Job 9
1 Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
Then responded Job, and said—
2 and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
Of a truth, I know that so it is, But how can a mortal be just with GOD?
3 If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
If he choose to contend with him, he cannot answer him, one of a thousand:
4 He is wiys in herte, and strong in myyt; who ayenstood hym, and hadde pees?
Wise in heart, and alert in vigour, What man hath hardened himself against him, and prospered!
5 Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
Who removeth mountains, unawares, Who overturneth them in his anger;
6 Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
Who shaketh the earth, out of its place, and, the pillars thereof, shudder;
7 Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.
Who commandeth the sun, and it breaketh not forth, and, about the stars, he putteth a seal;
8 Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
Who spreadeth out fire heavens, by himself alone! and marcheth along, on the heights of the sea;
9 Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
Who made the Bear, the Giant and the Cluster, and the chambers of the south;
10 Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.
Who doeth great things, past finding out, and marvels, beyond number.
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.
Lo! he cometh upon me, yet can I not see him, Yea he passeth on, yet can I not discern him.
12 If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?
Lo! he snatcheth away, who can bring it back? Who shall say unto him, What wouldst thou do?
13 `God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.
As for GOD, if he withdraw not his anger, under him, will have submitted themselves—the proud helpers.
14 Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?
How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose my words with him?
15 Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, to be absolved, I would make supplication.
16 And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.
Though I had called, and he had answered me, I could not believe, that he would lend an ear to my voice.
17 For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;
18 He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.
19 If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.
If it regardeth vigour, bold is he! If justice, who could summon him?
20 If Y wole make me iust, my mouth schal dampne me; if Y schal schewe me innocent, he schal preue me a schrewe.
If I should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, —I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.
21 Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!
22 O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.
One thing, there is, for which cause, I have said it, The blameless and the lawless, he bringeth to an end.
23 If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
If, a scourge, slay suddenly, at the despair of innocent ones, he mocketh.
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?
The earth, hath been given into the hand of a lawless one, The faces of her judges, he covereth, If not, then who is it?
25 Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.
26 Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
They have passed away with boats of paper-reed, like a vulture [which] rusheth upon food.
27 Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will lay aside my sad countenance, and brighten up,
28 Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
I am afraid of all my pains, I know, that thou wilt not pronounce me innocent.
29 Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
I, shall be held guilty, —Wherefore then, in vain, should I toil?
30 Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
Though I bathe myself in snow water, and cleanse, in cleanness itself, my hands,
31 netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
Then, in a ditch, wouldst thou plunge me, and mine own clothes should abhor me:
32 Trewli Y schal not answere a man, which is lijk me; nether that may be herd euenli with me in doom.
For he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:
33 `Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
There is not, between us, a mediator, who might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Do he awei his yerde fro me, and his drede make not me aferd.
Let him take from off me his rod, and, his terror, let it not startle me:
35 Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
I could speak, and not be afraid of him, although, not so, am, I, in myself!
