The Purpose of Divine Trial

For you did not call me for judgment, he says, but you called me so that I might be compared to you. You asked for a judge between me and you; you yourself become the judge. Do you suppose I have used you in some other way, than so that you might appear righteous? Do you think, he says, that I brought this calamity upon you for any other reason, than so that I might make you appear just? And look closely at the precision of such words.

He did not say: Do you suppose I have used you in some other way, than so that you might become righteous? For the calamity did not make him righteous, but it made his righteousness known. Do you suppose I have used you in some other way, than so that you might appear righteous? For to me, he says, you were known even before the struggles; but to the world, through the calamity, you are made known, and to the world, through the struggle, you are proclaimed. For this reason I have used you, not to harm, but to crown; not to shame, but to brighten.

Moreover, since through wickedness you went out from the measures of nature, I correct you by your integrity. For even if someone sins from wickedness, God corrects the things that come from wickedness. Since you have called God entirely into judgment, tell me, with what kind of hospitality have you called me against you? Where were you when I was laying the foundation of the earth? You became a contemporary of the Creator, in order that you might call him to judgment? He was before the ages, but you are after many ages.

When I was flattening the earth, you were not present; when the sea, you were not present; or whatever such things, you were not present. All creation came to be, and you were nowhere. Did you then call the one more ancient than the ages, the Creator of the creation, into judgment? When I was spreading grass upon the earth, when I settled its pillars, when I brought it out from its mother's womb, when the sea was being brought forth, where were you? When I covered it with a cloud and surrounded it with mist, where were you?

He is struck down as if having spoken unworthily, from wickedness, but not from ignorance. And what does he do? He does not rebuke him over all things, but as a friend, privately, he corrects him. As he has said these things, and things near to them (for it is not the time to interpret every word in part), and Job, having become knowing of himself (for the righteous is corrected in his error from the first rebuke), says: Lord, once my ear had heard of you, but now my eye has seen you, and I despise myself; and I consider myself dust and ashes.

And, I have spoken once, but on the second I will not add. See how the error is recalled by one having well received the reproach. I have spoken once, and this was from wickedness, not from malice; but on the second I will not add. For who am I, being judged against the Lord? Did Job not foresee through wickedness? He learns after the rebuke. Then, what is God? He does not forgive him by waiving the judgment, but says: Not to die, but to live like a man holding his loins. Stand, he says, like a man. Do not think that because of this I overwhelmed you with power, fleeing from the just, but I corrected your wickedness. However, I do not waive the judgment; judge me justly, and demand an account of the...