Job 7
1 Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.
Does not man have hard labor on earth? Are not his days like the days of a hired man?
2 As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;
Like a slave earnestly desires the shadows of evening, like a hired man looks for his wages—
3 so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.
so I have been made to endure months of misery; I have been given trouble-filled 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.
When I lie down, I say to myself, 'When will I get up and when will the night be gone?' I am full of tossing to and fro until the day's dawning.
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; the sores in my skin harden up and then dissolve and run afresh.
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; they pass without hope.
7 God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis.
God, call to mind that my life is only a breath; my eye will 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 God, who sees me, will see me no more; God's eyes will be on me, but I will not exist.
As a cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more. (Sheol h7585)
10 nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.
He will return no more to his house; neither will 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 the sea or a sea monster that you place a guard 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 will comfort me, and my couch will ease my complaint,'
14 thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.
then you scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
15 Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.
so that I would choose strangling and death rather than preserving these bones of mine.
16 `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.
I loathe my life; I would not wish to always be alive; let me alone for my days are useless.
17 What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?
What is man that you should pay attention to him, that you should set your mind on him,
18 Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.
that you should observe him every morning and test him every moment?
19 Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?
How long will it be before you look away from me, before you let me alone long enough for me to swallow down my own 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?
Even if I have sinned, what would that do to you, you who watch men? Why have you made a target of me, so that I am a burden for you?
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 pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now will I lie down in the dust; you will seek me carefully, but I will not exist.”
