“ What rereþ þee þin herte, and as grete þingis þenkende þou hast stoneȝid eȝen? What aȝen God swelleþ þi spirit, þat þou speke of þi mouþ suche maner woordis? What is a man, þat he be vndefoulid, and riȝtwis seme born of a womman? Lo! among his seintus noon is vnchaungable, and heuenes ben not clene in his siȝt. Hou myche more an abhominable and an vnprofitable man, þat drinkeþ as watris wickidnesse? I shal shewe to þee, here me; þat I saȝ, I shal telle to þee. Wise men knoulechen, and shul not hide þer faders. To whom alone is ȝiue þe erþe, and þer shal not passe an alien bi hem. ”

“ Haue mynde, I beseche, þat as clei þou madist me, and in to pouder þou shalt aȝeen bringe me. Wheþer not as mylc þou hast mylkid me, and as chese þou hast crudded me? Wiþ fel and flesh þou hast clad me; wiþ bones and senewis þou hast togidere ioyned me. Lif and mercy þou hast ȝiue to me, and þi visiting kepte my spirit. Al be it þat þese þingus þou hidist in þin herte, nerþelatere I wot, for of alle þingus þou hast mynde. If I synnede, and at an houre þou sparedest to me; whi fro my wickidnesse þou suffrist not me to be clene? And if a wickid man I shal be, wo is to me ”

“ Who putte in þe entrailis of a man wisdam, and who ȝaf to þe cok vnderstonding? Who shal tellen out þe resoun of heuenus, and þe singing of heuene who shal make to slepe? Whanne was pouder held in þe erþe, and clottis weren clunge togidere? Wheþer þou shalt take þe prei of þe leounesse, and þe soule of hir whelpis þou shalt fulfille, whan þei lyn in dichis, and in dennus þei aspien? Who makeþ redi to þe crowe his mete, whan his briddis crie to God, hider and þider waggende, forþi þat þei han no metis? ”

“ Fors þei diden robbende moderles childer; and þe comun of pore men þei spoileden. To þe nakide, and to þe goende wiþoute cloþing, and to þe hungri þei token awei eris. Among þe hipilis of hem þei resteden in mydday, þe whiche þresten, þe pressoures tredid. Þey maden men of citees to weilen, and þe liues of woundid men shul crien; and God suffreþ not vnuengid to gon awey. Þei weren rebel to liȝt; þei knewen not his weies, ne þei be turned aȝeen bi his sties. Erli first riseþ þe mansleere, and he sleþ þe nedy, and þe pore; bi þe nyȝt forsoþe he shal ben as a þef. ”

“ Ha mynde, þat þou vnknowist þe werk of hym, of whiche men writen. Alle men seen hym; eche shal beholde aferr. Lo! God gret, ouercomende oure kunnyng; þe noumbre of þe ȝeris of hym vneymable. Þat doþ awei þe dropis of rein; and heeldeþ out wederes at þe licnesse of swolewis, þat of þe cloudis flowen, þat before weuen alle þingus þeraboue. If he wile strecche out cloudis as his tent, and leitne wiþ his liȝt fro aboue, also þe vtmost of þe se he shal couere. Bi þese þingis forsoþe he demeþ puplis, and ȝiueþ mete to manye deadli þingus. ”

“ But as I see, spirit is in men, and þe inbreþing of þe Almyȝti ȝiueþ vnderstonding. Wise men ben not longe liuende, ne olde men vnderstonde dom. Þerfore I shal seyn, Hereþ me, and also I shal shewe to ȝou my kunnyng. Forsoþe I haue abide ȝoure woordis, herde ȝoure prudence, whil ȝee striuen in ȝoure woordis. And whil I wende ȝou any þing to seyn, I beheeld; but as I see, þer is not, þat mai vnderneme Job, and answern of ȝou to his woordis; lest perauenture ȝee seyn, Wee han founde wisdam; God haþ þrowen hym afeerr, and not man. ”

“ Þe depnessis of watris seiþ, It is not in me; and þe se spekeþ, It is not wiþ me. Shynende gold shal not be ȝiue for it, ne siluer shal be peisid in þe chaffaring of it. It shal not be comparisound to þe steyned coloures of Ynde, ne to þe most precious sardenyk ston, or safyr. Ne shal be maad euene to it gold, or glas; ne for it shul be chaungid vesselis of gold, heȝe and ouerstondende, ne shul be remembrid in þe comparisoun of it. Wisdam forsoþe is drawen of hidde þingis; ne þer shal be maad euene to it topasie of Eþiope, ne to þe most clene steynyng shal be comparisound. ”

“ Who is a man, as is Job, þat drinkeþ scornyng as water? þat goþ wiþ men wirkende wickidnesse, and wendeþ wiþ vnpytous men? Forsoþe he seide, A man shal not plese to God, also if he shul renne wiþ hym. ”

