Job 7
1 Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.
Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;
As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
3 so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.
So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
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, I say, When shall I rise up, and the darkness be gone? and I am full of tossings until the dawn.
5 Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere.
My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
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 are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis.
Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.
8 Nethir the siyt of man schal biholde me; but thin iyen ben in me, and Y schal not `be in deedli lijf.
The eye of him that hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
10 nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
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.
Therefore I will not restrain my mouth: I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun?
Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed;
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
14 thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.
Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
15 Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.
So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
16 `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.
I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are a breath.
17 What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?
What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
18 Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.
And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
19 Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?
How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
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?
Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden 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.
And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.
