Job 9
1 Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
And Job, responding, said:
2 and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God.
3 If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times.
4 He is wiys in herte, and strong in myyt; who ayenstood hym, and hadde pees?
He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace?
5 Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it.
6 Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble.
7 Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.
He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal.
8 Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea.
9 Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south.
10 Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.
He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered.
11 If he cometh to me, `that is, bi his grace, Y schal not se hym; if he goith awey, `that is, in withdrawynge his grace, Y schal not vndurstonde.
If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand.
12 If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?
If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, “Why did you do so?”
13 `God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.
God, whose wrath no one is able to resist, and under whom they bend who carry the world,
14 Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?
what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him?
15 Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.
And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge.
16 And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.
And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice.
17 For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
For he will crush me in a whirlwind and multiply my wounds, even without cause.
18 He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
He does not permit my spirit to rest, and he fills me with bitterness.
19 If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.
If strength is sought, he is most strong; if equity in judgment, no one would dare to give testimony for me.
20 If Y wole make me iust, my mouth schal dampne me; if Y schal schewe me innocent, he schal preue me a schrewe.
If I wanted to justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would reveal my innocence, he would prove me depraved.
21 Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
And if I now became simple, my soul would be ignorant even of this, and my life would weary me.
22 O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.
There is one thing that I have said: both the innocent and the impious he consumes.
23 If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
If he scourges, let him kill all at once, and not laugh at the punishment of the innocent.
24 The erthe is youun in to the hondis of the wickid; he hilith the face of iugis; that if he is not, who therfor is?
Since the earth has been given into the hand of the impious, he covers the face of its judges; for if it is not him, then who is it?
25 Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
My days have been swifter than a messenger; they have fled and have not seen goodness.
26 Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
They have passed by like ships carrying fruits, just like an eagle flying to food.
27 Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.
If I say: “By no means will I speak this way.” I change my face and I am tortured with sorrow.
28 Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
I have dreaded all my works, knowing that you did not spare the offender.
29 Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
Yet, if I am also just as impious, why have I labored in vain?
30 Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
If I had been washed with snow-like waters, and my hands were shining like the cleanest thing,
31 netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
yet you would plunge me in filth, and my own garments would abhor me.
32 Trewli Y schal not answere a man, which is lijk me; nether that may be herd euenli with me in doom.
For even I would not answer a man who were like myself, nor one who could be heard with me equally in judgment.
33 `Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
There is no one who could both prevail in argument and in placing his hand between the two.
34 Do he awei his yerde fro me, and his drede make not me aferd.
Let him take his staff away from me, and let not the fear of him terrify me.
35 Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
I will speak and I will not fear him, for in fearfulness I am not able to respond.
