Job 6
1 Then responded Job, and said: —
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
2 Oh that, weighed, were my vexation, and, my engulfing ruin—into the balances, they would lift up all at once!
Y wolde, that my synnes, bi whiche Y `desseruede ire, and the wretchidnesse which Y suffre, weren peisid in a balaunce.
3 For, now, beyond the sand of the seas, would it be heavy, On this account, my words, have wandered.
As the grauel of the see, this wretchidnesse schulde appere greuousere; wherfor and my wordis ben ful of sorewe.
4 For, the arrows of the Almighty, are in me, The heat whereof, my spirit is drinking up, The, terrors of GOD, array themselves against me.
For the arowis of the Lord ben in me, the indignacioun of whiche drynkith vp my spirit; and the dredis of the Lord fiyten ayens me.
5 Doth the wild ass bray over grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?
Whether a feeld asse schal rore, whanne he hath gras? Ethir whether an oxe schal lowe, whanne he stondith byfor a `ful cratche?
6 Can that which hath no savour be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
Ether whethir a thing vnsauery may be etun, which is not maad sauery bi salt? Ether whether ony man may taaste a thing, which tastid bryngith deeth?
7 My soul hath refused to touch, Those things, are like disease in my food.
For whi to an hungri soule, yhe, bittir thingis semen to be swete; tho thingis whiche my soule nolde touche bifore, ben now my meetis for angwisch.
8 Oh that my request would come! and, my hope, oh that GOD would grant!
Who yyueth, that myn axyng come; and that God yyue to me that, that Y abide?
9 That it would please GOD to crush me, That he would set free his hand, and cut me off!
And he that bigan, al to-breke me; releesse he his hond, and kitte me doun?
10 So might it still be my comfort, And I might exult in the anguish he would not spare, —That I had not concealed the sayings of the Holy One.
And `this be coumfort to me, that he turmente me with sorewe, and spare not, and that Y ayenseie not the wordis of the hooli.
11 What is my strength, that I should hope? Or what mine end, that I should prolong my desire?
For whi, what is my strengthe, that Y suffre? ethir which is myn ende, that Y do pacientli?
12 Is my strength, the strength of stones? Or is, my flesh, of bronze?
Nethir my strengthe is the strengthe of stoonus, nether my fleisch is of bras.
13 Is there any help at all in me? Is not, abiding success, driven from me?
Lo! noon help is to me in me; also my meyneal frendis `yeden awey fro me.
14 The despairing, from his friend, should have lovingkindness, or, the reverence of the Almighty, he may forsake.
He that takith awei merci fro his frend, forsakith the drede of the Lord.
15 Mine own brethren, have proved treacherous like a torrent, like a channel of torrents which disappear:
My britheren passiden me, as a stronde doith, that passith ruschyngli in grete valeis.
16 Which darken by reason of the cold, over them, is a covering made by the snow:
Snow schal come on hem, that dreden frost.
17 By the time they begin to thaw, they are dried up, as soon as it is warm, they have vanished out of their place.
In the tyme wherynne thei ben scaterid, thei schulen perische; and as thei ben hoote, thei schulen be vnknyt fro her place.
18 Caravans turn aside by their course, they go up into a waste, and are lost:
The pathis of her steppis ben wlappid; thei schulen go in veyn, and schulen perische.
19 The caravans of Tema looked about, the travelling companies of Sheba, hoped for them:
Biholde ye the pathis of Theman, and the weies of Saba; and abide ye a litil.
20 They are ashamed that they had trusted, They have come up to one of them, and are confounded.
Thei ben schent, for Y hopide; and thei camen `til to me, and thei ben hilid with schame.
21 For, now, ye have come to him, ye see something fearful, and fear.
Now ye ben comun, and now ye seen my wounde, and dreden.
22 Is it that I said, Make me a gift, or, out of your abundance, offer a bribe on my behalf;
Whether Y seide, Brynge ye to me, and yiue ye of youre catel to me? ethir,
23 And deliver me from the hand of the adversary? And, out of the hand of tyrants, ransom me?
Delyuere ye me fro the hond of enemy, and rauysche ye me fro the hond of stronge men?
24 Show me, and, I, will hold my peace, And, wherein I have erred, cause me to understand.
Teche ye me, and Y schal be stille; and if in hap Y vnknew ony thing, teche ye me.
25 How pleasant are the sayings that are right! But what can a decision from you, decide?
Whi han ye depraued the wordis of trewthe? sithen noon is of you, that may repreue me.
26 To decide words, do ye intend, When, to the wind, are spoken the sayings of one in despair?
Ye maken redi spechis oneli for to blame, and ye bryngen forth wordis in to wynde.
27 Surely, the fatherless, ye would assail, and make merchandise of your friend!
Ye fallen in on a fadirles child, and enforsen to peruerte youre frend.
28 But, now, be pleased to turn to me, that it may be, to your faces, if I speak falsehood,
Netheles fille ye that, that ye han bigunne; yyue ye the eere, and se ye, whether Y lie.
29 Reply, I pray you, let there be no perversity, Yea reply even yet, my vindication is in it!
Y biseche, answere ye with out strijf, and speke ye, and deme ye that, that is iust.
30 Is there, in my tongue, perversity? Or can, my sense, not discern, engulfing ruin?
And ye schulen not fynde wickidnesse in my tunge, nethir foli schal sowne in my chekis.
