Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Then Job responded by saying:
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
I beseech you to hear my words and to do penance.
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Permit me, and I will speak, and afterwards, if you see fit, you can laugh at my words.
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
Is my dispute against man, so that I would have no reason to be discouraged?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Listen to me and be astonished, and place a finger over your mouth.
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
As for me, when I think it over, I am afraid, and trembling convulses my body.
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
Why then do the impious live, having been lifted up and strengthened with riches?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
They see their offspring continue before them: a commotion of close relatives and of children’s children in their sight.
9 Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
Their houses have been secure and peaceable, and there is no staff of God over them.
10 The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
Their cattle have conceived and have not miscarried; their cow has given birth and is not deprived of her newborn.
11 Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
Their little ones go out like a flock, and their children jump around playfully.
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They take up the timbrel and the lyre, and they rejoice at the sound of the organ.
Their days are prolonged in wealth, yet, in an instant, they descend into hell. (Sheol h7585)
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
Who has said to God, “Depart from us, for we do not want the knowledge of your ways.
15 Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And how is it helpful to us 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.
It is true that their good things are not in their power. May the counsel of the impious be 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 will the lamp of the wicked be extinguished, and a deluge overtake them, and how often will he distribute the afflictions of his wrath?
18 Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
They will be like chaff before the face of the wind, and like ashes that the whirlwind scatters.
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
God will preserve the grief of the father for his sons, and, when he repays, then he will understand.
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
His eyes will see his own destruction, and he will drink from 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 what happens to his house after him, or if the number of its months are reduced by half?
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
Can anyone teach holy knowledge to God, who judges the exalted?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
This one dies strong and healthy, rich and happy.
24 Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
His gut is full of fat and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
In truth, another dies in bitterness of soul, without any resources.
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
And yet they will sleep together in the dust, and worms will cover them.
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
Surely, I know your thoughts and your sinful judgments against 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 ruler, and where are the tabernacles of the impious?”
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
Ask any passerby whom you wish, and you will realize that he understands these same things:
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-doer is reserved for the day of destruction, and he will be led 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 reprove his way to his face, and who will repay him for what he has done?
32 He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
He will be led to the tomb, and he will remain awake in the chaos of the dead.
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
He has been found acceptable to the banks of the River of Lamentation, and he will draw any man towards him, and there are countless before him.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
Therefore, how long will you console me in vain, when your answer is shown to be repugnant to truth?
