Job 21
1 Respondens autem Job, dixit:
Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide,
2 [Audite, quæso, sermones meos, et agite pœnitentiam.
Y preye, here ye my wordis, and do ye penaunce.
3 Sustinete me, et ego loquar: et post mea, si videbitur, verba, ridete.
Suffre ye me, that Y speke; and leiye ye aftir my wordis, if it schal seme worthi.
4 Numquid contra hominem disputatio mea est, ut merito non debeam contristari?
Whether my disputyng is ayens man, that skilfuli Y owe not to be sori?
5 Attendite me et obstupescite, et superponite digitum ori vestro.
Perseyue ye me, and be ye astonyed; and sette ye fyngur on youre mouth.
6 Et ego, quando recordatus fuero, pertimesco, et concutit carnem meam tremor.
And whanne Y bithenke, Y drede, and tremblyng schakith my fleisch.
7 Quare ergo impii vivunt, sublevati sunt, confortatique divitiis?
Whi therfor lyuen wickid men? Thei ben enhaunsid, and coumfortid with richessis.
8 Semen eorum permanet coram eis: propinquorum turba et nepotum in conspectu eorum.
Her seed dwellith bifor hem; the cumpeny of kynesmen, and of sones of sones dwellith in her siyt.
9 Domus eorum securæ sunt et pacatæ, et non est virga Dei super illos.
Her housis ben sikur, and pesible; and the yerde of God is not on hem.
10 Bos eorum concepit, et non abortivit: vacca peperit, et non est privata fœtu suo.
The cow of hem conseyuede, and caluede not a deed calf; the cow caluyde, and is not priued of hir calf.
11 Egrediuntur quasi greges parvuli eorum, et infantes eorum exultant lusibus.
Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies.
12 Tenent tympanum et citharam, et gaudent ad sonitum organi.
Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.
Thei leden in goodis her daies; and in a point thei goen doun to hellis. (Sheol h7585)
14 Qui dixerunt Deo: Recede a nobis, et scientiam viarum tuarum nolumus.
Whiche men seiden to God, Go thou awei fro us; we nylen the kunnyng of thi weies.
15 Quis est Omnipotens, ut serviamus ei? et quid nobis prodest si oraverimus illum?
Who is Almiyti God, that we serue him? and what profitith it to vs, if we preien him?
16 Verumtamen quia non sunt in manu eorum bona sua, consilium impiorum longe sit a me.
Netheles for her goodis ben not in her hond, `that is, power, the counsel of wickid men be fer fro me.
17 Quoties lucerna impiorum extinguetur, et superveniet eis inundatio, et dolores dividet furoris sui?
Hou ofte schal the lanterne of wickid men be quenchid, and flowing schal come on hem, and God schal departe the sorewis of his stronge veniaunce?
18 Erunt sicut paleæ ante faciem venti, et sicut favilla quam turbo dispergit.
Thei schulen be as chaffis bifor the face of the wynd; and as a deed sparcle, whiche the whirlewynd scaterith abrood.
19 Deus servabit filiis illius dolorem patris, et cum reddiderit, tunc sciet.
God schal kepe the sorewe of the fadir to hise sones; and whanne he hath yoldun, thanne he schal wite.
20 Videbunt oculi ejus interfectionem suam, et de furore Omnipotentis bibet.
Hise iyen schulen se her sleyng; and he schal drynke of the stronge veniaunce of Almyyti God.
21 Quid enim ad eum pertinet de domo sua post se, et si numerus mensium ejus dimidietur?
For whi what perteyneth it to hym of his hows aftir hym, thouy the noumbre of his monethis be half takun awey?
22 Numquid Deus docebit quispiam scientiam, qui excelsos judicat?
Whether ony man schal teche God kunnyng, which demeth hem that ben hiye?
23 Iste moritur robustus et sanus, dives et felix:
This yuel man dieth strong and hool, riche and blesful, `that is, myrie.
24 viscera ejus plena sunt adipe, et medullis ossa illius irrigantur:
Hise entrails ben ful of fatnesse; and hise boonys ben moistid with merowis.
25 alius vero moritur in amaritudine animæ absque ullis opibus:
Sotheli anothir wickid man dieth in the bittirnesse of his soule, and with outen ony richessis.
26 et tamen simul in pulvere dormient, et vermes operient eos.
And netheles thei schulen slepe togidere in dust, and wormes schulen hile hem.
27 Certe novi cogitationes vestras, et sententias contra me iniquas.
Certis Y knowe youre wickid thouytis, and sentensis ayens me.
28 Dicitis enim: Ubi est domus principis? et ubi tabernacula impiorum?
For ye seien, Where is the hows of the prince? and where ben the tabernaclis of wickid men?
29 Interrogate quemlibet de viatoribus, et hæc eadem illum intelligere cognoscetis:
Axe ye ech of `the weie goeris; and ye schulen knowe, that he vndurstondith these same thingis,
30 quia in diem perditionis servatur malus, et ad diem furoris ducetur.
that an yuel man schal be kept in to the dai of perdicioun, and schal be led to the dai of woodnesse.
31 Quis arguet coram eo viam ejus? et quæ fecit, quis reddet illi?
Who schal repreue hise weies bifor hym? and who schal yelde to hym tho thingis, whiche he hath doon?
32 Ipse ad sepulchra ducetur, et in congerie mortuorum vigilabit.
He schal be led to the sepulcris; and he schal wake in the heep of deed men.
33 Dulcis fuit glareis Cocyti, et post se omnem hominem trahet, et ante se innumerabiles.
He was swete to the `stoonys, ether filthis, of helle; and drawith ech man aftir hym, and vnnoumbrable men bifor him.
34 Quomodo igitur consolamini me frustra, cum responsio vestra repugnare ostensa sit veritati?]
Hou therfor coumforten ye me in veyn, sithen youre answeris ben schewid to `repugne to treuthe?
