Job 13
1 Lo! myn iye siy alle thingis, and myn eere herde; and Y vndurstood alle thingis.
Lo! all [this], hath mine own eye seen, —Mine ear hath heard and understood it:
2 Euene with youre kunnyng also Y kan, and Y am not lowere than ye.
Just as ye know, I too, know, I, fall not short, of you.
3 But netheles Y schal speke to Almyyti God, and Y coueite to dispute with God;
But indeed, I, unto the Almighty, would speak, and, to direct my argument unto GOD, would I be well pleased.
4 and firste Y schewe you makeris of leesyng, and louyeris of weyward techyngis.
For, in truth, ye, do besmear with falsehood, Worthless physicians, all of you!
5 And `Y wolde that ye weren stille, that ye weren gessid to be wise men.
Oh that ye would, altogether hold your peace, and it should serve you for wisdom!
6 Therfor here ye my chastisyngis; and perseyue ye the doom of my lippis.
Hear, I pray you, the argument of my mouth, and, to the pleadings of my lips, give heed: —
7 Whether God hath nede to youre leesyng, that ye speke gilis for hym?
Is it, for God, ye would speak perversely? And, for him, would ye speak deceit:
8 Whether ye taken his face, and enforsen to deme for God?
Even, for him, would ye be partial? Or, for GOD, would ye [so] plead?
9 Ethir it schal plese hym, fro whom no thing mai be hid? Whether he as a man schal be disseyued with youre falsnessis?
Would it be well, when he searched you out? Or, as one might jest with a mortal, would ye jest, with him?
10 He schal repreue you; for ye taken his face in hiddlis.
He will, severely rebuke, you, if ye are secretly partial.
11 Anoon as he schal stire hym, he schal disturble you; and his drede schal falle on you.
Shall not, his majesty, overwhelm you? and, the dread of him, fall upon you?
12 Youre mynde schal be comparisound to aische; and youre nollis schulen be dryuun in to clei.
Are not your memorable sayings, proverbs of ashes? Breastworks of clay, your breastworks?
13 Be ye stille a litil, that Y speke, what euer thing the mynde hath schewid to me.
Quietly let me alone, that, I, may speak out, then let come on me, what may.
14 Whi to-rende Y my fleischis with my teeth, and bere my lijf in myn hondis?
In any case, I will take up my flesh in my teeth, and, my life, will I put in my hand:
15 Yhe, thouy God sleeth me, Y schal hope in hym; netheles Y schal preue my weies in his siyt.
Lo! he may slay me, [yet], for him, will I wait, —Nevertheless, my ways—unto his face, will I show to be right:
16 And he schal be my sauyour; for whi ech ypocrite schal not come in his siyt.
Even he, will be on my side—unto salvation, For, not before his face, shall any impious person come.
17 Here ye my word, and perseyue ye with eeris derke and harde figuratif spechis.
Hear ye patiently my speech, and be my declaration in your ears.
18 Yf Y schal be demed, Y woot that Y schal be foundun iust.
Lo! I pray you, I have set forth in order a plea, I know that, I, shall be found right.
19 Who is he that is demed with me? Come he; whi am Y stille, and am wastid?
Who is it that shall contend with me? For, now, if I should hold my peace, why! I should breathe my last!
20 Do thou not to me twei thingis oneli; and thanne Y schal not be hid fro thi face.
Only, two things, do thou not with me, then, from thy face, will I not hide me: —
21 Make thin hond fer fro me; and thi drede make not me aferd.
Thy hand—from off me, take thou far away, and, thy terror, let it not startle me!
22 Clepe thou me, and Y schal answere thee; ethir certis Y schal speke, and thou schalt answere me.
Then call thou, and, I, will answer, Or I will speak, and reply thou unto me.
23 Hou grete synnes and wickidnessis haue Y? Schewe thou to me my felonyes, and trespassis.
How many are mine iniquities and sins? My transgression and my sin, let me know!
24 Whi hidist thou thi face, and demest me thin enemy?
Wherefore, thy face, shouldst thou hide? Or count me, as an enemy to thee?
25 Thou schewist thi myyt ayens a leef, which is rauyschid with the wynd; and thou pursuest drye stobil.
A driven leaf, wilt thou cause to tremble? Or, dry stubble, wilt thou pursue?
26 For thou writist bitternessis ayens me; and wolt waste me with the synnes of my yong wexynge age.
For thou writest, against me, bitter things, and dost make me inherit the iniquities of my youth;
27 Thou hast set my foot in a stok, and thou hast kept alle my pathis; and thou hast biholde the steppis of my feet.
And thou dost put—in the stocks—my feet, and observest all my paths, Against the roots of my feet, thou dost cut out a bound;
28 And Y schal be wastid as rot, and as a cloth, which is etun of a mouyte.
And, a man himself, as a rotten thing, weareth out, as a garment which the moth hath eaten.
