Job 29

1 Also Joob addide, takynge his parable, and seide,

約伯又接着說：

2 Who yyueth to me, that I be bisidis the elde monethis, bi the daies in whiche God kepte me?

惟願我的景況如從前的月份， 如上帝保守我的日子。

3 Whanne his lanterne schynede on myn heed, and Y yede in derknessis at his liyt.

那時他的燈照在我頭上； 我藉他的光行過黑暗。

4 As Y was in the daies of my yongthe, whanne in priuete God was in my tabernacle.

我願如壯年的時候： 那時我在帳棚中， 上帝待我有密友之情；

5 Whanne Almyyti God was with me, and my children weren in my cumpas;

全能者仍與我同在； 我的兒女都環繞我。

6 whanne Y waischide my feet in botere, and the stoon schedde out to me the stremes of oile;

奶多可洗我的腳； 磐石為我出油成河。

7 whanne Y yede forth to the yate of the citee, and in the street thei maden redi a chaier to me.

我出到城門， 在街上設立座位；

8 Yonge men, `that is, wantoun, sien me, and weren hid, and elde men risynge vp stoden;

少年人見我而迴避， 老年人也起身站立；

9 princes ceessiden to speke, and puttiden the fyngur on her mouth;

王子都停止說話， 用手摀口；

10 duykis refreyneden her vois, and her tunge cleuyde to her throte.

首領靜默無聲， 舌頭貼住上膛。

11 An eere herynge blesside me, and an iye seynge yeldide witnessyng to me;

耳朵聽我的，就稱我有福； 眼睛看我的，便稱讚我；

12 for Y hadde delyueride a pore man criynge, and a fadirles child, that hadde noon helpere.

因我拯救哀求的困苦人 和無人幫助的孤兒。

13 The blessyng of a man `to perische cam on me, and Y coumfortide the herte of a widewe.

將要滅亡的為我祝福； 我也使寡婦心中歡樂。

14 Y was clothid with riytfulnesse; and Y clothide me as with a cloth, and with my `doom a diademe.

我以公義為衣服， 以公平為外袍和冠冕。

15 Y was iye `to a blynde man, and foot to a crokyd man.

我為瞎子的眼， 瘸子的腳。

16 Y was a fadir of pore men; and Y enqueride most diligentli the cause, which Y knew not.

我為窮乏人的父； 素不認識的人，我查明他的案件。

17 Y al tobrak the grete teeth of the wickid man, and Y took awei prey fro hise teeth.

我打破不義之人的牙床， 從他牙齒中奪了所搶的。

18 And Y seide, Y schal die in my nest; and as a palm tre Y schal multiplie daies.

我便說：我必死在家中， 必增添我的日子，多如塵沙。

19 My roote is openyde bisidis watris, and deew schal dwelle in my repyng.

我的根長到水邊； 露水終夜霑在我的枝上。

20 My glorie schal euere be renulid, and my bouwe schal be astorid in myn hond.

我的榮耀在身上增新； 我的弓在手中日強。

21 Thei, that herden me, abiden my sentence; and thei weren ententif, and weren stille to my counsel.

人聽見我而仰望， 靜默等候我的指教。

22 Thei dursten no thing adde to my wordis; and my speche droppide on hem.

我說話之後，他們就不再說； 我的言語像雨露滴在他們身上。

23 Thei abididen me as reyn; and thei openyden her mouth as to the softe reyn `comynge late.

他們仰望我如仰望雨， 又張開口如切慕春雨。

24 If ony tyme Y leiyide to hem, thei bileueden not; and the liyt of my cheer felde not doun in to erthe.

他們不敢自信，我就向他們含笑； 他們不使我臉上的光改變。

25 If Y wolde go to hem, Y sat the firste; and whanne Y sat as kyng, while the oost stood aboute, netheles Y was comfortour of hem that morenyden.

我為他們選擇道路，又坐首位； 我如君王在軍隊中居住， 又如弔喪的安慰傷心的人。