Job 21
1 But Job answered and said:
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
2 Hear attentively my words, And let this be your consolation.
Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
3 Bear with me, that I may speak; And after I have spoken, mock on!
Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
4 Is my complaint concerning man? Why then should I not be angry?
Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
5 Look upon 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 When I think of it, I am confounded; Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
7 Why is it that the wicked live, Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?
Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
8 Their children are 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 in peace, without fear, And the rod of God cometh not 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 And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us! 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 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?”
Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
16 [[Ye say, ]] “Lo! their prosperity is not secure in their hands! Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!”
Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
17 How often is it, that the lamp of the wicked is put out? And that destruction cometh upon them, And that He dispenseth to them tribulations 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 How often are they as stubble before the wind, Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
19 “But” [[say ye]] “God layeth up his iniquity for his children.” Let him requite the offender, and let him feel 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 concern hath he for his household after him, When the number of his own months is completed?
For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
22 Who then shall impart knowledge to God, —To him that judgeth the highest?
Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
23 One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity, Being wholly at ease and quiet;
This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
24 His sides are full of fat, And his bones moist with marrow.
Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
25 Another dieth in bitterness of soul, And hath not tasted pleasure.
Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
26 Alike they lie down in the dust, And the worms cover them.
And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, And the devices by which ye wrong me.
Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
28 For ye say, “Where is the house of the oppressor, And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?”
For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
29 Have ye never inquired of travellers, And do ye not know their tokens,
Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
30 That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction, And that he is borne to his grave in 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 Who will charge him with his conduct to his face, And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?
Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
32 Even this man is borne with honor to the grave; Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
33 Sweet to him are the sods of the valley: And all men move after him, As multitudes without number before him.
He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
34 Why then do ye offer your vain consolations? Your answers continue false.
Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
