Job 29
1 Also Joob addide, takynge his parable, and seide,
So Iob proceeded and continued his parable, saying,
2 Who yyueth to me, that I be bisidis the elde monethis, bi the daies in whiche God kepte me?
Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserued me!
3 Whanne his lanterne schynede on myn heed, and Y yede in derknessis at his liyt.
When his light shined vpon mine head: and when by his light I walked thorowe the darkenesse,
4 As Y was in the daies of my yongthe, whanne in priuete God was in my tabernacle.
As I was in the dayes of my youth: when Gods prouidence was vpon my tabernacle:
5 Whanne Almyyti God was with me, and my children weren in my cumpas;
When the almightie was yet with me, and my children round about me.
6 whanne Y waischide my feet in botere, and the stoon schedde out to me the stremes of oile;
When I washed my pathes with butter, and when the rocke powred me out riuers of oyle:
7 whanne Y yede forth to the yate of the citee, and in the street thei maden redi a chaier to me.
When I went out to the gate, euen to the iudgement seat, and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete.
8 Yonge men, `that is, wantoun, sien me, and weren hid, and elde men risynge vp stoden;
The yong men saw me, and hid themselues, and the aged arose, and stood vp.
9 princes ceessiden to speke, and puttiden the fyngur on her mouth;
The princes stayed talke, and layde their hand on their mouth.
10 duykis refreyneden her vois, and her tunge cleuyde to her throte.
The voyce of princes was hidde, and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth.
11 An eere herynge blesside me, and an iye seynge yeldide witnessyng to me;
And when the eare heard me, it blessed me: and when the eye sawe me, it gaue witnesse to me.
12 for Y hadde delyueride a pore man criynge, and a fadirles child, that hadde noon helpere.
For I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him.
13 The blessyng of a man `to perische cam on me, and Y coumfortide the herte of a widewe.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came vpon me, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.
14 Y was clothid with riytfulnesse; and Y clothide me as with a cloth, and with my `doom a diademe.
I put on iustice, and it couered me: my iudgement was as a robe, and a crowne.
15 Y was iye `to a blynde man, and foot to a crokyd man.
I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame.
16 Y was a fadir of pore men; and Y enqueride most diligentli the cause, which Y knew not.
I was a father vnto the poore, and when I knewe not the cause, I sought it out diligently.
17 Y al tobrak the grete teeth of the wickid man, and Y took awei prey fro hise teeth.
I brake also the chawes of the vnrighteous man, and pluckt the praye out of his teeth.
18 And Y seide, Y schal die in my nest; and as a palm tre Y schal multiplie daies.
Then I sayde, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiplie my dayes as the sand.
19 My roote is openyde bisidis watris, and deew schal dwelle in my repyng.
For my roote is spread out by the water, and the dewe shall lye vpon my branche.
20 My glorie schal euere be renulid, and my bouwe schal be astorid in myn hond.
My glory shall renue towarde me, and my bowe shall be restored in mine hand.
21 Thei, that herden me, abiden my sentence; and thei weren ententif, and weren stille to my counsel.
Vnto me men gaue eare, and wayted, and helde their tongue at my counsell.
22 Thei dursten no thing adde to my wordis; and my speche droppide on hem.
After my wordes they replied not, and my talke dropped vpon them.
23 Thei abididen me as reyn; and thei openyden her mouth as to the softe reyn `comynge late.
And they wayted for me, as for the raine, and they opened their mouth as for the latter rayne.
24 If ony tyme Y leiyide to hem, thei bileueden not; and the liyt of my cheer felde not doun in to erthe.
If I laughed on them, they beleeued it not: neither did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
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 appoynted out their way, and did sit as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the army, and like him that comforteth the mourners.
