Chapter 33
| Collection: | The Book of Job and 42 Paintings |
| Author: | Fr. Antonio Oteiza |
| Type: | Painting |
| Location: | Cataloguing Room |
| Characteristics: | Acrylic paint on cardboard |
| Artwork: |
Click to enlarge |
| Description: |
Listen to my words, Job; pay attention to my speech. See, I am opening my mouth, and my tongue is forming words against my palate. I speak with a sincere heart; my lips express the pure truth. The breath of God made me; the breath of the Almighty gave me life. Answer me, if you can; prepare yourself and stand before me. I am God’s handiwork just as you are; I too was fashioned from clay. I will not overwhelm you with terror or deal harshly with you. You have already said it in my presence, and I have heard it from your own lips: “I am pure and without offence; I am innocent and without guilt. Yet he finds pretexts against me and considers me his enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks and watches every step I take.” In this you are not right—I tell you—for God is greater than man. How dare you accuse him of giving no account of any of his actions? God knows how to speak in one way or another, yet man does not notice: in dreams or visions of the night, when deep sleep falls upon a man as he lies sleeping in his bed. Then he opens his ears and terrifies him with his warnings, to turn him away from his evil deeds and protect him from pride, to keep him from falling into the pit and crossing the boundary of Death. At other times he corrects him upon a bed of pain, with unceasing agony in his limbs, until with all his soul he loathes food and his throat rejects even his favourite dish. His flesh wastes away until it can scarcely be seen, and the bones that once were hidden become exposed. His soul draws near to the pit and his life to the Destroyers. But if he finds a favourable angel, one among a thousand to act as intercessor, who takes pity on him and says, “Deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a ransom for him,” then his flesh will overflow with youth, and he will return to the days of his youth. He will plead with God, and God will answer him; he will show him his face with joy, restore salvation to the man and reveal his righteousness to the mortal. Then he will sing before men and say: “I sinned and perverted what was right, but God has not given me what I deserved. He has delivered me from falling into the pit, and my life is flooded with light.” God does these things to man two or three times, to bring him back alive from the pit and illuminate him with the light of life. Pay attention to me, Job; listen to me. Be silent, for I am going to speak. If you have something to answer, say it; speak, for I am willing to acknowledge that you are right. But if you have nothing, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom. |
