteously upon alluring sins That might have drawn God’s fury down on Job,

Who damns his day of birth and howls for death, Bewails the Court’s injustice, and berates His friends for fabricating monstrous crimes— Envenomed accusations to defend The decomposing horror of his fall; While cold, omniscient, and pontifical, They cant on lust, hypocrisy, and pride.

But Job retorts with roars of pious rage, Protesting that he will see God. Debate Suspends in rancor—then Elihu speaks (More wisely than the four despite his youth) To laud-revere the Maker, not to jeer The man. And God accepts Elihu’s hymn As prefatory to His whirlwind words.

Jehovah drives His faithful rebel saint Into the innards of the earth; He blasts The haughty mind with awful questions up Among the forces of the stars; He flaunts His might in valleys, crags, and seas— With eagle, hippo, horse, and crocodile; Through clearing mark of rashness Job sees God.

MERLE MEETER