Job 17

¹ And if Y was wickid, wo is to me; and if Y was iust, Y fillid with turment and wretchidnesse schal not reise the heed. 2 And if Y reise the heed for pride, thou schalt take me as a lionesse; and thou turnest ayen, and turmentist me wondirli. ³ Thou gaderist in store thi witnessis ayens me, and thou multipliest thin yre, that is, veniaunce, ayens me; and peynes holden knyythod in me. 4 Whi hast thou led me out of the wombe? And Y wolde, that Y were wastid, lest an iye schulde se me. 5 That Y hadde be, as if Y were not, and were translatid, ethir borun ouer, fro the wombe to the sepulcre. ⁶ Whether the fewnesse of my daies schal not be endid in schort? Therfor suffre thou me, that Y biweile a litil my sorewe, 7 bifor that Y go, and turne not ayen, to the derk lond, and hilid with the derknesse of deth, to the lond of wrecchidnesse and of derknessis; 8 where is schadewe of deeth, and noon ordre, but euerlastynge hidousnesse dwellith. 10 Forsothe Sophar Naamathites answeride, and seide, 11 Whether he, that spekith many thingis, schal not also here? ether whethir a man ful of wordis schal be maad iust? 12 Schulen men be stille to thee aloone? whanne thou hast scorned othere men, schalt thou not be ouercomun of ony man? 13 For thou seidist, My word is cleene, and Y am cleene in thi siyt. 14 And Y wolde, that God spak with thee, and openyde hise lippis to thee; ¹⁵ to schewe to thee the priuetees of wisdom, and that his lawe is manyfold, and thou schuldist vndurstonde, that thou art requirid of hym to paie myche lesse thingis, than thi wickidnesse disserueth. ¹⁶ In hap thou schalt comprehende the steppis of God, and thou schalt fynde Almyyti God `til to perfeccioun.