Job 7
1 Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.
The life of a man on the earth is a battle, and his days are like the days of a hired hand.
2 As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;
Just as a servant desires the shade, and just as the hired hand looks forward to the end of his work,
3 so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.
so also have I had empty months and have counted my burdensome nights.
4 If Y schal slepe, Y schal seie, Whanne schal Y rise? and eft Y schal abide the euentid, and Y schal be fillid with sorewis `til to derknessis.
If I lie down to sleep, I will say, “When will I rise?” And next I will hope for the evening and will be filled with sorrows even until darkness.
5 Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere.
My flesh is clothed with particles of rottenness and filth; my skin is dried up and tightened.
6 My daies passiden swiftliere thanne a web is kit doun `of a webstere; and tho daies ben wastid with outen ony hope.
My days have passed by more quickly than threads are cut by a weaver, and they have been consumed without any hope.
7 God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis.
Remember that my life is wind, and my eye will not return to see good things.
8 Nethir the siyt of man schal biholde me; but thin iyen ben in me, and Y schal not `be in deedli lijf.
Neither will the sight of man gaze upon me; your eyes are upon me, and I will not endure.
Just as a cloud is consumed and passes away, so he who descends to hell will not ascend. (Sheol h7585)
10 nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.
He will not return again to his house, nor will his own place know him any longer.
11 Wherfor and Y schal not spare my mouth; Y schal speke in the tribulacioun of my spirit, Y schal talke togidere with the bitternesse of my soule.
And because of this, I will not restrain my mouth. I will speak in the affliction of my spirit. I will converse from the bitterness of my soul.
12 Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun?
Am I an ocean or a whale, that you have encircled me in a prison?
13 If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed;
If I say, “My bed will comfort me, and I will find rest, speaking with myself on my blanket,”
14 thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.
then you will frighten me with dreams, and strike dread through visions,
15 Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.
so that, because of these things, my soul would choose hanging, and my bones, death.
16 `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.
I despair; by no means will I live any longer. Spare me, for my days are nothing.
17 What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?
What is man, that you should praise him? Or why do you place your heart near him?
18 Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.
You visit him at dawn, and you test him unexpectedly.
19 Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?
How long will you not spare me, nor release me to ingest my saliva?
20 Y haue synned; A! thou kepere of men, what schal Y do to thee? Whi hast thou set me contrarie to thee, and Y am maad greuouse to my silf?
I have sinned; what should I do for you, O keeper of men? Why have you set me against you, so that I have become burdensome even to myself?
21 Whi doist thou not awei my sinne, and whi takist thou not awei my wickidnesse? Lo! now Y schal slepe in dust, and if thou sekist me eerli, Y schal not abide.
Why do you not steal away my sin, and why do you not sweep away my iniquity? Behold, now I will sleep in the dust, and if you seek me in the morning, I will not remain.
