|
[1]Forsothe Joob answeride, and seide, Hou long turmente ye my soule,
[2]and al to-breken me with wordis?
[3]Lo! ten sithis ye schenden me, and ye ben not aschamed, oppressynge me.
[4]Forsothe and if Y `koude not, myn vnkynnyng schal be with me.
[5]And ye ben reisid ayens me, and repreuen me with my schenschipis.
[6]Nameli now vndurstonde ye, that God hath turmentid me not bi euene doom, and hath cumpassid me with hise betyngis.
[7]Lo! Y suffrynge violence schal crye, and no man schal here; Y schal crye loude, and `noon is that demeth.
[8]He bisette aboute my path, and Y may not go; and he settide derknessis in my weie.
[9]He hath spuylid me of my glorye, and hath take awey the coroun fro myn heed.
[10]He hath distried me on ech side, and Y perischide; and he hath take awei myn hope, as fro a tre pullid vp bi the roote.
[11]His stronge veniaunce was wrooth ayens me; and he hadde me so as his enemye.
[12]Hise theues camen togidere, and `maden to hem a wei bi me; and bisegiden my tabernacle in cumpas.
[13]He made fer my britheren fro me; and my knowun as aliens yeden awei fro me.
[14]My neiyboris forsoken me; and thei that knewen me han foryete me.
[15]The tenauntis of myn hows, and myn handmaydis hadden me as a straunger; and Y was as a pilgrym bifor her iyen.
[16]Y clepide my seruaunt, and he answeride not to me; with myn owne mouth Y preiede hym.
[17]My wijf wlatide my breeth; and Y preiede the sones of my wombe.
[18]Also foolis dispisiden me; and whanne Y was goon awei fro hem, thei bacbitiden me.
[19]Thei, that weren my counselouris sum tyme, hadden abhomynacioun of me; and he, whom Y louede moost, was aduersarie to me.
[20]Whanne fleischis weren wastid, my boon cleuyde to my skyn; and `oneli lippis ben left aboute my teeth.
[21]Haue ye merci on me, haue ye merci on me, nameli, ye my frendis; for the hond of the Lord hath touchid me.
[22]Whi pursuen ye me, as God pursueth; and ben fillid with my fleischis?
[23]Who yyueth to me, that my wordis be writun? Who yyueth to me,
[24]that tho be writun in a book with an yrun poyntil, ethir with a plate of leed; ethir with a chisel be grauun in a flynt?
[25]For Y woot, that myn ayenbiere lyueth, and in the laste dai Y schal rise fro the erthe;
[26]and eft Y schal be cumpassid with my skyn, and in my fleisch Y schal se God, my sauyour.
[27]Whom Y my silf schal se, and myn iyen schulen biholde, and not an other man. This myn hope is kept in my bosum.
[28]Whi therfor seien ye now, Pursue we hym, and fynde we the roote of a word ayens hym?
[29]Therfor fle ye fro the face of the swerd; for the swerd is the vengere of wickidnessis, and wite ye, that doom schal be.
|