Bible Stories: Job (Chapter Xiv) Poem by Dr John Celes

Job Continues:

Eve-born, man’s life is transient,
And full of troubles, incessant;
Akin a flower sprung, that fades
Or shadow swift that not abides.

How can you pick on such a one,
And bring to judgment for things done?
Can there be found a man all clean,
And undefiled in life, who’s been?

His days and months are numbers fixed,
The limits which he cannot pass!
Like hireling, he passes his day;
So, let him be and look away.

Even a tree has hope if cut,
It sprouts again with tender shoot;
Although in earth, grown old is root,
And die in dust, its stump and fruit.

Watered by rain, it lives again;
And puts young branches, not in vain;
Alas, when dies a man, then he,
Loses all vigor entirely.

Like how the waters of a lake
Or stream dry up to ne’er awake,
Man sleeps to ne’er rise again,
Until no more heavens remain!

Would you then hide me in nether,
Until your wrath finds good weather,
And fix a time and remember
Him as a once-earthly member?

The life of man is drudgery-
A wait long brings relief barely;
Your call, I would answer you then:
Work of your hands you esteem, when;

Then, you would count my footsteps all,
And sins of mine, never recall;
And seal my misdeeds in a pouch,
My guilt to cover, me you vouch.

As mountain falls and rocks change place,
And every stone, waters efface,
And waters wash the ground’s top-soil,
The hope of man, so you do foil.

Unknown to him, his sons you hail
Or disgrace when you once prevail;
With changed a form, he’s sent away,
With grieving-soul and pain en way!

Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-1-2007