Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
Hear, O hear my speech, and let this be wherewith you give consolations.
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Bear with me that I may indeed speak: and after my speaking, then canst thou mock.
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
As for me, —is against man my complaint? and if this be so, why should my spirit not be impatient?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Turn yourselves unto me, and be astounded, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
Yea, when I think of it, I am terrified, and shuddering seizeth hold of my flesh.
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, grow strong in power?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
Their seed is firmly established in their presence with them. their offspring are before their eyes.
9 Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
Their houses are at peace without any dread, and no rod of God [cometh] over them.
10 The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
The bull of each one gendereth, and disappointeth not: the cow of each one calveth, and casteth not her young.
11 Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children skip about [with joy].
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They sing to the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They wear out their days in happiness, and in a moment they go down to the nether world. (Sheol h7585)
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
And yet they say unto God, “Depart from us; and the knowledge of thy ways we desire not.
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? and what profit shall we have, if we entreat him urgently?”
16 Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
Lo, not in their hand doth their happiness rest! The counsel of the wicked be [still] 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 the lamp of the wicked quenched? and how often cometh over them their calamity? and doth [God] distribute their lot 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 as straw before the wind, and as chaff which the stealeth away?
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
Should God lay up for his children his wrong-doing? it were better that he reward him, that he might know it himself.
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
His own eyes ought to see his downfall, and from the wrath of the Almighty ought he to drink.
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 care hath he for his household after him, when the number of his months is all apportioned to him?
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
Is this fitting God, who teacheth knowledge? him who judgeth those that are highest?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
That this one dieth 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 vessels being full of healthy fluid, and the marrow of his bones being well moistened:
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
While this other dieth with an embittered soul, and hath never partaken of any happiness;
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
[And yet] together they must lie down in the dust, and the worms will cover them?
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
Behold, I know your thoughts, and the opinions which ye wrongfully devise against me.
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 house of the noble-minded? and where is the tent of the dwelling-places of the wicked?
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
Have ye not asked the wayfarers? surely their token ye cannot disregard,
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 bad man is reserved for the day of calamity, [that the wicked] are carried forward 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?
[But] who will tell him to his face of his way? and who will repay him what he hath done?
32 He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
Yea he will indeed be carried to the grave, and men will quickly think of his monument:
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
Sweet are to him the clods of the valley; and after him succeedeth every man, as those that were before him are without number.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
How then will ye comfort me with vanity? and of your answers there remaineth only deception.
