Bible (Wycliffe)/Jeremiah

Chapter 1

¹ The wordis of Jeremye, sone of Helchie, of the preestis that weren in Anathot, in the lond of Beniamyn.

² For the word of the Lord was maad to hym in the daies of Josie, the sone of Amon, kyng of Juda, in the threttenethe yeer of his rewme.

³ And it was don in the daies of Joachym, the sone of Josie, the king of Juda, til to the endyng of the enleuenthe yeer of Sedechie, sone of Josie, kyng of Juda, til the passyng ouer, ether caitifte, of Jerusalem, in the fyuethe monethe.

⁴ And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

⁵ and seide, Bifor that Y fourmede thee in the wombe, Y knewe thee; and bifor that thou yedist out of the wombe, Y halewide thee; and Y yaf thee a profete among folkis.

⁶ And Y seide, A! A! A! Lord God, lo! Y kan not speke, for Y am a child.

⁷ And the Lord seide to me, Nyle thou seie, that Y am a child; for thou schalt go to alle thingis, to whiche Y schal sende thee, and thou schalt speke alle thingis, what euer thingis Y schal comaunde to thee.

⁸ Drede thou not of the face of hem, for Y am with thee, to delyuere thee, seith the Lord.

⁹ And the Lord sente his hond, and touchide my mouth; and the Lord seide to me, Lo! Y haue youe my wordis in thi mouth; lo!

¹⁰ Y haue ordeynede thee to day on folkis, and on rewmes, that thou drawe vp, and distrie, and leese, and scatere, and bilde, and plaunte.

¹¹ And the word of the Lord was maad to me, and seide, What seest thou, Jeremye?

¹² And Y seide, Y se a yerde wakynge. And the Lord seide to me, Thou hast seen wel, for Y schal wake on my word, to do it.

¹³ And the word of the Lord was maad the secounde tyme to me, and seide, What seest thou? Y se a pot buylynge, and the face therof fro the face of the north.

¹⁴ And the Lord seide to me, Fro the north schal be schewid al yuel on alle the dwelleris of the lond.

¹⁵ For lo! Y schal clepe togidere alle the naciouns of rewmes of the north, seith the Lord, and thei schulen come, and sette ech man his seete in the entryng of the yatis of Jerusalem, and on alle the wallis therof in cumpas, and on alle the citees of Juda.

¹⁶ And Y schal speke my domes with hem on al the malice of hem, that forsoken me, and maden sacrifice to alien goddis, and worschipiden the werk of her hondis.

¹⁷ Therfor girde thou thi leendis, and rise thou, and speke to hem alle thingis whiche Y comaunde to thee; drede thou not of the face of hem, for Y schal not make thee for to drede the cheer of hem.

¹⁸ For Y yaf thee to dai in to a strong citee, and in to an yrun piler, and in to a brasun wal, on al the lond, to the kyngis of Juda, and to the princis therof, and to the preestis therof, and to al the puple of the lond.

¹⁹ And thei schulen fiyte ayens thee, and thei schulen not haue the maistrie; for Y am with thee, seith the Lord, that Y delyuere thee.

Chapter 2

¹ And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

² and seide, Go thou, and crye in the eeris of Jerusalem, and seie, The Lord seith these thingis, Y hadde mynde on thee, and Y hadde merci on thee in thi yong wexynge age, and on the charite of thi spousyng, whanne thou suedist me in desert, in the lond which is not sowun.

³ Israel was hooli to the Lord, the firste of fruytis of hym; alle men that deuouren that Israel, trespassen; yuelis schulen come on hem, seith the Lord.

⁴ The hous of Jacob, and alle the lynagis of the hous of Israel, here ye the word of the Lord.

⁵ The Lord seith these thingis, What of wickidnesse foundun youre fadris in me, for thei yeden fer awey fro me, and yeden after vanyte, and weren maad veyn?

⁶ And thei seiden not, Where is the Lord, that made vs to stie fro the lond of Egipt, that ledde vs ouer thorou desert, bi the lond vnabitable and with out weie, bi the lond of thirst, and bi the ymage of deeth, bi the lond in whiche a man yede not, nether a man dwellide.

