Job · Chapter 14

[ edit] A man born of a womman, ſhort time liuende, is fulfild wiþ many wrecchidneſſis. Þat as a flour goþ out, and is totreden; and fleþ as ſhadewe, and neuere in þe ſame ſtate abit ſtille. And wrþi þou bringiſt vpon ſuch a man to opene þin eȝen; and to bringe hym wiþ þee in to dom? Who mai make clene þe conceyued of vnclene ſed? Wheþer not þou, þat art alone? Shorte ben þe daȝis of man, þe noumbre of his moneþis is anent þee; þou haſt ordeyned his termes, þat ſhul not moun be paſſid ouer. Go awei þanne a litil fro hym, þat he reſte; to þe time þat þe deſirid dai come, and as of an hirid man þe dai of hym. A tree haþ hope, if it be kut of; eft it waxeþ grene, and his braunchis ſpringen.

If his roote waxe old in þe erþe, and in pouder were out dead; his ſtoc at þe ſmel of water ſhal burioune, and ſhal make an hep of leues, as whan firſt it is plauntid. A man forſoþe whan he ſhal be dead, and nakid, and waſtid; wher, I beſeche, is he? What maner if watris gon awei fro þe ſe, and flod voided waxe drie, ſo a man, whan he ſlepeþ, ſhal not riſe, to þe time þat he be totreden; heuene ſhal not wake out, ne he ſhal riſe fro his ſlep. Who ȝeue to me þat, þat in helle þou defende me, and hide me, to þe time þi wodneſſe ouerpaſſe; and ſette to me a time, in whiche þou recorde of me? Wheþer weeneſt þou not a dead man eft liue?

Alle þe daȝis, in whiche now I fiȝte, I abide, to þe time myn inward chaunging come. Þou ſhalt clepe me, and I ſhal anſwere to þee; to þe werc of þin hondis þou ſhalt putte forþ þe riȝt hond. Þou forſoþe haſt noumbrid my goingis; but ſpare to my ſynnes. Þou haſt ſelid as in a litil ſac my giltis, but þou haſt kurid my wickidneſſe. A fallende hil flowiþ doun, and a ſton is born ouer fro his place. Watris þerlen out ſtones, and of ſmyting of watris þe erþe litle mele is waſtid; þanne men lic maner þou ſhalt leeſe. Þou haſt ſtrengþid hym a litil, þat in to euermor he ſhulde paſſe; þou ſhalt inchaungen his face, and þou ſhalt ſenden hym out.

If forſoþe noble ſhul ben his ſonys, or vnnoble, he ſhal not vnderſtonde. Nerþelatere his fleſh whil it liueþ, ſhal ſorewen, and his ſoule vp on himſelf ſhal weilen.