Job 29
1 Also Joob addide, takynge his parable, and seide,
Job spoke again,
2 Who yyueth to me, that I be bisidis the elde monethis, bi the daies in whiche God kepte me?
“I wish/desire that I could be like I was previously, during the years when God took care of me.
3 Whanne his lanterne schynede on myn heed, and Y yede in derknessis at his liyt.
During those years, [it was as though] God’s lamp [MET] shone on me and gave me light while I walked in the darkness.
4 As Y was in the daies of my yongthe, whanne in priuete God was in my tabernacle.
At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, [he protected] [PRS] my tent.
5 Whanne Almyyti God was with me, and my children weren in my cumpas;
Almighty [God] was with me during those years when all my children were around me.
6 whanne Y waischide my feet in botere, and the stoon schedde out to me the stremes of oile;
[My herds] provided me with plenty of milk, and streams of oil flowed from the rock where my olives were pressed.
7 whanne Y yede forth to the yate of the citee, and in the street thei maden redi a chaier to me.
“Whenever I went to [the place where the elders gathered at] the city gate, I sat down with them,
8 Yonge men, `that is, wantoun, sien me, and weren hid, and elde men risynge vp stoden;
and when the young men saw me, they stepped aside [respectfully], and the old men [also] stood [respectfully].
9 princes ceessiden to speke, and puttiden the fyngur on her mouth;
The leaders of the people stopped talking [DOU],
10 duykis refreyneden her vois, and her tunge cleuyde to her throte.
and even the most important men became quiet and ceased talking [MTY] [in order to hear me speak to them].
11 An eere herynge blesside me, and an iye seynge yeldide witnessyng to me;
When they [SYN] all heard [what I told them], they said good things about me. When they [SYN] saw me (OR, what I had done), they commended me,
12 for Y hadde delyueride a pore man criynge, and a fadirles child, that hadde noon helpere.
because I had helped the poor people when they cried out for help and I aided/helped orphans who had no one else to help them.
13 The blessyng of a man `to perische cam on me, and Y coumfortide the herte of a widewe.
Those who were suffering and about to die praised [PRS] me, and I caused widows [SYN] to sing joyfully, [because of my helping them].
14 Y was clothid with riytfulnesse; and Y clothide me as with a cloth, and with my `doom a diademe.
I always acted justly; my continually doing that was like [MET] a robe that I wore and a turban [that was wrapped around my head].
15 Y was iye `to a blynde man, and foot to a crokyd man.
[It was as though] [MET] I was eyes for blind people and feet for people who were lame.
16 Y was a fadir of pore men; and Y enqueride most diligentli the cause, which Y knew not.
I was [like] [MET] a father to poor people, and in courts I defended those who were strangers.
17 Y al tobrak the grete teeth of the wickid man, and Y took awei prey fro hise teeth.
My causing wicked people [to be unable to continue oppressing others was like] [MET] breaking the fangs [of fierce wild animals] and forcing them to drop from their teeth/mouths the animals that they had caught/seized.
18 And Y seide, Y schal die in my nest; and as a palm tre Y schal multiplie daies.
“At that time I thought, ‘Surely I will live securely, until I am very old [SIM], and I will die at home [with my family].’
19 My roote is openyde bisidis watris, and deew schal dwelle in my repyng.
I was [like a tree] [MET] whose roots reach down into the water and whose branches become wet with dew each night.
20 My glorie schal euere be renulid, and my bouwe schal be astorid in myn hond.
People always honored me, and I was always [strong like] [MET] a new bow.
21 Thei, that herden me, abiden my sentence; and thei weren ententif, and weren stille to my counsel.
“When I spoke, people waited to hear [what I would say] and remained silent until I advised them [what they should do].
22 Thei dursten no thing adde to my wordis; and my speche droppide on hem.
After I finished speaking, they did not say any more; [it was as though] [MET] my words fell on their ears [like refreshing drops of rain].
23 Thei abididen me as reyn; and thei openyden her mouth as to the softe reyn `comynge late.
They waited for me [to speak] like they wait for rain; they [appreciated what I said] like [MET] [farmers appreciate] the final rain in the spring [before the dry season].
24 If ony tyme Y leiyide to hem, thei bileueden not; and the liyt of my cheer felde not doun in to erthe.
When they were discouraged, I smiled at them [to encourage them]; they became encouraged when they saw that I approved of them.
25 If Y wolde go to hem, Y sat the firste; and whanne Y sat as kyng, while the oost stood aboute, netheles Y was comfortour of hem that morenyden.
I was their leader, and I decided what things [would be good for them to do]; I was among them like [SIM] a king who is among his troops; I was like someone who comforts [others] who are mourning.”
