Job · Chapter 1

[ edit] Ther was a man in þe lond of Hus, Job by name; and þat man was ſimple, and riȝt, and dredende God, and goende awei fro euel. And þer ben born to hym ſeue ſones, and þre douȝtris; and his poſſeſſioun was ſeuen þouſend of ſhep, and þre þouſend of camailis, alſo fiue hundrid ȝokis of oxen, and fiue hundryd aſſis, and ful myche meyne; and þat man was gret among alle þe men of þe eſt. And his ſones wenten, and maden feſtis bi houſis, eche in his day; and ſendende þei clepeden þer þre ſiſtris, þat þei ſhulden ete, and drinke win wiþ hem. And whan þe daȝes of þe feſte hadden paſſid aboute, Job ſente to þem, and haliwide þem, and riſende erli, offride brent ſacrifiſe bi alle.

Forſoþe he ſeide, Leſt perauenture my ſonys ſynnen, and bliſſe to God in þer hertis. So Job dide alle daȝis. On a dai forſoþe, whan þe ſones of God wer come, þat þei ſhulde ſtonde neeȝ before God, was neeȝ among hem and Saþan. To whom ſeide þe Lord, Whennus comeſt þou? Þe whiche anſwerende ſeiþ, I haue enuyround þe erþe, and þurȝ gon it. And þe Lord ſeide to hym, Wheþer haſt þou not beholde my ſeruaunt Job, þat þer be not lic to hym in þe erþe, a man ſimple, and riȝt, and dredende God, and goende awei fro euel. To whom anſwerde Saþan, Wheþer in vein Job drediþ God? Wheþer haſt þou not ſtrengþid hym, and his hous, and al his ſubſtaunce bi enuyroun?

To þe werkis of his hondis þou haſt bliſſid, and his poſſeſſioun wex in þe erþe. But ſtrecche out a litil þin hond, and touche alle þingus þat he weldeþ; but in þe face he bleſſe to þee. Þanne þe Lord ſeide to Saþan, Lo! alle þingus, þat he haþ, in þin hond ben; onli in hym ne ſtrecche þou out þin hond. And Saþan is gon out fro þe face of þe Lord. Whan forſoþe on a dai þe ſones and his doȝtris ſhulden ete, and drinke win in þe hous of þer firſte gote broþer, a meſſager cam to Job, þat ſhulde ſein, Oxen ereden, and ſhe aſſis weren fed beſide þem; and Sabeis feerly fellen to, and token alle þingis, and ſmyte þe childer wiþ ſwerd; and I alone ſcapide þat I ſhulde telle to þee.

And whan ȝit he ſpac, cam an oþer, and ſeide, Þe fyr of God cam doun fro heuene, and þe ſhep touchid, and þe childer waſtide; and I alone fleiȝ awei þat I telle to þee. But ȝit hym ſpekende, cam and an oþer, and ſeide, Caldeis maden þre cumpanyes, and aſailiden þe camailis, and token hem, alſo and þe childer þei ſmyten wiþ ſwerd; and I alone fleiȝ awei þat I telle to þee.

And ȝit he ſpac, and lo! an oþer cam inne, and ſeide, Þi ſones and doȝtris etende, and drinkende win in þe hous of þer firſte goten broþer, feerli an hidous wind fel in fro þe regioun of deſert, and ſmot togidere þe foure corneres of þe hous, þe whiche fallende opreſſide þi fre childer, and ben deade; and I alone fleiȝ awei þat I telle to þee. Þanne Job ros, and kutte his cloþis, and his hed ſhauen fel in to þe erþe, and honourede, and ſeide, Nakid I wente out fro þe wombe of my moder, and nakid I ſhal gon aȝeen þider; þe Lord ȝaf, þe Lord toc awei; as to þe Lord pleſide, ſo it is do; be þe name of þe Lord bliſſid.

In alle þes þingus Job ſynnede not wiþ his lippis, ne any foli þing aȝen God ſpac.