Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Job replied,
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
“Please listen carefully to what I say—that would be one comfort you could give me.
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Bear with me; let me speak. After I've spoken you can resume mocking me.
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
Am I complaining against people? Of course not. Why shouldn't I be impatient?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Just take a look at me. Aren't you appalled? Cover your mouth with your hand in shock!
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
Every time I think of what's happened to me I am horrified and I shake all over with fear.
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
Why do the wicked continue to live, to grow old and increasingly powerful?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
Their children are with them; they watch their grandchildren grow up.
9 Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
They live in their homes in safety—they are not afraid. God does not use his rod to beat 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 always breed successfully; their cows give birth to calves 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 lambs to play; their children dance around.
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They sing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre; they celebrate with the music of the flute.
They live out their lives contentedly, and go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
Yet they tell God, ‘Get lost! We don't want anything to do with you.
15 Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
Who does the Almighty think he is for us to serve him as slaves? What benefit is there for 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.
Such people believe they make their own fortune, but I don't accept their way of thinking.
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 the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does disaster come upon them? How often does God punish the wicked 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.
Are they blown along like straw in the wind? Does a tornado come in and carry them away?
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
Some say, ‘God saves up people's punishment for their children.’ But I say, ‘God should punish those people themselves so that they can learn from it.’
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
Let them see their destruction themselves, and drink deeply from God's anger.
21 For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
For they don't care what happens to their families once they're dead.
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
Can anyone teach God anything he doesn't already know, since he is the one who judges even heavenly beings?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
One person dies in good health, totally comfortable and secure.
24 Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
Their body is fat from eating well; their bones still strong.
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
Another dies after a miserable life without every experiencing happiness.
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
Yet they are both buried in the same dust; they are treated alike in death, eaten by maggots.
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
Look, I know what you're thinking, and your schemes to do me wrong.
28 For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
You may ask me, ‘Where is the home of the great man? Where is the place where the wicked live?’
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
Haven't you asked people who travel? Don't you pay attention to what they tell you?
30 that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
Wicked people are spared in times of disaster; they are rescued from the day of judgment.
31 Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
Who confronts them with their actions? Who pays them back for what they have done?
32 He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
When they eventually die and are carried to the graveyard, their tomb is guarded. The earth of the grave softly covers them.
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
Everyone attends their funeral service; a huge procession of people comes to pay their last respects.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
Why do you try to comfort me with worthless nonsense? Your answers are just a pack of lies!”
