The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ Iob reciteth the innocen•••••• of his lyuynge, and nombre i•• his ••••rt••es.

CAPI. XXXI.

I ☞ made a couenaunt with myne eyes / [unspec A] that I wolde not loke vpon a damsell. For howe great a porcyon shall I haue of god? & what enheritaunce from the almygh∣tye on hygh? As for the vngodly and he that ioyneth hymselfe to the company of wycked doers, shal not destruccyon and misery come vpon hym? Doth not he se my wayes, and tel all my goynges? If I haue walked in va∣nite, or yf my feete haue runne to deceyue•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me be weyed in an euen balaunce, that God maye se myne innosencye. If so be that I haue withdrawen my foote out of the ryghte way, and yf my herte hath folowed myne eye syght? If I haue stayned or defyled my han∣des? then shall I sowe, and an other eate, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my generacion and posterite shall be cleane roted out. If myne hert hath lusted after my neyghbours wyse, or yf I haue layde wayte at his dore? O then ❀ let my wyfe grynde vn¦to to another man, and let other men lye with her. For this is a wyckednesse & synne, that is worthy to be punysshed, yea a tyre that vt∣terly shulde consume, and rote oute all my substaunce.

Dyd I euer thynke scorne to do ryghte [unspec B] vnto my seruaūtes and maydens, when they had any matter agaynst me? But seyng that God wyll syt in iudgement, what shall I do▪ And for so moche as he wyll nedes vysyte me what answere shall I gyue hym? He that fa∣ssyoned me in my mothers wombe, made he not hym also? Were we not bothe shapen a lyke in oure mothers bodyes? When the poore desyred anythynge at me, haue I de∣nyed it them? Haue I caused the wydowe to stande waytynge for me in vayne? Haue I eaten my porcyon alone, that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me? for mercy grewe vp with me fro my youth, and compassyon fro my mothers wombe. Haue I sene any man perysshe thorowe nakednesse and want of clothynge? Or any poore man for lacke of raymente, whose sydes thanked me not, bycause he was warmed with the wolle of my shepe▪

Dyd I euer lyfte vp my hande to hurte [unspec C]

the fatherlesse? yea in the gate where I sawe myselfe to be in auctorite: thē let myne arme fal fro my shoulder, and myne arme holes be broken from the ioyntes. For I haue euer feared the vengeaunce and punysshment of God, and knewe very well, that I was not able to beare his burden. Haue I put my trust in golde? Or haue I sayd to the fynest golde of all: thou arte my confidence? Haue I reioy¦sed bycause my power was greate, & bycause my hande gat so moche? Dyd I euer great∣ly regarde the rysynge of the sonne? or had I the goynge downe of the moone in great re∣putacyon? Hath myne herte medled pryuely with any deceyte? Or, dyd I euer kysse myne owne hande? that were a wyckednesse worthy to be punysshed, for then shulde I haue de∣nyed the God that is aboue. Haue I euer reioysed at the hurte of myne enemy? Or was I euer glad, that any harme happened vnto hym? Oh no, I neuer suffered my mouth to do suche a synne, as to wysshe hym euyll.

Dyd not the men of myne owne houshold [unspec D] say: Who shall let vs to haue our belly ful of his flesshe? I haue not suffered a straunger to lye without, but I opened my dores vnto hym, that went by the waye. Haue I kepte se∣crete my synne, and hyd myne iniquite, as Adam dyd? Haue I feared any great multi∣tude of people: or yf I had bene despised of the symple, O thē shuld I haue bene afrayde

Thus haue I quyetly spente my lyfe, & not gone out at the dore. O that I had one which wolde heare me. Lo, this is my cause. In the whiche the almyghtye shall answere for me: though he that is my contrary partye, hath wrytten a boke agaynste me. Yet ☞ wyll I take hym vpon my shoulder, & as a garland aboute my heade. I wyll tell hym, the nom∣bre of my geynges, and go vnto hym as to a prynce. But yf case be that my ☞ lande crye agaynst me, or that the forowes therof make any complaynte: yf I haue eaten the fruytes therof vnpayde for, yea yf I haue greued any of the plowinē: then let thystles grow in stede of my wheate, and cockle for my barley.

¶ Here endeth the wordes of Iob.

Notes

• Eccle. ••li. •• Math. ••. ••.
• Iob. ••4 •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••
• Psal. vii. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉 ••
• Deutt. 4. t. and. ••vit. b. Sapi. xiii. a
• Pro. xvii. a