1. Name of an ancient patriarch, whose story forms a book of the Old Testament; used in proverbial phrases as a type (a) of destitution, (b) of patience.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 210. Tushe, thou art as poore as Iob.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, X. viii. You would provoke the patience of Job.
1822. Byron, Werner, I. i. 401. He’s poor as Job, and not so patient.
1884. W. E. Norris, Thirlby Hall, vi. My uncle bore it with the patience of Job.
Comb. 1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 355. Job-like couched on dung and crazed with blains.
1891. Critic (U.S.), 5 Sept., 114/2. There is no sound of lamentation or Job-cry in it.
2. Phrases with Job’s. a. Job’s comforter, one who, like Job’s friends, under the guise of administering comfort, aggravates distress (cf. Job xvi. 2). b. Job’s news, news of disaster; so Job’s post, a messenger who brings such news: see Job i. 13–19. c. Job’s tears (also † Job’s drops), name for a species of grass (Coix Lacryma), having round shining grains resembling tears, and used as beads.
1738. Swift, Pol. Conversat., iii. Lady Sm. I think your Ladyship looks thinner than when I saw you last. Miss … Your Ladyship is one of *Job’s comforters.
1882. Mrs. B. M. Croker, Proper Pride, III. i. 22. You are a Job’s comforter with a vengeance.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. v. This, we think, is but *Job’s news to the human reader. Ibid. (1837), Fr. Rev., III. III. iv. It was Friday … when this *Job’s-post from Dumouriez, thickly preceded and escorted by so many other Job’s-posts, reached the National Convention.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. lix. § 4. 82. In English it is called *Iobs Teares or Iobs Drops, for that euery graine resembleth the Drop or Teare that falleth from the eie.
1772–84. Cook, Voy. (1790), IV. 1291. Job’s tears, mosses, and several kinds of fern.
1857. Henfrey, Elem. Bot., 426. Coix Lacryma, the hard grains of which are known by the name of ‘Job’s-tears.’
