Bible (Wycliffe)/Job

Chapter 1

¹ `A man, Joob bi name, was in the lond of Hus; and thilke man was symple, and riytful, and dredynge God, and goynge awey fro yuel.

² And seuene sones and thre douytris weren borun to hym;

³ and his possessioun was seuene thousynde of scheep, and thre thousynde of camels, and fyue hundrid yockis of oxis, and fyue hundrid of femal assis, and ful myche meynee; and `thilke man was grete among alle men of the eest.

⁴ And hise sones yeden, and maden feestis bi housis, ech man in his day; and thei senten, and clepiden her thre sistris, `that thei schulden ete, and drynke wiyn with hem.

⁵ And whanne the daies of feeste hadden passid in to the world, Joob sente to hem, and halewide hem, and he roos eerli, and offride brent sacrifices `bi alle. For he seide, Lest perauenture my sones do synne, and curse God in her hertis. Joob dide so in alle daies.

⁶ Forsothe in sum day, whanne the sones of God `weren comun to be present bifor the Lord, also Sathan cam among hem.

⁷ To whom the Lord seide, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, and seide, Y haue cumpassid the erthe, and Y haue walkid thorouy it.

⁸ And the Lord seide to hym, Whether thou hast biholde my seruaunt Joob, that noon in erthe is lyik hym; he is a symple man, and riytful, and dredynge God, and goynge awei fro yuel?

⁹ To whom Sathan answeride, Whether Joob dredith God veynli?

¹⁰ Whethir thou hast not cumpassid hym, and his hows, and al his catel bi cumpas? Thou hast blessid the werkis of hise hondis, and hise possessioun encreesside in erthe.

¹¹ But stretche forth thin hond a litil, and touche thou alle thingis whiche he hath in possessioun; if he cursith not thee `in the face, `bileue not to me.

¹² Therfor the Lord seide to Sathan, Lo! alle thingis, whiche he hath, ben in thin hond; oneli stretche thou not forth thin hond in to hym. And Sathan yede out fro the face of the Lord.

¹³ Sotheli whanne in sum dai `hise sones and douytris eeten, and drunken wiyn in the hows of her firste gendrid brothir,

¹⁴ a messanger cam to Job, `whiche messanger seide, Oxis eriden, and femal assis `weren lesewid bisidis tho;

¹⁵ and Sabeis felden yn, and token awey alle thingis, and `smytiden the children with swerd; and Y aloone ascapide for to telle to thee.

¹⁶ And whanne he spak yit, anothir cam, and seide, Fier of God cam doun fro heuene, and wastide scheep, and `children touchid; and Y aloone ascapide for to telle `to thee.

¹⁷ But yit the while he spak, also anothir cam, and seide, Caldeis maden thre cumpenyes, and assailiden the camels, and token tho awei, and thei smytiden `also the children with swerd; and Y aloone ascapide to telle to thee.

¹⁸ And yit he spak, and, lo! anothir entride, and seide, While thi sones and douytris eeten, and drunken wiyn in the hows of her firste gendrid brothir,

¹⁹ a greet wynde felde yn sudenli fro the coost of desert, and schook foure corneris of the hows, `which felde doun, and oppresside thi children, and thei ben deed; and Y aloone fledde to telle to thee.

²⁰ Thanne Joob roos, and to-rente hise clothis, and `with pollid heed he felde doun on the erthe, and worschipide God,

²¹ and seide, Y yede nakid out of the wombe of my modir, Y schal turne ayen nakid thidur; the Lord yaf, the Lord took awei; as it pleside the Lord, so `it is doon; the name of the Lord be blessid.

²² In alle these thingis Joob synnede not in hise lippis, nether spak ony fonned thing ayens God.

Chapter 2

¹ Forsothe it was doon, whanne in sum dai the sones of God `weren comun, and stoden bifor the Lord, and Sathan `was comun among hem, and stood in his siyt,

² that the Lord seide to Sathan, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, and seide, Y haue cumpassid the erthe, `and Y haue go thury it.

³ And the Lord seide to Sathan, Whethir thou hast biholde my seruaunt Joob, that noon in erthe is lijk hym; he is a symple man, and riytful, and dredynge God, and goynge awei fro yuel, and yit holdynge innocence? `But thou hast moued me ayens him, that `Y schulde turmente hym in veyn.

⁴ To whom Sathan answeride, and seide, `A man schal yyue skyn for skyn, and alle thingis that he hath for his lijf;

⁵ `ellis sende thin hond, and touche his boon and fleisch, and thanne thou schalt se, that he schal curse thee in the face.

⁶ Therfor the Lord seide to Sathan, Lo! he is in `thin hond; netheles kepe thou his lijf.

⁷ Therfor Sathan yede out fro the face of the Lord, and smoot Joob with `a ful wickid botche fro the sole of the foot `til to his top;

⁸ which Joob schauyde the quytere with a schelle, `and sat in the dunghil.

⁹ Forsothe his wijf seide to hym, Dwellist thou yit in thi symplenesse? Curse thou God, and die.

¹⁰ And Joob seide, Thou hast spoke as oon of the fonned wymmen; if we han take goodis of the hond of the Lord, whi forsothe suffren we not yuels? In alle these thingis Joob synnede not in hise lippis.

¹¹ Therfor thre frendis of Joob herden al the yuel, that hadde bifelde to hym, and camen ech man fro his place, Eliphath Temanytes, and Baldach Suythes, and Sophar Naamathites; for thei `hadden seide togidere to hem silf, that thei wolden come togidere, and visite hym, and coumforte.

¹² And whanne thei hadden reisid afer `her iyen, thei knewen not hym; and thei crieden, and wepten, and to-renten her clothis, and spreynten dust on her heed `in to heuene.

¹³ And thei saten with hym in the erthe seuene daies and seuene nyytis, and no man spak a word to hym; for thei sien, that his sorewe was greet.

Chapter 3

¹ Aftir these thingis Joob openyde his mouth,

² and curside his dai, and seide, Perische the dai in which Y was borun,

³ and the nyyt in which it was seid, The man is conceyued.

⁴ Thilke dai be turnede in to derknessis; God seke not it aboue, and be it not in mynde, nethir be it liytned with liyt.

⁵ Derknessis make it derk, and the schadewe of deeth and myist occupie it; and be it wlappid with bittirnesse.

⁶ Derk whirlwynde holde that niyt; be it not rikynyd among the daies of the yeer, nethir be it noumbrid among the monethes.

⁷ Thilke nyyt be soleyn, and not worthi of preisyng.

⁸ Curse thei it, that cursen the dai, that ben redi to reise Leuyathan.

⁹ Sterris be maad derk with the derknesse therof; abide it liyt, and se it not, nethir the bigynnyng of the morwetid risyng vp.

¹⁰ For it closide not the doris of the wombe, that bar me, nethir took awei yuels fro min iyen.

¹¹ Whi was not Y deed in the wombe? whi yede Y out of the wombe, and perischide not anoon?

¹² Whi was Y takun on knees? whi was Y suclid with teetis?

¹³ For now Y slepynge schulde be stille, and schulde reste in my sleep,

¹⁴ with kyngis, and consuls of erthe, that bilden to hem soleyn places;

¹⁵ ethir with prynces that han gold in possessioun, and fillen her housis with siluer;

¹⁶ ethir as a `thing hid not borun Y schulde not stonde, ethir whiche conseyued sien not liyt.

¹⁷ There wickid men ceessiden of noise, and there men maad wery of strengthe restiden.

¹⁸ And sum tyme boundun togidere with out disese thei herden not the voys of the wrongful axere.

¹⁹ A litil man and greet man be there, and a seruaunt free fro his lord.

²⁰ Whi is liyt youun to the wretche, and lijf to hem that ben in bitternesse of soule?

²¹ Whiche abiden deeth, and it cometh not;

²² as men diggynge out tresour and ioien greetly, whanne thei han founde a sepulcre?

²³ Whi is liyt youun to a man, whos weie is hid, and God hath cumpassid hym with derknessis?

²⁴ Bifore that Y ete, Y siyhe; and as of watir flowynge, so is my roryng.

²⁵ For the drede, which Y dredde, cam to me; and that, that Y schamede, bifelde.

²⁶ Whether Y dissymilide not? whether Y was not stille? whether Y restide not? and indignacioun cometh on me.

Chapter 4

¹ Forsothe Eliphat Themanytes answeride, and seide,

² If we bigynnen to speke to thee, in hap thou schalt take it heuyli; but who may holde a word conseyued?

³ Lo! thou hast tauyt ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.

⁴ Thi wordis confermyden men doutynge, and thou coumfortidist knees tremblynge.

⁵ But now a wounde is comun on thee, and thou hast failid; it touchide thee, and thou art disturblid.

⁶ Where is thi drede, thi strengthe, and thi pacience, and the perfeccioun of thi weies?

⁷ Y biseche thee, haue thou mynde, what innocent man perischide euere, ethir whanne riytful men weren doon awei?

⁸ Certis rathir Y siy hem, that worchen wickidnesse, and sowen sorewis,

⁹ and repen tho, to haue perischid bi God blowynge, and to be wastid bi the spirit of his ire.

¹⁰ The roryng of a lioun, and the vois of a lionesse, and the teeth of `whelpis of liouns ben al to-brokun.

¹¹ Tigris perischide, for sche hadde not prey; and the whelpis of a lioun ben distried.

¹² Certis an hid word was seid to me, and myn eere took as theueli the veynes of priuy noise therof.

¹³ In the hidousnesse of `nyytis siyt, whanne heuy sleep is wont to occupie men,

¹⁴ drede and tremblyng helde me; and alle my boonys weren aferd.

¹⁵ And whanne the spirit `yede in my presence, the heiris of `my fleisch hadden hidousnesse.

¹⁶ Oon stood, whos chere Y knewe not, an ymage bifor myn iyen; and Y herde a vois as of softe wynd.

¹⁷ Whether a man schal be maad iust in comparisoun of God? ethir whethir a man schal be clennere than his Makere?

¹⁸ Lo! thei that seruen hym ben not stidefast; and he findith schrewidnesse in hise aungels.

¹⁹ Hou myche more thei that dwellen in housis of cley, that han an ertheli foundement, schulen be wastyd as of a mouyte.

²⁰ Fro morewtid til to euentid thei schulen be kit doun; and for no man vndurstondith, thei schulen perische with outen ende.

²¹ Sotheli thei, that ben residue, schulen be takun awei; thei schulen die, and not in wisdom.

Chapter 5

¹ Therfor clepe thou, if `ony is that schal answere thee, and turne thou to summe of seyntis.

² Wrathfulnesse sleeth `a fonned man, and enuye sleeth a litil child.

³ Y siy a fool with stidefast rote, and Y curside his feirnesse anoon.

⁴ Hise sones schulen be maad fer fro helthe, and thei schulen be defoulid in the yate, and `noon schal be that schal delyuere hem.

⁵ Whos ripe corn an hungri man schal ete, and an armed man schal rauysche hym, and thei, that thirsten, schulen drynke hise richessis.

⁶ No thing is doon in erthe with out cause, and sorewe schal not go out of the erthe.

⁷ A man is borun to labour, and a brid to fliyt.

⁸ Wherfor Y schal biseche the Lord, and Y schal sette my speche to my God.

⁹ That makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis with out noumbre.

¹⁰ Which yyueth reyn on the face of erthe, and moistith alle thingis with watris.

¹¹ Which settith meke men an hiy, and reisith with helthe hem that morenen.

¹² Which distrieth the thouytis of yuel willid men, that her hondis moun not fille tho thingis that thei bigunnen.

¹³ Which takith cautelouse men in the felnesse `of hem, and distrieth the counsel of schrewis.

¹⁴ Bi dai thei schulen renne in to derknessis, and as in nyyt so thei schulen grope in myddai.

¹⁵ Certis God schal make saaf a nedi man fro the swerd of her mouth, and a pore man fro the hond of the violent, `ethir rauynour.

¹⁶ And hope schal be to a nedi man, but wickidnesse schal drawe togidere his mouth.

¹⁷ Blessid is the man, which is chastisid of the Lord; therfor repreue thou not the blamyng of the Lord.

¹⁸ For he woundith, and doith medicyn; he smytith, and hise hondis schulen make hool.

¹⁹ In sixe tribulaciouns he schal delyuere thee, and in the seuenthe tribulacioun yuel schal not touche thee.

²⁰ In hungur he schal delyuere thee fro deeth, and in batel fro the power of swerd.

²¹ Thou schalt be hid fro the scourge of tunge, and thou schalt not drede myseiste, `ethir wretchidnesse, whanne it cometh.

²² In distriyng maad of enemyes and in hungur thou schalt leiye, and thou schalt not drede the beestis of erthe.

²³ But thi couenaunt schal be with the stonys of erthe, and beestis of erthe schulen be pesible to thee.

²⁴ And thou schalt wite, that thi tabernacle hath pees, and thou visitynge thi fairnesse schalt not do synne.

²⁵ And thou schalt wite also, that thi seed schal be many fold, and thi generacioun schal be as an erbe of erthe.

²⁶ In abundaunce thou schalt go in to the sepulcre, as an heep of wheete is borun in his tyme.

²⁷ Lo! this is so, as we han souyt; which thing herd, trete thou in minde.

Chapter 6

¹ Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,

² Y wolde, that my synnes, bi whiche Y `desseruede ire, and the wretchidnesse which Y suffre, weren peisid in a balaunce.

