Job 4
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Forsothe Eliphat Themanytes answeride, and seide,
2 If one venture a word unto thee, wilt thou be weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
If we bigynnen to speke to thee, in hap thou schalt take it heuyli; but who may holde a word conseyued?
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Lo! thou hast tauyt ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
Thi wordis confermyden men doutynge, and thou coumfortidist knees tremblynge.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou art weary; it toucheth thee, and thou art affrighted.
But now a wounde is comun on thee, and thou hast failid; it touchide thee, and thou art disturblid.
6 Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy ways?
Where is thi drede, thi strengthe, and thi pacience, and the perfeccioun of thi weies?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
Y biseche thee, haue thou mynde, what innocent man perischide euere, ethir whanne riytful men weren doon awei?
8 According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow mischief, reap the same.
Certis rathir Y siy hem, that worchen wickidnesse, and sowen sorewis,
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger are they consumed.
and repen tho, to haue perischid bi God blowynge, and to be wastid bi the spirit of his ire.
10 The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth — yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
The roryng of a lioun, and the vois of a lionesse, and the teeth of `whelpis of liouns ben al to-brokun.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
Tigris perischide, for sche hadde not prey; and the whelpis of a lioun ben distried.
12 Now a word was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.
Certis an hid word was seid to me, and myn eere took as theueli the veynes of priuy noise therof.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
In the hidousnesse of `nyytis siyt, whanne heuy sleep is wont to occupie men,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were made to shake.
drede and tremblyng helde me; and alle my boonys weren aferd.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, that made the hair of my flesh to stand up.
And whanne the spirit `yede in my presence, the heiris of `my fleisch hadden hidousnesse.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes; I heard a still voice:
Oon stood, whos chere Y knewe not, an ymage bifor myn iyen; and Y herde a vois as of softe wynd.
17 'Shall mortal man be just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker?
Whether a man schal be maad iust in comparisoun of God? ethir whethir a man schal be clennere than his Makere?
18 Behold, He putteth no trust in His servants, and His angels He chargeth with folly;
Lo! thei that seruen hym ben not stidefast; and he findith schrewidnesse in hise aungels.
19 How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
Hou myche more thei that dwellen in housis of cley, that han an ertheli foundement, schulen be wastyd as of a mouyte.
20 Betwixt morning and evening they are shattered; they perish for ever without any regarding it.
Fro morewtid til to euentid thei schulen be kit doun; and for no man vndurstondith, thei schulen perische with outen ende.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'
Sotheli thei, that ben residue, schulen be takun awei; thei schulen die, and not in wisdom.
