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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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25If 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.

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