³ As the grauel of the see, this wretchidnesse schulde appere greuousere; wherfor and my wordis ben ful of sorewe.

⁴ For the arowis of the Lord ben in me, the indignacioun of whiche drynkith vp my spirit; and the dredis of the Lord fiyten ayens me.

⁵ Whether a feeld asse schal rore, whanne he hath gras? Ethir whether an oxe schal lowe, whanne he stondith byfor a `ful cratche?

⁶ Ether whethir a thing vnsauery may be etun, which is not maad sauery bi salt? Ether whether ony man may taaste a thing, which tastid bryngith deeth? For whi to an hungri soule, yhe, bittir thingis semen to be swete; tho thingis whiche my soule nolde touche bifore, ben now my meetis for angwisch.

⁸ Who yyueth, that myn axyng come; and that God yyue to me that, that Y abide?

⁹ And he that bigan, al to-breke me; releesse he his hond, and kitte me doun?

¹⁰ And `this be coumfort to me, that he turmente me with sorewe, and spare not, and that Y ayenseie not the wordis of the hooli.

¹¹ For whi, what is my strengthe, that Y suffre? ethir which is myn ende, that Y do pacientli?

¹² Nethir my strengthe is the strengthe of stoonus, nether my fleisch is of bras.

¹³ Lo! noon help is to me in me; also my meyneal frendis `yeden awey fro me.

¹⁴ He that takith awei merci fro his frend, forsakith the drede of the Lord.

¹⁵ My britheren passiden me, as a stronde doith, that passith ruschyngli in grete valeis.

¹⁶ Snow schal come on hem, that dreden frost.

¹⁷ In the tyme wherynne thei ben scaterid, thei schulen perische; and as thei ben hoote, thei schulen be vnknyt fro her place.

¹⁸ The pathis of her steppis ben wlappid; thei schulen go in veyn, and schulen perische.

¹⁹ Biholde ye the pathis of Theman, and the weies of Saba; and abide ye a litil.

²⁰ Thei ben schent, for Y hopide; and thei camen `til to me, and thei ben hilid with schame.

²¹ Now ye ben comun, and now ye seen my wounde, and dreden.

²² Whether Y seide, Brynge ye to me, and yiue ye of youre catel to me? ethir,

²³ Delyuere ye me fro the hond of enemy, and rauysche ye me fro the hond of stronge men?

²⁴ Teche ye me, and Y schal be stille; and if in hap Y vnknew ony thing, teche ye me.

²⁵ Whi han ye depraued the wordis of trewthe? sithen noon is of you, that may repreue me.

²⁶ Ye maken redi spechis oneli for to blame, and ye bryngen forth wordis in to wynde.

²⁷ Ye fallen in on a fadirles child, and enforsen to peruerte youre frend.

²⁸ Netheles fille ye that, that ye han bigunne; yyue ye the eere, and se ye, whether Y lie.

²⁹ Y biseche, answere ye with out strijf, and speke ye, and deme ye that, that is iust.

³⁰ And ye schulen not fynde wickidnesse in my tunge, nethir foli schal sowne in my chekis.

Chapter 7

¹ Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.

² As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;

³ so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.

⁴ If Y schal slepe, Y schal seie, Whanne schal Y rise? and eft Y schal abide the euentid, and Y schal be fillid with sorewis `til to derknessis.

⁵ Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere.

⁶ My daies passiden swiftliere thanne a web is kit doun `of a webstere; and tho daies ben wastid with outen ony hope.

⁷ God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis.

⁸ Nethir the siyt of man schal biholde me; but thin iyen ben in me, and Y schal not `be in deedli lijf.

⁹ As a cloude is wastid, and passith, so he that goith doun to helle, schal not stie;

¹⁰ nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.

¹¹ Wherfor and Y schal not spare my mouth; Y schal speke in the tribulacioun of my spirit, Y schal talke togidere with the bitternesse of my soule.

¹² Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun?

¹³ If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed;

¹⁴ thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.

¹⁵ Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.

¹⁶ `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.

¹⁷ What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?

¹⁸ Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.

¹⁹ Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?

²⁰ Y haue synned; A! thou kepere of men, what schal Y do to thee? Whi hast thou set me contrarie to thee, and Y am maad greuouse to my silf?

²¹ Whi doist thou not awei my sinne, and whi takist thou not awei my wickidnesse? Lo! now Y schal slepe in dust, and if thou sekist me eerli, Y schal not abide.

Chapter 8

¹ Sotheli Baldath Suytes answeride, and seide,

² Hou longe schalt thou speke siche thingis? The spirit of the word of thi mouth is manyfold.

³ Whether God supplauntith, `ethir disseyueth, doom, and whether Almyyti God distrieth that, that is iust?

⁴ Yhe, thouy thi sones synneden ayens hym, and he lefte hem in the hond of her wickidnesse;

⁵ netheles, if thou risist eerli to God, and bisechist `Almyyti God, if thou goist clene and riytful,

⁶ anoon he schal wake fulli to thee, and schal make pesible the dwellyng place of thi ryytfulnesse;

⁷ in so miche that thi formere thingis weren litil, and that thi laste thingis be multiplied greetli.

⁸ For whi, axe thou the formere generacioun, and seke thou diligentli the mynde of fadris. For we ben men of yistirdai, and `kunnen not; for oure daies ben as schadewe on the erthe.

¹⁰ And thei schulen teche thee, thei schulen speke to thee, and of her herte thei schulen bring forth spechis.

¹¹ Whether a rusche may lyue with out moysture? ethir a spier `may wexe with out watir?

¹² Whanne it is yit in the flour, nethir is takun with hond, it wexeth drie bifor alle erbis.

¹³ So the weies of alle men, that foryeten God; and the hope of an ypocrite schal perische.

¹⁴ His cowardise schal not plese hym, and his trist schal be as a web of yreyns.

¹⁵ He schal leene, `ether reste, on his hows, and it schal not stonde; he schal vndursette it, and it schal not rise togidere.

¹⁶ The rusche semeth moist, bifor that the sunne come; and in the risyng of the sunne the seed therof schal go out.

¹⁷ Rootis therof schulen be maad thicke on an heep of stoonys, and it schal dwelle among stoonys.

¹⁸ If a man drawith it out of `his place, his place schal denye it, and schal seie, Y knowe thee not.

¹⁹ For this is the gladnesse of his weie, that eft othere ruschis springe out of the erthe.

²⁰ Forsothe God schal not caste a wei a symple man, nethir schal dresse hond to wickid men;

²¹ til thi mouth be fillid with leiytir, and thi lippis with hertli song.

²² Thei that haten thee schulen be clothid with schenschip; and the tabernacle of wickid men schal not stonde.

Chapter 9

¹ Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,

² and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.

³ If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.

⁴ He is wiys in herte, and strong in myyt; who ayenstood hym, and hadde pees?

⁵ Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.

⁶ Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.

⁷ Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.

⁸ Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.

⁹ Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.

¹⁰ Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.

¹¹ If he cometh to me, `that is, bi his grace, Y schal not se hym; if he goith awey, `that is, in withdrawynge his grace, Y schal not vndurstonde.

¹² If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?

¹³ `God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.

¹⁴ Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?

¹⁵ Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.

¹⁶ And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.

¹⁷ For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.

¹⁸ He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.

¹⁹ If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.

²⁰ If Y wole make me iust, my mouth schal dampne me; if Y schal schewe me innocent, he schal preue me a schrewe.

²¹ Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.

²² O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.

²³ If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.

²⁴ The erthe is youun in to the hondis of the wickid; he hilith the face of iugis; that if he is not, who therfor is?

²⁵ Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.

²⁶ Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.

²⁷ Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.

²⁸ Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.

²⁹ Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?

³⁰ Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,

³¹ netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.

³² Trewli Y schal not answere a man, which is lijk me; nether that may be herd euenli with me in doom.

³³ `Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.

³⁴ Do he awei his yerde fro me, and his drede make not me aferd.

³⁵ Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.

Chapter 10

¹ Yt anoieth my soule of my lijf; Y schal lete my speche ayens me, Y schal speke in the bitternesse of my soule.

² Y schal seie to God, Nyle thou condempne me; schewe thou to me, whi thou demest me so.

³ Whether it semeth good to thee, if thou `falsli chalengist and oppressist me, the werk of thin hondis; and if thou helpist the counsel of wickid men?

⁴ Whethir fleischli iyen ben to thee, ethir, as a man seeth, also thou schalt se?

⁵ Whether thi daies ben as the daies of man, and `thi yeeris ben as mannus tymes;

⁶ that thou enquere my wickidnesse, and enserche my synne?

⁷ And wite, that Y haue do no `wickid thing; sithen no man is, that may delyuere fro thin hond?

⁸ Thin hondis han maad me, and han formed me al in cumpas; and thou castist me doun so sodeynli.

⁹ Y preye, haue thou mynde, that thou madist me as cley, and schalt brynge me ayen in to dust.

¹⁰ Whether thou hast not mylkid me as mylk, and hast cruddid me togidere as cheese?

¹¹ Thou clothidist me with skyn and fleisch; thou hast ioyned me togidere with boonys and senewis.

¹² Thou hast youe lijf and mercy to me, and thi visiting hath kept my spirit.

¹³ Thouy thou helist these thingis in thin herte, netheles Y woot, that thou hast mynde of alle thingis.

¹⁴ If Y dide synne, and thou sparidist me at an our; whi suffrist thou not me to be cleene of my wickidnesse?

¹⁵ And if Y was wickid, wo is to me; and if Y was iust, Y fillid with turment and wretchidnesse `schal not reise the heed.

¹⁶ And if Y reise `the heed for pride, thou schalt take me as a lionesse; and thou turnest ayen, and turmentist me wondirli.

¹⁷ Thou gaderist in store thi witnessis ayens me, and thou multipliest thin yre, `that is, veniaunce, ayens me; and peynes holden knyythod in me.

¹⁸ Whi hast thou led me out of the wombe? `And Y wolde, that Y were wastid, lest an iye `schulde se me.

¹⁹ That Y hadde be, as if Y were not, and `were translatid, ethir borun ouer, fro the wombe to the sepulcre.

²⁰ Whether the fewnesse of my daies schal not be endid in schort? Therfor suffre thou me, that Y biweile `a litil my sorewe,

²¹ bifor that Y go, and turne not ayen, to the derk lond, and hilid with the derknesse of deth, to the lond of wrecchidnesse and of derknessis;

²² where is schadewe of deeth, and noon ordre, but euerlastynge hidousnesse dwellith.

Chapter 11

¹ Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,

² Whether he, that spekith many thingis, schal not also here? ether whethir a man ful of wordis schal be maad iust?

³ Schulen men be stille to thee aloone? whanne thou hast scorned othere men, schalt thou not be ouercomun of ony man?

⁴ For thou seidist, My word is cleene, and Y am cleene in thi siyt.

⁵ And `Y wolde, that God spak with thee, and openyde hise lippis to thee;

⁶ to schewe to thee the priuetees of wisdom, and that his lawe is manyfold, and thou schuldist vndurstonde, that thou art requirid of hym to paie myche lesse thingis, than thi wickidnesse disserueth.

⁷ In hap thou schalt comprehende the steppis of God, and thou schalt fynde Almyyti God `til to perfeccioun.

⁸ He is hiyere than heuene, and what schalt thou do? he is deppere than helle, and wherof schalt thou knowe?

⁹ His mesure is lengere than erthe, and brodere than the see.

¹⁰ If he distrieth alle thingis, ethir dryueth streitli `in to oon, who schal ayenseie hym? Ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doest thou so?

¹¹ For he knowith the vanyte of men; and whether he seynge byholdith not wickidnesse?

¹² A veyn man is reisid in to pride; and gessith hym silf borun fre, as the colt of a wilde asse.

¹³ But thou hast maad stidefast thin herte, and hast spred abrood thin hondis to hym.

¹⁴ If thou doest awei `fro thee the wickidnesse, which is in thin hond, and vnriytfulnesse dwellith not in thi tabernacle,

¹⁵ thanne thou schalt mowe reise thi face with out wem, and thou schalt be stidefast, and thou schalt not drede.

¹⁶ And thou schalt foryete wretchidnesse, and thou schalt not thenke of it, as of watris that han passid.

¹⁷ And as myddai schynynge it schal reise to thee at euentid; and whanne thou gessist thee wastid, thou schalt rise vp as the dai sterre.

¹⁸ And thou schalt haue trist, while hope schal be set forth to thee; and thou biried schalt slepe sikurli.

¹⁹ Thou schalt reste, and `noon schal be that schal make thee aferd; and ful many men schulen biseche thi face.

²⁰ But the iyen of wickid men schulen faile; and socour schal perische fro hem, and the hope of hem schal be abhominacyioun of soule.

Chapter 12

¹ Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

² Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?

³ And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?

⁴ He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.

⁵ A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.

⁶ The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.

⁷ No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.

⁸ Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.

⁹ Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?

¹⁰ In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.

¹¹ Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?

¹² Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.

¹³ Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.

¹⁴ If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.

¹⁵ If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.

¹⁶ Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.

¹⁷ And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.

¹⁸ He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.

¹⁹ He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;

²⁰ and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.

²¹ He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.

²² Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.

²³ Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.

²⁴ Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.

²⁵ Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.

Chapter 13

¹ Lo! myn iye siy alle thingis, and myn eere herde; and Y vndurstood alle thingis.

² Euene with youre kunnyng also Y kan, and Y am not lowere than ye.

