Job 7
1 Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.
Is not the life of man upon earth a state of trial? and his existence as that of a hireling by the day?
2 As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;
Or as a servant that fears his master, and one who has grasped a shadow? or as a hireling waiting for his pay?
3 so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.
So have I also endured months of vanity, and nights of pain have been appointed me.
4 If Y schal slepe, Y schal seie, Whanne schal Y rise? and eft Y schal abide the euentid, and Y schal be fillid with sorewis `til to derknessis.
Whenever I lie down, I say, When [will it be] day? and whenever I rise up, again [I say] when [will it be] evening? and I am full of pains from evening to morning.
5 Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere.
And my body is covered with loathsome worms; and I waste away, scraping off clods of dust from my eruption.
6 My daies passiden swiftliere thanne a web is kit doun `of a webstere; and tho daies ben wastid with outen ony hope.
And my life is lighter than a word, and has perished in vain hope.
7 God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis.
Remember then that my life is breath, and mine eye shall not yet again see good.
8 Nethir the siyt of man schal biholde me; but thin iyen ben in me, and Y schal not `be in deedli lijf.
The eye of him that sees me shall not see me [again]: your eyes are upon me, and I am no more.
[I am] as a cloud that is cleared away from the sky: for if a man go down to the grave, he shall not come up again: (Sheol h7585)
10 nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.
and he shall surely not return to his own house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 Wherfor and Y schal not spare my mouth; Y schal speke in the tribulacioun of my spirit, Y schal talke togidere with the bitternesse of my soule.
Then neither will I refrain my mouth: I will speak being in distress; being in anguish I will disclose the bitterness of my soul.
12 Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun?
Am I a sea, or a serpent, that you have set a watch over me?
13 If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed;
I said that my bed should comfort me, and I would privately counsel with myself on my couch.
14 thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.
You scare me with dreams, and do terrify me with visions.
15 Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.
You will separate life from my spirit; and yet [keep] my bones from death.
16 `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.
For I shall not live for ever, that I should patiently endure: depart from me, for my life [is] vain.
17 What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?
For what is man, that you have magnified him? or that you give heed to him?
18 Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.
Will you visit him till the morning, and judge him till [the time of] rest?
19 Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?
How long do you not let me alone, nor let me go, until I shall swallow down my spittle?
20 Y haue synned; A! thou kepere of men, what schal Y do to thee? Whi hast thou set me contrarie to thee, and Y am maad greuouse to my silf?
If I have sinned, what shall I be able to do, O you that understand the mind of men? why have you made me as your accuser, and [why] am I a burden to you?
21 Whi doist thou not awei my sinne, and whi takist thou not awei my wickidnesse? Lo! now Y schal slepe in dust, and if thou sekist me eerli, Y schal not abide.
Why have you not forgotten my iniquity, and purged my sin? but now I shall depart to the earth; and in the morning I am no more.
