Job 3
1 Aftir these thingis Joob openyde his mouth,
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
2 and curside his dai, and seide, Perische the dai in which Y was borun,
And this is what he said:
3 and the nyyt in which it was seid, The man is conceyued.
“May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
4 Thilke dai be turnede in to derknessis; God seke not it aboue, and be it not in mynde, nethir be it liytned with liyt.
If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
5 Derknessis make it derk, and the schadewe of deeth and myist occupie it; and be it wlappid with bittirnesse.
May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
6 Derk whirlwynde holde that niyt; be it not rikynyd among the daies of the yeer, nethir be it noumbrid among the monethes.
If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
7 Thilke nyyt be soleyn, and not worthi of preisyng.
Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
8 Curse thei it, that cursen the dai, that ben redi to reise Leuyathan.
May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Sterris be maad derk with the derknesse therof; abide it liyt, and se it not, nethir the bigynnyng of the morwetid risyng vp.
May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
10 For it closide not the doris of the wombe, that bar me, nethir took awei yuels fro min iyen.
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
11 Whi was not Y deed in the wombe? whi yede Y out of the wombe, and perischide not anoon?
Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
12 Whi was Y takun on knees? whi was Y suclid with teetis?
Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
13 For now Y slepynge schulde be stille, and schulde reste in my sleep,
For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
14 with kyngis, and consuls of erthe, that bilden to hem soleyn places;
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
15 ethir with prynces that han gold in possessioun, and fillen her housis with siluer;
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
16 ethir as a `thing hid not borun Y schulde not stonde, ethir whiche conseyued sien not liyt.
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
17 There wickid men ceessiden of noise, and there men maad wery of strengthe restiden.
There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
18 And sum tyme boundun togidere with out disese thei herden not the voys of the wrongful axere.
The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 A litil man and greet man be there, and a seruaunt free fro his lord.
Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
20 Whi is liyt youun to the wretche, and lijf to hem that ben in bitternesse of soule?
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
21 Whiche abiden deeth, and it cometh not;
who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
22 as men diggynge out tresour and ioien greetly, whanne thei han founde a sepulcre?
who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
23 Whi is liyt youun to a man, whos weie is hid, and God hath cumpassid hym with derknessis?
Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
24 Bifore that Y ete, Y siyhe; and as of watir flowynge, so is my roryng.
I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
25 For the drede, which Y dredde, cam to me; and that, that Y schamede, bifelde.
For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
26 Whether Y dissymilide not? whether Y was not stille? whether Y restide not? and indignacioun cometh on me.
I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