³ But netheles Y schal speke to Almyyti God, and Y coueite to dispute with God;

⁴ and firste Y schewe you makeris of leesyng, and louyeris of weyward techyngis.

⁵ And `Y wolde that ye weren stille, that ye weren gessid to be wise men.

⁶ Therfor here ye my chastisyngis; and perseyue ye the doom of my lippis.

⁷ Whether God hath nede to youre leesyng, that ye speke gilis for hym?

⁸ Whether ye taken his face, and enforsen to deme for God?

⁹ Ethir it schal plese hym, fro whom no thing mai be hid? Whether he as a man schal be disseyued with youre falsnessis?

¹⁰ He schal repreue you; for ye taken his face in hiddlis.

¹¹ Anoon as he schal stire hym, he schal disturble you; and his drede schal falle on you.

¹² Youre mynde schal be comparisound to aische; and youre nollis schulen be dryuun in to clei.

¹³ Be ye stille a litil, that Y speke, what euer thing the mynde hath schewid to me.

¹⁴ Whi to-rende Y my fleischis with my teeth, and bere my lijf in myn hondis?

¹⁵ Yhe, thouy God sleeth me, Y schal hope in hym; netheles Y schal preue my weies in his siyt.

¹⁶ And he schal be my sauyour; for whi ech ypocrite schal not come in his siyt.

¹⁷ Here ye my word, and perseyue ye with eeris derke and harde figuratif spechis.

¹⁸ Yf Y schal be demed, Y woot that Y schal be foundun iust.

¹⁹ Who is he that is demed with me? Come he; whi am Y stille, and am wastid?

²⁰ Do thou not to me twei thingis oneli; and thanne Y schal not be hid fro thi face.

²¹ Make thin hond fer fro me; and thi drede make not me aferd.

²² Clepe thou me, and Y schal answere thee; ethir certis Y schal speke, and thou schalt answere me.

²³ Hou grete synnes and wickidnessis haue Y? Schewe thou to me my felonyes, and trespassis.

²⁴ Whi hidist thou thi face, and demest me thin enemy?

²⁵ Thou schewist thi myyt ayens a leef, which is rauyschid with the wynd; and thou pursuest drye stobil.

²⁶ For thou writist bitternessis ayens me; and wolt waste me with the synnes of my yong wexynge age.

²⁷ Thou hast set my foot in a stok, and thou hast kept alle my pathis; and thou hast biholde the steppis of my feet.

²⁸ And Y schal be wastid as rot, and as a cloth, which is etun of a mouyte.

Chapter 14

¹ A man is borun of a womman, and lyueth schort tyme, and is fillid with many wretchidnessis.

² Which goith out, and is defoulid as a flour; and fleeth as schadewe, and dwellith neuere perfitli in the same staat.

³ And gessist thou it worthi to opene thin iyen on siche a man; and to brynge hym in to doom with thee?

⁴ Who may make a man clene conseyued of vnclene seed? Whether not thou, which art aloone?

⁵ The daies of man ben schorte, the noumbre of his monethis is at thee; thou hast set, ethir ordeyned, hise termes, whiche moun not be passid.

⁶ Therfor go thou awey fro hym a litil, `that is, bi withdrawyng of bodili lijf, that he haue reste; til the meede coueitid come, and his dai is as the dai of an hirid man.

⁷ A tree hath hope, if it is kit doun; and eft it wexith greene, and hise braunches spreden forth.

⁸ If the roote therof is eeld in the erthe, and the stok therof is nyy deed in dust;

⁹ it schal buriowne at the odour of watir, and it schal make heer, as whanne it was plauntid first.

¹⁰ But whanne a man is deed, and maad nakid, and wastid; Y preye, where is he?

¹¹ As if watris goen awei fro the see, and a ryuer maad voide wexe drie,

¹² so a man, whanne he hath slept, `that is, deed, he schal not rise ayen, til heuene be brokun, `that is, be maad newe; he schal not wake, nether he schal ryse togidere fro his sleep.

¹³ Who yiueth this to me, that thou defende me in helle, and that thou hide me, til thi greet veniaunce passe; and thou sette to me a tyme, in which thou haue mynde on me?

¹⁴ Gessist thou, whethir a deed man schal lyue ayen? In alle the daies, in whiche Y holde knyythod, now Y abide, til my chaungyng come.

¹⁵ Thou schalt clepe me, and Y schal answere thee; thou schalt dresse the riyt half, `that is, blis, to the werk of thin hondis.

¹⁶ Sotheli thou hast noumbrid my steppis; but spare thou my synnes.

¹⁷ Thou hast seelid as in a bagge my trespassis, but thou hast curid my wickidnesse.

¹⁸ An hil fallynge droppith doun; and a rooche of stoon is borun ouer fro his place.

¹⁹ Watris maken stoonys holowe, and the erthe is wastid litil and litil bi waischyng a wey of watir; and therfor thou schalt leese men in lijk maner.

²⁰ Thou madist a man strong a litil, that he schulde passe with outen ende; thou schalt chaunge his face, and schalt sende hym out.

²¹ Whether hise sones ben noble, ether vnnoble, he schal not vndurstonde.

²² Netheles his fleisch, while he lyueth, schal haue sorewe, and his soule schal morne on hym silf.

Chapter 15

¹ Forsothe Eliphat Themanytes answeride, and seide,

² Whether a wise man schal answere, as spekynge ayens the wynd, and schal fille his stomac with brennyng, `that is, ire?

³ For thou repreuest hym bi wordis, which is not lijk thee, and thou spekist that, that spedith not to thee.

⁴ As myche as is in thee, thou hast avoidid drede; and thou hast take awey preyeris bifor God.

⁵ For wickidnesse hath tauyt thi mouth, and thou suest the tunge of blasfemeris.

⁶ Thi tunge, and not Y, schal condempne thee, and thi lippis schulen answere thee.

⁷ Whether thou art borun the firste man, and art formed bifor alle little hillis?

⁸ Whether thou herdist the counsel of God, and his wisdom is lower than thou?

⁹ What thing knowist thou, whiche we knowen not? What thing vndurstondist thou, whiche we witen not?

¹⁰ Bothe wise men and elde, myche eldre than thi fadris, ben among vs.

¹¹ Whether it is greet, that God coumforte thee? But thi schrewid wordis forbeden this.

¹² What reisith thin herte thee, and thou as thenkynge grete thingis hast iyen astonyed?

¹³ What bolneth thi spirit ayens God, that thou brynge forth of thi mouth siche wordis?

¹⁴ What is a man, that he be with out wem, and that he borun of a womman appere iust?

¹⁵ Lo! noon among hise seyntis is vnchaungable, and heuenes ben not cleene in his siyt.

¹⁶ How myche more a man abhomynable and vnprofitable, that drynkith wickidnesse as water?

¹⁷ I schal schewe to thee, here thou me; Y schal telle to thee that, that Y siy.

¹⁸ Wise men knoulechen, and hiden not her fadris.

¹⁹ To whiche aloone the erthe is youun, and an alien schal not passe bi hem.

²⁰ A wickid man is proud in alle hise daies; and the noumbre of hise yeeris and of his tirauntrie is vncerteyn.

²¹ The sown of drede is euere in hise eeris, and whanne pees is, he supposith euere tresouns.

²² He bileueth not that he may turne ayen fro derknessis to liyt; and biholdith aboute on ech side a swerd.

²³ Whanne he stirith hym to seke breed, he woot, that the dai of derknessis is maad redi in his hond.

²⁴ Tribulacioun schal make hym aferd, and angwisch schal cumpas hym, as a kyng which is maad redi to batel.

²⁵ For he helde forth his hond ayens God, and he was maad strong ayens Almyyti God.

²⁶ He ran with neck reisid ayens God, and he was armed with fat nol.

²⁷ Fatnesse, that is, pride `comyng forth of temporal aboundaunce, hilide his face, `that is, the knowyng of vndurstondyng, and outward fatnesse hangith doun of his sidis.

²⁸ He schal dwelle in desolat citees, and in deseert, `ethir forsakun, housis, that ben turned in to biriels.

²⁹ He schal not be maad riche, nether his catel schal dwelle stidefastli; nether he schal sende his roote in the erthe,

³⁰ nether he schal go awei fro derknessis. Flawme schal make drie hise braunchis, and he schal be takun a wey bi the spirit of his mouth.

³¹ Bileue he not veynli disseyued bi errour, that he schal be ayenbouyt bi ony prijs.

³² Bifor that hise daies ben fillid, he schal perische, and hise hondis schulen wexe drye;

³³ he schal be hirt as a vyne in the firste flour of his grape, and as an olyue tre castinge awei his flour.

³⁴ For the gaderyng togidere of an ipocrite is bareyn, and fier schal deuoure the tabernaclis of hem, that taken yiftis wilfuli.

³⁵ He conseyuede sorewe, and childide wickidnesse, and his wombe makith redi tretcheries.

Chapter 16

¹ Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Y `herde ofte siche thingis;

² alle ye ben heuy coumfortouris.

³ Whether wordis ful of wynd schulen haue an ende? ether ony thing is diseseful to thee, if thou spekist?

⁴ Also Y myyte speke thingis lijk to you, and `Y wolde, that youre soule were for my soule;

⁵ and Y wolde coumfort you by wordis, and Y wolde moue myn heed on you;

⁶ Y wolde make you stronge bi my mouth, and Y wolde moue lippis as sparynge you.

⁷ But what schal Y do? If Y speke, my sorewe restith not; and if Y am stille, it goith not awei fro me.

⁸ But now my sorewe hath oppressid me, and alle my lymes ben dryuun in to nouyt.

⁹ My ryuelyngis seien witnessyng ayens me, and a fals spekere is reisid ayens my face, and ayenseith me.

¹⁰ He gaderide togidere his woodnesse in me, and he manaasside me, and gnastide ayens me with his teeth; myn enemye bihelde me with ferdful iyen.

¹¹ Thei openyden her mouthis on me, and thei seiden schenschip, and smytiden my cheke; and thei ben fillid with my peynes.

¹² God hath closid me togidere at the wickid, and hath youe me to the hondis of wickid men.

¹³ Y thilke riche man and famouse sum tyme, am al to brokun sudeynli; `he helde my nol; he hath broke me, and hath set me as in to a signe.

¹⁴ He hath cumpasside me with hise speris, he woundide togidere my leendis; he sparide not, and schedde out myn entrails in to the erthe.

¹⁵ He beet me with wounde on wounde; he as a giaunt felde in on me.

¹⁶ Y sewide togidere a sak on my skyn; and Y hilide my fleisch with aische.

¹⁷ My face bolnyde of wepynge, and myn iyeliddis wexiden derke.

¹⁸ Y suffride these thingis with out wickidnesse of myn hond, `that is, werk, whanne Y hadde cleene preieris to God.

¹⁹ Erthe, hile thou not my blood, and my cry fynde not in thee a place of hidyng.

²⁰ `For, lo! my witnesse is in heuene; and the knowere of my consience is in hiye places.

²¹ A! my frendis, ful of wordis, myn iye droppith to God.

²² And `Y wolde, that a man were demed so with God, as the sone of man is demed with his felowe.

²³ `For lo! schorte yeeris passen, and Y go a path, bi which Y schal not turne ayen.

Chapter 17

¹ Mi spirit schal be maad feble; my daies schulen be maad schort, and oneli the sepulcre is left to me.

² Y have not synned, and myn iye dwellith in bittirnessis.

³ Lord, delyuere thou me, and sette thou me bisidis thee; and the hond of ech fiyte ayens me.

⁴ Thou hast maad the herte of hem fer fro doctryn, `ethir knowyng of treuthe; therfor thei schulen not be enhaunsid.

⁵ He bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.

⁶ He hath set as in to a prouerbe of the comyn puple, and his saumple bifor hem.

⁷ Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.

⁸ Iust men schulen wondre on this thing; and an innocent schal be reisid ayens an ypocrite.

⁹ And a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.

¹⁰ Therfor alle `ye be conuertid, and come ye; and Y schal not fynde in you ony wiys man.

¹¹ My daies ben passid; my thouytis ben scaterid, turmentynge myn herte.

¹² Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt.

¹³ If Y `susteyne, ether suffre pacientli, helle is myn hous; and Y haue arayede my bed in derknessis.

¹⁴ Y seide to rot, Thou art my fadur; and to wormes, Ye ben my modir and my sister.

¹⁵ Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?

¹⁶ Alle my thingis schulen go doun in to deppeste helle; gessist thou, whether reste schal be to me, nameli there.

Chapter 18

¹ Forsothe Baldach Suythes answeride, and seide,

² `Til to what ende schalt thou booste with wordis? Vndurstonde thou first, and so speke we.

³ Whi ben we arettid as beestis, and han we be foule bifor thee?

⁴ What leesist thou thi soule in thi woodnes? Whether the erthe schal be forsakun `for thee, and hard stoonys schulen be borun ouer fro her place?

⁵ Whethir the liyt of a wickid man schal not be quenchid; and the flawme of his fier schal not schyne?

⁶ Liyt schal wexe derke in his tabernacle; and the lanterne, which is on hym, schal be quenchid.

⁷ The steppis of his vertu schulen be maad streit; and his counsel schal caste hym doun.

⁸ For he hath sent hise feet in to a net; and he goith in the meschis therof.

