CAP. XXIII.
[verse 1] Sotheli [And IS.] Joob answeride, and seide, [verse 2] Now also my word is in bitternesse, and the hond [the hond, etc.; that is, the greuous|nesse of beting. Lire here. C.] of my wounde is agreggid on my weilyng. [verse 3] Who ȝyueth to me, that Y knowe, and fynde hym, and come `til to [vn to I.] his trone? [verse 4] Y schal sette doom bifor hym, and Y schal [verse 5] fille my mouth with blamyngis [blamynge S.] [blamyngis; in Ebreu it is, with argu|mentis, as a disciple makith ofte argumentis bifor the mais|ter, not to striyf, but to knowing of truthe, that he desirith to here of the maister; thus wolde Joob do with God. Lire here. C.] ; that Y kunne the wordis, whiche he schal answere to me, and that Y vnderstonde, what he schal speke to me. [verse 6] Y nyle [wil not I.] , that he stryue with me bi greet strengthe, nether [nether that he IS.] op|presse me with the heuynesse of his greet|nesse. [verse 7] Sette he forth equite aȝens me, and my doom come [come it S.] perfitli to victorie. [verse 8] If Y go to the eest, God apperith not [not there IS.] ; if Y go to the west, Y schal not vndurstonde hym; [verse 9] if Y go to the left side, what schal Y do? Y schal not take hym; if [and if IS.] Y turne me to the riȝt side, Y schal not se hym. [verse 10] But he knowith my weie, and he schal preue me as gold [gold; the fiyr that preueth gold, ȝyueth not to it the truthe of gold, but declarith it biforbeynge; therfor Joob seith, that the fier of tribula|cioun ȝaf not ynnocence to him, but de|claride it bi his pacience; and so God preuede him, not to knowe his innocence vnknowun to him, but that it schulde be schewid to othere men; as also he asayede Abraham in xxii. co. of Genesis, that his obedience were knowun to othere men. Lire here. C.] , that passith thorouȝ fier [the fier I.] . [verse 11] My foot suede hise steppis; Y kepte his weie, and Y bowide not awey fro it. [verse 12] Y ȝede not awei fro the comaundementis [heestis IS.] of hise lippis; and Y hidde in my bosum the wordis of his mouth. [verse 13] For [Certis IS.] he is aloone, and no man may turne awei hise thouȝtis; and what euer thing he wolde, his wille [his wille, etc.; in tur|mentinge me as his creature. Lire here. C.] dide this thing. [verse 14] Whanne he hath fillid his wille in me, also many othere lijk thingis ben redi to hym. [verse 15] And therfor Y am disturblid of his face, and Y biholdynge hym am an|guyschid for drede. [verse 16] God hath maad neische myn herte, and Almyȝti God hath disturblid me. [verse 17] For [Certis IS.] Y perischide not [Y perischid not, etc.; that is, Y suffride not turmentis for opyn synnes, nether for priuy synnes. Lire here. C.] for derknessis neiȝynge [neiȝynge to me IS.] ; nethir myist hilide my face.