Job 20
1 Then Sophar the Minaean answered and said,
Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,
2 I did not suppose that you would answer thus: neither do you understand more than I.
Therfor my thouytis dyuerse comen oon aftir anothir; and the mynde is rauyischid in to dyuerse thingis.
3 I will hear my shameful reproach; and the spirit of my understanding answers me.
Y schal here the techyng, bi which thou repreuest me; and the spirit of myn vndurstondyng schal answere me.
4 Hast you [not] known these things of old, from the time that man was set upon the earth?
Y woot this fro the bigynnyng, sithen man was set on erthe,
5 But the mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction:
that the preisyng of wickid men is schort, and the ioie of an ypocrite is at the licnesse of a poynt.
6 although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds.
Thouy his pride `stieth in to heuene, and his heed touchith the cloudis,
7 For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, Where is he?
he schal be lost in the ende, as a dunghil; and, thei that sien hym, schulen seie, Where is he?
8 Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night.
As a dreem fleynge awei he schal not be foundun; he schal passe as `a nyytis siyt.
9 The eye has looked upon him, but shall not [see him] again; and his place shall no longer perceive him.
The iye that siy hym schal not se; and his place schal no more biholde him.
10 Let [his] inferiors destroy his children, and let his hands kindle the fire of sorrow.
Hise sones schulen be `al to-brokun with nedynesse; and hise hondis schulen yelde to hym his sorewe.
11 His bones have been filled with [vigour of] his youth, and it shall lie down with him in the dust.
Hise boonys schulen be fillid with the vices of his yong wexynge age; and schulen slepe with hym in dust.
12 Though evil be sweet in his mouth, [though] he will hide it under his tongue;
For whanne yuel was swete in his mouth, he hidde it vndur his tunge.
13 though he will not spare it, and will not leave it, but will keep it in the midst of his throat:
He schal spare it, and schal not forsake it; and schal hide in his throte.
14 yet he shall not at all be able to help himself; the gall of an asp is in his belly.
His breed in his wombe schal be turned in to galle of snakis withynne.
15 [His] wealth unjustly collected shall be vomited up; a messenger [of wrath] shall drag him out of his house.
He schal spue out the richessis, whiche he deuouride; and God schal drawe tho ritchessis out of his wombe.
16 And let him suck the poison of serpents, and let the serpent's tongue kill him.
He schal souke the heed of snakis; and the tunge of an addre schal sle hym.
17 Let him not see the milk of the pastures, nor the supplies of honey and butter.
Se he not the stremys of the flood of the stronde, of hony, and of botere.
18 He has laboured unprofitably and in vain, [for] wealth of which he shall not taste: [it is] as a lean thing, unfit for food, which he can’t swallow.
He schal suffre peyne for alle thingis whiche he hath do, netheles he schal not be wastid; aftir the multitude of his fyndyngis, so and `he schal suffre.
19 For he has broken down the houses of many mighty men: and he has plundered an habitation, though he built [it] not.
For he brake, and made nakid the hows of a pore man; he rauyschide, and bildide it not.
20 There is no security to his possessions; he shall not be saved by his desire.
And his wombe was not fillid; and whanne he hath that, that he couetide, he may not holde in possessioun.
21 There is nothing remaining of his provisions; therefore his goods shall not flourish.
`No thing lefte of his mete; and therfor no thing schal dwelle of his goodis.
22 But when he shall seem to be just satisfied, he shall be straitened; and all distress shall come upon him.
Whanne he is fillid, he schal be maad streit; he schal `be hoot, and alle sorewe schal falle in on hym.
23 If by any means he would fill his belly, let [God] send upon him the fury of wrath; let him bring a torrent of pains upon him.
`Y wolde, that his wombe be fillid, that he sende out in to hym the ire of his strong veniaunce, and reyne his batel on hym.
24 And he shall by no means escape from the power of the sword; let the brazen bow wound him.
He schal fle yrun armuris, and he schal falle in to a brasun boowe.
25 And let the arrow pierce through his body; and let the stars be against his dwelling-place: let terrors come upon him.
Led out, and goynge out `of his schethe, and schynynge, `ether smytinge with leit, `in to his bittirnesse; orrible fendis schulen go, and schulen come on hym.
26 And let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house.
Alle derknessis ben hid in hise priuytees; fier, which is not teendid, schal deuoure hym; he schal be turmentid left in his tabernacle.
27 And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him.
Heuenes schulen schewe his wickidnesse; and erthe schal rise togidere ayens hym.
28 Let destruction bring his house to an end; let a day of wrath come upon him.
The seed of his hows schal be opyn; it schal be drawun doun in the dai of the strong veniaunce of the Lord.
29 This is the portion of an ungodly man from the Lord, and the possession of his goods [appointed him] by the all-seeing [God].
This is the part of a wickid man, `which part is youun of God, and the eritage of hise wordis of the Lord.
