Job 20
1 Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide,
Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
2 Therfor my thouytis dyuerse comen oon aftir anothir; and the mynde is rauyischid in to dyuerse thingis.
“Therefore my thoughts answer me, even by reason of my haste that is in me.
3 Y schal here the techyng, bi which thou repreuest me; and the spirit of myn vndurstondyng schal answere me.
I have heard the reproof which puts me to shame. The spirit of my understanding answers me.
4 Y woot this fro the bigynnyng, sithen man was set on erthe,
Don’t you know this from old time, since man was placed on earth,
5 that the preisyng of wickid men is schort, and the ioie of an ypocrite is at the licnesse of a poynt.
that the triumphing of the wicked is short, the joy of the godless but for a moment?
6 Thouy his pride `stieth in to heuene, and his heed touchith the cloudis,
Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
7 he schal be lost in the ende, as a dunghil; and, thei that sien hym, schulen seie, Where is he?
yet he will perish forever like his own dung. Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 As a dreem fleynge awei he schal not be foundun; he schal passe as `a nyytis siyt.
He will fly away as a dream, and will not be found. Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night.
9 The iye that siy hym schal not se; and his place schal no more biholde him.
The eye which saw him will see him no more, neither will his place see him any more.
10 Hise sones schulen be `al to-brokun with nedynesse; and hise hondis schulen yelde to hym his sorewe.
His children will seek the favour of the poor. His hands will give back his wealth.
11 Hise boonys schulen be fillid with the vices of his yong wexynge age; and schulen slepe with hym in dust.
His bones are full of his youth, but youth will lie down with him in the dust.
12 For whanne yuel was swete in his mouth, he hidde it vndur his tunge.
“Though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue,
13 He schal spare it, and schal not forsake it; and schal hide in his throte.
though he spare it, and will not let it go, but keep it still within his mouth,
14 His breed in his wombe schal be turned in to galle of snakis withynne.
yet his food in his bowels is turned. It is cobra venom within him.
15 He schal spue out the richessis, whiche he deuouride; and God schal drawe tho ritchessis out of his wombe.
He has swallowed down riches, and he will vomit them up again. God will cast them out of his belly.
16 He schal souke the heed of snakis; and the tunge of an addre schal sle hym.
He will suck cobra venom. The viper’s tongue will kill him.
17 Se he not the stremys of the flood of the stronde, of hony, and of botere.
He will not look at the rivers, the flowing streams of honey and butter.
18 He schal suffre peyne for alle thingis whiche he hath do, netheles he schal not be wastid; aftir the multitude of his fyndyngis, so and `he schal suffre.
He will restore that for which he laboured, and will not swallow it down. He will not rejoice according to the substance that he has gotten.
19 For he brake, and made nakid the hows of a pore man; he rauyschide, and bildide it not.
For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor. He has violently taken away a house, and he will not build it up.
20 And his wombe was not fillid; and whanne he hath that, that he couetide, he may not holde in possessioun.
“Because he knew no quietness within him, he will not save anything of that in which he delights.
21 `No thing lefte of his mete; and therfor no thing schal dwelle of his goodis.
There was nothing left that he didn’t devour, therefore his prosperity will not endure.
22 Whanne he is fillid, he schal be maad streit; he schal `be hoot, and alle sorewe schal falle in on hym.
In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress will overtake him. The hand of everyone who is in misery will come on him.
23 `Y wolde, that his wombe be fillid, that he sende out in to hym the ire of his strong veniaunce, and reyne his batel on hym.
When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath on him. It will rain on him while he is eating.
24 He schal fle yrun armuris, and he schal falle in to a brasun boowe.
He will flee from the iron weapon. The bronze arrow will strike him through.
25 Led out, and goynge out `of his schethe, and schynynge, `ether smytinge with leit, `in to his bittirnesse; orrible fendis schulen go, and schulen come on hym.
He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.
26 Alle derknessis ben hid in hise priuytees; fier, which is not teendid, schal deuoure hym; he schal be turmentid left in his tabernacle.
All darkness is laid up for his treasures. An unfanned fire will devour him. It will consume that which is left in his tent.
27 Heuenes schulen schewe his wickidnesse; and erthe schal rise togidere ayens hym.
The heavens will reveal his iniquity. The earth will rise up against him.
28 The seed of his hows schal be opyn; it schal be drawun doun in the dai of the strong veniaunce of the Lord.
The increase of his house will depart. They will rush away in the day of his wrath.
29 This is the part of a wickid man, `which part is youun of God, and the eritage of hise wordis of the Lord.
This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”
