Job 31

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

I Made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

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

For what portion of God [is there] from above? and [what] inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

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

[Is] not destruction to the wicked? and a strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquity?

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

Doth not he 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 vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit;

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

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God 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 step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved 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; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.

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 hath been deceived by a woman, or [if] I have laid wait at my neighbor's door;

10 and othir men be bowid doun on hir.

[Then] let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down upon her.

11 For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.

For this [is] a hainous crime; yea, it [is] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges.

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

For it [is] a fire [that] consumeth to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

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

If I despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended 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 shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall 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 not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion 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 withheld the poor from [their] desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

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

Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten of it;

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

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as [with] a father, and I have guided her from my 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 any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

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

If his loins have not blessed me, and [if] he hath not been warmed 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, when I saw my help in the gate:

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

[Then] let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

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

For destruction [from] God [was] a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

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, or have said to the fine gold, [Thou art] my confidence;

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, and because my hand had gained much;

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

If I have beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness;

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

And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

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

This also [were] an iniquity [to be punished by] the judge: for I should have denied the God [that 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 him that hated me, or have lifted up myself when evil found him:

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

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

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 tabernacle have not said, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

32 my dore was opyn to a weiegoere;

The stranger did not lodge in the street: [but] I opened my doors to the traveler.

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

If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:

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;

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, [and] went not out of the door?

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

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire [is], [that] the Almighty would answer me, and [that] my adversary had written a book.

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

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, [and] bind it [as] a crown to me.

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

I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.

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

If my land crieth against me, or its furrows likewise complain;

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

If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, or have caused its owners to lose their life:

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

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.