Job · Chapter 29

[ edit] Alſo Job addede, takende to his parable, and ſeide, Who ȝeue to me, þat I be after þe raþere moneþis, after þe daȝes in þe whiche God kepte me? Whanne ſhynede his lanterne vp on myn hed, and at his liȝt I wente in dercneſſis. As I was in þe daȝes of my waxende ȝouþe, whan priueli God was in my tabernacle.

Whan þe Almyȝti was wiþ me, and in myn enuyroun my childer; whan I weſh my feet wiþ buttere, and þe ſton helde to me ryueres of oile; whan I wente forþ to þe ȝate of þe cite, and in þe ſtrete þei maden redy a chaȝer to me. Ȝunge men ſeȝen me, and weren hid, and olde men riſende ſtoden; princis ceſeden to ſpeken, and finger putten vpon to þer mouþ; dukis wiþdrowen þer vois, and þe tunge of hem to þer þrote cleuede. Þe herende ere blisful maade me, and þe ſeande eȝe witneſſe ȝeld to me; forþi þat I hadde delyuered þe pore man criende out, and þe moderles child, to þe whiche was noon helpere.

Þe bleſſing of hym, þat was to perſhen, vp on me cam, and þe herte of þe widewe I coumfortide. riȝtwiſneſſe I am clad; and I cloþide me as a veſtyment, and wiþ a diademe wiþ my dom. An eȝe I was to blinde, and a foot to þe halte. Fader I was of pore men; and þe cauſe þat I knew not, moſt diligentli I enſerchide. I tobroſide þe chaulis of þe wicke man, and fro his teþ I toc awei þe prey. And I ſeide, Die I in my litle neſt; and as a palme I ſhal multiplie daȝis. My roote is opened beſide watris, and deu ſhal abide in my reping. My glorie euermore ſhal be newid, and my bowe in myn hond ſhal be reparailid. Þat herden me, abiden my ſentence; and takende heede þei heelde ſtille at my counſeil.

To my woordis no þing to adden þei weren hardi; and vpon hem droppide my ſpeche. Þei biden as reyn my ſpeche; and mouþ þei openeden as to þe late comende weder. If any time I loowȝ to þem, þei leeueden not; and þe liȝt of my chere fel not in to þe erþe. If I wolde go to þem, I ſat firſt; and whan I ſat as a king, þe oſt aboute ſtondende, I was neuerþelatere of dreri men þe coumfortere.