Verse 3. — 'Suffer me, that I also may speak, and after my words, if it seem good, laugh.' 41. In their words the saints seek to profit both their hearers and themselves. To proud hearers the teaching of humility is a heavy burden. — For good men, when they speak, attend to two things in their utterances: namely, either to profit both themselves and their hearers, or themselves alone, if they cannot profit their hearers. For when the good things they say are well heard, they profit both themselves and their hearers at once. But when they are derided by their hearers, they have without doubt profited themselves, whom they have freed from the guilt of silence. Blessed Job therefore, that he may profit both himself and his hearers, says:
'Hear, I pray you, my words, and do penance.' But that he himself may pay what he owes, even if he cannot profit his hearers, he adds: 'Suffer me, that I also may speak, and after my words, if it seem good, laugh.' And it is to be noted that when he was subjoining 'do penance,' he set 'Hear' before it; but when he added 'after my words, if it seem good, laugh,' he set 'Suffer me' before it. For to hear belongs to one who is willing, to endure to one who is unwilling. Therefore his friends, if they desire to be taught, let them hear; but if they are prepared to mock, let them endure what shall be said, since indeed to proud minds the teaching of humility is a heavy weight of burden. There follows: