Job · Chapter 13

[ edit] Lo! alle þingus ſaȝ myn eȝe, and myn ere herde; and I vnderſtod alle þingus. Aftyr ȝoure kunnyng and I knewȝ, ne þe neþere of ȝou I am. But nerþelater to þe Almyȝty I ſhal ſpeke, and to diſpute wiþ God I coueite; raþere ſhewende ȝou forgeris of leſingus, and herieris of ſhreude techingis. And wolde God, ȝee heelde ȝoure pes, þat ȝee weren weened wiſe men to ben. Hereþ þanne my correcciouns; and to þe dom of my lippis takeþ heede to. Wheþer God nedeþ ȝoure leſing, þat for hym ȝee ſpeke treccheries? Wheþer his face ȝee taken, and for God ȝee enforcen to deme? Or it ſhal pleſe to hym, whom hide no þing mai? Or he ſhal be deſceiued, as a man, wiþ oure gilis?

He ȝou ſhal vndernyme; for in hydelis his face ȝee take. Anoon as he ſtereþ hymſelf, he ſhal diſturbe ȝou; and his drede ſhal falle vp on ȝou. Ȝoure mynde ſhal be compariſound to aſkis; and ȝoure nollis ſhul be broȝt aȝeen in to clei. Beþ ſtille a litil while, þat I ſpeke, what euere þing to me þe mynde moue to. Whi to-tere I my fleſh wiþ my teþ, and my ſoule I bere in myn hondis? Alſo if he ſle me, in hym I ſhal hope; nerþelatere my weies in his ſiȝte I ſhal vndernyme. And he ſhal be my ſauyoure; forſoþe þer ſhal not come in his ſiȝt eche ipocrite. Hereþ my woord, and þe derke ſpeches parceyneþ wiþ ȝoure eris. If I ſhul be demed, I wot þat riȝtwis I ſhal be founde.

Who is he þat be demed wiþ me? Come he; whi beende ſtille I am waſtid? Two þingus onli ne do þou to me; and þanne fro þi face I ſhal not ben hid. Þin hond fer do fro me; and þi ferd gaſte not me. Clep me, and I ſhal anſweren to þee; or certis I ſhal ſpeke, and þou anſwere to me. Hou fele haue I wickidneſſis and ſynnes? Myn hidous treſpaſis and giltis ſheu to me. Whi þi face þou hidiſt, and demeſt me þin enemy? Aȝen a lef, þat is raueſhid wiþ þe wind, þou ſhewiſt þi myȝt; and drie ſtobil þou purſueſt. Forſoþe þou writiſt aȝen me bitterneſſis; and waſte me þou wilt wiþ ſynnes of my waxende ȝouþe.

Þou haſt putte in þe ſtoc my foot, and þou haſt waitid alle my paþis; and þe ſteppis of my feet þou haſt beholde. Þe whiche as roteneſſe am to be waſtid, and as cloþing þat is eten of a mowȝhe.