⁹ His foot schal be holdun with a snare; and thirst schal brenne out ayens hym.

¹⁰ The foot trappe of hym is hid in the erthe, and his snare on the path.

¹¹ Dredis schulen make hym aferd on ech side, and schulen biwlappe hise feet.

¹² His strengthe be maad feble bi hungur; and pouert asaile hise ribbis.

¹³ Deuoure it the fairnesse of his skyn; the firste gendrid deth waste hise armes.

¹⁴ His trist be takun awei fro his tabernacle; and perischyng, as a kyng, aboue trede on hym.

¹⁵ The felowis of hym that is not, dwelle in his tabernacle; brymston be spreynt in his tabernacle.

¹⁶ The rootis of hym be maad drie bynethe; sotheli his ripe corn be al to-brokun aboue.

¹⁷ His mynde perische fro the erthe; and his name be not maad solempne in stretis.

¹⁸ He schal put hym out fro `liyt in to derknessis; and he schal bere hym ouer fro the world.

¹⁹ Nethir his seed nether kynrede schal be in his puple, nether ony relifs in hise cuntreis.

²⁰ The laste men schulen wondre in hise daies; and hidousnesse schal asaile the firste men.

²¹ Therfor these ben the tabernaclis of a wickid man; and this is the place of hym, that knowith not God.

Chapter 19

¹ Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Hou long turmente ye my soule,

² and al to-breken me with wordis?

³ Lo! ten sithis ye schenden me, and ye ben not aschamed, oppressynge me.

⁴ Forsothe and if Y `koude not, myn vnkynnyng schal be with me.

⁵ And ye ben reisid ayens me, and repreuen me with my schenschipis.

⁶ Nameli now vndurstonde ye, that God hath turmentid me not bi euene doom, and hath cumpassid me with hise betyngis.

⁷ Lo! Y suffrynge violence schal crye, and no man schal here; Y schal crye loude, and `noon is that demeth.

⁸ He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.

⁹ He hath spuylid me of my glorye, and hath take awey the coroun fro myn heed.

¹⁰ He hath distried me on ech side, and Y perischide; and he hath take awei myn hope, as fro a tre pullid vp bi the roote.

¹¹ His stronge veniaunce was wrooth ayens me; and he hadde me so as his enemye.

¹² Hise theues camen togidere, and `maden to hem a wei bi me; and bisegiden my tabernacle in cumpas.

¹³ He made fer my britheren fro me; and my knowun as aliens yeden awei fro me.

¹⁴ My neiyboris forsoken me; and thei that knewen me han foryete me.

¹⁵ The tenauntis of myn hows, and myn handmaydis hadden me as a straunger; and Y was as a pilgrym bifor her iyen.

¹⁶ Y clepide my seruaunt, and he answeride not to me; with myn owne mouth Y preiede hym.

¹⁷ My wijf wlatide my breeth; and Y preiede the sones of my wombe.

¹⁸ Also foolis dispisiden me; and whanne Y was goon awei fro hem, thei bacbitiden me.

¹⁹ Thei, that weren my counselouris sum tyme, hadden abhomynacioun of me; and he, whom Y louede moost, was aduersarie to me.

²⁰ Whanne fleischis weren wastid, my boon cleuyde to my skyn; and `oneli lippis ben left aboute my teeth.

²¹ Haue ye merci on me, haue ye merci on me, nameli, ye my frendis; for the hond of the Lord hath touchid me.

²² Whi pursuen ye me, as God pursueth; and ben fillid with my fleischis?

²³ Who yyueth to me, that my wordis be writun? Who yyueth to me,

²⁴ that tho be writun in a book with an yrun poyntil, ethir with a plate of leed; ethir with a chisel be grauun in a flynt?

²⁵ For Y woot, that myn ayenbiere lyueth, and in the laste dai Y schal rise fro the erthe;

²⁶ and eft Y schal be cumpassid with my skyn, and in my fleisch Y schal se God, my sauyour.

²⁷ Whom Y my silf schal se, and myn iyen schulen biholde, and not an other man. This myn hope is kept in my bosum.

²⁸ Whi therfor seien ye now, Pursue we hym, and fynde we the roote of a word ayens hym?

²⁹ Therfor fle ye fro the face of the swerd; for the swerd is the vengere of wickidnessis, and wite ye, that doom schal be.

Chapter 20

¹ Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,

² Therfor my thouytis dyuerse comen oon aftir anothir; and the mynde is rauyischid in to dyuerse thingis.

³ Y schal here the techyng, bi which thou repreuest me; and the spirit of myn vndurstondyng schal answere me.

⁴ Y woot this fro the bigynnyng, sithen man was set on erthe,

⁵ that the preisyng of wickid men is schort, and the ioie of an ypocrite is at the licnesse of a poynt.

⁶ Thouy his pride `stieth in to heuene, and his heed touchith the cloudis,

⁷ he schal be lost in the ende, as a dunghil; and, thei that sien hym, schulen seie, Where is he?

⁸ As a dreem fleynge awei he schal not be foundun; he schal passe as `a nyytis siyt.

⁹ The iye that siy hym schal not se; and his place schal no more biholde him.

¹⁰ Hise sones schulen be `al to-brokun with nedynesse; and hise hondis schulen yelde to hym his sorewe.

¹¹ Hise boonys schulen be fillid with the vices of his yong wexynge age; and schulen slepe with hym in dust.

¹² For whanne yuel was swete in his mouth, he hidde it vndur his tunge.

¹³ He schal spare it, and schal not forsake it; and schal hide in his throte.

¹⁴ His breed in his wombe schal be turned in to galle of snakis withynne.

¹⁵ He schal spue out the richessis, whiche he deuouride; and God schal drawe tho ritchessis out of his wombe.

¹⁶ He schal souke the heed of snakis; and the tunge of an addre schal sle hym.

¹⁷ Se he not the stremys of the flood of the stronde, of hony, and of botere.

¹⁸ He schal suffre peyne for alle thingis whiche he hath do, netheles he schal not be wastid; aftir the multitude of his fyndyngis, so and `he schal suffre.

¹⁹ For he brake, and made nakid the hows of a pore man; he rauyschide, and bildide it not.

²⁰ And his wombe was not fillid; and whanne he hath that, that he couetide, he may not holde in possessioun.

²¹ `No thing lefte of his mete; and therfor no thing schal dwelle of his goodis.

²² Whanne he is fillid, he schal be maad streit; he schal `be hoot, and alle sorewe schal falle in on hym.

²³ `Y wolde, that his wombe be fillid, that he sende out in to hym the ire of his strong veniaunce, and reyne his batel on hym.

²⁴ He schal fle yrun armuris, and he schal falle in to a brasun boowe.

²⁵ Led out, and goynge out `of his schethe, and schynynge, `ether smytinge with leit, `in to his bittirnesse; orrible fendis schulen go, and schulen come on hym.

²⁶ Alle derknessis ben hid in hise priuytees; fier, which is not teendid, schal deuoure hym; he schal be turmentid left in his tabernacle.

²⁷ Heuenes schulen schewe his wickidnesse; and erthe schal rise togidere ayens hym.

²⁸ The seed of his hows schal be opyn; it schal be drawun doun in the dai of the strong veniaunce of the Lord.

²⁹ This is the part of a wickid man, `which part is youun of God, and the eritage of hise wordis of the Lord.

Chapter 21

¹ Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,

² Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.

³ Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.

⁴ Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?

⁵ Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.

⁶ And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.

⁷ Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.

⁸ Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.

⁹ Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.

¹⁰ The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.

¹¹ Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.

¹² Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.

¹³ Thei leden in goodis her daies; and in a point thei goen doun to hellis.

¹⁴ Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.

¹⁵ Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?

¹⁶ Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.

¹⁷ Hou ofte schal the lanterne of wickid men be quenchid, and flowing schal come on hem, and God schal departe the sorewis of his stronge veniaunce?

¹⁸ Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.

¹⁹ God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.

²⁰ Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.

²¹ For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?

²² Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?

²³ This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.

²⁴ Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.

²⁵ Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.

²⁶ And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.

²⁷ Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.

²⁸ For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?

²⁹ Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,

³⁰ that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.

³¹ Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?

³² He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.

³³ He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.

³⁴ Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?

Chapter 22

¹ Forsothe Eliphat Themanytes answeride, and seide,

² Whether a man, yhe, whanne he is of perfit kunnyng, mai be comparisound to God?

³ What profitith it to God, if thou art iust? ethir what schalt thou yyue to hym, if thi lijf is without wem?

⁴ Whether he schal drede, and schal repreue thee, and schal come with thee in to doom,

⁵ and not for thi ful myche malice, and thi wickidnessis with out noumbre, `these peynes bifelden iustli to thee?

⁶ For thou hast take awei with out cause the wed of thi britheren; and hast spuylid nakid men of clothis.

⁷ Thou yauest not watir to the feynt man; and thou withdrowist breed fro the hungri man.

⁸ In the strengthe of thin arm thou haddist the lond in possessioun; and thou moost myyti heldist it.

⁹ Thou leftist widewis voide; and al to-brakist the schuldris of fadirles children.

¹⁰ Therfor thou art cumpassid with snaris; and sodeyn drede disturblith thee.

¹¹ And thou gessidist, that thou schuldist not se derknessis; and that thou schuldist not be oppressid with the fersnesse of watris flowyng.

¹² Whether thou thenkist, that God is hiyere than heuene, and is enhaunsid aboue the coppe of sterris?

¹³ And thou seist, What sotheli knowith God? and, He demeth as bi derknesse.

¹⁴ A cloude is his hidyng place, and he biholdith not oure thingis, and he `goith aboute the herris of heuene.

¹⁵ Whether thou coueitist to kepe the path of worldis, which wickid men han ofte go?

¹⁶ Whiche weren takun awei bifor her tyme, and the flood distriede the foundement of hem.

¹⁷ Whiche seiden to God, Go thou awei fro vs; and as if Almyyti God may do no thing, thei gessiden hym,

¹⁸ whanne he hadde fillid her housis with goodis; the sentence of whiche men be fer fro me.

¹⁹ Iust men schulen se, and schulen be glad; and an innocent man schal scorne hem.

²⁰ Whether the reisyng of hem is not kit doun, and fier schal deuoure the relifs of hem?

²¹ Therfor assente thou to God, and haue thou pees; and bi these thingis thou schalt haue best fruytis.

²² Take thou the lawe of his mouth, and sette thou hise wordis in thin herte.

²³ If thou turnest ayen to Almyyti God, thou schalt be bildid; and thou schalt make wickidnesse fer fro thi tabernacle.

²⁴ He schal yyue a flynt for erthe, and goldun strondis for a flynt.

²⁵ And Almyyti God schal be ayens thin enemyes; and siluer schal be gaderid togidere to thee.

²⁶ Thanne on Almyyti God thou schalt flowe with delicis; and thou schalt reise thi face to God.

²⁷ Thou schalt preye hym, and he schal here thee; and thou schalt yelde thi vowis.

²⁸ Thou schalt deme a thing, and it schal come to thee; and lyyt schal schyne in thi weies.

²⁹ For he that is mekid, schal be in glorie; and he that bowith doun hise iyen, schal be saued.

³⁰ An innocent schal be saued; sotheli he schal be saued in the clennesse of hise hondis.

Chapter 23

¹ Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

² Now also my word is in bitternesse, and the hond of my wounde is agreggid on my weilyng.

³ Who yyueth to me, that Y knowe, and fynde hym, and come `til to his trone?

⁴ Y schal sette doom bifor hym, and Y schal fille my mouth with blamyngis;

⁵ that Y kunne the wordis, whiche he schal answere to me, and that Y vnderstonde, what he schal speke to me.

⁶ Y nyle, that he stryue with me bi greet strengthe, nether oppresse me with the heuynesse of his greetnesse.

⁷ Sette he forth equite ayens me, and my doom come perfitli to victorie.

⁸ If Y go to the eest, God apperith not; if Y go to the west, Y schal not vndurstonde hym; if Y go to the left side,

⁹ what schal Y do? Y schal not take hym; if Y turne me to the riyt side, Y schal not se hym.

¹⁰ But he knowith my weie, and he schal preue me as gold, that passith thorouy fier.

¹¹ My foot suede hise steppis; Y kepte his weie, and Y bowide not awey fro it.

¹² Y yede not awei fro the comaundementis of hise lippis; and Y hidde in my bosum the wordis of his mouth.

¹³ For he is aloone, and no man may turne awei hise thouytis; and what euer thing he wolde, his wille dide this thing.

¹⁴ Whanne he hath fillid his wille in me, also many othere lijk thingis ben redi to hym.

¹⁵ And therfor Y am disturblid of his face, and Y biholdynge hym am anguyschid for drede.

¹⁶ God hath maad neische myn herte, and Almyyti God hath disturblid me.

¹⁷ For Y perischide not for derknessis neiyynge; nethir myist hilide my face.

Chapter 24

¹ Tymes ben not hid fro Almyyti God; sotheli thei that knowen hym, knowen not hise daies.

² Othere men turneden ouer the termes of neiyboris eritage, thei token awei flockis, and fedden tho.

³ Thei driueden awei the asse of fadirlesse children, and token awei the cow of a widewe for a wed.

⁴ Thei distrieden the weie of pore men, and thei oppressiden togidere the mylde men of erthe.

⁵ Othere men as wielde assis in deseert goon out to her werk; and thei waken to prey, and bifor maken redy breed to her children.

