Job · Chapter 22

[ edit] Anſwerende forſoþe Elifaþ Temanites ſeide, Wheþer to God mai a man ben compariſound, alſo whan he ſhal be of perfit kunnyng? What profitiþ to God, if þou ſhul be riȝtwis? or what to hym bringiſt þou, if þi lif were vndefoulid? Wheþer dredende he ſhal vndernyme þee, and come wiþ þee in to dom, and not for þi myche malice, and þi wickidneſſis vnendid? Forſoþe þou haſt take awei þe wed of þi breþern wiþ oute cauſe; and nakid men þou haſt ſpoilid fro cloþis. Water to þe weri þou ȝeue not; and to þe hungri þou wiþdrowe bred. In þe ſtrengþe of þin arm þou weldedeſt þe erþe; and moſt myȝti þou heelde it. Widewis þou laftiſt voide; and þe brawnes of moderles childer þou to-broſidiſt.

Þerfore þou art enuyround wiþ granes; and feerli drede diſturbide þee. Þou wendeſt þee not to ſeen dercneſſis; and þurȝ bire of rennynge watris not to ben opreſſid. Wheþer þenkeſt þou, þat God be heȝere þan heuene, and ouer þe cop of ſterres he be heȝed? And þou ſeiſt, What forſoþe þe Lord knewȝ? and, As bi dercneſſe he demeþ? A cloude his hidelis, ne oure þingus he beholdeþ, and aboute þe vttermoſtis of heuene he goþ. Wheþer þe ſti of worldis þou coueitiſt to kepe, þe whiche wicke men treden? Þe whiche ben rerid befor þer time, and flod turnede vp ſo doun þe foundement of hem.

Þe whiche ſeiden to God, Go awei fro vs; and as þe Almyȝti miȝte do no þing, þei eymeden hym, whan he hadde fulfild þer houſis wiþ goodis; whos ſentence ferr be fro me. Riȝtwis men ſhul ſeen, and be glad; and þe innocent ſhal ſcorne þem. Wheþer is nott hewe doun þe rering vp of hem, and fyr ſhall deuoure þer relikis? Aſſente þanne to hym, and haue pes; and bi þeſe þingus þou ſhalt han beſt frutis. Tac of his mouþ þe lawe, and put his woordis in þin herte. If þou ſhul be turned aȝeen to þe Almyȝti, þou ſhalt be bild vp; and aferr þou ſhalt make þe wickidneſſe fro þi tabernacle. He ſhal ȝiue for þe erþe flint, and for þe flint goldene ſtremes.

And þe Almyȝti ſhal ben aȝen þin enemys; and ſeluer ſhal ben hepid to þee. Þanne vp on þe Almyȝti delicis þou ſhalt flowen; and þou ſhalt reren vp to God þi face. Þou ſhalt preȝen hym, and he ſhal here þee; and þi vouwis þou ſhalt ȝelde. Þou ſhalt beholden a þing, and it ſhal come to þee; and in þi weies liȝt ſhal ſhyne. He forſoþe þat ſhal be mekid, ſhal ben in glorie; and he þat bowiþ his eȝen, ſhal be ſaued. Þe innocent ſhal be ſaued; forſoþe he ſhal be ſaued bi þe clenneſſe of hyſe hondys.