Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Bvt Iob answered, and sayd,
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
Heare diligently my wordes, and this shalbe in stead of your consolations.
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Suffer mee, that I may speake, and when I haue spoken, mocke on.
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
Doe I direct my talke to man? If it were so, how should not my spirit be troubled?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Marke mee, and be abashed, and lay your hand vpon your mouth.
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
Euen when I remember, I am afrayde, and feare taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
Wherefore do the wicked liue, and waxe olde, and grow in wealth?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
Their seede is established in their sight with them, and their generation before their eyes.
9 Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
Their houses are peaceable without feare, and the rod of God is not vpon them.
10 The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
Their bullocke gendreth, and fayleth not: their cow calueth, and casteth not her calfe.
11 Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
They send forth their children like sheepe, and their sonnes dance.
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They take the tabret and harpe, and reioyce in the sound of the organs.
They spend their dayes in wealth, and suddenly they go downe to the graue. (Sheol h7585)
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
They say also vnto God, Depart from vs: for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes.
15 Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
Who is the Almightie, that we should serue him? and what profit should we haue, if we should pray vnto him?
16 Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
Lo, their wealth is not in their hand: therfore let the counsell of the wicked bee farre 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 oft shall the candle of the wicked be put out? and their destruction come vpon them? he wil deuide their liues in 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 shall be as stubble before the winde, and as chaffe that the storme carieth away.
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
God wil lay vp the sorowe of the father for his children: when he rewardeth him, hee shall knowe it.
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drinke of the wrath of the Almightie.
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 pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the nomber of his moneths is cut off?
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
Shall any teache God knowledge, who iudgeth the highest things?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
One dyeth in his full strength, being in all ease and prosperitie.
24 Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
His breasts are full of milke, and his bones runne full of marowe.
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
And another dieth in the bitternes of his soule, and neuer eateth with pleasure.
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
They shall sleepe both in the dust, and the wormes shall couer them.
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the enterprises, wherewith ye do me wrong.
28 For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
For ye say, Where is the princes house? and where is the tabernacle of the wickeds dwelling?
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
May ye not aske the that go by the way? and ye can not deny their signes.
30 that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
But the wicked is kept vnto the day of destruction, and they shall be brought forth 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 shall declare his way to his face? and who shall reward him for that he hath done?
32 He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
Yet shall he be brought to the graue, and remaine in the heape.
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
The slimie valley shalbe sweete vnto him, and euery man shall draw after him, as before him there were innumerable.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
How then comfort ye me in vaine, seeing in your answeres there remaine but lyes?
