Job 21
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Then Job answered and said,
2 Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
“Listen carefully to my words, and let this be the comfort you offer to me.
3 Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
Put up with me, and I also will speak; after I have spoken, mock on.
4 Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
As for me, is my complaint to a person? Why should I not be impatient?
5 Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
Look at me and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
When I think about my sufferings, I am terrified, and trembling seizes my body.
7 Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
Why do wicked people continue to live, become old, and grow mighty in power?
8 Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring are established before their eyes.
9 Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
Their houses are safe from fear; neither is the rod of God on them.
10 The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
Their bull breeds; it does not fail to do so; their cow gives birth and does not lose her calf prematurely.
11 Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12 Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
They sing to the tambourine and harp and rejoice with the music of the flute.
They spend their days in prosperity, and they go down quietly to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
14 Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
They say to God, 'Depart from us for we do not wish any knowledge of your ways.
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 worship him? What advantage would we get if we prayed to him?'
16 Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
See, is not their prosperity in their own hands? I have nothing to do with the advice of wicked people.
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 it that the lamp of wicked people is put out, or that their calamity comes upon them? How often does it happen that God distributes sorrows to them 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.
How often is it that they become like stubble before the wind or like chaff that the storm carries away?
19 God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
You say, 'God lays up one's guilt for his children to pay.' Let him pay it himself, so that he might know his guilt.
20 Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him drink of 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 about his family after him when the number of his months is cut off?
22 Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
Can anyone teach God knowledge since he judges even those who are high?
23 This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
One man dies in his full strength, being completely quiet and at ease.
24 Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
His body is full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
Another man dies in bitterness of soul, one who has never experienced anything good.
26 And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
They lie down alike in the dust; the worms cover them both.
27 Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
See, I know your thoughts, and the ways in which you wish to wrong me.
28 For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
For you say, 'Where now is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked man once lived?'
29 Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
Have you never asked traveling people? Do you not know the evidence they can tell,
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 wicked man is kept from the day of calamity, and that he is led away from 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 condemn the wicked man's way to his face? 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.
Yet he will be borne to the grave; men will keep watch over his tomb.
33 He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
The clods of the valley will be sweet to him; all people will follow after him, as there were innumerable people before him.
34 Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
How then do you comfort me with nonsense, since in your answers there is nothing but falsehood?”
