Job 29
1 Also Joob addide, takynge his parable, and seide,
Job went on speaking.
2 Who yyueth to me, that I be bisidis the elde monethis, bi the daies in whiche God kepte me?
“I wish I was back in the old days when God looked after me!
3 Whanne his lanterne schynede on myn heed, and Y yede in derknessis at his liyt.
His light shone above me and lit my way through the darkness.
4 As Y was in the daies of my yongthe, whanne in priuete God was in my tabernacle.
When I was young and strong, God was my friend and spoke to me in my home.
5 Whanne Almyyti God was with me, and my children weren in my cumpas;
The Almighty was still with me and I was surrounded with my children.
6 whanne Y waischide my feet in botere, and the stoon schedde out to me the stremes of oile;
My herds produced much milk, and oil flowed freely from my olive presses.
7 whanne Y yede forth to the yate of the citee, and in the street thei maden redi a chaier to me.
I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square.
8 Yonge men, `that is, wantoun, sien me, and weren hid, and elde men risynge vp stoden;
The young men saw me and moved out of the way; the elders would stand up for me.
9 princes ceessiden to speke, and puttiden the fyngur on her mouth;
The leaders remained silent and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 duykis refreyneden her vois, and her tunge cleuyde to her throte.
The voices of the officials were hushed; they held their tongues in my presence.
11 An eere herynge blesside me, and an iye seynge yeldide witnessyng to me;
Everyone who listened to me praised me; whoever saw me commended me,
12 for Y hadde delyueride a pore man criynge, and a fadirles child, that hadde noon helpere.
because I gave to the poor who called out to me and the orphans who had no one to help them.
13 The blessyng of a man `to perische cam on me, and Y coumfortide the herte of a widewe.
Those who were about to die blessed me; I made the widow sing for joy.
14 Y was clothid with riytfulnesse; and Y clothide me as with a cloth, and with my `doom a diademe.
Being true and acting right were what I wore for clothing.
15 Y was iye `to a blynde man, and foot to a crokyd man.
I was like eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 Y was a fadir of pore men; and Y enqueride most diligentli the cause, which Y knew not.
I was like a father to the poor, and I defended the rights of strangers.
17 Y al tobrak the grete teeth of the wickid man, and Y took awei prey fro hise teeth.
I broke the jaw of the wicked and made them drop their prey from their teeth.
18 And Y seide, Y schal die in my nest; and as a palm tre Y schal multiplie daies.
I thought I would die at home, after many years.
19 My roote is openyde bisidis watris, and deew schal dwelle in my repyng.
Like a tree my roots spread out to the water; the dew rests on my branches overnight.
20 My glorie schal euere be renulid, and my bouwe schal be astorid in myn hond.
Fresh honors were always being given to me; my strength was renewed like an unfailing bow.
21 Thei, that herden me, abiden my sentence; and thei weren ententif, and weren stille to my counsel.
People listened carefully to what I had to say; they kept quiet as they listened to my advice.
22 Thei dursten no thing adde to my wordis; and my speche droppide on hem.
Once I had spoken they had nothing else to say; what I said was enough.
23 Thei abididen me as reyn; and thei openyden her mouth as to the softe reyn `comynge late.
They waited for me like people waiting for rain; their mouths wide open for the spring rain.
24 If ony tyme Y leiyide to hem, thei bileueden not; and the liyt of my cheer felde not doun in to erthe.
When I smiled at them they could hardly believe it; my approval meant all the world to them.
25 If Y wolde go to hem, Y sat the firste; and whanne Y sat as kyng, while the oost stood aboute, netheles Y was comfortour of hem that morenyden.
I decided the way forward as their leader, living like a king among his soldiers, and when they were sad I comforted them.
