Job 17
1 Mi spirit schal be maad feble; my daies schulen be maad schort, and oneli the sepulcre is left to me.
My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are mine.
2 Y have not synned, and myn iye dwellith in bittirnessis.
Are there not mockers around me? and doth [not] mine eye abide in their provocation?
3 Lord, delyuere thou me, and sette thou me bisidis thee; and the hond of ech fiyte ayens me.
Lay down now [a pledge], be thou surety for me with thyself: who is he that striketh hands with me?
4 Thou hast maad the herte of hem fer fro doctryn, `ethir knowyng of treuthe; therfor thei schulen not be enhaunsid.
For thou hast hidden their heart from understanding; therefore thou wilt not exalt [them].
5 He bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.
He that betrayeth friends for a prey — even the eyes of his children shall fail.
6 He hath set as in to a prouerbe of the comyn puple, and his saumple bifor hem.
And he hath made me a proverb of the peoples; and I am become one to be spit on in the face.
7 Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.
And mine eye is dim by reason of grief, and all my members are as a shadow.
8 Iust men schulen wondre on this thing; and an innocent schal be reisid ayens an ypocrite.
Upright men [shall be] astonished at this, and the innocent shall be stirred up against the ungodly;
9 And a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.
But the righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall increase in strength.
10 Therfor alle `ye be conuertid, and come ye; and Y schal not fynde in you ony wiys man.
But as for you all, pray come on again; and I shall not find one wise man among you.
11 My daies ben passid; my thouytis ben scaterid, turmentynge myn herte.
My days are past, my purposes are broken off, the cherished thoughts of my heart.
12 Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt.
They change the night into day; the light [they imagine] near in presence of the darkness.
13 If Y `susteyne, ether suffre pacientli, helle is myn hous; and Y haue arayede my bed in derknessis. (Sheol h7585)
If I wait, Sheol is my house; I spread my bed in the darkness: (Sheol h7585)
14 Y seide to rot, Thou art my fadur; and to wormes, Ye ben my modir and my sister.
I cry to the grave, Thou art my father! to the worm, My mother, and my sister!
15 Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?
And where is then my hope? yea, my hope, who shall see it?
