Job · Chapter 11

[ edit] Anſwerende forſoþe Sofar Naamatiþes ſeide, Wheþer he, þat manye þingus ſpekiþ, wheþer and he ſhal heren? or a man ful of woordis ſhal be iuſtefied? To þee alone men ſhul holde þer pes? and whan oþer men þou ſcorneſt, of no man þou ſhalt be confoundid? Þou forſoþe ſeidiſt, Pure is my woord, and clene I am in þi ſiȝte. And wolde God, God ſhulde ſpeke wiþ þee, and openen his lippis to þee; þat he ſhulde ſhewe to þee þe priuytes of wiſdam, and þat manyfold is his lawe, and þou ſhuldeſt vnderſtonde, þat manye laſſe þingus þou art aſkid of hym, þan deſerueþ þi wickidneſſe. Perauenture þe ſteppis of God þou ſhalt holde, and vnto perfit þe Almyȝti þou ſhalt finde.

Heiȝere þan heuene he is, and what ſhalt þou do? deppere þan helle, and whennys ſhalt þou knowen? Lengere þan þe erþe þe meſure of hym, and braddere þan þe ſe. If he turne vpſo doun alle þingus, or in to oon drawe togidere, who ſhal aȝenſein to hym? Or who ſhal moun ſey to hym, Whi doſt þou ſo? He forſoþe knewȝ þe vanyte of men; and ſeande wickidneſſe wheþer he beholde not? A veyn man in to pride is rerid; and as a colt of an aſſe, he weeneþ hymſelf born free. Þou forſoþe haſt faſtned þin herte, and haſt ſprad out to hym þin hondis.

If þe wickidneſſe, þat is in þin hond, þou takeſt awei fro þee, and vnriȝtwiſneſſe abideþ not ſtille in þi tabernacle, þanne þou ſhalt moun rere þi face wiþ oute wem, and þou ſhalt be ſtable, and not dreden. Of wreccheneſſe alſo þou ſhalt forȝete, and, as of watris þat paſſeden, þou ſhalt not recorde. And as myddai liȝting it ſhal riſe to þee at euen; and whan þee waſtid þou weneſt, þou ſhalt ſpringe as þe dai ſterre. And þou ſhalt han troſt, purpoſid to þee hope; and doun dolue, ſiker þou ſhalt ſlepe. Þou ſhalt reſte, and þer ſhal not be þat fere þee; and manye ſhul preȝe þi face.

Þe eȝen forſoþe of vnpitous men ſhul faile; and out fliȝt ſhal perſhe fro hem, and þe hope of hem abhomynacioun of ſoule.