Job · Chapter 31

[ edit] I couenauntide a pes couenaunt wiþ myn eȝen, þat forſoþe I ſhulde not þenke of a maiden. What forſoþe part God fro aboue ſhulde han in me, and þe Almyȝti eritage fro heȝe þingus. Wheþir not perdicioun is to þe wicke, and alienyng to men werkende wickeneſſe? Wheþer he beholdeþ not my weies, and alle my goingis noumbreþ? If I ȝide in vanyte, and my foot heeȝide in treccherie, peiſe he me in a riȝtwis balauns, and wite God my ſympleneſſe. If my going bowide doun fro þe weie; if myn eȝe folewide myn herte, and a ſpot cleuede to myn hondis; I ſhal ſowen, and an oþer ete, and my progenye be drawe vp bi þe roote.

If myn herte is deſceyued vp on a womman, and if at þe dore of my frend I ſette ſpies; þe ſtrumpet of an oþer be my wif, and vpon hir oþere men be þei crookid. Þis forſoþe is vnleeful, and moſt wickidneſſe. Fyr is deuouring vnto waſting, and pullende vp bi þe roote alle buriounyngus. If I diſpiſide to gon vnder dom wiþ my ſeruaunt and hond maiden, whan þei ſhulden pleten aȝen me. What forſoþe ſhal I do, whan God ſhal riſe to deme? and whan he ſhal aſke, what ſhal I anſwern to hym? Wheþer not in þe wombe he made me, þe whiche and hym wroȝte, and oon formede me in þe wombe?

If I denyede to pore men þat þei wolden, and made þe eȝen of a widewe to abide; if I eet my morſel alone, and þe moderles child eet not of it; for fro my ȝouþe doing of mercy wex wiþ me, and fro þe wombe of my moder wente out wiþ me; if I diſpiſide þe goere beſide, for þi þat he hadde not cloþing, and þe pore wiþoute coueryng; if his ſidis bleſſiden not to me, and of þe flees of my ſhep he is chaufid; if I rerede vp on þe moderles child myn hond, alſo whan I ſaȝ me in þe ȝate þe ouerheȝere; my ſhulder falle fro his ioynt, and myn arm wiþ his bones be to-broſid. Forſoþe euermor as flodis ſwellende vp on me, I dredde God; and his peis I myȝte not bern.

If I wende gold my ſtrengþe, and to þe ſhynende gold I ſeide, My troſt; if I gladede vp on my manye richeſſis, and for myn hond fond manye þingis; if I ſaȝ þe ſunne, whan it ſhulde ſhyne, and þe mone goende clerli; and myn herte is gladid in hid þing, and kiſte myn hond fro my mouþ; þe whiche is þe moſte wickidneſſe, and denyyng aȝen þe heȝeſt God; if I ioȝide at his falling, þat hatide me, and ful out ioȝide, þat euel hadde founden hym; forſoþe I ȝaf not my þrote to ſynne, þat I ſhulde abide curſende his ſoule; if þe men of my tabernacle ſeiden not, Who ȝiueþ of his fleſhe, þat we be fulfild? wiþout forþ abod not þe pilgrim; my dore was open to þe weie goere; if I hidde as a man my ſynne, and hilede in my boſum my wickeneſſe; if I dradde at þe moſte multitude, and diſpiſing of neeȝh men ferede me; and not more I heeld my pes, and wente not out þe dore; who ȝeue to me an auditour, þat my deſyr heere þe Almyȝti? þat he þat demeþ write þe boc, þat in my ſhulder I bere it, and enuyroune it as a crowne to me?

Bi alle my grees I ſhal pronouncen it, and as to a prince I ſhal offre it. If aȝen me myn erþe crie, and wiþ it his forewis bewepen; if his frutis I eet wiþ oute monee, and þe ſoule of his erþe tilieris I tormentide; for whete be ſprunge to me a brimbil, and for barli a þorne.