Job · Chapter 21

[ edit] Anſwerende forſoþe Job ſeide, Hereþ, I beſeche, my woordis, and doþ penaunce. Suffreþ me, and I ſhal ſpeke; and after my woordus, if it ſhul be ſeen, laȝheþ. Wheþir aȝen man is my diſputeſoun, þat þurȝ deſert I owe not to be maad ſory? Takeþ heede to me, and becomeþ doumbe; and puttiþ vpon þe finger to ȝoure mouþ. And whan I ſhal recorde, drede and trembling ſhal ſmyte togidere my fleſh. Whi þanne vnpitous men liuen, and ben rered vp, and coumfortid wiþ richeſſis? Þe ſed of hem abit ſtille beforn hem; and þe cumpanye of neeȝh men, and of coſynes in þe ſiȝte of hem. Þe houſis of hem ben ſikere, and peſible; and þe ȝerde of God is not vp on hem.

Þe oxe of hem conceyuede, and bar not abortif; þe kow bar, and is not priued þe frut. Þe litle childer of hem gon out as flockis; and þe fauntis of hem gladen out wiþ pleies. Þey holden þe timbre, and þe harpe; and ioȝen at þe ſoun of þe orgne. Þei leden in goodis þer daȝis; and in a point to hellis þei go doun. Þe whiche ſeiden to God, Go awei fro vs; þe kunnyng of þi weies wee wiln not. Who is þe Almyȝti, þat wee ſerue to hym? and what profiteþ to vs, if wee preȝen hym? Nerþelater for þer goodis ben not in þe hond of hem, þe counſeil of vnpitous men be aferr fro me.

Hou ofte ſiþes þe lanterne of vnpitouſe men ſhal be quenchid, and flowing ouercam to þem, and deuidede þe ſorewis of his wodneſſe? Þei ſhul ben as chaf befor þe face of wind; and as a ſparke, þat þe cole ſcatereþ. God ſhal kepe to þe ſones of hym þe ſorewe of þe fader; and whan he ſhal ȝelde, þanne he ſhal knowen. His eȝen ſhul ſeen his ſlaȝter; and of þe wodneſſe of þe Almyȝti he ſhal drinke. What forſoþe to hym perteneþ of his hous aftir hym, and if þe noumbre of his moneþis ſhal come to þe half? Wheþir any man ſhal teche God kunnyng, þat demeþ heȝe men? Þis dieþ ſtronge and hol, riche and welſun. His bowelis ben ful of talȝ; and þe bones of hym ben moiſtid wiþ marȝ.

Anoþer forſoþe dieþ in þe bitterneſſe of his ſoule, wiþoute any richeſſis. And nerþelater togidere in pouder þei ſhul ſlepe, and wermes ſhul couere þem. Certis I haue knowe ȝoure þoȝtis, and ȝoure wicke ſentencis aȝen me. Ȝee ſeyn forſoþe, Wher is þe hous of þe prince? and where þe tabernaclis of vnpitous men? Aſkeþ any man of þe weie goeris; and þeſe ſame þingis ȝee ſhul knowe hym to vnderſtonde. For þe euele man ſhal be kept in to þe dai of perdicioun, and to þe dai of wodneſſe he ſhal be broȝt. Who ſhal vndernyme beforn hym his weyes? and what he dide, who ſhal ȝelde to hym? He ſhal be broȝt to þe ſepulcris; and in þe hipil of deade men ſhal wake.

He was ſweete to þe greet of helle flod; and after hym alle men he droȝ, and beforn hym vnnoumbrable. Hou þanne coumforte ȝee me in vein, whan ȝoure anſweris ben ſhewid to repugne to þe treuþe?