Job 17
1 Mi spirit schal be maad feble; my daies schulen be maad schort, and oneli the sepulcre is left to me.
My spirit is consumed, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me.
2 Y have not synned, and myn iye dwellith in bittirnessis.
Surely there are mockers with me, and mine eye abideth in their provocation.
3 Lord, delyuere thou me, and sette thou me bisidis thee; and the hond of ech fiyte ayens me.
Give now a pledge, be surety for me with Thyself; who else is there that will strike 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 hid their heart from understanding; therefore shalt Thou not exalt them.
5 He bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.
He that denounceth his friends for the sake of flattery, 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.
He hath made me also a byword of the people; and I am become one in whose face they spit.
7 Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.
Mine eye also is dimmed by reason of vexation, 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 are astonished at this, and the innocent stirreth up himself against the godless.
9 And a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.
Yet the righteous holdeth on his way, and he that hath clean hands waxeth stronger and stronger.
10 Therfor alle `ye be conuertid, and come ye; and Y schal not fynde in you ony wiys man.
But as for you all, do ye return, and come now; and I shall not find a 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, even the 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 is short because of darkness.
13 If Y `susteyne, ether suffre pacientli, helle is myn hous; and Y haue arayede my bed in derknessis. (Sheol h7585)
If I look for the nether-world as my house; if I have spread my couch in the darkness; (Sheol h7585)
14 Y seide to rot, Thou art my fadur; and to wormes, Ye ben my modir and my sister.
If I have said to corruption: 'Thou art my father', to the worm: 'Thou art my mother, and my sister';
15 Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?
Where then is my hope? And as for my hope, who shall see it?
