Job · Chapter 10

[ edit] It noȝeþ me of my lif; I ſhal leten aȝen me my ſpeche, I ſhal ſpeke in bitterneſſe to my ſoule. I ſhal ſei to God, Wile þou not me condempne; ſhew to me, whi me ſo þou demeſt. Wheþer good to þee it ſemeþ, if þou chalenge and opreſſe me, þe werk of þin hondis; and þe counſeil of vnpitous men þou helpe? Wheþer fleſhly eȝen ben to þee, or as ſeeþ a man, and þou ſhalt ſeen? Wheþer as þe daȝis of man, þi daȝes, and þi ȝeris ben as mannys tymes; þat þou ſeche my wickidneſſe, and my ſynne þou ſerche? And wite þou, for no þing vnpitous I dide; ſiþen þer is no man, þat of þin hond mai deliuere? Þin hondis maden me, and formeden me al in enuyroun; and ſo feerli þou puttiſt me doun.

Haue mynde, I beſeche, þat as clei þou madiſt me, and in to pouder þou ſhalt aȝeen bringe me. Wheþer not as mylc þou haſt mylkid me, and as cheſe þou haſt crudded me? Wiþ fel and fleſh þou haſt clad me; wiþ bones and ſenewis þou haſt togidere ioyned me. Lif and mercy þou haſt ȝiue to me, and þi viſiting kepte my ſpirit. Al be it þat þeſe þingus þou hidiſt in þin herte, nerþelatere I wot, for of alle þingus þou haſt mynde. If I ſynnede, and at an houre þou ſparedeſt to me; whi fro my wickidneſſe þou ſuffriſt not me to be clene? And if a wickid man I ſhal be, wo is to me; and if riȝtwis, I ſhal not reren vp þe hed, fulfild wiþ affliccioun and wrecchidneſſe.

And for pride as a leouneſſe þou ſhalt take me; and turned aȝeen, merueilouſly þou tormentiſt me. Þou reſtoriſt þi witneſſis aȝen me, and þou multiplieſt þi wraþe aȝen me; and peynes fiȝten in me. Whi of þe wombe þou broȝtiſt me out? Þat wolde God I hadde be waſtid, þat eȝe ſhulde not ſeen me. I hadde ben as I were not, fro þe wombe tranſlatid to þe toumbe. Wheþer not þe feweneſſe of my daȝis ſhal ben endid in ſhort? Let me þanne, þat I weile a litil while my ſorewe, er I go, and turne not aȝeen, to þe derke erþe, and couered wiþ þe dercneſſe of deþ þe erþe of wrecchidneſſe and of dercneſſis; wher ſhadewe of deþ, and noon order, but fulli indwelliþ euere durende orrour.