Job 31

1 I made couenaunt with myn iyen, that Y schulde not thenke of a virgyn.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?

2 For what part schulde God aboue haue in me, and eritage Almyyti God of hiye thingis?

For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?

3 Whether perdicioun is not to a wickid man, and alienacioun of God is to men worchynge wickidnesse?

Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?

4 Whether he biholdith not my weies, and noumbrith alle my goyngis?

Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

5 If Y yede in vanyte, and my foot hastide in gile,

If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,

6 God weie me in a iust balaunce, and knowe my symplenesse.

let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.

7 If my step bowide fro the weie; if myn iye suede myn herte, and a spotte cleuede to myn hondis;

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

8 sowe Y, and another ete, and my generacioun be drawun out bi the root.

then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

9 If myn herte was disseyued on a womman, and if Y settide aspies at the dore of my frend; my wijf be the hoore of anothir man,

If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,

10 and othir men be bowid doun on hir.

then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.

11 For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

12 Fier is deourynge `til to wastyng, and drawynge vp bi the roote alle generaciouns.

For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.

13 If Y dispiside to take doom with my seruaunt and myn hand mayde, whanne thei stryueden ayens me.

If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,

14 What sotheli schal Y do, whanne God schal rise to deme? and whanne he schal axe, what schal Y answere to hym?

what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?

15 Whether he, that wrouyte also hym, made not me in the wombe, and o God formede me in the wombe?

Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?

16 If Y denyede to pore men that, that thei wolden, and if Y made the iyen of a wydewe to abide;

If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

17 if Y aloone eet my mussel, and a faderles child eet not therof;

if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—

18 for merciful doyng encreesside with me fro my yong childhed, and yede out of my modris wombe with me;

though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

19 if Y dispiside a man passynge forth, for he hadde not a cloth, and a pore man with out hilyng;

if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,

20 if hise sidis blessiden not me, and was not maad hoot of the fleeces of my scheep;

if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,

21 if Y reiside myn hond on a fadirles child, yhe, whanne Y siy me the hiyere in the yate;

if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,

22 my schuldre falle fro his ioynt, and myn arm with hise boonys be al to-brokun.

then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.

23 For euere Y dredde God, as wawis wexynge gret on me; and `Y myyte not bere his birthun.

For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.

24 If Y gesside gold my strengthe, and if Y seide to purid gold, Thou art my trist;

If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,

25 if Y was glad on my many ritchessis, and for myn hond foond ful many thingis;

if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,

26 if Y siy the sunne, whanne it schynede, and the moone goynge clereli;

if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,

27 and if myn herte was glad in priuyte, and if Y kisside myn hond with my mouth;

so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 which is the moost wickidnesse, and deniyng ayens hiyeste God;

this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

29 if Y hadde ioye at the fallyng of hym, that hatide me, and if Y ioide fulli, that yuel hadde founde hym;

If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—

30 for Y yaf not my throte to do synne, that Y schulde asaile and curse his soule;

I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—

31 if the men of my tabernacle seiden not, Who yyueth, that we be fillid of hise fleischis? a pilgryme dwellide not with outforth;

if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—

32 my dore was opyn to a weiegoere;

but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—

33 if Y as man hidde my synne, and helide my wickidnesse in my bosum;

if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,

34 if Y dredde at ful greet multitude, and if dispisyng of neyyboris made me aferd; and not more Y was stille, and yede not out of the dore;

because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—

35 who yyueth an helpere to me, that Almyyti God here my desire? that he that demeth,

(Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.

36 write a book, that Y bere it in my schuldre, and cumpasse it as a coroun to me?

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

37 Bi alle my degrees Y schal pronounce it, and Y schal as offre it to the prynce.

I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—

38 If my lond crieth ayens me, and hise forewis wepen with it;

if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,

39 if Y eet fruytis therof with out money, and Y turmentide the soule of erthetileris of it;

if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,

40 a brere growe to me for wheete, and a thorn for barli.

then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.