Study Desk

For God hath openyd his arowe caas, and hath turmentid me, and hath set a bridil in to my mouth.

My skyn was maad blak on me, and my boonys drieden for heete.

For what part schulde God aboue haue in me, and eritage Almyyti God of hiye thingis?

For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse.

for merciful doyng encreesside with me fro my yong childhed, and yede out of my modris wombe with me;

if Y dispiside a man passynge forth, for he hadde not a cloth, and a pore man with out hilyng;

For euere Y dredde God, as wawis wexynge gret on me; and `Y myyte not bere his birthun.

if Y was glad on my many ritchessis, and for myn hond foond ful many thingis;

for Y yaf not my throte to do synne, that Y schulde asaile and curse his soule;

a brere growe to me for wheete, and a thorn for barli.

Forsothe these thre men leften of to answere Joob, for he semyde a iust man to hem.

And Helyu, the sone of Barachel Buzites, of the kynrede of Ram, was wrooth, and hadde indignacioun; forsothe he was wrooth ayens Joob, for he seide hym silf to be iust bifor God.

Sotheli Helyu hadde indignacioun ayens the thre frendis of hym, for thei hadden not founde resonable answere, but oneli hadde condempned Joob.

Therfor Helyu abood Joob spekynge, for thei, that spaken, weren eldere men.

For Y hopide that lengere age schulde speke, and that the multitude of yeeris schulden teche wisdom.

For Y abood youre wordis, Y herde youre prudence, as long as ye dispuytiden in youre wordis.

Therfor for Y abood, and thei spaken not, thei stoden, and answeriden no more; also Y schal answere my part,

For Y am ful of wordis, and the spirit of my wombe, `that is, mynde, constreyneth me.

For Y woot not hou long Y schal abide, and if my Makere take me awei `after a litil tyme.

`For God foond querels in me, therfor he demyde me enemy to hym silf.