Job 34
1 And Helyu pronounside, and spak also these thingis,
Moreover Elihu answered,
2 Wise men, here ye my wordis, and lerned men, herkne ye me; for the eere preueth wordis,
“Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 and the throte demeth metis bi taast.
For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes 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 has said, ‘I am righteous, God has 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 considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
7 Who is a man, as Joob is, that drynkith scornyng as watir?
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
8 that goith with men worchynge wickidnesse, and goith with vnfeithful men?
who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?
9 For he seide, A man schal not plese God, yhe, thouy he renneth with God.
For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself 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 listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, 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 he will render to 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.
Yes surely, 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 put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over 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 on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 Ech fleisch schal faile togidere; `and a man schal turne ayen in to aisch.
all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
16 Therfor if thou hast vndurstondyng, here thou that that is seid, and herkne the vois of my speche.
“If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen 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?
Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 Which seith to the kyng, Thou art apostata; which clepith the duykis vnpitouse, `ethir vnfeithful.
who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘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.
He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect 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. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 For the iyen of God ben on the weies of men, and biholdith alle goyngis of hem.
“For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees 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 thick gloom, 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 doesn’t need to consider a man further, that 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 breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
25 For he knowith the werkis of hem; therfor he schal brynge yn niyt, and thei schulen be al to-brokun.
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 He smoot hem, as vnpitouse men, in the place of seinge men.
He strikes 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 away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention 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 caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard 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 gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,
30 Which makith `a man ypocrite to regne, for the synnes of the puple.
that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 Therfor for Y haue spoke to God, also Y schal not forbede thee.
“For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 If Y erride, teche thou me; if Y spak wickidnesse, Y schal no more adde.
Teach me that which I don’t see. 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 you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
34 Men vndurstondynge, speke to me; and a wise man, here me.
Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 Forsothe Joob spak folili, and hise wordis sownen not techyng.
‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’
36 My fadir, be Joob preuede `til to the ende; ceesse thou not fro the man of wickidnesse,
I wish that Job were tried to 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 adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.”