⁶ Thei kitten doun a feeld not hern, and thei gaderen grapis of his vyner, whom thei han oppressid bi violence.

⁷ Thei leeuen men nakid, and taken awei the clothis, to whiche men is noon hiling in coold;

⁸ whiche men the reynes of munteyns weeten, and thei han noon hilyng, and biclippen stoonys.

⁹ Thei diden violence, and robbiden fadirles and modirles children; and thei spuyliden, `ether robbiden, the comynte of pore men.

¹⁰ Thei token awey eeris of corn fro nakid men, and goynge with out cloth, and fro hungry men.

¹¹ Thei weren hid in myddai among the heepis of tho men, that thirsten, whanne the presses ben trodun.

¹² Thei maden men of citees to weile, and the soulis of woundid men schulen crye; and God suffrith it not to go awei vnpunyschid.

¹³ Thei weren rebel to liyt; thei knewen not the weyes therof, nether thei turneden ayen bi the pathis therof.

¹⁴ A mansleere risith ful eerli, and sleeth a nedi man, and a pore man; sotheli bi nyyt he schal be as a nyyt theef.

¹⁵ The iye of avouter kepith derknesse, and seith, An yye schal not se me; and he schal hile his face.

¹⁶ Thei mynen housis in derknessis, as thei seiden togidere to hem silf in the dai; and thei knewen not liyt.

¹⁷ If the morewtid apperith sudeynli, thei demen the schadewe of deth; and so thei goon in derknessis as in liyt.

¹⁸ He is vnstablere than the face of the water; his part in erthe be cursid, and go he not bi the weie of vyneris.

¹⁹ Passe he to ful greet heete fro the watris of snowis, and the synne of hym `til to hellis.

²⁰ Merci foryete hym; his swetnesse be a worm; be he not in mynde, but be he al to-brokun as `a tre vnfruytful.

²¹ For he fedde the bareyn, and hir that childith not, and he dide not wel to the widewe.

²² He drow doun stronge men in his strengthe; and whanne he stondith in `greet state, he schal not bileue to his lijf.

²³ God yaf to hym place of penaunce, and he mysusith that in to pride; for the iyen of God ben in the weies of that man.

²⁴ Thei ben reisid at a litil, and thei schulen not stonde; and thei schulen be maad low as alle thingis, and thei schulen be takun awei; and as the hyynessis of eeris of corn thei schulen be al to-brokun.

²⁵ That if it is not so, who may repreue me, that Y liede, and putte my wordis bifor God?

Chapter 25

¹ Forsothe Baldach Suytes answeride, and seide,

² Power and drede is anentis hym, that is, God, that makith acordyng in hise hiye thingis.

³ Whether noumbre is of hise knyytis? and on whom schyneth not his liyt?

⁴ Whether a man comparisound to God mai be iustified, ether borun of a womman mai appere cleene?

⁵ Lo! also the moone schyneth not, and sterris ben not cleene in `his siyt;

⁶ hou miche more a man rot, and the sone of a man a worm, is vncleene `and vile, if he is comparisound to God.

Chapter 26

¹ Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Whos helpere art thou?

² whether `of the feble, and susteyneste the arm of hym, which is not strong?

³ To whom hast thou youe counsel? In hap to hym that hath not wisdom; and thou hast schewid ful myche prudence.

⁴ Ether whom woldist thou teche? whether not hym, that made brething?

⁵ Lo! giauntis weilen vnder watris, and thei that dwellen with hem.

⁶ Helle is nakid bifor hym, and noon hilyng is to perdicioun.

⁷ Which God stretchith forth the north on voide thing, and hangith the erthe on nouyt.

⁸ `Which God byndith watris in her cloudis, that tho breke not out togidere dounward.

⁹ `Whych God holdith the cheer of his seete, and spredith abrood theron his cloude.

¹⁰ He hath cumpassid a terme to watris, til that liyt and derknessis be endid.

¹¹ The pilers of heuene tremblen, and dreden at his wille.

¹² In the strengthe of hym the sees weren gaderid togidere sudeynly, and his prudence smoot the proude.

¹³ His spiryt ournede heuenes, and the crokid serpent was led out bi his hond, ledynge out as a mydwijf ledith out a child.

¹⁴ Lo! these thingis ben seid in partie of `hise weyes; and whanne we han herd vnnethis a litil drope of his word, who may se the thundur of his greetnesse?

Chapter 27

¹ Also Joob addide, takynge his parable, and seide,

² God lyueth, that hath take awey my doom, and Almyyti God, that hath brouyt my soule to bitternesse.

³ For as long as breeth is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nose thirlis,

⁴ my lippis schulen not speke wickidnesse, nether my tunge schal thenke a leesyng.

⁵ Fer be it fro me, that Y deme you iust; til Y faile, Y schal not go awei fro myn innocence.

⁶ Y schal not forsake my iustifiyng, which Y bigan to holde; for myn herte repreueth me not in al my lijf.

⁷ As my wickid enemy doth; myn aduersarie is as wickid.

⁸ For what is the hope of an ypocrite, if he rauyschith gredili, and God delyuerith not his soule?

⁹ Whether God schal here the cry of hym, whanne angwisch schal come on hym?

¹⁰ ether whether he may delite in Almyyti God, and inwardli clepe God in al tyme?

¹¹ Y schal teche you bi the hond of God, what thingis Almyyti God hath; and Y schal not hide.

¹² Lo! alle ye knowen, and what speken ye veyn thingis with out cause?

¹³ This is the part of a wickid man anentis God, and the eritage of violent men, ether rauenours, whiche thei schulen take of Almyyti God.

¹⁴ If hise children ben multiplied, thei schulen be slayn in swerd; and hise sones sones schulen not be fillid with breed.

¹⁵ Thei, that ben residue of hym, schulen be biried in perischyng; and the widewis of hym schulen not wepe.

¹⁶ If he gaderith togidere siluer as erthe, and makith redi clothis as cley;

¹⁷ sotheli he made redi, but a iust man schal be clothid in tho, and an innocent man schal departe the siluer.

¹⁸ As a mouyte he hath bildid his hous, and as a kepere he made a schadewyng place.

¹⁹ A riche man, whanne he schal die, schal bere no thing with hym; he schal opene hise iyen, and he schal fynde no thing.

²⁰ Pouert as water schal take hym; and tempeste schal oppresse hym in the nyyt.

²¹ Brennynge wynd schal take hym, and schal do awei; and as a whirlewynd it schal rauysche hym fro his place.

²² He schal sende out turmentis on hym, and schal not spare; he fleynge schal `fle fro his hond.

²³ He schal streyne hise hondis on him, and he schal hisse on hym, and schal biholde his place.

Chapter 28

¹ Siluer hath bigynnyngis of his veynes; and a place is to gold, in which it is wellid togidere.

² Irun is takun fro erthe, and a stoon resolued, `ethir meltid, bi heete, is turned in to money.

³ God hath set tyme to derknessis, and he biholdith the ende of alle thingis.

⁴ Also a stronde departith a stoon of derknesse, and the schadewe of deth, fro the puple goynge in pilgrymage; it departith tho hillis, whiche the foot of a nedi man foryat, and hillis with out weie.

⁵ The erthe, wher of breed cam forth in his place, is destried bi fier.

⁶ The place of saphir ben stoonys therof, and the clottis therof ben gold.

⁷ A brid knewe not the weie, and the iye of a vultur, ethir rauenouse brid, bihelde it not.

⁸ The sones of marchauntis tretiden not on it, and a lyonesse passide not therbi.

⁹ God stretchide forth his hond to a flynt; he distriede hillis fro the rootis.

¹⁰ He hewide doun ryuers in stoonys; and his iye siy al precious thing.

¹¹ And he souyte out the depthis of floodis; and he brouyte forth hid thingis in to liyt.

¹² But where is wisdom foundun, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?

¹³ A man noot the prijs therof, nether it is foundun in the lond of men lyuynge swetli, `ether delicatli.

¹⁴ The depthe of watris seith, It is not in me; and the see spekith, It is not with me.

¹⁵ Gold ful cleene schal not be youun for wisdom, nether siluer schal be weied in the chaungyng therof.

¹⁶ It schal not be comparysound to the died colours of Iynde, not to the moost preciouse stoon of sardius, nether to saphir.

¹⁷ Nether gold, nether glas schal be maad euene worth therto;

¹⁸ and hiye and fer apperynge vessels of gold schulen not be chaungid for wisdom, nether schulen be had in mynde in comparisoun therof. Forsothe wisdom is drawun of pryuy thingis;

¹⁹ topasie of Ethiope schal not be maad euene worth to wisdom, and moost preciouse diyngis schulen not be set togidere in prijs, `ether comparisound, therto.

²⁰ Therfor wherof cometh wisdom, and which is the place of vndurstondyng?

²¹ It is hid fro the iyen of alle lyuynge men; also it is hid fro briddis of heuene.

²² Perdicioun and deeth seiden, With oure eeris we herden the fame therof.

²³ God vndurstondith the weye therof, and he knowith the place therof.

²⁴ For he biholdith the endis of the world, and biholdith alle thingis that ben vndur heuene.

²⁵ `Which God made weiyte to wyndis, and weiede watris in mesure.

²⁶ Whanne he settide lawe to reyn, and weie to tempestis sownynge;

²⁷ thanne he siy wisdom, and telde out, and made redi, and souyte out.

²⁸ And he seide to man, Lo! the drede of the Lord, thilke is wisdom; and to go awei fro yuel, is vndurstondyng.

Chapter 29

¹ Also Joob addide, takynge his parable, and seide,

² Who yyueth to me, that I be bisidis the elde monethis, bi the daies in whiche God kepte me?

³ Whanne his lanterne schynede on myn heed, and Y yede in derknessis at his liyt.

⁴ As Y was in the daies of my yongthe, whanne in priuete God was in my tabernacle.

⁵ Whanne Almyyti God was with me, and my children weren in my cumpas;

⁶ whanne Y waischide my feet in botere, and the stoon schedde out to me the stremes of oile;

⁷ whanne Y yede forth to the yate of the citee, and in the street thei maden redi a chaier to me.

⁸ Yonge men, `that is, wantoun, sien me, and weren hid, and elde men risynge vp stoden;

⁹ princes ceessiden to speke, and puttiden the fyngur on her mouth;

¹⁰ duykis refreyneden her vois, and her tunge cleuyde to her throte.

¹¹ An eere herynge blesside me, and an iye seynge yeldide witnessyng to me;

¹² for Y hadde delyueride a pore man criynge, and a fadirles child, that hadde noon helpere.

¹³ The blessyng of a man `to perische cam on me, and Y coumfortide the herte of a widewe.

¹⁴ Y was clothid with riytfulnesse; and Y clothide me as with a cloth, and with my `doom a diademe.

¹⁵ Y was iye `to a blynde man, and foot to a crokyd man.

¹⁶ Y was a fadir of pore men; and Y enqueride most diligentli the cause, which Y knew not.

¹⁷ Y al tobrak the grete teeth of the wickid man, and Y took awei prey fro hise teeth.

¹⁸ And Y seide, Y schal die in my nest; and as a palm tre Y schal multiplie daies.

¹⁹ My roote is openyde bisidis watris, and deew schal dwelle in my repyng.

²⁰ My glorie schal euere be renulid, and my bouwe schal be astorid in myn hond.

²¹ Thei, that herden me, abiden my sentence; and thei weren ententif, and weren stille to my counsel.

²² Thei dursten no thing adde to my wordis; and my speche droppide on hem.

²³ Thei abididen me as reyn; and thei openyden her mouth as to the softe reyn `comynge late.

²⁴ If ony tyme Y leiyide to hem, thei bileueden not; and the liyt of my cheer felde not doun in to erthe.

²⁵ If Y wolde go to hem, Y sat the firste; and whanne Y sat as kyng, while the oost stood aboute, netheles Y was comfortour of hem that morenyden.

Chapter 30

¹ But now yongere men in tyme scornen me, whos fadris Y deynede not to sette with the doggis of my flok.

² Of whiche men the vertu of hondis was for nouyt to me, and thei weren gessid vnworthi to that lijf.

³ Thei weren bareyn for nedynesse and hungur; that gnawiden in wildirnesse, and weren pale for pouert and wretchidnesse;

⁴ and eeten eerbis, aud the ryndis of trees; and the roote of iunyperis was her mete.

⁵ Whiche men rauyschiden these thingis fro grete valeis; and whanne thei hadden foundun ony of alle, thei runnen with cry to tho.

⁶ Thei dwelliden in deseertis of strondis, and in caues of erthe, ethir on grauel, `ethir on cley.

⁷ Whiche weren glad among siche thingis, and arettiden delices to be vndur buschis.

⁸ The sones of foolis and of vnnoble men, and outirli apperynge not in erthe.

⁹ But now Y am turned in to the song of hem, and Y am maad a prouerbe to hem.

¹⁰ Thei holden me abhomynable, and fleen fer fro me, and dreden not to spete on my face.

¹¹ For God hath openyd his arowe caas, and hath turmentid me, and hath set a bridil in to my mouth.

¹² At the riytside of the eest my wretchidnessis risiden anoon; thei turneden vpsedoun my feet, and oppressiden with her pathis as with floodis.

¹³ Thei destrieden my weies; thei settiden tresoun to me, and hadden the maistri; and `noon was that helpide.

¹⁴ Thei felden in on me as bi a brokun wal, and bi yate openyd, and weren stretchid forth to my wretchidnessis.

