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| [1]I made couenaunt with myn iyen, that Y schulde not thenke of a virgyn. |
[1]I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid? |
| [2]For what part schulde God aboue haue in me, and eritage Almyyti God of hiye thingis? |
[2]For what would be the portion of God from above, and the heritage of the Almighty from on high? |
| [3]Whether perdicioun is not to a wickid man, and alienacioun of God is to men worchynge wickidnesse? |
[3]Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity? |
| [4]Whether he biholdith not my weies, and noumbrith alle my goyngis? |
[4]Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps? |
| [5]If Y yede in vanyte, and my foot hastide in gile, |
[5]If I have walked with vanity, and my foot hath hasted to deceit— |
| [6]God weie me in a iust balaunce, and knowe my symplenesse. |
[6]Let me be weighed in a just balance, that God may know mine integrity— |
| [7]If my step bowide fro the weie; if myn iye suede myn herte, and a spotte cleuede to myn hondis; |
[7]If my step hath turned out of the way, and my heart walked after mine eyes, and if any spot hath cleaved to my hands; |
| [8]sowe Y, and another ete, and my generacioun be drawun out bi the root. |
[8]Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out. |
| [9]If myn herte was disseyued on a womman, and if Y settide aspies at the dore of my frend; my wijf be the hoore of anothir man, |
[9]If my heart have been enticed unto a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour's door; |
| [10]and othir men be bowid doun on hir. |
[10]Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. |
| [11]For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse. |
[11]For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges. |
| [12]Fier is deourynge `til to wastyng, and drawynge vp bi the roote alle generaciouns. |
[12]For it is a fire that consumeth unto destruction, and would root out all mine increase. |
| [13]If Y dispiside to take doom with my seruaunt and myn hand mayde, whanne thei stryueden ayens me. |
[13]If I did despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me— |
| [14]What sotheli schal Y do, whanne God schal rise to deme? and whanne he schal axe, what schal Y answere to hym? |
[14]What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when He remembereth, what shall I answer Him? |
| [15]Whether he, that wrouyte also hym, made not me in the wombe, and o God formede me in the wombe? |
[15]Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not One fashion us in the womb? |
| [16]If Y denyede to pore men that, that thei wolden, and if Y made the iyen of a wydewe to abide; |
[16]If I have withheld aught that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; |
| [17]if Y aloone eet my mussel, and a faderles child eet not therof; |
[17]Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof— |
| [18]for merciful doyng encreesside with me fro my yong childhed, and yede out of my modris wombe with me; |
[18]Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, and I have been her guide from my mother's womb. |
| [19]if Y dispiside a man passynge forth, for he hadde not a cloth, and a pore man with out hilyng; |
[19]If I have seen any wanderer in want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering; |
| [20]if hise sidis blessiden not me, and was not maad hoot of the fleeces of my scheep; |
[20]If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; |
| [21]if Y reiside myn hond on a fadirles child, yhe, whanne Y siy me the hiyere in the yate; |
[21]If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate; |
| [22]my schuldre falle fro his ioynt, and myn arm with hise boonys be al to-brokun. |
[22]Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. |
| [23]For euere Y dredde God, as wawis wexynge gret on me; and `Y myyte not bere his birthun. |
[23]For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of His majesty I could do nothing. |
| [24]If Y gesside gold my strengthe, and if Y seide to purid gold, Thou art my trist; |
[24]If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold: 'Thou art my confidence'; |
| [25]if Y was glad on my many ritchessis, and for myn hond foond ful many thingis; |
[25]If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much; |
| [26]if Y siy the sunne, whanne it schynede, and the moone goynge clereli; |
[26]If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; |
| [27]and if myn herte was glad in priuyte, and if Y kisside myn hond with my mouth; |
[27]And my heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand; |
| [28]which is the moost wickidnesse, and deniyng ayens hiyeste God; |
[28]This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; for I should have lied to God that is above. |
| [29]if Y hadde ioye at the fallyng of hym, that hatide me, and if Y ioide fulli, that yuel hadde founde hym; |
[29]If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or exulted when evil found him— |
| [30]for Y yaf not my throte to do synne, that Y schulde asaile and curse his soule; |
[30]Yea, I suffered not my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse. |
| [31]if the men of my tabernacle seiden not, Who yyueth, that we be fillid of hise fleischis? a pilgryme dwellide not with outforth; |
[31]If the men of my tent said not: 'Who can find one that hath not been satisfied with his meat?' |
| [32]my dore was opyn to a weiegoere; |
[32]The stranger did not lodge in the street; my doors I opened to the roadside. |
| [33]if Y as man hidde my synne, and helide my wickidnesse in my bosum; |
[33]If after the manner of men I covered my transgressions, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom— |
| [34]if Y dredde at ful greet multitude, and if dispisyng of neyyboris made me aferd; and not more Y was stille, and yede not out of the dore; |
[34]Because I feared the great multitude, and the most contemptible among families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and went not out of the door. |
| [35]who yyueth an helpere to me, that Almyyti God here my desire? that he that demeth, |
[35]Oh that I had one to hear me!—Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me—and that I had the indictment which mine adversary hath written! |
| [36]write a book, that Y bere it in my schuldre, and cumpasse it as a coroun to me? |
[36]Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown. |
| [37]Bi alle my degrees Y schal pronounce it, and Y schal as offre it to the prynce. |
[37]I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. |
| [38]If my lond crieth ayens me, and hise forewis wepen with it; |
[38]If my land cry out against me, and the furrows thereof weep together; |
| [39]if Y eet fruytis therof with out money, and Y turmentide the soule of erthetileris of it; |
[39]If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the tillers thereof to be disappointed— |
| [40]a brere growe to me for wheete, and a thorn for barli. |
[40]Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and noisome weeds instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. |