Job 19
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Hou long turmente ye my soule,
Then Job answered and said,
2 and al to-breken me with wordis?
“How long will you make me suffer and break me into pieces with words?
3 Lo! ten sithis ye schenden me, and ye ben not aschamed, oppressynge me.
These ten times you have reproached me; you are not ashamed that you have treated me harshly.
4 Forsothe and if Y `koude not, myn vnkynnyng schal be with me.
If it is indeed true that I have erred, my error remains my own concern.
5 And ye ben reisid ayens me, and repreuen me with my schenschipis.
If indeed you will exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me,
6 Nameli now vndurstonde ye, that God hath turmentid me not bi euene doom, and hath cumpassid me with hise betyngis.
then you should know that God has done wrong to me and has caught me in his net.
7 Lo! Y suffrynge violence schal crye, and no man schal here; Y schal crye loude, and `noon is that demeth.
See, I cry out, “Violence!” but I get no answer. I call out for help, but there is no justice.
8 He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and he has set darkness in my path.
9 He hath spuylid me of my glorye, and hath take awey the coroun fro myn heed.
He has stripped me of my glory, and he has taken 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 has broken me down on every side, and I am gone; he has pulled up my hope like a tree.
11 His stronge veniaunce was wrooth ayens me; and he hadde me so as his enemye.
He has also kindled his wrath against me; he regards me as one of his adversaries.
12 Hise theues camen togidere, and `maden to hem a wei bi me; and bisegiden my tabernacle in cumpas.
His troops come on together; they cast up siege mounds 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 put my brothers far from me; my acquaintances are wholly alienated from me.
14 My neiyboris forsoken me; and thei that knewen me han foryete me.
My kinsfolk have failed me; my close 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.
Those who once stayed as guests in my house and my female servants regard me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.
16 Y clepide my seruaunt, and he answeride not to me; with myn owne mouth Y preiede hym.
I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer although I entreat him with my mouth.
17 My wijf wlatide my breeth; and Y preiede the sones of my wombe.
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am even disgusting to those who were born from my mother's womb.
18 Also foolis dispisiden me; and whanne Y was goon awei fro hem, thei bacbitiden me.
Even young children despise me; if I rise to speak, they speak against 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 familiar friends abhor me; those whom 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 bones cling to my skin and to my flesh; I survive only 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 upon me, have pity upon me, my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.
22 Whi pursuen ye me, as God pursueth; and ben fillid with my fleischis?
Why do you pursue me like God does? Will you ever be satisfied with my flesh?
23 Who yyueth to me, that my wordis be writun? Who yyueth to me,
Oh, that my words were now written down! Oh, that they were 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?
Oh, that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For Y woot, that myn ayenbiere lyueth, and in the laste dai Y schal rise fro the erthe;
But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at last he will stand on the earth;
26 and eft Y schal be cumpassid with my skyn, and in my fleisch Y schal se God, my sauyour.
after my skin, that is, this body, is destroyed, then 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 with my own eyes—I, and not someone else. My heart fails within me.
28 Whi therfor seien ye now, Pursue we hym, and fynde we the roote of a word ayens hym?
If you say, 'How we will persecute him! The root of his troubles lies in 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 be afraid of the sword, because wrath brings the punishment of the sword, so that you may know there is a judgment.”
