Job 34
1 And Helyu pronounside, and spak also these thingis,
Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2 Wise men, here ye my wordis, and lerned men, herkne ye me; for the eere preueth wordis,
Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 and the throte demeth metis bi taast.
For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth food.
4 Chese we doom to vs; and se we among vs, what is the betere.
Let us choose for us that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job seide, Y am iust, and God hath distried my doom.
For Job hath said: 'I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right;
6 For whi lesynge is in demynge me, and myn arowe is violent with out ony synne.
Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 Who is a man, as Joob is, that drynkith scornyng as watir?
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 that goith with men worchynge wickidnesse, and goith with vnfeithful men?
Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 For he seide, A man schal not plese God, yhe, thouy he renneth with God.
For he hath said: 'It profiteth a man nothing that he should be in accord with God.'
10 Therfor ye men hertid, `that is, vndurstonde, here ye me; vnpite, `ethir cruelte, be fer fro God, and wickidnesse fro Almyyti God.
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that He should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that He should commit iniquity.
11 For he schal yelde the werk of man to hym; and bi the weies of ech man he schal restore to hym.
For the work of a man will He requite unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 For verili God schal not condempne with out cause; nether Almyyti God schal distrie doom.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 What othere man hath he ordeyned on the lond? ether whom hath he set on the world, which he made?
Who gave Him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If God dressith his herte to hym, he schal drawe to hym silf his spirit and blast.
If He set His heart upon man, if He gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath;
15 Ech fleisch schal faile togidere; `and a man schal turne ayen in to aisch.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return unto dust.
16 Therfor if thou hast vndurstondyng, here thou that that is seid, and herkne the vois of my speche.
If now thou hast understanding, hear this; hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Whether he that loueth not doom may be maad hool? and hou condempnest thou so myche him, that is iust?
Shall even one that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn Him that is just and mighty —
18 Which seith to the kyng, Thou art apostata; which clepith the duykis vnpitouse, `ethir vnfeithful.
Is it fit to say to a king: 'Thou art base'? Or to nobles: 'Ye are wicked'? —
19 `Which takith not the persoones of princes, nether knew a tyraunt, whanne he stryuede ayens a pore man; for alle men ben the werk of hise hondis.
That respecteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they all are the work of His hands.
20 Thei schulen die sudeynli, and at mydnyyt puplis schulen be troblid, `ethir schulen be bowid, as othere bookis han; and schulen passe, and schulen take `awei `a violent man with out hond.
In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.
21 For the iyen of God ben on the weies of men, and biholdith alle goyngis of hem.
For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He seeth all his goings.
22 No derknessis ben, and no schadewe of deeth is, that thei, that worchen wickidnesse, be hid there;
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 for it is `no more in the power of man, that he come to God in to doom.
For He doth not appoint a time unto any man, when he should go before God in judgment.
24 God schal al to-breke many men and vnnoumbrable; and schal make othere men to stonde for hem.
He breaketh in pieces mighty men without inquisition, and setteth others in their stead.
25 For he knowith the werkis of hem; therfor he schal brynge yn niyt, and thei schulen be al to-brokun.
Therefore He taketh knowledge of their works; and He overturneth them in the night, so that they are crushed.
26 He smoot hem, as vnpitouse men, in the place of seinge men.
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Whiche yeden awei fro hym bi `castyng afore, and nolden vndurstonde alle hise weies.
Because they turned aside from following Him, and would not have regard to any of His ways;
28 That thei schulden make the cry of a nedi man to come to hym, and that he schulde here the vois of pore men.
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto Him, and He heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 For whanne he grauntith pees, who is that condempneth? Sithen he hidith his cheer, who is that seeth hym? And on folkis and on alle men `he hath power `to do siche thingis.
When He giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when He hideth His face, who then can behold Him? whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man, alike;
30 Which makith `a man ypocrite to regne, for the synnes of the puple.
That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.
31 Therfor for Y haue spoke to God, also Y schal not forbede thee.
For hath any said unto God: 'I have borne chastisement, though I offend not;
32 If Y erride, teche thou me; if Y spak wickidnesse, Y schal no more adde.
That which I see not teach Thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 Whether God axith that wickidnesse of thee, for it displeside thee? For thou hast bigunne to speke, and not Y; that if thou knowist ony thing betere, speke thou.
Shall His recompense be as thou wilt? For thou loathest it, so that thou must choose, and not I; therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Men vndurstondynge, speke to me; and a wise man, here me.
Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:
35 Forsothe Joob spak folili, and hise wordis sownen not techyng.
'Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without discernment.'
36 My fadir, be Joob preuede `til to the ende; ceesse thou not fro the man of wickidnesse,
Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
37 `that addith blasfemye ouer hise synnes. Be he constreyned among vs in the meene tyme; and thanne bi hise wordis stire he God to the doom.
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
