1 WYC I made couenaunt with myn iyen, that Y schulde not thenke of a virgyn. BSB BSB: “I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
2 WYC For what part schulde God aboue haue in me, and eritage Almyyti God of hiye thingis? BSB BSB: For what is the allotment of God from above, or the heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 WYC Whether perdicioun is not to a wickid man, and alienacioun of God is to men worchynge wickidnesse? BSB BSB: Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
4 WYC Whether he biholdith not my weies, and noumbrith alle my goyngis? BSB BSB: Does He not see my ways and count my every step?
5 WYC If Y yede in vanyte, and my foot hastide in gile, BSB BSB: If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has rushed to deceit,
6 WYC God weie me in a iust balaunce, and knowe my symplenesse. BSB BSB: let God weigh me with honest scales, that He may know my integrity.
7 WYC If my step bowide fro the weie; if myn iye suede myn herte, and a spotte cleuede to myn hondis; BSB BSB: If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,
8 WYC sowe Y, and another ete, and my generacioun be drawun out bi the root. BSB BSB: then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.
9 WYC 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, BSB BSB: If my heart has been enticed by my neighbor’s wife, or I have lurked at his door,
10 WYC and othir men be bowid doun on hir. BSB BSB: then may my own wife grind grain for another, and may other men sleep with her.
11 WYC For this is vnleueful, and the moost wickidnesse. BSB BSB: For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.
12 WYC Fier is deourynge `til to wastyng, and drawynge vp bi the roote alle generaciouns. BSB BSB: For it is a fire that burns down to Abaddon; it would root out my entire harvest.
13 WYC If Y dispiside to take doom with my seruaunt and myn hand mayde, whanne thei stryueden ayens me. BSB BSB: If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or maidservant when they made a complaint against me,
14 WYC What sotheli schal Y do, whanne God schal rise to deme? and whanne he schal axe, what schal Y answere to hym? BSB BSB: what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?
15 WYC Whether he, that wrouyte also hym, made not me in the wombe, and o God formede me in the wombe? BSB BSB: Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
16 WYC If Y denyede to pore men that, that thei wolden, and if Y made the iyen of a wydewe to abide; BSB BSB: If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,
17 WYC if Y aloone eet my mussel, and a faderles child eet not therof; BSB BSB: if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—
18 WYC for merciful doyng encreesside with me fro my yong childhed, and yede out of my modris wombe with me; BSB BSB: though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—
19 WYC if Y dispiside a man passynge forth, for he hadde not a cloth, and a pore man with out hilyng; BSB BSB: if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,
20 WYC if hise sidis blessiden not me, and was not maad hoot of the fleeces of my scheep; BSB BSB: if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,
21 WYC if Y reiside myn hond on a fadirles child, yhe, whanne Y siy me the hiyere in the yate; BSB BSB: if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless because I saw that I had support in the gate,
22 WYC my schuldre falle fro his ioynt, and myn arm with hise boonys be al to-brokun. BSB BSB: then may my arm fall from my shoulder and be torn from its socket.
23 WYC For euere Y dredde God, as wawis wexynge gret on me; and `Y myyte not bere his birthun. BSB BSB: For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
24 WYC If Y gesside gold my strengthe, and if Y seide to purid gold, Thou art my trist; BSB BSB: If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security,
25 WYC if Y was glad on my many ritchessis, and for myn hond foond ful many thingis; BSB BSB: if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much,
26 WYC if Y siy the sunne, whanne it schynede, and the moone goynge clereli; BSB BSB: if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 WYC and if myn herte was glad in priuyte, and if Y kisside myn hond with my mouth; BSB BSB: so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
28 WYC which is the moost wickidnesse, and deniyng ayens hiyeste God; BSB BSB: this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
29 WYC if Y hadde ioye at the fallyng of hym, that hatide me, and if Y ioide fulli, that yuel hadde founde hym; BSB BSB: If I have rejoiced in my enemy’s ruin, or exulted when evil befell him—
30 WYC for Y yaf not my throte to do synne, that Y schulde asaile and curse his soule; BSB BSB: I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
31 WYC if the men of my tabernacle seiden not, Who yyueth, that we be fillid of hise fleischis? a pilgryme dwellide not with outforth; BSB BSB: if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
32 WYC my dore was opyn to a weiegoere; BSB BSB: but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
33 WYC if Y as man hidde my synne, and helide my wickidnesse in my bosum; BSB BSB: if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,
34 WYC 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; BSB BSB: because I greatly feared the crowds and the contempt of the clans terrified me, so that I kept silent and would not go outside—
35 WYC who yyueth an helpere to me, that Almyyti God here my desire? that he that demeth, BSB BSB: (Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my signature. Let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser compose an indictment.
36 WYC write a book, that Y bere it in my schuldre, and cumpasse it as a coroun to me? BSB BSB: Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.
37 WYC Bi alle my degrees Y schal pronounce it, and Y schal as offre it to the prynce. BSB BSB: I would give account of all my steps; I would approach Him like a prince.)—
38 WYC If my lond crieth ayens me, and hise forewis wepen with it; BSB BSB: if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
39 WYC if Y eet fruytis therof with out money, and Y turmentide the soule of erthetileris of it; BSB BSB: if I have devoured its produce without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 WYC a brere growe to me for wheete, and a thorn for barli. BSB BSB: then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.