Job 7
1 Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.
Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth? and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hyreling?
2 As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;
As a seruant longeth for the shadowe, and as an hyreling looketh for the ende of his worke,
3 so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.
So haue I had as an inheritance the moneths of vanitie, and painefull nights haue bene appointed vnto 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 layed me downe, I sayde, When shall I arise? and measuring the euening I am euen full with tossing to and from vnto the dawning of the day.
5 Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere.
My flesh is clothed with wormes and filthinesse of the dust: my skinne is rent, and become horrible.
6 My daies passiden swiftliere thanne a web is kit doun `of a webstere; and tho daies ben wastid with outen ony hope.
My dayes are swifter then a weauers shittle, and they 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 that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall not returne to see pleasure.
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 that hath seene me, shall see me no more: thine eyes are vpon me, and I shall be no longer.
As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goeth downe to the graue, shall come vp no more. (Sheol h7585)
10 nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.
He shall returne no more to his house, neither shall his place knowe him any more.
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 spare my mouth, but will speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bitternesse of my minde.
12 Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun?
Am I a sea or a whalefish, that thou keepest me in warde?
13 If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed;
When I say, My couch shall relieue me, and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation,
14 thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.
Then fearest thou me with dreames, and astonishest me with visions.
15 Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.
Therefore my soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to die, then to be in my bones.
16 `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.
I abhorre it, I shall not liue alway: spare me then, for my dayes are but vanitie.
17 What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?
What is man, that thou doest magnifie him, and that thou settest thine heart vpon him?
18 Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.
And doest visite him euery morning, and tryest him euery moment?
19 Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?
Howe long will it be yer thou depart from me? thou wilt not let me alone whiles I may swallowe my spettle.
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 haue sinned, what shall I do vnto thee? O thou preseruer of me, why hast thou set me as a marke against thee, so that I am a burden vnto my selfe?
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 doest thou not pardon my trespasse? and take away mine iniquitie? for nowe shall I sleepe in the dust, and if thou seekest me in the morning, I shall not be found.
