Job 21
1 But Job answered and said,
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand on your mouth.
Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling takes hold on my flesh.
And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
7 Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, are mighty in power?
Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God on them.
Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
10 Their bull engenders, and fails not; their cow calves, and casts not her calf.
The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
12 They take the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
Thei leden in goodis her daies; and in a point thei goen doun to hellis. (Sheol h7585)
14 Therefore they say to God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of your ways.
Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray to him?
Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
16 See, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft comes their destruction on them! God distributes sorrows in his anger.
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 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carries away.
Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
19 God lays up his iniquity for his children: he rewards him, and he shall know it.
God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
21 For what pleasure has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the middle?
For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those that are high.
Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
23 One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
25 And another dies in the bitterness of his soul, and never eats with pleasure.
Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which you wrongfully imagine against me.
Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
28 For you say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
29 Have you not asked them that go by the way? and do you not know their tokens,
Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he has done?
Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
34 How then comfort you me in vain, seeing in your answers there remains falsehood?
Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
