Job 21
1 Then Job answered and said:
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
2 Hear diligently my speech; and let this be your consolations.
Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
3 Suffer me, that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? Or why should I not be impatient?
Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am affrighted, and horror hath taketh hold on my flesh.
And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, wax mighty in power?
Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
9 Their houses are safe, without fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
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 they said unto God: 'Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.
Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?' —
Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
16 Lo, their prosperity is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
17 How oft is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? that their calamity cometh upon them? that He distributeth pains in His anger?
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 That they are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm stealeth away?
Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
19 'God layeth up his iniquity for his children!' — let Him recompense it unto himself, that he may 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 own eyes see his destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him? seeing the number of his months is determined.
For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing it is He that judgeth those that are high.
Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet;
This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
24 His pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moistened.
Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
25 And another dieth in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted of good.
Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
26 They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth them.
And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
28 For ye say: 'Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent wherein the wicked dwelt?'
For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way; and will ye misdeem their tokens,
Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
30 That the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led forth to the day of wrath?
that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
31 But who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
32 For he is borne to the grave, and watch is kept over his tomb.
He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
33 The clods of the valley are sweet unto him, and all men draw after him, as there were innumerable 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 comfort ye me in vain? And as for your answers, there remaineth only faithlessness?
Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
