Job · Chapter 27

[ edit] Alſo Job addede, takende his parable, and ſeiþ, God liueþ, þat toc awei my dom, and þe Almyȝti, þat to bitterneſſe broȝte my lif. For whil þer leueþ breþ in me, and þe ſpirit of God in my noſe þerlis, my lippis ſhul not ſpeke wickidneſſe, ne my tunge ſhal beþenke leſing. Ferr be fro me, þat I deme ȝou to be riȝtwiſe; to þe time I faile, I ſhal not gon awei fro myn innocence. My iuſtifiyng, þat I haue begunne to holde, I ſhal not forſake; ne forſoþe myn herte repreuede me in al my lif. As vnpitous myn enemye; myn aduerſarie as wicke. What is forſoþe þe hope of an ipocrite, if auerouſly he take, and God deliuere not his ſoule?

Wheþer God ſhal here þe cri of hym, whan ſhal come vp on hym anguyſh? or ſhal moun in þe Almyȝti delite, and inwardly clepe God in alle tyme? I ſhal teche ȝou bi þe hond of God, what þingus þe Almyȝti haþ; and I ſhal not hide. Lo! alle ȝee han knowe, and what wiþoute cauſe veyne þingis ȝee ſpeken? Þis is þe part of þe vnpitous man anent God, and þe eritage of þe violent men, þat of þe Almyȝti þei ſhul take. If his ſones be multeplied, þei ſhul be in ſwerd; and his ſones ſones ſhul not be fulfild wiþ bred. Þat ſhul be laft of hym, ſhul be biried in deþ; and his widewis ſhul not wepe.

If he ſhul bere togidere as erþe ſiluer, and as clei make redi cloþis; he greiþede forſoþe, but þe riȝtwiſe ſhal be clad wiþ þem, and þe innocent ſhall deuyde þe ſiluer. He bilde vp his hous as a mowȝhe, and as a kepere he made an hilet. Þe riche man, whan he ſhal ſlepe, no þing wiþ hym ſhal bern; he ſhal opene his eȝen, and no þing he ſhal finde. Myſeſe ſhal cacchen hym as water; in þe nyȝt ſhal opreſſe hym tempeſt. Brennende wind ſhal take hym, and don awei; and as a whirlewind ſhal raueſhen hym fro his place. He ſhal ſenden out vp on hym, and not ſparen; fro his hond fleende he ſhal flee. He ſhal ſtreyne vp on hym his hondis, and whiſtlen vpon hym, beholdende his place.