Job 31

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

I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

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

Does not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

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

If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hasted to deceit;

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

Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

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

If my step has turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot has cleaved to mine hands;

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

Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

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,

If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour's door;

10 and othir men be bowid doun on hir.

Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.

For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

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

For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all mine increase.

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

If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

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

What then shall I do when God rises up? and when he visits, what shall I answer him?

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

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

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

If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

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

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten thereof;

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

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb; )

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

If I have seen any perish for lack of clothing, or any poor without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

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

If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

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

For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence;

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

If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had got much;

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

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

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

And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand:

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

This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

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

If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

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

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

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

If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

32 my dore was opyn to a weiegoere;

The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.

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

If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:

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;

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

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

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

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

I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

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

If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

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

If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

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

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.