Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said,
Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
2 Of a truth I know that it is so: but how can man be just with God?
and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
3 If he be pleased to contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
4 [He is] wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is wiys in herte, and strong in myyt; who ayenstood hym, and hadde pees?
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger.
Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.
8 Which alone stretcheth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
9 Which maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, marvelous things without number.
Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
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.
12 Behold, he seizeth [the prey], who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?
13 God will not withdraw his anger; the helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.
`God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words [to reason] with him?
Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to mine adversary.
Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.
And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
19 If [we speak] of the strength of the mighty, lo, [he is there]! and if of judgment, who will appoint me a time?
If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.
20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
If Y wole make me iust, my mouth schal dampne me; if Y schal schewe me innocent, he schal preue me a schrewe.
21 I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
22 It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if [it be] not [he], who then is it?
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?
25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my [sad] countenance, and be of good cheer:
Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
29 I shall be condemned; why then do I labour in vain?
Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.
Trewli Y schal not answere a man, which is lijk me; nether that may be herd euenli with me in doom.
33 There is no daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
`Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid:
Do he awei his yerde fro me, and his drede make not me aferd.
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; for I am not so in myself.
Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
