Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
Hear ye patiently my words, and let this be your consolation:
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Suffer me, that, I, may speak, and, after I have spoken, thou canst mock!
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
Did, I, unto man, make my complaint? Wherefore, then, should my spirit not be impatient?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Turn round to me, and be astonished, and lay hand on mouth!
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
When I call to mind, then am I dismayed, and there seizeth my flesh a shuddering: —
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
Wherefore do, lawless men, live, advance in years, even wax mighty in power?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
Their seed, is established in their sight, along with them, yea their offspring, 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 dread, 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.
His bull, covereth, and causeth not aversion, His cow safely 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—like a flock—their young ones, and, their children, skip about for joy;
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They rejoice aloud as [with] timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
They complete, in prosperity, their days, and, in a moment to hades, they sink down. (Sheol h7585)
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
Yet they said unto GOD, Depart from us, and, In the knowledge of thy ways, find we no pleasure.
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? Or what shall we profit, that we should urge him?
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 own hand, is their welfare, The counsel of lawless men, 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 oft, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out, and their calamity, cometh upon them, Sorrows, apportioneth he 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.
They become as straw before the wind, and as chaff, which the storm stealeth away.
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
Shall, GOD, reserve, for his children, his sorrow? Let him recompense him so that he may know it;
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
His own eyes, shall see his misfortune, and, the wrath of the Almighty, shall he 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 shall be his pleasure in his house after him, when, the number of his months, is cut in twain?
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
Is it, to GOD, one can teach knowledge, seeing that, he, shall judge, them who are on high?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
This, man dieth, in the very perfection of his prosperity, wholly tranquil and secure;
24 Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
His veins, are filled with nourishment, and, the marrow of his bones, is fresh;
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
Whereas, this other man, dieth, in bitterness of soul, and hath never tasted good fortune:
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
Together, in the dust, they lie down, and, the worm, spreadeth a covering over them.
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
Lo! I know your plans, and the devices, wherewith ye would do me violence!
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 the dwelling-tent of the lawless?
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
Have ye not asked the passers-by in the way? And, their signs, can ye not recognise?
30 that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
That, to the day of calamity, is the wicked reserved, to the day of indignant visitation, are they led.
31 Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
Who can declare—to his face—his way? And, what, he, hath done, who shall recompense to him?
32 He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
Yet, he, to the graves, is borne, and, over the tomb, one keepeth watch;
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
Pleasant to him are the mounds of the torrent-bed, —and, after him, doth every man march, as, before him, there were without number.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
How then should ye comfort me with vanity, since, as for your replies, there lurketh, [in them] treachery?
