Job 15
1 Forsothe Eliphat Themanytes answeride, and seide,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Whether a wise man schal answere, as spekynge ayens the wynd, and schal fille his stomac with brennyng, `that is, ire?
“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3 For thou repreuest hym bi wordis, which is not lijk thee, and thou spekist that, that spedith not to thee.
Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
4 As myche as is in thee, thou hast avoidid drede; and thou hast take awey preyeris bifor God.
But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
5 For wickidnesse hath tauyt thi mouth, and thou suest the tunge of blasfemeris.
For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Thi tunge, and not Y, schal condempne thee, and thi lippis schulen answere thee.
Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
7 Whether thou art borun the firste man, and art formed bifor alle little hillis?
Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Whether thou herdist the counsel of God, and his wisdom is lower than thou?
Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What thing knowist thou, whiche we knowen not? What thing vndurstondist thou, whiche we witen not?
What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 Bothe wise men and elde, myche eldre than thi fadris, ben among vs.
Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
11 Whether it is greet, that God coumforte thee? But thi schrewid wordis forbeden this.
Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
12 What reisith thin herte thee, and thou as thenkynge grete thingis hast iyen astonyed?
Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
13 What bolneth thi spirit ayens God, that thou brynge forth of thi mouth siche wordis?
as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
14 What is a man, that he be with out wem, and that he borun of a womman appere iust?
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Lo! noon among hise seyntis is vnchaungable, and heuenes ben not cleene in his siyt.
If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
16 How myche more a man abhomynable and vnprofitable, that drynkith wickidnesse as water?
how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
17 I schal schewe to thee, here thou me; Y schal telle to thee that, that Y siy.
Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
18 Wise men knoulechen, and hiden not her fadris.
what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
19 To whiche aloone the erthe is youun, and an alien schal not passe bi hem.
to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
20 A wickid man is proud in alle hise daies; and the noumbre of hise yeeris and of his tirauntrie is vncerteyn.
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
21 The sown of drede is euere in hise eeris, and whanne pees is, he supposith euere tresouns.
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
22 He bileueth not that he may turne ayen fro derknessis to liyt; and biholdith aboute on ech side a swerd.
He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
23 Whanne he stirith hym to seke breed, he woot, that the dai of derknessis is maad redi in his hond.
He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Tribulacioun schal make hym aferd, and angwisch schal cumpas hym, as a kyng which is maad redi to batel.
Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
25 For he helde forth his hond ayens God, and he was maad strong ayens Almyyti God.
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
26 He ran with neck reisid ayens God, and he was armed with fat nol.
rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
27 Fatnesse, that is, pride `comyng forth of temporal aboundaunce, hilide his face, `that is, the knowyng of vndurstondyng, and outward fatnesse hangith doun of his sidis.
Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
28 He schal dwelle in desolat citees, and in deseert, `ethir forsakun, housis, that ben turned in to biriels.
he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
29 He schal not be maad riche, nether his catel schal dwelle stidefastli; nether he schal sende his roote in the erthe,
He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
30 nether he schal go awei fro derknessis. Flawme schal make drie hise braunchis, and he schal be takun a wey bi the spirit of his mouth.
He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31 Bileue he not veynli disseyued bi errour, that he schal be ayenbouyt bi ony prijs.
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 Bifor that hise daies ben fillid, he schal perische, and hise hondis schulen wexe drye;
It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
33 he schal be hirt as a vyne in the firste flour of his grape, and as an olyue tre castinge awei his flour.
He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
34 For the gaderyng togidere of an ipocrite is bareyn, and fier schal deuoure the tabernaclis of hem, that taken yiftis wilfuli.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 He conseyuede sorewe, and childide wickidnesse, and his wombe makith redi tretcheries.
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
