Job 11
1 Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,
Then Zophar the Naamathite began speaking and said,
2 Whether he, that spekith many thingis, schal not also here? ether whethir a man ful of wordis schal be maad iust?
“So many words be answered, shouldn't they? Or is a person proved right by doing a lot of talking?
3 Schulen men be stille to thee aloone? whanne thou hast scorned othere men, schalt thou not be ouercomun of ony man?
Should all your babbling force people to keep quiet? When you mock, shouldn't someone make you feel ashamed?
4 For thou seidist, My word is cleene, and Y am cleene in thi siyt.
You said, ‘What I teach is the pure truth,’ and ‘in God's eyes I am clean.’
5 And `Y wolde, that God spak with thee, and openyde hise lippis to thee;
If only God would speak up and tell you directly,
6 to schewe to thee the priuetees of wisdom, and that his lawe is manyfold, and thou schuldist vndurstonde, that thou art requirid of hym to paie myche lesse thingis, than thi wickidnesse disserueth.
because then he would explain to you the secrets of wisdom. True wisdom has many sides to it. God's treatment of you is far better than your guilt deserves.
7 In hap thou schalt comprehende the steppis of God, and thou schalt fynde Almyyti God `til to perfeccioun.
Can you find out the mysteries of God? Can you discover all the wisdom of the Almighty?
8 He is hiyere than heuene, and what schalt thou do? he is deppere than helle, and wherof schalt thou knowe? (Sheol h7585)
It is greater than the heavens—what can you do? It is deeper than Sheol—what can you know? (Sheol h7585)
9 His mesure is lengere than erthe, and brodere than the see.
It extends farther than the earth, and wider than the sea.
10 If he distrieth alle thingis, ethir dryueth streitli `in to oon, who schal ayenseie hym? Ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doest thou so?
If God comes and imprisons someone, or assembles the court for judgment, who can stop him?
11 For he knowith the vanyte of men; and whether he seynge byholdith not wickidnesse?
For God knows who are deceivers—when he sees someone sin, he pays attention to it.
12 A veyn man is reisid in to pride; and gessith hym silf borun fre, as the colt of a wilde asse.
Stupid people will become wise when wild donkeys are born tame!
13 But thou hast maad stidefast thin herte, and hast spred abrood thin hondis to hym.
But if you repent and spread out your hands to pray to him,
14 If thou doest awei `fro thee the wickidnesse, which is in thin hond, and vnriytfulnesse dwellith not in thi tabernacle,
if you get rid of your sins and don't let wickedness continue in your life,
15 thanne thou schalt mowe reise thi face with out wem, and thou schalt be stidefast, and thou schalt not drede.
then you would be able to hold your head high in innocence, you will be firm and unafraid.
16 And thou schalt foryete wretchidnesse, and thou schalt not thenke of it, as of watris that han passid.
You will forget your misery, remembering it only as water under the bridge.
17 And as myddai schynynge it schal reise to thee at euentid; and whanne thou gessist thee wastid, thou schalt rise vp as the dai sterre.
Your life will shine brighter than the noonday sun; even darkness will be like the morning.
18 And thou schalt haue trist, while hope schal be set forth to thee; and thou biried schalt slepe sikurli.
You will have confidence because there is hope; you will be protected and rest in safety.
19 Thou schalt reste, and `noon schal be that schal make thee aferd; and ful many men schulen biseche thi face.
You will lie down to sleep with no one to frighten you, and many will come asking for your favor.
20 But the iyen of wickid men schulen faile; and socour schal perische fro hem, and the hope of hem schal be abhominacyioun of soule.
But the eyes of the wicked will fail, they will not be able to escape, and their only hope is in death.”
