Job · Chapter 36

[ edit] Alſo Eliu addende þeſe þingus ſpac, Suſtene me a litil while, and I ſhal ſhewen to þee; ȝit forſoþe I haue þat for God I ſpeke. I ſhal aȝeen aſke my kunnyng fro þe bygynnyng; and my werkere I ſhal proue riȝtwis. Verili forſoþe and wiþoute leſing my woordus, and perfit kunnyng ſhal be preued to þee. God myȝti men þrowiþ not awei, ſiþen he is myȝti; but he ſaueþ not vnpitous men, and dom to pore men he ȝyueþ. He ſhal not take awei fro þe riȝtwis his eȝen; and kingis in ſete he ſetteþ in to euermor, and þider þei ben rerid vp. And if þei ſhul ben in cheynes, and ben bounde wiþ cordis of poreneſſe, he ſhal ſhewe to þem þer werkis, and þer hidous giltis; for cruel þey weren.

Alſo he ſhal opene þe ere of hem, þat he chaſtiſe; and he ſhal ſpeke, þat þei be turned aȝeen fro wickidneſſe. If þei ſhuln here, and kepe wel, þei ſhul fille þer daȝes in goode, and þer ȝeris in glorie. If forſoþe þei ſhul not heren, þey ſhul paſſe bi ſwerd, and be waſtid in folie. Feyneres and felle men terren þe wraþe of God; and þei ſhul not crie, whan þei ſhul be bounden. Þe ſoule of hem ſhal die in tempeſt; and þe lif of hem among wommanyſh men. He ſhal deliuere þe pore man fro his anguyſh; and he ſhal opene his ere in tribulacioun. Þerfore he ſhal ſaue þee fro þe ſtreite mouþ moſt widly, not hauende a ground vnder itſelf; þe reſte forſoþe of þi bord ſhal be full of fatneſſe.

Þi cauſe as of an vnpitous man is demed; forſoþe þi cauſe and dom þou ſhalt finde. Þanne ouercome þee not wraþe, þat any man þou opreſſe; ne þe multitude of ȝiftis bowe þee. Do doun þi mykilneſſe wiþoute tribulacioun, and alle þe ſtronge men in ſtrengþe. Ne drawe þou along þe nyȝt, þat puplis ſteȝen vp for hem. Be war, ne bowe þou to wickidneſſe; þat forſoþe þou haſt begunne to folewe aftyr wrecchidneſſe. Lo! heȝe God in his ſtrengþe, and noon to hym lic in lawe ȝiueres. Who ſhall moun ſerchen his weies? or who is hardy to ſei to hym, Þou wroȝtiſt wickidneſſe? Ha mynde, þat þou vnknowiſt þe werk of hym, of whiche men writen. Alle men ſeen hym; eche ſhal beholde aferr. Lo!

God gret, ouercomende oure kunnyng; þe noumbre of þe ȝeris of hym vneymable. Þat doþ awei þe dropis of rein; and heeldeþ out wederes at þe licneſſe of ſwolewis, þat of þe cloudis flowen, þat before weuen alle þingus þeraboue. If he wile ſtrecche out cloudis as his tent, and leitne wiþ his liȝt fro aboue, alſo þe vtmoſt of þe ſe he ſhal couere. Bi þeſe þingis forſoþe he demeþ puplis, and ȝiueþ mete to manye deadli þingus. In þe hond he hideþ liȝt; and comaundeþ to it, þat eft it come to. He telliþ of it to his frend, þat his poſſeſſioun it be; and to it he mai ſteȝen vp.