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 and the grave is ready for me.
2 Y have not synned, and myn iye dwellith in bittirnessis.
Surely there are mockers with me. My eye dwells on their provocation.
3 Lord, delyuere thou me, and sette thou me bisidis thee; and the hond of ech fiyte ayens me.
“Now give a pledge. Be collateral for me with yourself. Who is there who 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 you have hidden their heart from understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.
5 He bihetith prey to felowis, and the iyen of hise sones schulen faile.
He who denounces his friends for plunder, even the eyes of his children will fail.
6 He hath set as in to a prouerbe of the comyn puple, and his saumple bifor hem.
“But he has made me a byword of the people. They spit in my face.
7 Myn `iye dasewide at indignacioun; and my membris ben dryuun as in to nouyt.
My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. 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 will be astonished at this. The innocent will stir himself up against the godless.
9 And a iust man schal holde his weie, and he schal adde strengthe to clene hondis.
Yet the righteous will hold to his way. He who has clean hands will grow 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, come back. I will not find a wise man amongst you.
11 My daies ben passid; my thouytis ben scaterid, turmentynge myn herte.
My days are past. My plans are broken off, as are 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, saying ‘The light is near’ in the presence 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 Sheol 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, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘My sister,’
15 Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?
where then is my hope? As for my hope, who will see it?
