Job 9
1 Joob answeride, and seide, Verili Y woot, that it is so,
Then Job answered and said,
2 and that a man comparisound to God schal not be maad iust.
I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3 If he wole stryue with God, he may not answere to God oon for a thousynde.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one 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 has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?
5 Which bar hillis fro o place to anothir, and thei wisten not; whiche he distriede in his strong veniaunce.
Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger.
6 Which stirith the erthe fro his place, and the pilers therof schulen `be schakun togidere.
Which shakes the earth out of her 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.
Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.
8 Which aloone stretchith forth heuenes, and goith on the wawis of the see.
Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea.
9 Which makith Ariture, and Orionas, and Hiadas, `that is, seuene sterris, and the innere thingis of the south.
Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and 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.
Which does great things past finding out; yes, 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.
See, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but 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 takes away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What do you?
13 `God is he, whos wraththe no man may withstonde; and vndur whom thei ben bowid, that beren the world.
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do 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, and choose out my words to reason 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, but 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; yet would I not believe that he had listened to my voice.
17 For in a whirlewynd he schal al to-breke me, and he schal multiplie my woundis, yhe, without cause.
For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He grauntith not, that my spirit haue reste, and he fillith me with bittirnesses.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but 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 I speak of strength, see, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
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 justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also 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.
Though I were 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.
This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.
If the whip slay suddenly, he will laugh 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 into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
25 Mi daies weren swiftere than a corour; thei fledden, and sien not good.
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 Thei passiden as schippis berynge applis, as an egle fleynge to mete.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastens to 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 heaviness, and comfort myself:
28 Y drede alle my werkis, witynge that thou `woldist not spare the trespassour.
I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 Sotheli if Y am also thus wickid, whi haue Y trauelid in veyn?
If I be wicked, why then labor I in vain?
30 Thouy Y am waischun as with watris of snow, and thouy myn hondis schynen as moost cleene,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 netheles thou schalt dippe me in filthis, and my clothis, `that is, werkis, schulen holde me abhomynable.
Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and my own clothes shall 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, and we should come together in judgment.
33 `Noon is, that may repreue euer eithir, and sette his hond in bothe.
Neither is there any judge between us, that might lay his hand on 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 fear terrify me:
35 Y schal speke, and Y schal not drede hym; for Y may not answere dredynge.
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
