others will mock him thus: "Fast for me also! Yes, perform the poosy for me, and you shall have all you want." Should a man, who is suffering under the punishment due to his crimes, cry to the gods for help, those who are near reply, for the gods: "Yes, we are here! What do you want? We will help you." "When the gods come, tell them I am gone home; I could not remain any longer."

Thus was the just, the upright Job laughed to scorn when he called upon God.

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.-Verse 5.

D'Oyly and Mant quote from Caryl and Poole as follows: "A despised lamp is of the same signification with 'a smoking fire-brand;' which last is a proverb for that which is almost spent, and therefore despised and thrown away as useless." In view of these observations, it is worthy of notice, that, concerning a man who is much despised, or who is very contemptible, the remark is frequently made: "That fellow is like the half-consumed fire-brand of the funeral pile."

Job was accounted by his enemies as a despised lamp. When a person is sick unto death, the natives say, "His lamp is going out." When death has ensued, the reflection is: "Ah! his lamp has gone out!" When a person is indisposed, should a lamp give a dim light, the people of the house will become much alarmed, as they think it a bad sign. A lamp, therefore, which burns dimly, as did that of Job, will be lightly esteemed.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee.-Verse 7.

He who refuses instruction, or who will not be convinced, is told to ask the cattle. "Inquire thou of the birds, and they will give thee wisdom."

CHAP. XIII.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.-Verse 15. When a master chastises an affectionate slave, or tells him to leave his service, he replies: "My lord! though you slay

me, yet will I trust in you!" Does a husband beat his wife? she exclaims: "My husband! though you kill me, I will not let you go!" "Kill me, my lord, if you please; but I will not leave you! I trust in you." "O! beat me not! do I not trust in you?" "What an affectionate wife that is! Though her husband cut her to pieces, yet she trusts in him." "The fellow is always beating her, yet she confides in him."*

Wherefore hidest thou thy face?-Verse 24.

Job, in his distress, makes this pathetic inquiry of the Lord.

Should a great man become displeased with a person to whom he has been previously kind, he will, when he sees him approaching, avert his face, or conceal it with his hand; which shows at once what is the state of the case. The poor man then mourns, and complains, and asks: "Ah! why does he hide his face?" The wife inquires of her offended husband: "Why do you hide your face?" The son employs this entreaty to his father: "Hide not your face from your son!"

Thou writest bitter things against me.-Verse 26.

"Ah! the things that man has written against me to the judge, are all kassapu," are all "bitter." "O! that is a bitter, bitter fault!" "Who will make this bitterness sweet?"

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.Verse 27.

The punishment of the stocks has been common in the East from the most remote antiquity, as is seen in all their records. But whether the stocks were formerly like clogs, or

• Married females in the East are in a state of great degradation; for men of every rank feel no hesitation in beating them on the most frivolous occasions. The late king of Kandy, when on his passage to Madras in His Majesty's ship Cornwallis, commanded by Captain O'Brien, was so unmerciful to his wives, that the officer in charge was obliged to remonstrate with his most gracious Majesty. Should a husband, on coming home, not find his food ready, or not made to his taste, he immediately commences a brutal attack upon his wife. Should he, however, be afraid of that, he commences offensive operations against all the cooking utensils, which he breaks in pieces, cuts down the plantain-trees, or beats the children,

like those of the present day, it is impossible to say. Those in use in Ceylon differ from the stocks in England; as the unfortunate culprit here has to lie with his back on the ground, having his feet fast in one pair of stocks, and his hands in another. In that very painful posture, all that he can do is to writhe his body; his arms and legs being so fast, that he cannot possibly move them.

A man placed in great difficulty, exclaims: "Alas! I am now in the stocks." Concerning his son, a father observes: "I have put my boy in the tulungu," that is, "in the stocks; which means, that he is confined, or sent to the school. The advice given to a young man of roving habits, is: "You must have your feet in the stocks," that is, "You must get married." "Alas! alas! I am now in the stocks; the guards are around my path, and a seal is put upon my feet."

CHAP. XIV.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?-Verse 4.

The following are common sayings: "Who can turn a black crow into a white crane?" "Who can make the bitter fruit sweet?" "Who can make straight the tail of the dog?" "If you give the serpent sweet things, will his poison depart?"

There is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.-Verse 7.

Trees here seem to be more tenacious of life than in England. See them blown down: yet from their roots fresh shoots spring up. See them sometimes at such an angle, in consequence of storms, that their branches nearly touch the ground: and yet they keep that position, and continue to bear fruit. Those trees, also, which have actually been cut

down, soon begin, after a few showers, to send forth again the "tender branch." The plantain-tree, after it has borne fruit once, is cut down; but from its roots another springs up, which, in its turn, also gives fruit, and is then cut down, to make way for another. Thus, in reference to this tree, it may be truly affirmed: "Cut it down; yet 'the tender branch thereof will not cease.""

The waters wear the stones.-Verse 19.

Is a man chidden because he makes slow progress in his undertaking? his answer is: "Never mind; the water which now runs so softly will, in time, wear away the stones."

CHAP. XV.

Art thou the first man that was born?-Verse 7.

When a majority of people agree on any subject, should an individual pertinaciously oppose them, it will be asked: "What! were you born before all others?" "Yes, yes; he is the first man! No wonder he has so much wisdom!" "Salām to the first man!"

How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?-Verse 16.

Concerning a man who wallows in sin, it is declared: "He lives on it." "That wretch eats and drinks injustice." Truly, that wretch lives on avva-suttam," "uncleanness."

66

CHAP. XVI.

Shall vain words have an end?-Verse 3. The Hebrew has, "words of

wind."

"His promise! it is only wind." "His words are all wind." "The wind has taken his words." away

breath; all breath!"

"Breath,

Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.-Verse 9.

"Has not the cruel man been sharpening his eyes upon me?" "His eyes are like arrows: they pierce my life."

"Truly, his cutting eyes are always upon me." "Yes, yes! the eyes of the serpent!"

They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully.-Verse 10.

Here is another living picture of Eastern manners. See the exasperated man: he opens his mouth like a wild beast, shows his teeth, then suddenly snaps them together. Again he pretends to make another snatch, and growls like a tiger. Should he not dare to come near, he moves his hand, as if striking you on the cheek, and says, "I will beat thy kannan," that is, "thy cheek," "thou low-caste fellow!"

He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces.-Verse 12. This is a favourite way of showing contempt or superiority, and is finished by thrusting the face of the unfortunate one on the ground.

CHAP. XVII.

The graves are ready for me.-Verse 1.

A man far advanced in years, or one who is in deep affliction, complains: "The place of burning is near to me, and the wood is laid together for my funeral pile."-"How are you, my friend?" "How am I? I will tell you: go, order them to get the wood together to burn this body." A father sometimes declares concerning his wicked sons: "Yes; I know they desire my death; they have been preparing for the funeral; they are ready to wash me: the bier is at hand, and the wood is prepared." "Why do you all look so anxious? I am not ready for the washing."

I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.-Verse 14.

Those who retire from the world to spend their lives in a desert place, for the purpose of performing religious austerities, often exclaim to the beasts: "Yes; you are my relations, you are my parents; these are my companions and friends."