Job 19
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Hou long turmente ye my soule,
Then Job answered:
2 and al to-breken me with wordis?
“How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?
3 Lo! ten sithis ye schenden me, and ye ben not aschamed, oppressynge me.
Ten times now you have reproached me; you shamelessly mistreat me.
4 Forsothe and if Y `koude not, myn vnkynnyng schal be with me.
Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.
5 And ye ben reisid ayens me, and repreuen me with my schenschipis.
If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my disgrace against me,
6 Nameli now vndurstonde ye, that God hath turmentid me not bi euene doom, and hath cumpassid me with hise betyngis.
then understand that it is God who has wronged me and drawn His net around me.
7 Lo! Y suffrynge violence schal crye, and no man schal here; Y schal crye loude, and `noon is that demeth.
Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
8 He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; He has veiled my paths with darkness.
9 He hath spuylid me of my glorye, and hath take awey the coroun fro myn heed.
He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.
10 He hath distried me on ech side, and Y perischide; and he hath take awei myn hope, as fro a tre pullid vp bi the roote.
He tears me down on every side until I am gone; He uproots my hope like a tree.
11 His stronge veniaunce was wrooth ayens me; and he hadde me so as his enemye.
His anger burns against me, and He counts me among His enemies.
12 Hise theues camen togidere, and `maden to hem a wei bi me; and bisegiden my tabernacle in cumpas.
His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and encamp around my tent.
13 He made fer my britheren fro me; and my knowun as aliens yeden awei fro me.
He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
14 My neiyboris forsoken me; and thei that knewen me han foryete me.
My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me.
15 The tenauntis of myn hows, and myn handmaydis hadden me as a straunger; and Y was as a pilgrym bifor her iyen.
My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.
16 Y clepide my seruaunt, and he answeride not to me; with myn owne mouth Y preiede hym.
I call for my servant, but he does not answer, though I implore him with my own mouth.
17 My wijf wlatide my breeth; and Y preiede the sones of my wombe.
My breath is repulsive to my wife, and I am loathsome to my own family.
18 Also foolis dispisiden me; and whanne Y was goon awei fro hem, thei bacbitiden me.
Even little boys scorn me; when I appear, they deride me.
19 Thei, that weren my counselouris sum tyme, hadden abhomynacioun of me; and he, whom Y louede moost, was aduersarie to me.
All my best friends despise me, and those I love have turned against me.
20 Whanne fleischis weren wastid, my boon cleuyde to my skyn; and `oneli lippis ben left aboute my teeth.
My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Haue ye merci on me, haue ye merci on me, nameli, ye my frendis; for the hond of the Lord hath touchid me.
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.
22 Whi pursuen ye me, as God pursueth; and ben fillid with my fleischis?
Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23 Who yyueth to me, that my wordis be writun? Who yyueth to me,
I wish that my words were recorded and inscribed in a book,
24 that tho be writun in a book with an yrun poyntil, ethir with a plate of leed; ethir with a chisel be grauun in a flynt?
by an iron stylus on lead, or chiseled in stone forever.
25 For Y woot, that myn ayenbiere lyueth, and in the laste dai Y schal rise fro the erthe;
But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.
26 and eft Y schal be cumpassid with my skyn, and in my fleisch Y schal se God, my sauyour.
Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
27 Whom Y my silf schal se, and myn iyen schulen biholde, and not an other man. This myn hope is kept in my bosum.
I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!
28 Whi therfor seien ye now, Pursue we hym, and fynde we the roote of a word ayens hym?
If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’
29 Therfor fle ye fro the face of the swerd; for the swerd is the vengere of wickidnessis, and wite ye, that doom schal be.
then you should fear the sword yourselves, because wrath brings punishment by the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
