Job 21
1 But Job answered and said,
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
2 Hear you, hear you my words, that I may not have this consolation from you.
Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
3 Raise me, and I will speak; then you shall not laugh me to scorn.
Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
4 What! is my reproof of man? and why should I not be angry?
Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
5 Look upon me, and wonder, laying your hand upon your cheek.
Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
6 For even when I remember, I am alarmed, and pains seize my flesh.
And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
7 Therefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth?
Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
8 Their seed is according to [their] desire, and their children are in [their] sight.
Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
9 Their houses are prosperous, neither [have they] any where [cause for] fear, neither is there a scourge from the Lord upon them.
Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
10 Their cow does not cast her calf, and their [beast] with young is safe, and does not miscarry.
The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
11 And they remain as an unfailing flock, and their children play before [them], taking up the lute and harp;
Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
12 and they rejoice at the voice of a song.
Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
Thei leden in goodis her daies; and in a point thei goen doun to hellis. (Sheol h7585)
14 Yet [such a man] says to the Lord, Depart from me; I desire not to know your ways.
Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
15 What is the Mighty One, that we should serve him? and what profit is there that we should approach him?
Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
16 For their good things were in [their] hands, but he regards not the works of the ungodly.
Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
17 Nevertheless, the lamp of the ungodly also shall be put out, and destruction shall come upon them, and pangs of vengeance shall seize them.
Hou ofte schal the lanterne of wickid men be quenchid, and flowing schal come on hem, and God schal departe the sorewis of his stronge veniaunce?
18 And they shall be as chaff before the wind, or as dust which the storm has taken up.
Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
19 Let his substance fail [to supply] his children: [God] shall recompense him, and he shall know it.
God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him not be saved by the Lord.
Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
21 For his desire is in his house with him, and the number of his months has been suddenly cut off.
For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
22 Is it not the Lord who teaches understanding and knowledge? and does not he judge murders?
Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
23 One shall die in his perfect strength, and wholly at ease and prosperous;
This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
24 and his inwards are full of fat, and his marrow is diffused [throughout him].
Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
25 And another dies in bitterness of soul, not eating any good thing.
Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
26 But they lie down in the earth together, and corruption covers them.
And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
27 So I know you, that you presumptuously attack me:
Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
28 so that you will say, Where is the house of the prince? and where is the covering of the tabernacles of the ungodly?
For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
29 Ask those that go by the way, and do not disown their tokens.
Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
30 For the wicked hastens to the day of destruction: they shall be led away for the day of his vengeance.
that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
31 Who will tell him his way to his face, whereas he has done [it]? who shall recompense him?
Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
32 And he has been led away to the tombs, and he has watched over the heaps.
He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
33 The stones of the valley have been sweet to him, and every man shall depart after him, and [there are] innumerable [ones] before him.
He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
34 How then do you comfort me in vain? whereas I have no rest from your molestation.
Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