¹⁵ Y am dryuun in to nouyt; he took awei my desir as wynd, and myn helpe passide awei as a cloude.

¹⁶ But now my soule fadith in my silf, and daies of turment holden me stidfastly.

¹⁷ In nyyt my boon is persid with sorewis; and thei, that eten me, slepen not.

¹⁸ In the multitude of tho my cloth is wastid, and thei han gird me as with coler of a coote.

¹⁹ Y am comparisound to cley, and Y am maad lijk to a deed sparcle and aisch.

²⁰ Y schal cry to thee, and thou schalt not here me; Y stonde, and thou biholdist not me.

²¹ Thou art chaungid in to cruel to me, and in the hardnesse of thin hond thou art aduersarie to me.

²² Thou hast reisid me, and hast set as on wynd; and hast hurtlid me doun strongli.

²³ Y woot, that thow schalt bitake me to deeth, where an hows is ordeyned to ech lyuynge man.

²⁴ Netheles thou sendist not out thin hond to the wastyng of hem; and if thei fallen doun, thou schalt saue.

²⁵ Y wepte sum tyme on him, that was turmentid, and my soule hadde compassioun on a pore man.

²⁶ Y abood goodis, and yuelis ben comun to me; Y abood liyt, and derknessis braken out.

²⁷ Myn ynnere thingis buyliden out with outen my reste; daies of turment camen bifor me.

²⁸ Y yede morenynge, and Y roos with out woodnesse in the cumpenye, and criede.

²⁹ Y was the brother of dragouns, and the felow of ostrigis.

³⁰ My skyn was maad blak on me, and my boonys drieden for heete.

³¹ Myn harpe is turned in to morenyng, and myn orgun in to the vois of weperis.

Chapter 31

¹ I made couenaunt with myn iyen, that Y schulde not thenke of a virgyn.

² For what part schulde God aboue haue in me, and eritage Almyyti God of hiye thingis?

³ Whether perdicioun is not to a wickid man, and alienacioun of God is to men worchynge wickidnesse?

⁴ Whether he biholdith not my weies, and noumbrith alle my goyngis?

⁵ If Y yede in vanyte, and my foot hastide in gile,

⁶ God weie me in a iust balaunce, and knowe my symplenesse.

⁷ If my step bowide fro the weie; if myn iye suede myn herte, and a spotte cleuede to myn hondis;

⁸ sowe Y, and another ete, and my generacioun be drawun out bi the root.

⁹ If myn herte was disseyued on a womman, and if Y settide aspies at the dore of my frend; my wijf be the hoore of anothir man,

¹⁰ and othir men be bowid doun on hir.

¹¹ For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.

¹² Fier is deourynge `til to wastyng, and drawynge vp bi the roote alle generaciouns.

¹³ If Y dispiside to take doom with my seruaunt and myn hand mayde, whanne thei stryueden ayens me.

¹⁴ What sotheli schal Y do, whanne God schal rise to deme? and whanne he schal axe, what schal Y answere to hym?

¹⁵ Whether he, that wrouyte also hym, made not me in the wombe, and o God formede me in the wombe?

¹⁶ If Y denyede to pore men that, that thei wolden, and if Y made the iyen of a wydewe to abide;

¹⁷ if Y aloone eet my mussel, and a faderles child eet not therof;

¹⁸ for merciful doyng encreesside with me fro my yong childhed, and yede out of my modris wombe with me;

¹⁹ if Y dispiside a man passynge forth, for he hadde not a cloth, and a pore man with out hilyng;

²⁰ if hise sidis blessiden not me, and was not maad hoot of the fleeces of my scheep;

²¹ if Y reiside myn hond on a fadirles child, yhe, whanne Y siy me the hiyere in the yate;

²² my schuldre falle fro his ioynt, and myn arm with hise boonys be al to-brokun.

²³ For euere Y dredde God, as wawis wexynge gret on me; and `Y myyte not bere his birthun.

²⁴ If Y gesside gold my strengthe, and if Y seide to purid gold, Thou art my trist;

²⁵ if Y was glad on my many ritchessis, and for myn hond foond ful many thingis;

²⁶ if Y siy the sunne, whanne it schynede, and the moone goynge clereli;

²⁷ and if myn herte was glad in priuyte, and if Y kisside myn hond with my mouth;

²⁸ which is the moost wickidnesse, and deniyng ayens hiyeste God;

²⁹ if Y hadde ioye at the fallyng of hym, that hatide me, and if Y ioide fulli, that yuel hadde founde hym;

³⁰ for Y yaf not my throte to do synne, that Y schulde asaile and curse his soule;

³¹ if the men of my tabernacle seiden not, Who yyueth, that we be fillid of hise fleischis? a pilgryme dwellide not with outforth;

³² my dore was opyn to a weiegoere;

³³ if Y as man hidde my synne, and helide my wickidnesse in my bosum;

³⁴ if Y dredde at ful greet multitude, and if dispisyng of neyyboris made me aferd; and not more Y was stille, and yede not out of the dore;

³⁵ who yyueth an helpere to me, that Almyyti God here my desire? that he that demeth,

³⁶ write a book, that Y bere it in my schuldre, and cumpasse it as a coroun to me?

³⁷ Bi alle my degrees Y schal pronounce it, and Y schal as offre it to the prynce.

³⁸ If my lond crieth ayens me, and hise forewis wepen with it;

³⁹ if Y eet fruytis therof with out money, and Y turmentide the soule of erthetileris of it;

⁴⁰ a brere growe to me for wheete, and a thorn for barli.

Chapter 32

¹ Forsothe these thre men leften of to answere Joob, for he semyde a iust man to hem.

² And Helyu, the sone of Barachel Buzites, of the kynrede of Ram, was wrooth, and hadde indignacioun; forsothe he was wrooth ayens Joob, for he seide hym silf to be iust bifor God.

³ Sotheli Helyu hadde indignacioun ayens the thre frendis of hym, for thei hadden not founde resonable answere, but oneli hadde condempned Joob.

⁴ Therfor Helyu abood Joob spekynge, for thei, that spaken, weren eldere men.

⁵ But whanne he hadde seyn, that thre men myyten not answere, he was wrooth greetly.

⁶ And Helyu, the sone of Barachel Buzites, answeride, and seyde, Y am yongere in tyme, sotheli ye ben eldere; therfor with heed holdun doun Y dredde to schewe to you my sentence.

⁷ For Y hopide that lengere age schulde speke, and that the multitude of yeeris schulden teche wisdom.

⁸ But as Y se, spirit is in men, and the enspiryng `ether reuelacioun, of Almyyti God yyueth vndurstondyng.

⁹ Men of long lijf ben not wise, and elde men vndurstonden not doom.

¹⁰ Therfor Y schal seie, Here ye me, and Y also schal schewe my kunnyng to you.

¹¹ For Y abood youre wordis, Y herde youre prudence, as long as ye dispuytiden in youre wordis.

¹² And as long as Y gesside you to seie ony thing, Y bihelde; but as Y se, `noon is of you, that may repreue Joob, and answere to hise wordis;

¹³ lest perauenture ye seien, We han founde wisdom; God, and not man, hath cast hym awei.

¹⁴ Joob spak no thing to me, and Y not bi youre wordis schal answere hym.

¹⁵ Thei dredden, and answeriden no more, and token awei speche fro hem silf.

¹⁶ Therfor for Y abood, and thei spaken not, thei stoden, and answeriden no more; also Y schal answere my part,

¹⁷ and Y schal schewe my kunnyng.

¹⁸ For Y am ful of wordis, and the spirit of my wombe, `that is, mynde, constreyneth me.

¹⁹ Lo! my wombe is as must with out `spigot, ether a ventyng, that brekith newe vessels.

²⁰ Y schal speke, and brethe ayen a litil; Y schal opene my lippis, and Y schal answere.

²¹ Y schal not take the persoone of man, and Y schal not make God euene to man.

²² For Y woot not hou long Y schal abide, and if my Makere take me awei `after a litil tyme.

Chapter 33

¹ Therfor, Joob, here thou my spechis, and herkene alle my wordis.

² Lo! Y haue openyd my mouth, my tunge schal speke in my chekis.

³ Of symple herte ben my wordis, and my lippis schulen speke clene sentence.

⁴ The spirit of God made me, and the brething of Almyyti God quykenyde me.

⁵ If thou maist, answere thou to me, and stoonde thou ayens my face.

⁶ Lo! God made me as and thee; and also Y am formyd of the same cley.

⁷ Netheles my myracle make thee not afeerd, and myn eloquence be not greuouse to thee.

⁸ Therfor thou seidist in myn eeris, and Y herde the vois of thi wordis;

⁹ Y am cleene, and with out gilt, and vnwemmed, and wickidnesse is not in me.

¹⁰ `For God foond querels in me, therfor he demyde me enemy to hym silf.

¹¹ He hath set my feet in a stok; he kepte alle my pathis.

¹² Therfor this thing it is, in which thou art not maad iust; Y schal answere to thee, that God is more than man.

¹³ Thou stryuest ayenus God, that not at alle wordis he answeride to thee.

¹⁴ God spekith onys, and the secounde tyme he rehersith not the same thing.

¹⁵ God spekith bi a dreem in the visioun of nyyt, whanne sleep fallith on men, and thei slepen in the bed.

¹⁶ Thanne he openith the eeris of men, and he techith hem, `and techith prudence;

¹⁷ that he turne awei a man fro these thingis whiche he made, and delyuere hym fro pride; delyuerynge his soule fro corrupcioun,

¹⁸ and his lijf, that it go not in to swerd.

¹⁹ Also God blameth a synnere bi sorewe in the bed, and makith alle the boonys of hym `to fade.

²⁰ Breed is maad abhomynable to hym in his lijf, and mete desirable `bifor to his soule.

²¹ His fleisch schal faile for rot, and hise boonys, that weren hilid, schulen be maad nakid.

²² His soule schal neiye to corrupcioun, and his lijf to thingis `bryngynge deeth.

²³ If an aungel, oon of a thousynde, is spekynge for hym, that he telle the equyte of man, God schal haue mercy on hym,

²⁴ and schal seie, Delyuere thou hym, that he go not doun in to corrupcioun; Y haue founde in what thing Y schal do merci to hym.

²⁵ His fleisch is wastid of turmentis; turne he ayen to the daies of his yonge wexynge age.

²⁶ He schal biseche God, and he schal be quemeful to hym; and he schal se his face in hertly ioye, and he schal yelde to man his riytfulnesse.

²⁷ He schal biholde men, and he schal seie, Y haue synned, and verili Y haue trespassid; and Y haue not resseyued, as Y was worthi.

²⁸ For he delyueride his soule, that it schulde not go in to perischyng, but that he lyuynge schulde se liyt.

²⁹ Lo! God worchith alle these thingis in thre tymes bi alle men;

³⁰ that he ayen clepe her soulis fro corrupcioun, and liytne in the liyt of lyuynge men.

³¹ Thou, Joob, perseyue, and here me, and be thou stille, the while Y speke.

³² Sotheli if thou hast what thou schalt speke, answere thou to me, speke thou; for Y wole, that thou appere iust.

³³ That if thou hast not, here thou me; be thou stille, and Y schal teche thee wisdom.

Chapter 34

¹ And Helyu pronounside, and spak also these thingis,

² Wise men, here ye my wordis, and lerned men, herkne ye me; for the eere preueth wordis,

³ and the throte demeth metis bi taast.

⁴ Chese we doom to vs; and se we among vs, what is the betere.

⁵ For Job seide, Y am iust, and God hath distried my doom.

⁶ For whi lesynge is in demynge me, and myn arowe is violent with out ony synne.

⁷ Who is a man, as Joob is, that drynkith scornyng as watir?

⁸ that goith with men worchynge wickidnesse, and goith with vnfeithful men?

⁹ For he seide, A man schal not plese God, yhe, thouy he renneth with God.

¹⁰ Therfor ye men hertid, `that is, vndurstonde, here ye me; vnpite, `ethir cruelte, be fer fro God, and wickidnesse fro Almyyti God.

¹¹ For he schal yelde the werk of man to hym; and bi the weies of ech man he schal restore to hym.

¹² For verili God schal not condempne with out cause; nether Almyyti God schal distrie doom.

¹³ What othere man hath he ordeyned on the lond? ether whom hath he set on the world, which he made?

¹⁴ If God dressith his herte to hym, he schal drawe to hym silf his spirit and blast.

¹⁵ Ech fleisch schal faile togidere; `and a man schal turne ayen in to aisch.

¹⁶ Therfor if thou hast vndurstondyng, here thou that that is seid, and herkne the vois of my speche.

¹⁷ Whether he that loueth not doom may be maad hool? and hou condempnest thou so myche him, that is iust?

¹⁸ Which seith to the kyng, Thou art apostata; which clepith the duykis vnpitouse, `ethir vnfeithful.

¹⁹ `Which takith not the persoones of princes, nether knew a tyraunt, whanne he stryuede ayens a pore man; for alle men ben the werk of hise hondis.

²⁰ Thei schulen die sudeynli, and at mydnyyt puplis schulen be troblid, `ethir schulen be bowid, as othere bookis han; and schulen passe, and schulen take `awei `a violent man with out hond.

²¹ For the iyen of God ben on the weies of men, and biholdith alle goyngis of hem.

