Job · Chapter 9

[ edit] Anſwerende Job ſeiþ, Verreli I wot, þat ſo it is, and þat a man compariſoun to God ſhal not be iuſtified. If he wile ſtriue wiþ hym, he ſhal not moun anſwere to hym oon for a þouſend. Wis in herte he is, and ſtrong in ſtrengþe; who wiþſtod to hym, and pes hadde? Þat tranſlatide hillis, and þeſe wiſten not; whom he turnede vpſo doun in his wodneſſe. Þat ſtiriþ þe erþe fro his place, and his pileris ſhul be ſmyte togidere. Þat comaundiþ to þe ſunne, and ſpringeþ not; and cloſeþ þe ſterris, as vnder a ſel. Þe whiche alone ſtreccheþ out heuenes, and goþ vp on þe flodis of þe ſe. Þat makeþ þe ſterris, þat is clepid Arþurus, and Orionas, and Iadas, and þe innermor of þe ſouþ.

Þat makeþ grete þingus and vnſerchable, and merueilouſe þingus, of whiche is no noumbre. If he come to me, I ſhal not ſeen hym; if he go awei, I ſhal not vnderſtonde. If feerli he aſke, who ſhal anſwere to hym? or who may ſein to hym, Whi doſt þou þus? God, to whos wraþe no man mai wiþſtonde; vnder whom ben bowid, þat bern þe world. Hou myche am I, þat I anſwere to hym, and ſpeke in my woordus wiþ hym? Þe whiche alſo, if I ſhul han any þing riȝt, ſhal not anſwern; but my domys man I ſhal preȝen. And whan he hereþ me inwardli clepende, I leue not, þat he ſhal here my vois. In a whirlewind forſoþe he ſhal to-broſe me, and multiplien my woundis alſo wiþoute cauſe.

He graunteþ not my ſpirit to reſten, and he fulfilliþ me wiþ bitterneſſis. If ſtrengþe is ſoȝt, he is moſt ſtrong; if eueneneſſe of dom, no man ſhal ben hardi for me to ȝelde witneſſe. If I wile iuſtefie me, my mouþ ſhal condempne me; if innocent I ſhal ſhewe me, a ſhrewe he ſhal proue me. Alſo iff ſymple I ſhul be, þat ſame my ſoule ſhal vnknowe; and it ſhal noȝe me of my lif. O þing is, þat I ſpac, alſo þe innocent and þe vnpitous he ſhal waſte. If he ſcourgeþ, ſle he onys, and not of þe peynes of innocentis laȝhe. Þe erþe is ȝiue in to þe hondis of þe vnpitous; his dom couereþ þe chere; þat if he is not, who þanne is? My daȝis ſwiftere weren þan a corour; þei floun, and þei ſeȝen no good.

Þei paſſeden as ſhipis berende appelis, as an egle fleende to mete. Whan I ſhal ſei, Nai, þus I ſhal ſpeke; I chaunge my face, and wiþ ſorewe I am tormentid. I ſhamede alle my werkis, witende þat þou ſhuldiſt not ſpare to þe giltende. If forſoþe and ſo I am vnpitous, whi in vein haue I trauailid? If I ſhul be waſſhe as wiþ watris of ſnowȝ, and myn hondis as moſt clene ſhyneden, nerþelatere wiþ filþis þou ſhalt weete me, and my cloþis ſhul wlaten me. Ne forſoþe to þe man þat is lic me, I ſhal anſwern; ne þat wiþ me in dom euenli mai ben herd. Þer is not, þat eiþer mai vndernyme, and putten his hond in boþe. Do he awei fro me his ȝerde, and his inward drede fere me not.

I ſhal ſpeke, and I ſhal not dreden hym; ne forſoþe I mai dredende anſwern.