< Job 17 >

1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.
Mi spirit schal be maad feble; my daies schulen be maad schort, and oneli the sepulcre is left to me.
2 Are there not mockers with me? and doth not my eye continue in their provocation?
Y have not synned, and myn iye dwellith in bittirnessis.
3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?
Lord, delyuere thou me, and sette thou me bisidis thee; and the hond of ech fiyte ayens me.
4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
Thou hast maad the herte of hem fer fro doctryn, `ethir knowyng of treuthe; therfor thei schulen not be enhaunsid.
5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
He bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.
6 He hath made me also a byword of the people; and as one before whom men spit.
He hath set as in to a prouerbe of the comyn puple, and his saumple bifor hem.
7 My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.
8 Upright men shall be appalled at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite.
Iust men schulen wondre on this thing; and an innocent schal be reisid ayens an ypocrite.
9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
And a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.
10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.
Therfor alle `ye be conuertid, and come ye; and Y schal not fynde in you ony wiys man.
11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart.
My daies ben passid; my thouytis ben scaterid, turmentynge myn herte.
12 They change the night into day: the light is short because of darkness.
Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt.
13 If I wait, the grave is my house: I have made my bed in the darkness. (Sheol h7585)
If Y `susteyne, ether suffre pacientli, helle is myn hous; and Y haue arayede my bed in derknessis. (Sheol h7585)
14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
Y seide to rot, Thou art my fadur; and to wormes, Ye ben my modir and my sister.
15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?
16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust. (Sheol h7585)
Alle my thingis schulen go doun in to deppeste helle; gessist thou, whether reste schal be to me, nameli there. (Sheol h7585)

< Job 17 >