Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said:
Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
2 Of a truth, I know that it is so: For how can man be just before God?
and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
3 If he choose to contend with him, He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
He is wiys in herte, and strong in myyt; who ayenstood hym, and hadde pees?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not; He overturneth them in his anger.
Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place, And the pillars thereof tremble.
Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And he sealeth up the stars.
Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens, And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the secret chambers of the South.
Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
10 He doeth great things past finding out, Yea, wonderful things without number.
Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not; He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.
If he cometh to me, `that is, bi his grace, Y schal not se hym; if he goith awey, `that is, in withdrawynge his grace, Y schal not vndurstonde.
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him? Who will say to him, What doest thou?
If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?
13 God will not turn away his anger; The proud helpers are brought low before him.
`God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out words to contend with him?
Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him; I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me, I could not believe that he listened to my voice, —
And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness!
He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
19 If I look to strength, “Lo! here am I!” [[saith he, ]] If to justice, “Who shall summon me to trial?”
If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth condemn me; Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
If Y wole make me iust, my mouth schal dampne me; if Y schal schewe me innocent, he schal preue me a schrewe.
21 Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself; I would despise my life.
Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
22 It is all one; therefore I will affirm, He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction, He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covereth the face of the judges thereof; If it be not He, who is it?
The erthe is youun in to the hondis of the wickid; he hilith the face of iugis; that if he is not, who therfor is?
25 My days have been swifter than a courier; They have fled away; they have seen no good.
Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs; Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
27 If I say, I will forget my lamentation, I will change my countenance, and take courage,
Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.
28 Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows; For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
29 I shall be found guilty; Why then should I labor in vain?
Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
30 If I wash myself in snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit, So that my own clothes will abhor me.
netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
32 For He is not a man, as I am, that I may contend with him, And that we may go together into judgment;
Trewli Y schal not answere a man, which is lijk me; nether that may be herd euenli with me in doom.
33 There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both.
`Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
34 Let him take from me his rod, And not dismay me with his terrors,
Do he awei his yerde fro me, and his drede make not me aferd.
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him: For I am not so at heart.
Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
