Job 19
1 Then Job answered and said,
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Hou long turmente ye my soule,
2 How long will you vex my soul, and destroy me with words? only know that the Lord has dealt with me thus.
and al to-breken me with wordis?
3 You speak against me; you do not feel for me, but bear hard upon me.
Lo! ten sithis ye schenden me, and ye ben not aschamed, oppressynge me.
4 Yes verily, I have erred in truth, (but the error abides with myself) in having spoken words which it was not right [to speak]; and my words err, and are unreasonable.
Forsothe and if Y `koude not, myn vnkynnyng schal be with me.
5 But alas! for you magnify yourselves against me, and insult me with reproach.
And ye ben reisid ayens me, and repreuen me with my schenschipis.
6 Know then that it is the Lord that has troubled [me], and has raised his bulwark against me.
Nameli now vndurstonde ye, that God hath turmentid me not bi euene doom, and hath cumpassid me with hise betyngis.
7 Behold, I laugh at reproach; I will not speak: [or] I will cry out, but [there is] nowhere judgement.
Lo! Y suffrynge violence schal crye, and no man schal here; Y schal crye loude, and `noon is that demeth.
8 I am fenced round about, and can by no means escape: he has set darkness before my face.
He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
9 And he has stripped me of my glory, and has taken the crown from my head.
He hath spuylid me of my glorye, and hath take awey the coroun fro myn heed.
10 He has torn me around about, and I am gone: and he has cut off my hope like a tree.
He hath distried me on ech side, and Y perischide; and he hath take awei myn hope, as fro a tre pullid vp bi the roote.
11 And he has dreadfully handled me in anger, and has counted me for an enemy.
His stronge veniaunce was wrooth ayens me; and he hadde me so as his enemye.
12 His troops also came upon me with one accord, liars in wait compassed my ways.
Hise theues camen togidere, and `maden to hem a wei bi me; and bisegiden my tabernacle in cumpas.
13 My brethren have stood aloof from me; they have recognised strangers [rather] than me: and my friends have become pitiless.
He made fer my britheren fro me; and my knowun as aliens yeden awei fro me.
14 My nearest of kin have not acknowledged me, and they that knew my name, have forgotten me.
My neiyboris forsoken me; and thei that knewen me han foryete me.
15 [As for] my household, and my maidservants, I was a stranger before them.
The tenauntis of myn hows, and myn handmaydis hadden me as a straunger; and Y was as a pilgrym bifor her iyen.
16 I called my servant, and he listened not; and my mouth entreated [him].
Y clepide my seruaunt, and he answeride not to me; with myn owne mouth Y preiede hym.
17 And I implored my wife, and earnestly entreated the sons of my concubines.
My wijf wlatide my breeth; and Y preiede the sones of my wombe.
18 But they rejected me for ever; whenever I rise up, they speak against me.
Also foolis dispisiden me; and whanne Y was goon awei fro hem, thei bacbitiden me.
19 They that saw me abhorred me: the very persons whom I had loved, rose up against me.
Thei, that weren my counselouris sum tyme, hadden abhomynacioun of me; and he, whom Y louede moost, was aduersarie to me.
20 My flesh is corrupt under my skin, and my bones are held in [my] teeth.
Whanne fleischis weren wastid, my boon cleuyde to my skyn; and `oneli lippis ben left aboute my teeth.
21 Pity me, pity me, O friends; for it is the hand of the Lord that has touched me.
Haue ye merci on me, haue ye merci on me, nameli, ye my frendis; for the hond of the Lord hath touchid me.
22 Therefore do you persecute me as also the Lord [does], and are not satisfied with my flesh?
Whi pursuen ye me, as God pursueth; and ben fillid with my fleischis?
23 For oh that my words were written, and that they were recorded in a book forever,
Who yyueth to me, that my wordis be writun? Who yyueth to me,
24 with an iron pen and lead, or graven in the rocks!
that tho be writun in a book with an yrun poyntil, ethir with a plate of leed; ethir with a chisel be grauun in a flynt?
25 For I know that he is eternal who is about to deliver me,
For Y woot, that myn ayenbiere lyueth, and in the laste dai Y schal rise fro the erthe;
26 [and] to raise up upon the earth my skin that endures these [sufferings]: for these things have been accomplished to me of the Lord;
and eft Y schal be cumpassid with my skyn, and in my fleisch Y schal se God, my sauyour.
27 which I am conscious of in myself, which mine eye has seen, and not another, but all have been fulfilled to me in [my] bosom.
Whom Y my silf schal se, and myn iyen schulen biholde, and not an other man. This myn hope is kept in my bosum.
28 But if you shall also say, What shall we say before him, and [so] find the root of the matter in him?
Whi therfor seien ye now, Pursue we hym, and fynde we the roote of a word ayens hym?
29 Do you also beware of deceit: for wrath will come upon transgressors; and then shall they know where their substance is.
Therfor fle ye fro the face of the swerd; for the swerd is the vengere of wickidnessis, and wite ye, that doom schal be.
