Job · Chapter 38

[ edit] Anſwerende forſoþe þe Lord to Job fro þe whirlewind ſeide, Who is þis, wrappende in ſentencis wiþ woordis vnwiſe? Gird as a man þi leendis; I ſhal aſke þee, and þou anſwere to me. Wher were þou, whan I ſette þe foundemens of þe erþe? ſheu to me, if þou haſt vnderſtonding. Who putte þe meſuris of it, if þou haſt knowen? or who ſtraȝte vp on it a line? Vp on what þe feet of it ben ſad? who dide doun þe corner ſton of it, whan me ſhulden preiſe togidere þe morutid ſterris, and alle þe ſones of God ſhulden ioȝen? Who cloſede þe ſe wiþ doris, whan it brac out as goende forþ of þe wombe?

Whan I ſhuld ſetten þe cloude his cloþing, and wiþ dercneſſe it, as wiþ cloþis of vnſpekende childhed, I wrappide aboute. I enuyrounde it wiþ my termes, and ſette þe heenglis, and doris; and ſeide, Vnto hider þou ſhalt come, and no ferþere gon; and heer þou ſhalt breke togidere þi ſwellende flodis. Wheþer aftir þi riſing þou comaundediſt to þe morutid, and haſt ſhewid to þe dai ſpring his place? Wheþir þou haſt holde ſmytende togidere þe vtmoſtis of þe erþe, and haſt ſmyten out þe vnpitous men of it? Þe litle marke ſhal be reſtorid as cley, and ſhal ſtonde as cloþing. His liȝt ſhal be take awei fro þe vnpitous, and þe heȝe arm ſhal be broke togidere.

Wheþer þou wentiſt in þe depþe of þe ſe, and in þe laſte þingus of þe derke depþe of þe ſe þou haſt ful go? Wheþer to þee ben opened þe ȝatis of deþ, and þe derke doris þou haſt ſeen? Wheþer þou haſt beholde þe breede of þe erþe? Sheu to me, if þou haſt knowen alle þingis, in what weie liȝt dwelliþ, and of dercneſſis what is þe place; þat þou lede eche man to hys termes, and vnderſtonde þe ſties of his hous. Þou wiſtiſt þanne, þat þou were to be born, and þe noumbre of þi daȝes þou haddeſt knowe? Wheþer wentiſt þou in to þe treſoris of ſnowȝ, or þe treſoris of hail þou haſt beholde? þat I haue maad redi in to þe time of þe enemy, in to þe dai of fiȝt, and of bataile.

Bi what weie is ſprengd liȝt, deuyded is hete vp on erþe? Who ȝaf to þe moſt hidous weder cours, and weie of þe ſounende þunder? Þat it ſhulde reyne vp on erþe wiþoute man, in deſert wher noon of dedly men dwelleþ? Þat he ſhulde fulfille þe ſpace wiþoute wei and deſolat, and bringe forþ grene erbis? Who is þe fader of reyn, or who gat dropis of deu? Fro whos wombe wente out iys, and froſt fro heuene who gat? In þe licneſſe of a ſton watris ben hardid, and þe vtmoſt of þe ſe is ſtreyned togidere. Wheþer þou art ſtrong to ioyne þe ſhynende ſeuen ſterres, or þou ſhalt moun ſcatere þe cumpas of þe norþ ſterre?

Wheþer þou bringiſt forþ þe dai ſterre in his time, and þe euetid ſterre vp on þe ſones of þe erþe þou makiſt to riſe? Wheþer þou haſt knowe þe ordre of heuene, and ſhalt putte his reſoun in þe erþe? Wheþer þou ſhalt rere þi vois in to a lytil cloude, and þe bure of watris ſhal couere þee? Wheþer þou ſhalt ſende leitis, and þei ſhul go, and turnende aȝeen þei ſhul ſey to þee, Wee be neeȝh? Who putte in þe entrailis of a man wiſdam, and who ȝaf to þe cok vnderſtonding? Who ſhal tellen out þe reſoun of heuenus, and þe ſinging of heuene who ſhal make to ſlepe? Whanne was pouder held in þe erþe, and clottis weren clunge togidere?

Wheþer þou ſhalt take þe prei of þe leouneſſe, and þe ſoule of hir whelpis þou ſhalt fulfille, whan þei lyn in dichis, and in dennus þei aſpien? Who makeþ redi to þe crowe his mete, whan his briddis crie to God, hider and þider waggende, forþi þat þei han no metis?