Job 9
1 Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
Then Iob answered, and sayd,
2 and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?
3 If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
If I would dispute with him, hee could not answere 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 bene fierce against him and hath prospered?
5 Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
He remoueth the mountaines, and they feele not when he ouerthroweth them in his wrath.
6 Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
Hee remooueth the earth out of her place, that the pillars thereof doe shake.
7 Which comaundith to the sunne, and it risith not; and he closith the sterris, as vndur a signet.
He commandeth the sunne, and it riseth not: hee closeth vp the starres, as vnder a signet.
8 Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
Hee himselfe alone spreadeth out the heauens, and walketh vpon the height of the sea.
9 Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the South.
10 Which makith grete thingis, and that moun not be souyt out, and wondurful thingis, of whiche is noon noumbre.
He doeth great things, and vnsearcheable: yea, marueilous things without nomber.
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, when he goeth by me, I see him not: and when he passeth by, I perceiue him not.
12 If he axith sodeynli, who schal answere to hym? ethir who may seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?
Behold, when he taketh a pray, who can make him to restore it? who shall say vnto 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 will not withdrawe his anger, and the most mightie helpes doe stoupe vnder him.
14 Hou greet am Y, that Y answere to hym, and speke bi my wordis with hym?
Howe much lesse shall I answere him? or howe should I finde out my words with him?
15 Which also schal not answere, thouy Y haue ony thing iust; but Y schal biseche my iuge.
For though I were iust, yet could I not answere, but I would make supplication to my Iudge.
16 And whanne he hath herd me inwardli clepynge, Y bileue not, that he hath herd my vois.
If I cry, and he answere me, yet woulde I not beleeue, that he heard my voyce.
17 For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
For he destroyeth mee with a tempest, and woundeth me without cause.
18 He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
He wil not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitternesse.
19 If strengthe is souyt, `he is moost strong; if equyte of doom is souyt, no man dar yelde witnessynge for me.
If we speake of strength, behold, he is strog: if we speake of iudgement, who shall bring me in to pleade?
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 woulde iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne mee: if I would be perfite, he shall iudge me wicked.
21 Yhe, thouy Y am symple, my soule schal not knowe this same thing; and it schal anoye me of my lijf.
Though I were perfite, yet I knowe not my soule: therefore abhorre I my life.
22 O thing is, which Y spak, he schal waste `bi deth also the innocent and wickid man.
This is one point: therefore I said, Hee destroyeth the perfite and the wicked.
23 If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
If the scourge should suddenly slay, should God 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?
The earth is giuen into the hand of ye wicked: he couereth the faces of the iudges therof: if not, where is he? or who is he?
25 Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
My dayes haue bene more swift then a post: they haue fled, and haue seene no good thing.
26 Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
They are passed as with the most swift ships, and as the eagle that flyeth to the pray.
27 Whanne Y seie, Y schal not speke so; Y chaunge my face, and Y am turmentid with sorewe.
If I say, I wil forget my complaynt, I will cease from my wrath, and comfort mee,
28 Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
Then I am afrayd of all my sorowes, knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocent.
29 Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
If I be wicked, why labour I thus in vaine?
30 Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
If I wash my selfe with snowe water, and purge mine hands most cleane,
31 netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
Yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit, and mine owne clothes shall make me filthie.
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 shoulde answere him, if we come together to iudgement.
33 `Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
Neyther is there any vmpire that might lay his hand vpon vs 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 feare astonish me:
35 Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
Then will I speake, and feare him not: but because I am not so, I holde me still.
