Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Then Job answered,
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
As for me, is my complaint to man? Why should not I be impatient?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
9 Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and do not miscarry.
11 Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol (Sheol h7585).
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we do not want to know about your ways.
15 Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
16 Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 Hou ofte schal the lanterne of wickid men be quenchid, and flowing schal come on hem, and God schal departe the sorewis of his stronge veniaunce?
“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
18 Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
28 For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
Have not you asked wayfaring men? Do not you know their evidences,
30 that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
31 Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
32 He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
