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 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 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.
He hath made me also a byword of the people; and I am become an open abhorring.
7 Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.
Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, 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 astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the godless.
9 And a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.
Yet shall the righteous hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.
10 Therfor alle `ye be conuertid, and come ye; and Y schal not fynde in you ony wiys man.
But return ye, all of you, 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 droughts of my heart.
12 Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt.
They change the night into a day: the fight, [say they], is near unto 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 look for Sheol as mine 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?
