Job · Chapter 16

[ edit] Anſwerende forſoþe Job ſeide, I haue herd ofte ſiþes ſuche þingus; alle ȝee ben heuye coumfortoures. Wheþir windi woordis ſhul not han ende? or any þing is greuous to þee, if þou ſpekiſt? And I myȝte lic þingis of ȝou ſpeken, and wolde God ȝoure lif were for my lif; and I ſhulde coumforte ȝou wiþ woordis, and moue myn hed vp on ȝou; I ſhulde ſtrengþe ȝou wiþ my mouþ, and moue þe lippis as ſparende to ȝou. But what ſhal I do? If I ſhal ſpeke, my ſorewe ſhal not reſte; and if I ſhul holde my pes, it ſhal not go fro me awei. Now forſoþe my ſorewe haþ opreſſid me, and alle my lymes ben turned in to noȝt.

My ryuelis ſeyn witneſſe aȝen me, and þe falſe ſeiere is rered vp aȝen my face, wiþſeiende to me. He gederede his wodneſſe in me, and þretende to me gnaſtide vp on me wiþ his teþ; myn enemy wiþ griſli eȝen me beheld. Þei openeden þer mouþis vp on me, and myſſeiende ſmyten my cheke; þei ben fulfild wiþ my peynes. God haþ cloſid me anent þe wicke, and to þe hondis of vnpitouſe toc me. And I he ſum time plenteuouſe, feerli am ſorewid; he haþ holde my nol; he haþ to-broſid me, and put me as in to a marke. He haþ enuyround me wiþ his ſperis, he woundede my leendis to gidere; he ſparide not, and he dalf out in to þe erþe my bowelis.

And he heewȝ me wiþ wounde vp on wounde; and he fel in to me as a ieaunt. I ſouwide a ſac vpon my ſkin; and I couerede my fleſh wiþ aſkis. My face to-ſwal for weping, and myn eȝe lidis daſwiden. Þeſe þingus I ſuffride wiþoute wickidneſſe of myn hond, whan I hadde to God clene preȝeeris. Erþe, ne couere þou my blod, ne my cry finde in þee place of lurking. Lo! forſoþe in heuene is my witneſſe; am I knowere of myſelf in heiȝtis? My woordi frendis, myn eȝe droppiþ to God. And wolde God, ſo a man ſhulde be demed wiþ God, hou þe ſone of man is demed wiþ his felawe. Lo! forſoþe ſhorte ȝeris paſſen, and þe ſty, bi þe whiche I ſhal not be turned aȝeen, I go.