Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
And Helyu pronounside, and spak also these thingis,
2 “Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
Wise men, here ye my wordis, and lerned men, herkne ye me; for the eere preueth wordis,
3 For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
and the throte demeth metis bi taast.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
Chese we doom to vs; and se we among vs, what is the betere.
5 For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
For Job seide, Y am iust, and God hath distried my doom.
6 Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
For whi lesynge is in demynge me, and myn arowe is violent with out ony synne.
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
Who is a man, as Joob is, that drynkith scornyng as watir?
8 He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
that goith with men worchynge wickidnesse, and goith with vnfeithful men?
9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’
For he seide, A man schal not plese God, yhe, thouy he renneth with God.
10 Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
Therfor ye men hertid, `that is, vndurstonde, here ye me; vnpite, `ethir cruelte, be fer fro God, and wickidnesse fro Almyyti God.
11 For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.
For he schal yelde the werk of man to hym; and bi the weies of ech man he schal restore to hym.
12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
For verili God schal not condempne with out cause; nether Almyyti God schal distrie doom.
13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
What othere man hath he ordeyned on the lond? ether whom hath he set on the world, which he made?
14 If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
If God dressith his herte to hym, he schal drawe to hym silf his spirit and blast.
15 all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
Ech fleisch schal faile togidere; `and a man schal turne ayen in to aisch.
16 If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
Therfor if thou hast vndurstondyng, here thou that that is seid, and herkne the vois of my speche.
17 Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
Whether he that loueth not doom may be maad hool? and hou condempnest thou so myche him, that is iust?
18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
Which seith to the kyng, Thou art apostata; which clepith the duykis vnpitouse, `ethir vnfeithful.
19 who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
`Which takith not the persoones of princes, nether knew a tyraunt, whanne he stryuede ayens a pore man; for alle men ben the werk of hise hondis.
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
Thei schulen die sudeynli, and at mydnyyt puplis schulen be troblid, `ethir schulen be bowid, as othere bookis han; and schulen passe, and schulen take `awei `a violent man with out hond.
21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
For the iyen of God ben on the weies of men, and biholdith alle goyngis of hem.
22 There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
No derknessis ben, and no schadewe of deeth is, that thei, that worchen wickidnesse, be hid there;
23 For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.
for it is `no more in the power of man, that he come to God in to doom.
24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
God schal al to-breke many men and vnnoumbrable; and schal make othere men to stonde for hem.
25 Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
For he knowith the werkis of hem; therfor he schal brynge yn niyt, and thei schulen be al to-brokun.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
He smoot hem, as vnpitouse men, in the place of seinge men.
27 because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
Whiche yeden awei fro hym bi `castyng afore, and nolden vndurstonde alle hise weies.
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
That thei schulden make the cry of a nedi man to come to hym, and that he schulde here the vois of pore men.
29 But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
For whanne he grauntith pees, who is that condempneth? Sithen he hidith his cheer, who is that seeth hym? And on folkis and on alle men `he hath power `to do siche thingis.
30 that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.
Which makith `a man ypocrite to regne, for the synnes of the puple.
31 Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
Therfor for Y haue spoke to God, also Y schal not forbede thee.
32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
If Y erride, teche thou me; if Y spak wickidnesse, Y schal no more adde.
33 Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.
Whether God axith that wickidnesse of thee, for it displeside thee? For thou hast bigunne to speke, and not Y; that if thou knowist ony thing betere, speke thou.
34 Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
Men vndurstondynge, speke to me; and a wise man, here me.
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
Forsothe Joob spak folili, and hise wordis sownen not techyng.
36 If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
My fadir, be Joob preuede `til to the ende; ceesse thou not fro the man of wickidnesse,
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
`that addith blasfemye ouer hise synnes. Be he constreyned among vs in the meene tyme; and thanne bi hise wordis stire he God to the doom.
