Job 20

1 Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,

Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,

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

I did not suppose that thou wouldest answer thus: neither do ye understand more than I.

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

I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.

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

Hast thou [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?

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

But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:

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

although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.

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

For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?

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

Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.

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

The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.

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

Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.

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

His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.

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

Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;

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

though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:

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

yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.

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

[His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.

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

And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue slay him.

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

Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.

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.

He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he cannot swallow.

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

For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.

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

There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.

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

There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.

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

But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.

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.

If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.

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

And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.

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.

And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.

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

And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.

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

And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.

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

Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.

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

This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].