Job 12
1 And Job answered and said,
Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
2 So then you [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?
Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?
3 [But] I also have a heart as well as you.
And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?
4 For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.
5 For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,
A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
6 even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.
7 But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to you; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to you.
No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.
8 Tell the earth, if it may speak to you: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to you.
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
9 Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
10 Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
11 For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
12 In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
13 With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
14 If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
15 If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.
16 With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
17 He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
18 He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
19 He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
20 He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
21 He pours dishonour upon princes, and heals the lowly.
He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
22 Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
23 Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
24 Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.
25 Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.
