Job 6
1 Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
Then Job spoke again, saying [to Eliphaz],
2 Y wolde, that my synnes, bi whiche Y `desseruede ire, and the wretchidnesse which Y suffre, weren peisid in a balaunce.
“If all my troubles and misery could be put on a scale and weighed,
3 As the grauel of the see, this wretchidnesse schulde appere greuousere; wherfor and my wordis ben ful of sorewe.
they would be heavier than all the sands [on the shores] of the oceans. That is why I spoke (very rashly/without thinking clearly) [about the day that I was born].
4 For the arowis of the Lord ben in me, the indignacioun of whiche drynkith vp my spirit; and the dredis of the Lord fiyten ayens me.
[It is as though] Almighty [God] has shot me with arrows. [It is as though] those arrows had poison on their tips, and that poison has gone into my spirit. The things that God has done to me have terrified me.
5 Whether a feeld asse schal rore, whanne he hath gras? Ethir whether an oxe schal lowe, whanne he stondith byfor a `ful cratche?
Just like a wild donkey does not [complain by] braying when it has plenty of grass to eat, and an ox does not [complain by] bellowing when it has food to eat [MET], [I would not complain if you were really helping/comforting me].
6 Ether whethir a thing vnsauery may be etun, which is not maad sauery bi salt? Ether whether ony man may taaste a thing, which tastid bryngith deeth?
People complain [RHQ] when they must eat food which has no salt or other tasteless food [MET], [and that is what your words are like, Eliphaz].
7 For whi to an hungri soule, yhe, bittir thingis semen to be swete; tho thingis whiche my soule nolde touche bifore, ben now my meetis for angwisch.
Just like I do not want to eat food [like that], and I loathe/detests that kind of food [MET], [I do not appreciate what you have said to me].
8 Who yyueth, that myn axyng come; and that God yyue to me that, that Y abide?
“I wish that God would do for me what I have requested from him [DOU].
9 And he that bigan, al to-breke me; releesse he his hond, and kitte me doun?
I wish that he would crush me [and let me die]. I wish that he would reach out his hand and take away my life.
10 And `this be coumfort to me, that he turmente me with sorewe, and spare not, and that Y ayenseie not the wordis of the hooli.
If he would do that, I would be comforted by knowing that in spite of the great pain that I have suffered, I have always obeyed what [God, ] the Holy One, has commanded.
11 For whi, what is my strengthe, that Y suffre? ethir which is myn ende, that Y do pacientli?
But now I do not have [RHQ] enough strength to endure all these things. And since I have nothing [to hope for] in (the future/this life), it is difficult for me to be patient now [RHQ].
12 Nethir my strengthe is the strengthe of stoonus, nether my fleisch is of bras.
I am not [RHQ] strong like rocks are, and my body is not made of bronze.
13 Lo! noon help is to me in me; also my meyneal frendis `yeden awey fro me.
So I am not able to help myself, and [it seems that] there is no one to rescue me.”
14 He that takith awei merci fro his frend, forsakith the drede of the Lord.
“When a man has many troubles, his friends should be kind to him, even if he stops revering Almighty [God].
15 My britheren passiden me, as a stronde doith, that passith ruschyngli in grete valeis.
But [you, ] my friends, are not dependable. You are like streams: They spill over their banks [in the spring]
16 Snow schal come on hem, that dreden frost.
when [the melting] ice and snow make those streams overflow,
17 In the tyme wherynne thei ben scaterid, thei schulen perische; and as thei ben hoote, thei schulen be vnknyt fro her place.
but when the dry season comes, there is no water flowing [in those streams], and the channels dry up.
18 The pathis of her steppis ben wlappid; thei schulen go in veyn, and schulen perische.
[The caravans of merchants] turn off the path [to search for some water], but there is no water, so they die [in the desert].
19 Biholde ye the pathis of Theman, and the weies of Saba; and abide ye a litil.
The men in those caravans search [for some water] because they are sure that they will find some.
20 Thei ben schent, for Y hopide; and thei camen `til to me, and thei ben hilid with schame.
But they do not find any, so they are very disappointed.
21 Now ye ben comun, and now ye seen my wounde, and dreden.
Similarly, you friends have not helped me at all! You have seen that terrible things have happened to me, and you are afraid [that God might do similar things to you].
22 Whether Y seide, Brynge ye to me, and yiue ye of youre catel to me? ethir,
[After I lost all my wealth, ] did I ask any of you for money? [RHQ] Did I plead with any of you to spend some of your money to help me [RHQ]?
23 Delyuere ye me fro the hond of enemy, and rauysche ye me fro the hond of stronge men?
Have I asked any of you to rescue me from my enemies [RHQ]? Have I asked you to save me from those who (oppressed me/treated me badly) [RHQ]? [No!]”
24 Teche ye me, and Y schal be stille; and if in hap Y vnknew ony thing, teche ye me.
“Answer me [now, and then] I will be quiet; tell me what wrong things I have done!
25 Whi han ye depraued the wordis of trewthe? sithen noon is of you, that may repreue me.
When people speak what is true, that will not hurt the person who hears it, but what you say, criticizing me, [is not true, so your saying it] proves nothing [RHQ]!
26 Ye maken redi spechis oneli for to blame, and ye bryngen forth wordis in to wynde.
I am a man who has nothing to hope for, but you try to correct me, and you think what I say is nothing but wind [RHQ]!
27 Ye fallen in on a fadirles child, and enforsen to peruerte youre frend.
You do not sympathize with me at all [for all that I am suffering]. [You are heartless!] You would even gamble to see who gets an orphan [as a prize]!
28 Netheles fille ye that, that ye han bigunne; yyue ye the eere, and se ye, whether Y lie.
Please look at me! I will not [RHQ] lie to you.
29 Y biseche, answere ye with out strijf, and speke ye, and deme ye that, that is iust.
Stop [saying that I have sinned, and] stop criticizing me unjustly! You should realize that I have not done things that are wrong.
30 And ye schulen not fynde wickidnesse in my tunge, nethir foli schal sowne in my chekis.
Do you think that I am lying? No, I am not lying, because I know what is right and what is wrong [RHQ].”
