Job 31
1 I made a couenant with mine eyes: why then should I thinke on a mayde?
I made couenaunt with myn iyen, that Y schulde not thenke of a virgyn.
2 For what portion should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance of the Almightie from on hie?
For what part schulde God aboue haue in me, and eritage Almyyti God of hiye thingis?
3 Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishment to the workers of iniquitie?
Whether perdicioun is not to a wickid man, and alienacioun of God is to men worchynge wickidnesse?
4 Doeth not he beholde my wayes and tell all my steps?
Whether he biholdith not my weies, and noumbrith alle my goyngis?
5 If I haue walked in vanitie, or if my foote hath made haste to deceite,
If Y yede in vanyte, and my foot hastide in gile,
6 Let God weigh me in the iust balance, and he shall know mine vprightnes.
God weie me in a iust balaunce, and knowe my symplenesse.
7 If my steppe hath turned out of the way, or mine heart hath walked after mine eye, or if any blot hath cleaued to mine handes,
If my step bowide fro the weie; if myn iye suede myn herte, and a spotte cleuede to myn hondis;
8 Let me sowe, and let another eate: yea, let my plantes be rooted out.
sowe Y, and another ete, and my generacioun be drawun out bi the root.
9 If mine heart hath bene deceiued by a woman, or if I haue layde wayte at the doore of my neighbour,
If myn herte was disseyued on a womman, and if Y settide aspies at the dore of my frend; my wijf be the hoore of anothir man,
10 Let my wife grinde vnto another man, and let other men bow downe vpon her:
and othir men be bowid doun on hir.
11 For this is a wickednes, and iniquitie to bee condemned:
For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.
12 Yea, this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction, and which shall roote out al mine increase,
Fier is deourynge `til to wastyng, and drawynge vp bi the roote alle generaciouns.
13 If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant, and of my mayde, when they did contend with me,
If Y dispiside to take doom with my seruaunt and myn hand mayde, whanne thei stryueden ayens me.
14 What then shall I do when God standeth vp? and when he shall visit me, what shall I answere?
What sotheli schal Y do, whanne God schal rise to deme? and whanne he schal axe, what schal Y answere to hym?
15 He that hath made me in the wombe, hath he not made him? hath not he alone facioned vs in the wombe?
Whether he, that wrouyte also hym, made not me in the wombe, and o God formede me in the wombe?
16 If I restrained the poore of their desire, or haue caused the eyes of the widow to faile,
If Y denyede to pore men that, that thei wolden, and if Y made the iyen of a wydewe to abide;
17 Or haue eaten my morsels alone, and the fatherles hath not eaten thereof,
if Y aloone eet my mussel, and a faderles child eet not therof;
18 (For from my youth hee hath growen vp with me as with a father, and from my mothers wombe I haue bene a guide vnto her)
for merciful doyng encreesside with me fro my yong childhed, and yede out of my modris wombe with me;
19 If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing, or any poore without couering,
if Y dispiside a man passynge forth, for he hadde not a cloth, and a pore man with out hilyng;
20 If his loynes haue not blessed me, because he was warmed with the fleece of my sheepe,
if hise sidis blessiden not me, and was not maad hoot of the fleeces of my scheep;
21 If I haue lift vp mine hande against the fatherlesse, when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate,
if Y reiside myn hond on a fadirles child, yhe, whanne Y siy me the hiyere in the yate;
22 Let mine arme fal from my shoulder, and mine arme be broken from the bone.
my schuldre falle fro his ioynt, and myn arm with hise boonys be al to-brokun.
23 For Gods punishment was fearefull vnto me, and I could not be deliuered from his highnes.
For euere Y dredde God, as wawis wexynge gret on me; and `Y myyte not bere his birthun.
24 If I made gold mine hope, or haue sayd to the wedge of golde, Thou art my confidence,
If Y gesside gold my strengthe, and if Y seide to purid gold, Thou art my trist;
25 If I reioyced because my substance was great, or because mine hand had gotten much,
if Y was glad on my many ritchessis, and for myn hond foond ful many thingis;
26 If I did behold the sunne, when it shined, or the moone, walking in her brightnes,
if Y siy the sunne, whanne it schynede, and the moone goynge clereli;
27 If mine heart did flatter me in secrete, or if my mouth did kisse mine hand,
and if myn herte was glad in priuyte, and if Y kisside myn hond with my mouth;
28 (This also had bene an iniquitie to be condemned: for I had denied the God aboue)
which is the moost wickidnesse, and deniyng ayens hiyeste God;
29 If I reioyced at his destruction that hated me, or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him,
if Y hadde ioye at the fallyng of hym, that hatide me, and if Y ioide fulli, that yuel hadde founde hym;
30 Neither haue I suffred my mouth to sinne, by wishing a curse vnto his soule.
for Y yaf not my throte to do synne, that Y schulde asaile and curse his soule;
31 Did not the men of my Tabernacle say, Who shall giue vs of his flesh? we can not bee satisfied.
if the men of my tabernacle seiden not, Who yyueth, that we be fillid of hise fleischis? a pilgryme dwellide not with outforth;
32 The stranger did not lodge in the streete, but I opened my doores vnto him, that went by the way.
my dore was opyn to a weiegoere;
33 If I haue hid my sinne, as Adam, concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome,
if Y as man hidde my synne, and helide my wickidnesse in my bosum;
34 Though I could haue made afraid a great multitude, yet the most contemptible of the families did feare me: so I kept silence, and went not out of the doore.
if Y dredde at ful greet multitude, and if dispisyng of neyyboris made me aferd; and not more Y was stille, and yede not out of the dore;
35 Oh that I had some to heare me! beholde my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for me: though mine aduersary should write a booke against me,
who yyueth an helpere to me, that Almyyti God here my desire? that he that demeth,
36 Woulde not I take it vpon my shoulder, and binde it as a crowne vnto me?
write a book, that Y bere it in my schuldre, and cumpasse it as a coroun to me?
37 I will tell him the nomber of my goings, and goe vnto him as to a prince.
Bi alle my degrees Y schal pronounce it, and Y schal as offre it to the prynce.
38 If my lande cry against me, or the furrowes thereof complayne together,
If my lond crieth ayens me, and hise forewis wepen with it;
39 If I haue eaten the fruites thereof without siluer: or if I haue grieued the soules of the masters thereof,
if Y eet fruytis therof with out money, and Y turmentide the soule of erthetileris of it;
40 Let thistles growe in steade of wheate, and cockle in the stead of Barley. The wordes of Iob are ended.
a brere growe to me for wheete, and a thorn for barli.
