Job 12
1 And Job answers and says:
Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
2 “Truly—you [are] the people, and wisdom dies with you.
Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?
3 I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?
4 I am a laughter to his friend: He calls to God, and He answers him, A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.
He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.
5 A torch—despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
6 The tents of spoilers are at peace, And those provoking God have confidence, Into whose hand God has brought.
The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.
7 And yet, now ask [one of] the beasts, And it shows you, And a bird of the heavens, And it declares to you.
No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.
8 Or talk to the earth, and it shows you, And fishes of the sea recount to you:
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
9 Who has not known in all these, That the hand of YHWH has done this?
Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
10 In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.
In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
11 Does the ear not try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days [is] understanding.
Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To Him [are] counsel and understanding.
Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
14 Behold, He breaks down, and it is not built up, He shuts against a man, And it is not opened.
If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
15 Behold, He keeps in the waters, and they are dried up, And He sends them forth, And they overturn the land.
If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.
16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
17 Causing counselors to go away [as] a spoil, Indeed, He makes fools of judges.
And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
18 He has opened the bands of kings, And He binds a girdle on their loins.
He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
19 Causing ministers to go away [as] a spoil And strong ones He overthrows.
He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
20 Turning aside the lip of the steadfast, And the reason of the aged He takes away.
and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
21 Pouring contempt on princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
22 Removing deep things out of darkness, And He brings out to light death-shade.
Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroys them, Spreading out the nations, and He quiets them.
Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And He causes them to wander In vacancy—no way!
Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.
25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causes them to wander as a drunkard.”
Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.