“ Who closede þe se wiþ doris, whan it brac out as goende forþ of þe wombe? Whan I shuld setten þe cloude his cloþing, and wiþ dercnesse it, as wiþ cloþis of vnspekende childhed, I wrappide aboute. I enuyrounde it wiþ my termes, and sette þe heenglis, and doris; and seide, Vnto hider þou shalt come, and no ferþere gon; and heer þou shalt breke togidere þi swellende flodis. Wheþer aftir þi rising þou comaundedist to þe morutid, and hast shewid to þe dai spring his place? Wheþir þou hast holde smytende togidere þe vtmostis of þe erþe, and hast smyten out þe vnpitous men of it? ”

“ A tree haþ hope, if it be kut of; eft it waxeþ grene, and his braunchis springen. If his roote waxe old in þe erþe, and in pouder were out dead; his stoc at þe smel of water shal burioune, and shal make an hep of leues, as whan first it is plauntid. ”

“ In olde men is wisdam, and in myche time prudence. Anent hym is wisdam and strengþe; he haþ counseil and vnderstonding. If he destroȝe, no man is þat bilde vp; if he inclose a man, no man is þat opene. If he holde togidere watris, alle þingus shul be maad drie; if he out sende þem, þei shul turne vpsodoun þe erþe. Anent hym is strengþe and wisdam; he knew and þe begilere and hym þat is begilid. And he bringeþ forþ þe counseileris in to a fool ende, and domesmen in to stoneing. Þe girdil of kingus he looside, and girte wiþ a corde þe reenes of hem. ”

“ Frendis shul hewen hym, marchaundis shul deuyden hym? Wheþer þou shalt fille nettis wiþ his skyn, and þe lep of fisshis wiþ þe hed of hym? Put vp on hym þin hond; haue mynde of bataile, and adde þou to speke no more. Lo! þe hope of hym shal maken hym veyn; and alle men seende he shal ben kast doun. Not as cruel I shal reren hym; who forsoþe mai wiþstonde to my chere? And who befor ȝaf to me, þat I ȝeelde to hym? Alle þingus, þat ben vnder heuene, ben myne. I shal not spare to hym bi myȝti woordis, and to preȝe sett togidere. ”

“ A man forsoþe whan he shal be dead, and nakid, and wastid; wher, I beseche, is he? What maner if watris gon awei fro þe se, and flod voided waxe drie, so a man, whan he slepeþ, shal not rise, to þe time þat he be totreden; heuene shal not wake out, ne he shal rise fro his slep. Who ȝeue to me þat, þat in helle þou defende me, and hide me, to þe time þi wodnesse ouerpasse; and sette to me a time, in whiche þou recorde of me? Wheþer weenest þou not a dead man eft liue? Alle þe daȝis, in whiche now I fiȝte, I abide, to þe time myn inward chaunging come. ”

“ Þer stod oon, whos chere I knew not, an ymage befor myn eȝen; and a vois as of a softe eir I herde. Wheþir a man of God shal be iustified bi comparisoun; and a man shal be more clene þan his Makere? Lo! þat seruen to hym ben not stable; and in his aungelis he fond shreudenesse. Myche more þese þat dwellen cleyene housis, þat han an erþely foundement, shul be wastid as of a moȝhe. Fro morutid vnto euen þei shul ben hewe doun; and for no man vnderstondiþ, wiþ outen ende þei shul pershe. Þei forsoþe, þat weren lafte, shul be taken awei fro hem, and dien, and not in wisdam. ”

“ Aferr shul be maade his sones fro helþe, and shul be to-treden in þe ȝate, and þer shal not be þat deliuere. Whos rep þe hungri shal ete, and hym shal raueshe þe armed, and þe þristi men shul drinke his richessis. No þing in þe erþe is maad wiþoute cause, and of þe erþe shal not gon out sorewe. A man to trauaile is born, and a brid to fleen. For what þing I shal preȝe þe Lord, and to my God I shal putte my speche. Þat doþ grete þingus, and vnserchable, and merueilouse þingus wiþoute noumbre. Þat ȝiueþ reyn vpon þe face of þe erþe, and moysteþ wiþ watris alle þingus. ”

“ Þe sones of hem ben seuered, and go to þe feding; þei gon out, and ben not turned aȝeen to þem. Who lafte þe asse fre, and his bondis who looside? To whom I ȝaf in wildernesse an hous, and his tabernaclis in þe lond of bareynte. He despiseþ þe multitude of þe cite; þe cry of þe pletere he hereþ not. He beholdeþ aboute þe hillis of hys leswe, and alle grene growende þingis he secheþ. Wheþer þe vnycorn shal wiln serue to þee, or shal dwelle at þi cracche? Wheþer shalt þou tie to eren þe vnycorn wiþ þi bridil, or he shal breke clottis of valeis after þee? ”

“ Here þerfore myn houndis, þerfore me in þis volume to han trauailid, not þat þe olde remenyng I repreue, but þat þo þingis, þat in it or ben derc, or ben laft of, or certis bi þe vice of writeres depraued, shulden be maad more open bi oure remenyng; þe whiche and þe Ebrues sermoun a parti wee han lerned, and in Latin fulli fro þe cradelis among gramarienes, and retorikis, and filosofres wee ben defoulid. ”

