Study Desk

and his possessioun was seuene thousynde of scheep, and thre thousynde of camels, and fyue hundrid yockis of oxis, and fyue hundrid of femal assis, and ful myche meynee; and `thilke man was grete among alle men of the eest.

And hise sones yeden, and maden feestis bi housis, ech man in his day; and thei senten, and clepiden her thre sistris, `that thei schulden ete, and drynke wiyn with hem.

Whethir thou hast not cumpassid hym, and his hows, and al his catel bi cumpas? Thou hast blessid the werkis of hise hondis, and hise possessioun encreesside in erthe.

Forsothe it was doon, whanne in sum dai the sones of God `weren comun, and stoden bifor the Lord, and Sathan `was comun among hem, and stood in his siyt,

To whom Sathan answeride, and seide, `A man schal yyue skyn for skyn, and alle thingis that he hath for his lijf;

`ellis sende thin hond, and touche his boon and fleisch, and thanne thou schalt se, that he schal curse thee in the face.

Therfor the Lord seide to Sathan, Lo! he is in `thin hond; netheles kepe thou his lijf.

Therfor Sathan yede out fro the face of the Lord, and smoot Joob with `a ful wickid botche fro the sole of the foot `til to his top;

Forsothe his wijf seide to hym, Dwellist thou yit in thi symplenesse? Curse thou God, and die.

Therfor thre frendis of Joob herden al the yuel, that hadde bifelde to hym, and camen ech man fro his place, Eliphath Temanytes, and Baldach Suythes, and Sophar Naamathites; for thei `hadden seide togidere to hem silf, that thei wolden come togidere, and visite hym, and coumforte.

And thei saten with hym in the erthe seuene daies and seuene nyytis, and no man spak a word to hym; for thei sien, that his sorewe was greet.

Aftir these thingis Joob openyde his mouth,

and curside his dai, and seide, Perische the dai in which Y was borun,

A litil man and greet man be there, and a seruaunt free fro his lord.

and repen tho, to haue perischid bi God blowynge, and to be wastid bi the spirit of his ire.

Whether a man schal be maad iust in comparisoun of God? ethir whethir a man schal be clennere than his Makere?

Y siy a fool with stidefast rote, and Y curside his feirnesse anoon.

And hope schal be to a nedi man, but wickidnesse schal drawe togidere his mouth.

In abundaunce thou schalt go in to the sepulcre, as an heep of wheete is borun in his tyme.

And he that bigan, al to-breke me; releesse he his hond, and kitte me doun?