¹ Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

² Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?

³ And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?

⁴ He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.

⁵ A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.

⁶ The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.

⁷ No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.

⁸ Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.

⁹ Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?

¹⁰ In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.

¹¹ Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?

¹² Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.

¹³ Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.

¹⁴ If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.

¹⁵ If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.

¹⁶ Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.

¹⁷ And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.

¹⁸ He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.

¹⁹ He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;

²⁰ and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.

²¹ He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.

²² Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.

²³ Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.

²⁴ Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.

²⁵ Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.