“ If he turne vpso doun alle þingus, or in to oon drawe togidere, who shal aȝensein to hym? Or who shal moun sey to hym, Whi dost þou so? He forsoþe knewȝ þe vanyte of men; and seande wickidnesse wheþer he beholde not? A veyn man in to pride is rerid; and as a colt of an asse, he weeneþ hymself born free. Þou forsoþe hast fastned þin herte, and hast sprad out to hym þin hondis. If þe wickidnesse, þat is in þin hond, þou takest awei fro þee, and vnriȝtwisnesse abideþ not stille in þi tabernacle, þanne þou shalt moun rere þi face wiþ oute wem, and þou shalt be stable, and not dreden. ”

“ Abhomynable to hym bred is maad in his lif, and to þe soule of hym mete beforn desirable. His flesh shal become roten, and þe bones, þat weren couered, shul be maad nakid. Þe soule of hym shal neȝhe to corupcioun, and his lif to þingus berende deþ. If þer were for hym an aungil spekende oon of þe lic þingis, þat he telle þe equite of man, he shal han reuþe, and sein, Delyuere hym, þat he go not doun in to corupcioun ”

“ Þese þingus I suffride wiþoute wickidnesse of myn hond, whan I hadde to God clene preȝeeris. Erþe, ne couere þou my blod, ne my cry finde in þee place of lurking. Lo! forsoþe in heuene is my witnesse; am I knowere of myself in heiȝtis? My woordi frendis, myn eȝe droppiþ to God. And wolde God, so a man shulde be demed wiþ God, hou þe sone of man is demed wiþ his felawe. Lo! forsoþe shorte ȝeris passen, and þe sty, bi þe whiche I shal not be turned aȝeen, I go.
Capitulum XVII. My spirit shal be maad þynne; my daȝis shul be shortid, and onli to me leueþ ouer a sepulcre. ”

“ Forsoþe þou writist aȝen me bitternessis; and waste me þou wilt wiþ synnes of my waxende ȝouþe. Þou hast putte in þe stoc my foot, and þou hast waitid alle my paþis; and þe steppis of my feet þou hast beholde. Þe whiche as rotenesse am to be wastid, and as cloþing þat is eten of a mowȝhe.
Capitulum XIIII. A man born of a womman, short time liuende, is fulfild wiþ many wrecchidnessis. Þat as a flour goþ out, and is totreden; and fleþ as shadewe, and neuere in þe same state abit stille. And wrþi þou bringist vpon such a man to opene þin eȝen; and to bringe hym wiþ þee in to dom? ”

“ Þou perauenture wiþ hym forgedist heuenes, þat most sad, as wiþ bras, ben foundid. Shewȝ to vs, what wee seyn to hym; wee forsoþe ben wrappid in dercnessis. Who shal telle to hym, þat I speke? also if a man shal speke, he shal be deuourid. And now þei see not liȝt; feerli þe eir shal be wroȝt togidere in to cloudis, and ouergoende wind shal driue þem. Fro þe norþ shal come gold, and fro God dredful preising. Wrþili hym finde wee moun not; gret in strengþe, and dom, and riȝtwisnesse, þat he mai not be told out. Þerfore men shul dreden hym ”

“ Fro þe hestis of his lippis I wente not awei; and in my bosum I hidde þe woordis of his mouþ. He forsoþe is alone, and no man mai turne awey his þoȝtis; and his soule what þing euere it wolde, þat it dide. Whan it shal fulfille in me his wil, and oþere manye lic þingus ben redi to hym. And þerfore fro þe face of hym I am disturbid, and beholdende hym wiþ drede I am bisy. God temprede myn herte, and þe Almyȝti disturbide me. Forsoþe I pershide not for þe aboue comende dercnessis ”

“ Þerfore, herty men, hereþ me; ferr be fro God vnpitousnesse, and fro þe Almyȝti wickenesse. Forsoþe þe werk of man he shal ȝelde to hym; and after þe weies of echone he shal quite to þem. Vereli forsoþe God shal not condempne in veyn; ne þe Almyȝti shal turne vpsodoun dom. Whom oþer sette he vp on erþe? or whom putte he vp on þe world, þat he forgide? If he shul dresse to it his herte, þe spirit of it and blast he shal drawe to hym. Al flesh shal faile to gidere; and a man into askis shal be turned aȝeen. If þou hast þanne vndirstondinge, here þat is seid, and herkne þe vois of my speche. ”

“ His breþ makeþ colis to brenne, and flaume goþ out of hys mouþ. In his necke shal dwelle strengþe, and nede shal go beforn his face. Þe membris of his flesh cleuende to þemself; he shal senden aȝen hym flodis, and to an oþer place þei shul not be born. His herte shal ben inwardli harded as a ston; and shal be streyned as þe stiþie of an hamer betere. Whan he shal be taken awei, aungelis shul drede; and ferd þei shul be purgid. Whan he shal cacchen hym, swerd shal not moun stonde, ne spere, ne brest plate. Forsoþe he shal telle bi iren as chaf, and bras as rotun tree. ”