Job 11

1 Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

2 Whether he, that spekith many thingis, schal not also here? ether whethir a man ful of wordis schal be maad iust?

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

3 Schulen men be stille to thee aloone? whanne thou hast scorned othere men, schalt thou not be ouercomun of ony man?

Should thy boastings make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

4 For thou seidist, My word is cleene, and Y am cleene in thi siyt.

For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

5 And `Y wolde, that God spak with thee, and openyde hise lippis to thee;

But Oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

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.

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that is manifold in effectual working! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

7 In hap thou schalt comprehende the steppis of God, and thou schalt fynde Almyyti God `til to perfeccioun.

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

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 high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know? (Sheol h7585)

9 His mesure is lengere than erthe, and brodere than the see.

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader 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 he pass through, and shut up, and call unto judgment, then who can hinder him?

11 For he knowith the vanyte of men; and whether he seynge byholdith not wickidnesse?

For he knoweth vain men: he seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

12 A veyn man is reisid in to pride; and gessith hym silf borun fre, as the colt of a wilde asse.

But vain man is void of understanding, yea, man is born as a wild ass’s colt.

13 But thou hast maad stidefast thin herte, and hast spred abrood thin hondis to hym.

If thou set thine heart aright, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14 If thou doest awei `fro thee the wickidnesse, which is in thin hond, and vnriytfulnesse dwellith not in thi tabernacle,

If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents;

15 thanne thou schalt mowe reise thi face with out wem, and thou schalt be stidefast, and thou schalt not drede.

Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16 And thou schalt foryete wretchidnesse, and thou schalt not thenke of it, as of watris that han passid.

For thou shalt forget thy misery; thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away:

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.

And [thy] life shall be clearer than the noonday; though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning.

18 And thou schalt haue trist, while hope schal be set forth to thee; and thou biried schalt slepe sikurli.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt search [about thee], and shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 Thou schalt reste, and `noon schal be that schal make thee aferd; and ful many men schulen biseche thi face.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

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 shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee, and their hope shall be the giving up of the ghost.