The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XII.

[verse 1] Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide, [verse 2] Ther|for [And ȝe therfor IS.] ben ȝe [Om. IS.] men aloone, that [and IS.] wisdom dwelle with ȝou? [verse 3] And to me is an herte [And to me is an herte; that is, vndurstond|ing. Lire here. C.] , as and to ȝou, and Y am not lowere than ȝe [be ȝe S.] ; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ȝe knowen? [verse 4] He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for [forsothe IS.] the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned [for the sym|pleness etc.; that is, the liyf of hem that ben with out wryn[c]le of gile, is scornyd of worldly men, that setten her ende in tempe|ral goodis, that ben getun ofte with fraudis and leesingis, therfor thei aretten iust men that fleen siche goodis, foolis and vn|kunnynge; at siche riche men the liyf of iust men is dispisid, thouȝ it be a a laumpe, that conteyneth liȝt of wisdom and brennyng of charite, maad redi to the blis of liyf to com|ynge, bi the merit of liyf. Lire here. C.] . [verse 5] A [And a IS.] laumpe is dispisid at the thouȝtis of riche men, and [Om. IS.] the [the whiche IS.] laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned. [verse 6] The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis [Om. IS.] ; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath ȝoue alle thingis in to her [his S.] hondis. [verse 7] No wondur, ax thou beestis [A gloos. To axe creaturis, is to biholde the kyndis of tho, and the answer of crea|turis is in this, that bi sich biholding a man rysith to the knowing of God, which is the firste cause of alle thingis. Lire here. C et plures.] , and tho [thei IS.] schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis [briddis IS.] of the eir, and tho [thei I.] schulen schewe to thee. [verse 8] Speke thou [Om. I.] to the erthe, and it schal answere [answere to S.] thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis. [verse 9] Who knowith not that the hond

of the Lord made alle these thingis? [verse 10] In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule [Om. I.] , of ech fleisch of man. [verse 11] Whether the eere demeth not wordis [the wordis S.] , and the chekis of the etere demen sauour [sauour or the taast of mete S.] ? [verse 12] Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme. [verse 13] Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he [and he IS.] hath counsel and vndurstondyng. [verse 14] If he distrieth, no [ther is no I.] man is [Om. I.] that bildith; if [and if IS.] he schittith [closith IS.] in a man, `noon is [ther is noon I.] that openith. [verse 15] If he holdith togidere watris [If he holdith to gidere watris; so that reyn come not doun fro heuene. Lire here. C.] , alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if [and if IS.] he send|ith out tho watris, tho [thei I.] schulen distrie the erthe. [verse 16] Strengthe and wisdom is at [anentis I.] God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued. [verse 17] And he bryng|ith conselours [yuele counselours IS.] in [Om. S.] to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying [Om. I.] . [verse 18] He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis [He vnbyndith the girdil of kingis; that is, the myȝt of her chyualri and oost, whanne they ben ouer|comun aȝens mennus herte. Lire here. C.] , and [and he IS.] girdith her reynes with a coorde. [verse 19] He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir coun|selours; [Om. IS.] [verse 20] and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men [chaungith the lippe of sothfast men; that is, of hem that ben wont to speke truthis, as ben filoso|foris, fro whiche the liȝt of veri know|ing is with|drawun sum tyme for her pride, and so they speken false thingis. and takith aweye, etc. in makinge hem foolis whanne he withdrawith his grace, and latith hem ȝyue vnprofitable councel ether noyful, not that God sendith ony fals thing in to her vn|durstondingis, but for he withdrawith his liȝtnyng fro her synne, and so they fallen fro truthe to her owne defaute. Lire here. C.] , and [and he IS.] takith awei the doc|trine of elde men. [verse 21] He schedith out dis|pisyng on [upon I. of S.] princes, and [and he IS.] releeueth hem, that weren [is wrong|fully S.] oppressid. [verse 22] Which [He IS.] schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and [and he IS.] bryngith forth in to liȝt the schadewe of deeth [the schadewe of deth; that is, men dwell|inge as in scha|dewe of deth, as ben men pri|soned, that dreden ech day to be slayn. Lire here. C.] . [verse 23] Which [He IS.] multiplieth folkis, and [and he IS.] leesith hem, and [and he IS.] restorith hem destried [whanne thei ben destried IS.] in to the [Om. IS.] hool [hool noumbre IS.] . [verse 24] Which [He IS.] chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and [and he IS.] dis|seyueth hem [disseyueth hem; in wlap|pinge hem in her felnessis, and so they ȝyuen vnprofit|able ethir noyful councel in the stide of good councel; not that disseit is sent of God euenly, but for by his iust doom he with|drawith his liȝt, and so a man fallith in to disseit. Lire here. C.] , that thei go in veyn out of the weie [riȝte weie S.] . [verse 25] Thei schulen grope, as in derk|nessis, and not in liȝt; and he [the Lord IS.] schal make hem to erre as drunken men.