Lecture 6

^3:16^ Vau. And he has broken my teeth one by one, he has fed me with ashes.

^3:17^ Vau. And my soul is removed far off, I have forgotten good things.

^3:18^ Vau. And I said: my end and my hope is perished from the Lord.

50. Here he describes the afflictions: teeth, the warriors by whom they were defended, as a beast is defended by his teeth; one by one, so that nothing would remain; with ashes, humiliation. The teeth of the whelps of lions are broken (Job 4:10). For I did eat ashes like bread (Ps 101:10).

And my soul is removed far off. Here he takes up the reprobation. Removed far off, from the mercy of God. But you have rejected and despised (Ps 88:39). I have forgotten good things, through the experience of evils. The affliction of an hour makes one forget great extravagances (Sir 11:29).

And I said. Here he concludes with despair, as if saying: “Because I am in anguish, and the Lord has rebuffed me in order not to help me,” I said, in my heart, in the person of those despairing. My end is perished, as if saying: “I will not receive that for which I was waiting.” I have lost all hope, I will not do it (Jer 2:25). You have said: he labors in vain that serves God (Mal 3:14).