1Forsooth Job answered, and said,

2I pray you, hear ye my words, and do ye penance.

3Suffer ye me, that I speak; and laugh ye after my words, if it shall seem to you worthy to do so.

4Whether my disputing is against man, that skillfully I owe not to be [made] sorry?

5Perceive ye me, and be ye astonied; and set ye [or putteth] your finger upon your mouth.

6And when I bethink me, I dread, and trembling shaketh my flesh.

7Why therefore live wicked men? They be enhanced, and comforteth with riches.

8Their seed dwelleth before them; the company of their kinsmen, and of the sons of their sons, dwelleth in their sight.

9Their houses be secure, and peace-able; and the rod, or scourge, of God is not upon them.

10The cow of them conceived, and calved not a dead calf; the cow calved, and is not deprived of her calf.

11Their little children go out as flocks; and their young children full out joy with playings.

12They hold the tympan, and harp; and they joy at the sound of the organ.

13They lead in goods their days; and in a point, they go down to hells, that is, to burials, or the grave.

14Which men said to God, Go thou away from us; we desire not the knowing of thy ways.

15Who is Almighty God, that we serve him? and what profiteth it to us, if we pray him?

16Nevertheless for their goods be not in their hand, or power, the counsel of wicked men be far from me.

17How oft shall the lantern of wicked men be quenched, and flowing shall come upon them, and God shall part with them the sorrows of his strong vengeance?

18They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind; and as a dead spark, that the whirlwind scattereth abroad.

19Ye say, God shall keep the sorrow of the father to his sons; and when he hath yielded to them vengeance, then he shall know it.

20His eyes shall see their slaying; and he shall drink of the strong vengeance of Almighty God.

21For why what pertaineth it to him of his house after him, though the number of his months be half taken away?

22Whether any man shall teach God knowing, which deemeth them that be on high?

23This evil man dieth strong and whole, rich and blessful to the world.

24His entrails be full of fatness; and his bones be moisted with marrow.

25And another man dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and without any riches.

26Nevertheless they shall sleep together in dust, and worms shall cover them.

27Certainly I know your wicked thoughts, and your sentences against me.

28For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where be the taber-nacles of wicked men?

29Ask ye this of each way-goer; and ye shall know, that he knoweth these same things,

30that is, that an evil man shall be kept into the day of perdition, and he shall be led to the day of strong vengeance.

31Who shall reprove his ways before him? and who shall yield to him for those things, which he hath done?

32He shall be led to the sepulchres; and he shall wake in the heap of dead men.

33He was sweet to the stones, either filths, of hell; and he draweth each man after him, and unnumber-able men went before him.

34How therefore comfort ye me in vain, since your answers be showed to contrary the truth?