John Trapp on Job 20:1

CHAP. XX. Verſe 1. Then anſwered Zophat the Naamathite and ſaid.]

IF a wiſe man contendeth with a fooliſh man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no reſt, Prov. 29.9. Chriſt piped to that crooked generation, Jobs mourned to them, but all to no purpoſe; abſurd and unreaſonable people will never be ſatisfied, or ſet down ſay what you can to them, ſuch is their pertinacy and peeviſhneſs. Job had utterred himſelf in ſuch paſſionate expreſſions as might have moved ſtony hearts. Sed ſurdo fabulam. Ʋbi babent ſere ſingulae voces aliquid ponderis, Merl. He had ſet forth his own miſery, begged their pity, made an excellent confeſſion of his Faith, every word where of had its weight, each ſylable its ſubſtance: He had laſtly terrified them with the threats of Gods Sword: but nothing would do. Zophar here (though he had little to ſay more, then what he had ſaid chap. 11. yet he) takes occaſion from Jobs laſt words, though full of love, to rough hew him again, and makes as if he were neceſſitated thereunto for his own and his fellows neceſſary defence. Vatablus thinks that Zophar here maketh anſwer, not to the preceding words, but to thoſe in the 12 Chapter, where Job had complained, that wicked Oppreſſors live commonly in greateſt peace and proſperity. Whatever it is, Zophar henceforth will ſay no more: either he had ſaid what he could, or was ſatisfied with Jobs Reply in the next Chapter: or laſtly. quia luſurum ſe operans credebat, as Mercer obſerveth; becauſe he thought he ſhould loſe his labour, which no wiſe man would do.