1Forsothe Eliphat Themanytes answeride, and seide,

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2Whether a man, yhe, whanne he is of perfit kunnyng, mai be comparisound to God?

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3What profitith it to God, if thou art iust? ethir what schalt thou yyue to hym, if thi lijf is without wem?

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4Whether he schal drede, and schal repreue thee, and schal come with thee in to doom,

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5and not for thi ful myche malice, and thi wickidnessis with out noumbre, `these peynes bifelden iustli to thee?

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6For thou hast take awei with out cause the wed of thi britheren; and hast spuylid nakid men of clothis.

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7Thou yauest not watir to the feynt man; and thou withdrowist breed fro the hungri man.

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8In the strengthe of thin arm thou haddist the lond in possessioun; and thou moost myyti heldist it.

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9Thou leftist widewis voide; and al to-brakist the schuldris of fadirles children.

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10Therfor thou art cumpassid with snaris; and sodeyn drede disturblith thee.

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11And thou gessidist, that thou schuldist not se derknessis; and that thou schuldist not be oppressid with the fersnesse of watris flowyng.

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12Whether thou thenkist, that God is hiyere than heuene, and is enhaunsid aboue the coppe of sterris?

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13And thou seist, What sotheli knowith God? and, He demeth as bi derknesse.

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14A cloude is his hidyng place, and he biholdith not oure thingis, and he `goith aboute the herris of heuene.

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15Whether thou coueitist to kepe the path of worldis, which wickid men han ofte go?

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16Whiche weren takun awei bifor her tyme, and the flood distriede the foundement of hem.

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17Whiche seiden to God, Go thou awei fro vs; and as if Almyyti God may do no thing, thei gessiden hym,

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18whanne he hadde fillid her housis with goodis; the sentence of whiche men be fer fro me.

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19Iust men schulen se, and schulen be glad; and an innocent man schal scorne hem.

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20Whether the reisyng of hem is not kit doun, and fier schal deuoure the relifs of hem?

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21Therfor assente thou to God, and haue thou pees; and bi these thingis thou schalt haue best fruytis.

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22Take thou the lawe of his mouth, and sette thou hise wordis in thin herte.

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23If thou turnest ayen to Almyyti God, thou schalt be bildid; and thou schalt make wickidnesse fer fro thi tabernacle.

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24He schal yyue a flynt for erthe, and goldun strondis for a flynt.

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25And Almyyti God schal be ayens thin enemyes; and siluer schal be gaderid togidere to thee.

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26Thanne on Almyyti God thou schalt flowe with delicis; and thou schalt reise thi face to God.

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27Thou schalt preye hym, and he schal here thee; and thou schalt yelde thi vowis.

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28Thou schalt deme a thing, and it schal come to thee; and lyyt schal schyne in thi weies.

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29For he that is mekid, schal be in glorie; and he that bowith doun hise iyen, schal be saued.

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30An innocent schal be saued; sotheli he schal be saued in the clennesse of hise hondis.

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