²² No derknessis ben, and no schadewe of deeth is, that thei, that worchen wickidnesse, be hid there;

²³ for it is `no more in the power of man, that he come to God in to doom.

²⁴ God schal al to-breke many men and vnnoumbrable; and schal make othere men to stonde for hem.

²⁵ For he knowith the werkis of hem; therfor he schal brynge yn niyt, and thei schulen be al to-brokun.

²⁶ He smoot hem, as vnpitouse men, in the place of seinge men.

²⁷ Whiche yeden awei fro hym bi `castyng afore, and nolden vndurstonde alle hise weies.

²⁸ That thei schulden make the cry of a nedi man to come to hym, and that he schulde here the vois of pore men.

²⁹ For whanne he grauntith pees, who is that condempneth? Sithen he hidith his cheer, who is that seeth hym? And on folkis and on alle men `he hath power `to do siche thingis.

³⁰ Which makith `a man ypocrite to regne, for the synnes of the puple.

³¹ Therfor for Y haue spoke to God, also Y schal not forbede thee.

³² If Y erride, teche thou me; if Y spak wickidnesse, Y schal no more adde.

³³ Whether God axith that wickidnesse of thee, for it displeside thee? For thou hast bigunne to speke, and not Y; that if thou knowist ony thing betere, speke thou.

³⁴ Men vndurstondynge, speke to me; and a wise man, here me.

³⁵ Forsothe Joob spak folili, and hise wordis sownen not techyng.

³⁶ My fadir, be Joob preuede `til to the ende; ceesse thou not fro the man of wickidnesse,

³⁷ `that addith blasfemye ouer hise synnes. Be he constreyned among vs in the meene tyme; and thanne bi hise wordis stire he God to the doom.

Chapter 35

¹ Therfor Helyu spak eft these thingis, Whethir thi thouyt semeth euene,

² `ether riytful, to thee, that thou schuldist seie, Y am riytfulere than God?

³ For thou seidist, That, that is good, plesith not thee; ethir what profitith it to thee, if Y do synne?

⁴ Therfor Y schal answere to thi wordis, and to thi frendis with thee.

⁵ Se thou, and biholde heuene, and biholde thou the eir, that God is hiyere than thou.

⁶ If thou synnest `ayens hym, what schalt thou anoye hym? and if thi wickidnessis ben multiplied, what schalt thou do ayens hym?

⁷ Certis if thou doist iustli, what schalt thou yyue to hym; ether what schal he take of thin hond?

⁸ Thi wickidnesse schal anoie a man, which is lijk thee; and thi riytfulnesse schal helpe the sone of a man.

⁹ Thei schulen cry for the multitude of fals chalengeris, and thei schulen weile for the violence of the arm of tirauntis.

¹⁰ And Joob seide not, Where is God, that made me, and that yaf songis in the nyyt?

¹¹ Which God techith vs aboue the beestis of erthe, and he schal teche vs aboue the briddis of heuene.

¹² There thei schulen crye, and God schal not here, for the pride of yuele men.

¹³ For God schal not here with out cause, and Almyyti God schal biholde the causis of ech man.

¹⁴ Yhe, whanne thou seist, He biholdith not; be thou demed bifor hym, and abide thou hym.

¹⁵ For now he bryngith not in his strong veniaunce, nether vengith `greetli felonye.

¹⁶ Therfor Joob openith his mouth in veyn, and multiplieth wordis with out kunnyng.

Chapter 36

¹ Also Helyu addide, and spak these thingis,

² Suffre thou me a litil, and Y schal schewe to thee; for yit Y haue that, that Y schal speke for God.

³ Y schal reherse my kunnyng fro the bigynnyng; and Y schal preue my worchere iust.

⁴ For verili my wordis ben with out leesyng, and perfit kunnyng schal be preued to thee.

⁵ God castith not awei myyti men, sithen he is myyti;

⁶ but he saueth not wickid men, and he yyueth dom to pore men.

⁷ He takith not awei hise iyen fro a iust man; and he settith kyngis in seete with out ende, and thei ben reisid there.

⁸ And if thei ben in chaynes, and ben boundun with the roopis of pouert,

⁹ he schal shewe to hem her werkis, and her grete trespassis; for thei weren violent, `ethir rauenours.

¹⁰ Also he schal opene her eere, that he chastise; and he schal speke, that thei turne ayen fro wickidnesse.

¹¹ If thei heren, and kepen, thei schulen fille her daies in good, and her yeris in glorie.

¹² Sotheli if thei heren not, thei schulen passe bi swerd, and thei schulen be wastid in foli.

¹³ Feyneris and false men stiren the ire of God; and thei schulen not crye, whanne thei ben boundun.

¹⁴ The soule of hem schal die in tempest; and the lijf of hem among `men of wymmens condiciouns.

¹⁵ He schal delyuere a pore man fro his angwisch; and he schal opene `the eere of hym in tribulacioun.

¹⁶ Therfor he schal saue thee fro the streit mouth of the broddeste tribulacioun, and not hauynge a foundement vndur it; sotheli the rest of thi table schal be ful of fatnesse.

¹⁷ Thi cause is demed as the cause of a wickid man; forsothe thou schalt resseyue thi cause and doom.

¹⁸ Therfor ire ouercome thee not, that thou oppresse ony man; and the multitude of yiftis bowe thee not.

¹⁹ Putte doun thi greetnesse with out tribulacioun, and putte doun alle stronge men bi strengthe.

²⁰ Dilaie thou not nyyt, that puplis stie for hem.

²¹ Be thou war, that thou bowe not to wickidnesse; for thou hast bigunne to sue this wickidnesse aftir wretchidnesse.

²² Lo! God is hiy in his strengthe, and noon is lijk hym among the yyueris of lawe.

²³ Who mai seke out the weies of God? ethir who dar seie to hym, Thou hast wrouyt wickidnesse?

²⁴ Haue thou mynde, that thou knowist not his werk, of whom men sungun.

²⁵ Alle men seen God; ech man biholdith afer.

²⁶ Lo! God is greet, ouercomynge oure kunnyng; the noumbre of hise yeeris is with out noumbre.

²⁷ Which takith awei the dropis of reyn; and schedith out reynes at the licnesse of floodyatis,

²⁸ whiche comen doun of the cloudis, that hilen alle thingis aboue.

²⁹ If he wole stretche forthe cloudis as his tente,

³⁰ and leite with his liyt fro aboue, he schal hile, yhe,

³¹ the herris of the see. For bi these thingis he demeth puplis, and yyueth mete to many deedli men.

³² In hondis he hidith liyt; and comaundith it, that it come eft.

³³ He tellith of it to his freend, that it is his possessioun; and that he may stie to it.

Chapter 37

¹ Myn herte dredde of this thing, and is moued out of his place.

² It schal here an heryng in the feerdfulnesse of his vois, and a sown comynge forth of his mouth.

³ He biholdith ouere alle heuenes; and his liyt is ouere the termes of erthe.

⁴ Sown schal rore aftir hym, he schal thundre with the vois of his greetnesse; and it schal not be souyt out, whanne his vois is herd.

⁵ God schal thundre in his vois wondurfulli, that makith grete thingis and that moun not be souyt out.

⁶ Which comaundith to the snow to come doun on erthe, and to the reynes of wijntir, and to the reynes of his strengthe.

⁷ Which markith in the hond of alle men, that alle men knowe her werkis.

⁸ An vnresonable beeste schal go in to his denne, and schal dwelle in his caue, `ethir derke place.

⁹ Tempestis schulen go out fro the ynnere thingis, and coold fro Arturus.

¹⁰ Whanne God makith blowyng, frost wexith togidere; and eft ful brood watris ben sched out.

¹¹ Whete desirith cloudis, and cloudis spreeden abrood her liyt.

¹² Whiche cloudes cumpassen alle thingis bi cumpas, whidur euere the wil of the gouernour ledith tho, to al thing which he comaundith `to tho on the face of the world;

¹³ whether in o lynage, ethir in his lond, ether in what euer place of his merci he comaundith tho to be foundun.

¹⁴ Joob, herkene thou these thingis; stonde thou, and biholde the meruels of God.

¹⁵ Whethir thou woost, whanne God comaundide to the reynes, that tho schulen schewe the liyt of hise cloudis?

¹⁶ Whether thou knowist the grete weies of cloudis, and perfit kunnyngis?

¹⁷ Whether thi cloothis ben not hoote, whanne the erthe is blowun with the south?

¹⁸ In hap thou madist with hym heuenes, which moost sad ben foundid, as of bras.

¹⁹ Schewe thou to vs, what we schulen seie to hym; for we ben wlappid in derknessis.

²⁰ Who schal telle to hym, what thingis Y speke? yhe, if he spekith, a man schal be deuourid.

²¹ And now men seen not liyt; the eir schal be maad thicke sudenli in to cloudis, and wynd passynge schal dryue awei tho.

²² Gold schal come fro the north, and ferdful preisyng of God.

²³ For we moun not fynde him worthili; he is greet in strengthe, and in doom, and in riytfulnesse, and may not be teld out.

²⁴ Therfor men schulen drede hym; and alle men, that semen to hem silf to be wise, schulen not be hardi to biholde.

Chapter 38

¹ Forsothe the Lord answeride fro the whirlewynd to Joob,

² and seide, Who is this man, wlappynge sentences with vnwise wordis?

³ Girde thou as a man thi leendis; Y schal axe thee, and answere thou to me.

⁴ Where were thou, whanne Y settide the foundementis of erthe? schewe thou to me, if thou hast vndurstondyng.

⁵ Who settide mesures therof, if thou knowist? ethir who stretchide forth a lyne theronne?

⁶ On what thing ben the foundementis therof maad fast? ether who sente doun the corner stoon therof,

⁷ whanne the morew sterris herieden me togidere, and alle the sones of God sungun ioyfuli?

⁸ Who closide togidere the see with doris, whanne it brak out comynge forth as of the wombe?

⁹ Whanne Y settide a cloude the hilyng therof, and Y wlappide it with derknesse, as with clothis of yong childhed.

¹⁰ Y cumpasside it with my termes, and Y settide a barre, and doris;

¹¹ and Y seide, `Til hidur thou schalt come, and thou schalt not go forth ferthere; and here thou schalt breke togidere thi bolnynge wawis.

¹² Whethir aftir thi birthe thou comaundist to the bigynnyng of dai, and schewidist to the morewtid his place?

¹³ Whethir thou heldist schakynge togidere the laste partis of erthe, and schakedist awei wickid men therfro?

¹⁴ A seeling schal be restorid as cley, and it schal stonde as a cloth.

¹⁵ The liyt of wickid men schal be takun awey fro hem, and an hiy arm schal be brokun.

¹⁶ Whethir thou entridist in to the depthe of the see, and walkidist in the laste partis of the occian?

¹⁷ Whether the yatis of deeth ben openyd to thee, and `siest thou the derk doris?

¹⁸ Whethir thou hast biholde the brede of erthe? Schewe thou to me, if thou knowist alle thingis,

¹⁹ in what weie the liyt dwellith, and which is the place of derknesse;

²⁰ that thou lede ech thing to hise termes, and thou vndurstonde the weies of his hows.

²¹ Wistist thou thanne, that thou schuldist be borun, and knew thou the noumbre of thi daies?

²² Whethir thou entridist in to the tresours of snow, ether biheldist thou the tresours of hail?

²³ whiche thingis Y made redy in to the tyme of an enemy, in to the dai of fiytyng and of batel.

²⁴ Bi what weie is the liyt spred abrood, heete is departid on erthe?

²⁵ Who yaf cours to the strongeste reyn,

²⁶ and weie of the thundur sownynge? That it schulde reyne on the erthe with out man in desert, where noon of deedli men dwellith?

²⁷ That it schulde fille a lond with out weie and desolat, and schulde brynge forth greene eerbis?

²⁸ Who is fadir of reyn, ether who gendride the dropis of deew?

²⁹ Of whos wombe yede out iys, and who gendride frost fro heuene?

³⁰ Watris ben maad hard in the licnesse of stoon, and the ouer part of occian is streyned togidere.

³¹ Whether thou schalt mowe ioyne togidere schynynge sterris Pliades, ethir thou schalt mowe distrie the cumpas of Arturis?

³² Whether thou bryngist forth Lucifer, `that is, dai sterre, in his tyme, and makist euene sterre to rise on the sones of erthe?

³³ Whether thou knowist the ordre of heuene, and schalt sette the resoun therof in erthe?

³⁴ Whethir thou schalt reise thi vois in to a cloude, and the fersnesse of watris schal hile thee?

³⁵ Whethir thou schalt sende leitis, and tho schulen go, and tho schulen turne ayen, and schulen seie to thee, We ben present?

³⁶ Who puttide wisdoom in the entrailis of man, ethir who yaf vndurstondyng to the cok?

³⁷ Who schal telle out the resoun of heuenes, and who schal make acordyng of heuene to sleep?

³⁸ Whanne dust was foundid in the erthe, and clottis weren ioyned togidere?

³⁹ Whether thou schalt take prey to the lionesse, and schalt fille the soulis of hir whelpis,

⁴⁰ whanne tho liggen in caues, and aspien in dennes?

⁴¹ Who makith redi for the crowe his mete, whanne hise briddis crien to God, and wandren aboute, for tho han not meetis?

