Coleridge, Samuel Taylor: Job's Luck

     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 –
And the sly Devil did not take his spouse.

      But Heaven that brings out good from evil,
      And loves to disappoint the Devil,
      Had predetermined to restore
      Twofold all Job had before,
      His children, camels, horses, cows –
Short-sighted Devil, not to take his spouse!

(1799)

  Listig ließ Beelzebub keine Chance schießen,
      Hiobs Geduld und Treue zu prüfen;
      Nahm ihm die Gesundheit, die Ehre, den Mut,
      Nahm ihm seine Kinder, sein Geld und sein Gut,
      Kamel, Pferd, auch Esel und Kuh gingen ein –
Doch ließ ihm der listige Teufel sein Weib.

      Doch schafft ja der Himmel gern Gutes aus Bösem
      Und liebt's, den Teufel zu verhöhnen;
      So doppelt kam zurückerstattet,
      Was Hiob vorher einfach hatte
      An Kindern und Pferden, Küh'n und Kamelen –
Wie kurzsichtig, Teufel, ihm's Weib nicht zu nehmen!

(1799)