The Life of Man Compared to a Swift Ship

    THE LIFE OF MAN COMPARED TO A SWIFT SHIP

    "They are passed away as the swift Ships, or, as the Ships of Ebeth" Job 9:26.

    I. SOME understand by Ebeth, the name of a river in the eastern part of the world, about Arabia, near, the place where Job lived, that runs very swiftly, which adds to the swift motion of a Ship that sails on it. A Ship in a dead water having the wind blowing rightly and briskly, runs apace; but if it hath a swift stream besides, it runs the faster.

    II. Others take the word, not as a proper name, but as signifying desire, from abab, to desire with earnestness: and then the sense is thus rendered, "My days are passed away as a ship of desire." That is, a Ship, which being laden with rich commodities, the master and pilot desire earnestly to bring her speedily to her port, that so they may put off their commodities, and make sale of such rich lading.

    III. The Chaldee, and others, give a further note upon it, deriving the word abab from ebib, which signifies a stalk growing up early from the earth, and bringing forth the first ripe fruit of any kind: and so it is put for an early ripe summer-fruit, as plums, apples, cherries, &c., and then the sense is, "My days are like a Ship, which carrieth early fruit:" so the vulgar, "like a Ship carrying apples."

    IV. There is another sense given by those who derive the word from a root, which signifies to hate and oppose, or to be an adversary; and. then it is thus rendered, "My days pass away as a pirate's Ship, or as a Ship that goes to take a prey, or as a Ship that goes out to take prizes upon the sea." Now, such Ships are the swiftest of all others, being prepared on purpose to make way, and overtake other Ships; their lading is not burthen, but ballast, that they may be swift of sail; so saith Job, my days pass away like a Ship; not like some great merchant-ship, deeply laden, which can make no great speed in the sea; but as a Ship of piracy, that hath nothing in her, but weapons, artillery, and ammunition, to oppose those they meet with, which sail with every wind; such as are your nimble frigates, fly -boats, and ketches, which sail with every wind: or gallies, which pass without wind, carried with the strength of arms and oars; all being vessels used to run in upon, and surprize a booty. This also is a good interpretation; and so Mr. Broughton translates it, "My days do fly away as the pirate's Ship,"&c. All show, the Life of Man swiftly passeth away.