Chapter 39

¹ Whethir thou knowist the tyme of birthe of wielde geet in stoonys, ethir hast thou aspied hyndis bryngynge forth calues?

² Hast thou noumbrid the monethis of her conseyuyng, and hast thou knowe the tyme of her caluyng?

³ Tho ben bowid to the calf, and caluen; and senden out roryngis.

⁴ Her calues ben departid, and goen to pasture; tho goen out, and turnen not ayen to `tho hyndis.

⁵ Who let go the wielde asse fre, and who loside the boondis of hym?

⁶ To whom Y haue youe an hows in wildirnesse, and the tabernacles of hym in the lond of saltnesse.

⁷ He dispisith the multitude of citee; he herith not the cry of an axere.

⁸ He lokith aboute the hillis of his lesewe, and he sekith alle greene thingis.

⁹ Whether an vnycorn schal wilne serue thee, ethir schal dwelle at thi cratche?

¹⁰ Whether thou schalt bynde the vnicorn with thi chayne, for to ere, ethir schal he breke the clottis of valeis aftir thee?

¹¹ Whether thou schalt haue trist in his grete strengthe, and schalt thou leeue to hym thi traueils?

¹² Whether thou schalt bileue to hym, that he schal yelde seed to thee, and schal gadere togidere thi cornfloor?

¹³ The fethere of an ostriche is lijk the fetheris of a gerfawcun, and of an hauk;

¹⁴ which ostrige forsakith hise eirun in the erthe, in hap thou schalt make tho hoot in the dust.

¹⁵ He foryetith, that a foot tredith tho, ethir that a beeste of the feeld al tobrekith tho.

¹⁶ He is maad hard to hise briddis, as if thei ben not hise; he traueilide in veyn, while no drede constreynede.

¹⁷ For God hath priued hym fro wisdom, and `yaf not vnderstondyng to hym.

¹⁸ Whanne tyme is, he reisith the wengis an hiy; he scorneth the hors, and his ridere.

¹⁹ Whether thou schalt yyue strengthe to an hors, ether schal yyue neiyng `aboute his necke?

²⁰ Whether thou schalt reyse hym as locustis? The glorie of hise nosethirlis is drede.

²¹ He diggith erthe with the foot, he `fulli ioieth booldli; he goith ayens armed men.

²² He dispisith ferdfulnesse, and he yyueth not stide to swerd.

²³ An arowe caas schal sowne on hym; a spere and scheeld schal florische.

²⁴ He is hoot, and gnastith, and swolewith the erthe; and he arettith not that the crie of the trumpe sowneth.

²⁵ Whanne he herith a clarioun, he `seith, Joie! he smellith batel afer; the excityng of duykis, and the yellyng of the oost.

²⁶ Whether an hauk spredinge abrood hise wyngis to the south, bigynneth to haue fetheris bi thi wisdom?

²⁷ Whether an egle schal be reisid at thi comaundement, and schal sette his nest in hiy places?

²⁸ He dwellith in stoonys, and he dwellith in flyntis brokun bifor, and in rochis, to whiche `me may not neiye.

²⁹ Fro thennus he biholdith mete, and hise iyen loken fro fer.

³⁰ Hise briddis souken blood, and where euere a careyn is, anoon he is present.

³¹ And the Lord addide, and spak to Joob,

³² Whether he, that stryueth with God, schal haue rest so liytli? Sotheli he, that repreueth God, owith for to answere to hym.

³³ Forsothe Joob answeride to the Lord,

³⁴ and seide, What may Y answere, which haue spoke liytli? Y schal putte myn hond on my mouth.

³⁵ Y spak o thing, which thing Y wold, that Y hadde not seid; and Y spak anothir thing, to which Y schal no more adde.

Chapter 40

¹ Forsothe the Lord answeride to Joob fro the whirlewynd,

² and seide, Girde thou as a man thi leendis, and Y schal axe thee, and schewe thou to me.

³ Whether thou schalt make voide my doom, and schalt condempne me, that thou be maad iust?

⁴ And if thou hast an arm, as God hath, and if thou thundrist with lijk vois, `take thou fairnesse aboute thee,

⁵ and be thou reisid an hiy, and be thou gloriouse, and be thou clothid `in faire clothis.

⁶ Distrie thou proude men in thi woodnesse, and biholde thou, and make lowe ech bostere.

⁷ Biholde thou alle proude men, and schende thou hem; and al to-breke thou wickid men in her place.

⁸ Hide thou hem in dust togidere, and drenche doun her faces in to a diche.

⁹ And Y schal knowleche, that thi riyt hond may saue thee.

¹⁰ Lo! behemot, whom Y made with thee, schal as an oxe ete hey.

¹¹ His strengthe is in hise leendis, and his vertu is in the nawle of his wombe.

¹² He streyneth his tail as a cedre; the senewis of his `stones of gendrure ben foldid togidere.

¹³ Hise boonys ben as the pipis of bras; the gristil of hym is as platis of yrun.

¹⁴ He is the bigynnyng of the weies of God; he, that made hym, schal sette his swerd to hym.

¹⁵ Hillis beren eerbis to this behemot; alle the beestis of the feeld pleien there.

¹⁶ He slepith vndur schadewe, in the pryuete of rehed, in moiste places.

¹⁷ Schadewis hilen his schadewe; the salewis of the ryuer cumpassen hym.

¹⁸ He schal soupe vp the flood, and he schal not wondre; he hath trist, that Jordan schal flowe in to his mouth.

¹⁹ He schal take hem bi `the iyen of hym, as bi an hook; and bi scharpe schaftis he schal perse hise nosethirlis.

²⁰ Whether thou schalt mowe drawe out leuyathan with an hook, and schalt bynde with a roop his tunge?

²¹ Whethir thou schalt putte a ryng in hise nosethirlis, ethir schalt perse hyse cheke with `an hook?

²² Whether he schal multiplie preieris to thee, ether schal speke softe thingis to thee?

²³ Whether he schal make couenaunt with thee, and `thou schalt take him a seruaunt euerlastinge?

²⁴ Whether thou schalt scorne hym as a brid, ethir schalt bynde hym to thin handmaidis?

²⁵ Schulen frendis `kerue hym, schulen marchauntis departe hym?

²⁶ Whether thou schalt fille nettis with his skyn, and a `leep of fischis with his heed?

²⁷ Schalt thou putte thin hond on hym? haue thou mynde of the batel, and adde no more to speke.

²⁸ Lo! his hope schal disseyue hym; and in the siyt of alle men he schal be cast doun.

Chapter 41

¹ I not as cruel schal reise hym; for who may ayenstonde my face?

² And who `yaf to me bifore, that Y yelde to hym? Alle thingis, that ben vndur heuene, ben myne.

³ Y schal not spare hym for myyti wordis, and maad faire to biseche.

⁴ Who schal schewe the face of his clothing, and who schal entre in to the myddis of his mouth?

⁵ Who schal opene the yatis of his cheer? ferdfulnesse is bi the cumpas of hise teeth.

⁶ His bodi is as yotun scheldys of bras, and ioyned togidere with scalis ouerleiynge hem silf.

⁷ Oon is ioyned to another; and sotheli brething goith not thorouy tho.

⁸ Oon schal cleue to anothir, and tho holdynge hem silf schulen not be departid.

⁹ His fnesynge is as schynynge of fier, and hise iyen ben as iyelidis of the morewtid.

¹⁰ Laumpis comen forth of his mouth, as trees of fier, that ben kyndlid.

¹¹ Smoke cometh forth of hise nosethirlis, as of a pot set on the fier `and boilynge.

¹² His breeth makith colis to brenne, and flawme goith out of his mouth.

¹³ Strengthe schal dwelle in his necke, and nedynesse schal go bifor his face.

¹⁴ The membris of hise fleischis ben cleuynge togidere to hem silf; God schal sende floodis ayens hym, and tho schulen not be borun to an other place.

¹⁵ His herte schal be maad hard as a stoon; and it schal be streyned togidere as the anefeld of a smith.

¹⁶ Whanne he schal be takun awei, aungels schulen drede; and thei aferd schulen be purgid.

¹⁷ Whanne swerd takith hym, it may not stonde, nethir spere, nether haburioun.

¹⁸ For he schal arette irun as chaffis, and bras as rotun tre.

¹⁹ A man archere schal not dryue hym awei; stoonys of a slynge ben turned in to stobil to hym.

²⁰ He schal arette an hamer as stobil; and he schal scorne a florischynge spere.

²¹ The beemys of the sunne schulen be vndur hym; and he schal strewe to hym silf gold as cley.

²² He schal make the depe se to buyle as a pot; and he schal putte, as whanne oynementis buylen.

²³ A path schal schyne aftir hym; he schal gesse the greet occian as wexynge eld.

²⁴ No power is on erthe, that schal be comparisound to hym; which is maad, that he schulde drede noon.

²⁵ He seeth al hiy thing; he is kyng ouer alle the sones of pride.

Chapter 42

¹ Forsothe Joob answeride to the Lord, and seide,

² Y woot, that thou maist alle thingis, and no thouyt is hid fro thee ^[1].

³ Who is this, that helith counsel with out kunnyng? Therfor Y spak vnwiseli, and tho thingis that passiden ouer mesure my kunnyng.

⁴ Here thou, and Y schal speke; Y schal axe thee, and answere thou to me.

⁵ Bi heryng of eere Y herde thee, but now myn iye seeth thee.

⁶ Therfor Y repreue me, and do penaunce in deed sparcle and aische.

⁷ Forsothe aftir that the Lord spak these wordis to Joob, he seide to Eliphat Themanytes, My stronge veniaunce is wrooth ayens thee, and ayens thi twey frendis ^[2]; for ye `spaken not bifor me riytful thing, as my seruaunt Joob dide.

⁸ Therfor take ye to you seuene bolis, and seuene rammes; and go ye to my seruaunt Joob, and offre ye brent sacrifice for you. Forsothe Joob, my seruaunt, schal preie for you; Y schal resseyue his face, that foli be not arettid to you ^[3]; for ye `spaken not bifor me riytful thing, as my seruaunt Joob dide.

⁹ Therfor Eliphat Themanytes, and Baldach Suythes, and Sophar Naamathites, yeden, and diden, as the Lord hedde spoke to hem; and the Lord resseyuede the face of Joob.

¹⁰ Also the Lord was conuertid to the penaunce of Joob, whanne he preiede for hise frendis. And the Lord addide alle thingis double, whiche euere weren of Joob.

¹¹ Sotheli alle hise britheren, and alle hise sistris, and alle that knewen hym bifore, camen to hym; and thei eeten breed with hym in his hows, and moueden the heed on hym; and thei coumfortiden hym of al the yuel, which the Lord hadde brouyt in on hym; and thei yauen to hym ech man o scheep, and o goldun eere ring.

¹² Forsothe the Lord blesside the laste thingis of Joob, more than the bigynnyng of hym; and fouretene thousynde of scheep weren maad to hym, and sixe thousinde of camels, and a thousynde yockis of oxis, and a thousynde femal assis.

¹³ And he hadde seuene sones ^[4], and thre douytris; and he clepide the name of o douytir Dai, and the name of the secounde douytir Cassia, and the name of the thridde douytir `An horn of wymmens oynement.

¹⁴ `Sotheli no wymmen weren foundun so faire in al erthe, as the douytris of Joob; and her fadir yaf eritage to hem among her britheren.

¹⁵ Forsothe Joob lyuede aftir these betyngis an hundrid and fourti yeer, and `siy hise sones, and the sones of hise sones, `til to the fourthe generacioun; and he was deed eld, and ful of daies.

1. [Note: Joob wiste wel, that in remembringe his riytfulnesse he suffride sum stiring of veynglorie, which is wont to come liytly in siche thingis, yhe, in men that ben perfit. in preisinge my riytfulnesse. in enqueringe ouer myche the resouns of Goddis domes.]
2. [Note: God seith not ayenus Helyu, ether ayenus Joob; for whi to do synne bi presumpcioun, ether bi vnwar speking, as Helyu and Joob diden, is not so greuouse synne as to do synne bi afermyng of falsnesse, which bifelde to these thre men. for he synnede liytly, and dide penaunce therfor perfitly.]
3. [Note: to euerlastinge peyne.]
4. [Note: the formere sones and douytris weren in the weye of saluacioun, and so not deed outirly.]

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 3 Kings
• 4 Kings
• 1 Paralipomenon
• 2 Paralipomenon
• 1 Esdras
• 2 Esdras
• 3 Esdras
• Tobit
• Judith
• Esther
• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Songes of Songes
• Wisdom
• Syrach
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Preier of Jeremye
• Baruk
• Ezechiel
• Daniel
• Osee
• Joel
• Amos
• Abdias
• Jonas
• Mychee
• Naum
• Abacuk
• Sofonye
• Aggey
• Sacarie
• Malachie

• 1 Machabeis
• 2 Machabeis

• Matheu
• Mark
• Luke
• John
• Dedis of Apostlis
• Romaynes
• 1 Corinthis
• 2 Corinthis
• Galathies
• Effesies
• Filipensis
• Colosencis
• 1 Thessalonycensis
• 2 Thessalonycensis
• 1 Tymothe
• 2 Tymothe
• Tite
• Filemon
• Ebrews
• James
• 1 Petre
• 2 Petre
• 1 Joon
• 2 Joon
• 3 Joon
• Judas
• Apocalips
• Laodicensis

External links

• The books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes.