Job 9
1 Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
And Job answered and said,
2 and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with God?
3 If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 He is wiys in herte, and strong in myyt; who ayenstood hym, and hadde pees?
He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.
Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
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.
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?
Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 `God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.
God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?
How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.
Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.
If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, —
17 For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
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 justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.
It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial 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?
The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes 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 he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 `Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Do he awei his yerde fro me, and his drede make not me aferd.
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
[Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
