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 should I look with desire on a virgin?

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

For what is the portion from God above, the inheritance from the Almighty on high?

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

I used to think that calamity is for unrighteous people, and that disaster is for doers of wickedness.

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

Does not God see my ways and count all my steps?

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

If I have walked with falsehood, if my foot has hurried to deceit,

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

let me be weighed in an even balance so that God will 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 step has turned aside from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, if any spot has stuck to my hands,

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

then let me sow, and let another eat, and let 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 deceived by a woman, if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

10 and othir men be bowid doun on hir.

then let my wife grind grain for another, and let others bow down on her.

11 For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.

For that would be a terrible crime; indeed, it would be a crime to be punished by judges.

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

For that is a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn all my harvest to the root.

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

If I ignored the plea for justice from my male or female servant when they argued with 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 then would I do when God rises up to accuse me? When he comes to judge me, how would I answer him?

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

Did the one who made me in the womb not make them also? Did not the same one mold us all 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 withheld poor people from their desire, or if I have caused the eyes of the widow to grow dim from crying,

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

or if I have eaten my morsel alone and not allowed those without fathers to eat it also—

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

because from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, and I have guided his mother, a widow, from my own mother's womb.

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 anyone perish for lack of clothing, or if I have seen that a needy man had no clothing;

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 because he has not been warmed with the wool 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 fatherless people because I saw my support in the city gate, then bring charges against me!

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

If I have done these things, then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and let my arm be broken from its joint.

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

For I dreaded destruction from God; because of his majesty, I was not able to do those things.

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

If I have made gold my hope, and if I have said to fine gold, 'You are what I am confident in';

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

if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, because my hand had gotten many possessions, then bring charges against me!

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

If I have seen the sun when it shone, or the moon walking in its brightness,

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

and if my heart has been secretly attracted, so that my mouth has kissed my hand in worship of them—

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

this also would be a crime to be punished by judges, for I would have denied the God who is above.

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 at the destruction of anyone who hated me or congratulated myself when disaster overtook him, then bring charges against me!

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

Indeed, I have not even 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 tent have never said, 'Who can find one who has not been filled with Job's food?'

32 my dore was opyn to a weiegoere;

(even the foreigner has never had to stay in the city square, because I have always opened my doors to the traveler), and if that is not so, then bring charges against me!

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

If, like mankind, I have hidden my sins by hiding my guilt inside my tunic

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 feared the great multitude, because the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside), then bring charges against me!

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

Oh, if only I had someone to hear me! See, here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me! If only I had the indictment that my opponent has written!

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

Surely I would carry it openly on my shoulder; I would put it on like a crown.

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

I would declare to him an accounting for my steps; as a confident prince I would go up to him.

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

If my land ever 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 eaten its harvest without paying for it or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

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

then let thorns grow instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are finished.