Job 19
1 Then Job answered,
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Hou long turmente ye my soule,
2 "How long will you torment me, and crush me with words?
and al to-breken me with wordis?
3 You have reproached me ten times. You aren't ashamed that you attack me.
Lo! ten sithis ye schenden me, and ye ben not aschamed, oppressynge me.
4 If it is true that I have erred, my error remains with myself.
Forsothe and if Y `koude not, myn vnkynnyng schal be with me.
5 If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead my disgrace against me;
And ye ben reisid ayens me, and repreuen me with my schenschipis.
6 know now that God has subverted me, and has surrounded me with his net.
Nameli now vndurstonde ye, that God hath turmentid me not bi euene doom, and hath cumpassid me with hise betyngis.
7 "Look, I cry out 'Injustice.' but there is no justice.
Lo! Y suffrynge violence schal crye, and no man schal here; Y schal crye loude, and `noon is that demeth.
8 He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, and has set darkness in my paths.
He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
9 He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
He hath spuylid me of my glorye, and hath take awey the coroun fro myn heed.
10 He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree.
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 He has also kindled his wrath against me. He counts me among his adversaries.
His stronge veniaunce was wrooth ayens me; and he hadde me so as his enemye.
12 His troops come on together, build a siege ramp against me, and camp around my tent.
Hise theues camen togidere, and `maden to hem a wei bi me; and bisegiden my tabernacle in cumpas.
13 "He has put my brothers far from me. My acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.
He made fer my britheren fro me; and my knowun as aliens yeden awei fro me.
14 My relatives have gone away. My familiar friends have forgotten me.
My neiyboris forsoken me; and thei that knewen me han foryete me.
15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger. I am a foreigner in their sight.
The tenauntis of myn hows, and myn handmaydis hadden me as a straunger; and Y was as a pilgrym bifor her iyen.
16 I call to my servant, and he gives me no answer. I beg him with my mouth.
Y clepide my seruaunt, and he answeride not to me; with myn owne mouth Y preiede hym.
17 My breath is offensive to my wife. I am loathsome to the children of my own mother.
My wijf wlatide my breeth; and Y preiede the sones of my wombe.
18 Even young children despise me. If I arise, they speak against me.
Also foolis dispisiden me; and whanne Y was goon awei fro hem, thei bacbitiden me.
19 All my familiar friends abhor me. They whom I loved have turned against me.
Thei, that weren my counselouris sum tyme, hadden abhomynacioun of me; and he, whom Y louede moost, was aduersarie to me.
20 My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
Whanne fleischis weren wastid, my boon cleuyde to my skyn; and `oneli lippis ben left aboute my teeth.
21 "Have pity on me, have pity on me, you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.
Haue ye merci on me, haue ye merci on me, nameli, ye my frendis; for the hond of the Lord hath touchid me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Whi pursuen ye me, as God pursueth; and ben fillid with my fleischis?
23 "Oh that my words were now written. Oh that they were inscribed in a scroll.
Who yyueth to me, that my wordis be writun? Who yyueth to me,
24 That with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever.
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 But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.
For Y woot, that myn ayenbiere lyueth, and in the laste dai Y schal rise fro the erthe;
26 After my skin is destroyed, then in my flesh shall I see God,
and eft Y schal be cumpassid with my skyn, and in my fleisch Y schal se God, my sauyour.
27 Whom I, even I, shall see on my side. My eyes shall see, and not as a stranger. My heart is consumed within me.
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 If you say, 'How we will persecute him, because the root of the matter is found in him.'
Whi therfor seien ye now, Pursue we hym, and fynde we the roote of a word ayens hym?
29 Be afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment."
Therfor fle ye fro the face of the swerd; for the swerd is the vengere of wickidnessis, and wite ye, that doom schal be.
