"Sly Beelzebub took all occasions
To try Job's constancy and patience;
He took his honours, took his health,
He took his children, took his wealth,
His camels, horses, asses, cows,--
Still the sly devil did not take his spouse.
"But heav'n, that brings out good from evil,
And likes to disappoint the devil,
Had predetermined to restore
Two-fold of all Job had before,
His children, camels, asses, cows,--
Short-sighted devil, not to take his spouse."
This is merely an amplified version of the 199th epigram of the 3d Book
of Owen:
"Divitias Jobo, sobolemque, ipsamque salutem
Abstulit (hoc Domino non prohibens) Satan.
Omnibus ablatis, miserò, tamen una superstes,
Quae magis afflictum redderet, uxor erat."
Of this there are several imitations in French, three of which are given
in the _Epigrammes Choisies d'Owen_, par M. de Kerivalant, published by
Labouisse at Lyons in 1819.