⁷ And Y brouyte you in to the lond of Carmele, that ye schulden ete the fruyt therof, and the goodis therof; and ye entriden, and defouliden my lond, and settiden myn eritage in to abhomynacioun.

⁸ Preestis seiden not, Where is the Lord? and thei that helden the lawe, knewen not me; and scheepherdis trespassiden ayens me, and profetis profesieden in Baal, and sueden idols.

⁹ Therfor yit Y schal stryue with you in doom, seith the Lord, and Y schal dispute with youre sones.

¹⁰ Go ye to the ilis of Cethym, and se ye; and sende ye in to Cedar, and biholde ye greetli; and se ye,

¹¹ if siche a thing is doon, if a folk chaungide hise goddis; and certeynli thei ben no goddis; but my puple chaungide hise glorie in to an ydol.

¹² Heuenes, be ye astonyed on this thing, and, ye yatis of heuene, be ye desolat greetli, seith the Lord.

¹³ For whi my puple hath don tweyne yuels; thei han forsake me, the welle of quyke watir, and han diggid to hem cisternes, `that weren distried, that moun not holde watris.

¹⁴ Whether Israel is a boond man, ether is borun boonde?

¹⁵ Whi therfor is he maad in to prey? Liouns roriden on hym, and yauen her vois; thei han set the londe of hym in to wildernesse, the citees of him ben brent, and noon is that dwellith in tho.

¹⁶ Also the sones of Menfis and of Tafnys han defoulid thee, `til to the cop of the heed.

¹⁷ Whether this is not don to thee, for thou forsokist thi Lord God, in that tyme in which he ledde thee bi the weie?

¹⁸ And now what wolt thou to thee in the weie of Egipt, that thou drynke troblid watir? And what is to thee with the weie of Assiriens, that thou drynke water of the flood?

¹⁹ Thi malice schal repreue thee, and thi turnyng awei schal blame thee; wite thou and se, that it is yuel and bittir that thou hast forsake thi Lord God, and that his drede is not at thee, seith the Lord God of oostis.

²⁰ Fro the world thou hast broke my yok, thou hast broke my bondis, and seidist, Y schal not serue. For thou hoore didist hordom in ech hiy litil hil, and vndur ech tree ful of bowis.

²¹ Forsothe Y plauntide thee a chosun vyner, al trewe seed; hou therfor art thou, alien vyner, turned to me in to a schrewid thing?

²² Thouy thou waischist thee with fulleris clei, and multypliest to thee the erbe borith, thou art defoulid in thi wickidnesse bifore me, seith the Lord God.

²³ Hou seist thou, Y am not defoulid, Y yede not aftir Baalym? Se thi weies in the greet valei, wite thou what thou hast do; a swifte rennere ordeynynge hise weies.

²⁴ A wielde asse customable in wildirnesse drow the wynd of his loue in the desire of his soule; no man schal turne awei it. Alle that seken it, schulen not faile; thei schulen fynde it in the flux of vncleene blood therof.

²⁵ Forbede thi foot fro nakidnesse, and thi throte fro thirst; and thou seidist, Y dispeiride, Y schal not do; for Y louede brennyngli alien goddis, and Y schal go aftir hem.

²⁶ As a theef is schent, whanne he is takun, so the hous of Israel ben schent; thei, and kyngis of hem, the princes, and prestis, and the prophetis of hem,

²⁷ that seien to a tree, Thou art my fadir; and to a stoon, Thou hast gendrid me. Thei turneden to me the bak, and not the face; and in the tyme of her turment thei schulen seie, Ryse thou, and delyuere vs.

²⁸ Where ben thi goddis, whiche thou madist to thee? Rise thei, and delyuere thee in the tyme of thi turment; for aftir the noumbre of thi citees weren thi goddis, thou Juda.

²⁹ What wolen ye stryue with me in doom? Alle ye han forsake me, seith the Lord.

³⁰ In veyn Y smoot youre sones, thei resseyueden not chastisyng; youre swerd deuouride youre prophetis, youre generacioun is distried as a lioun.

³¹ Se ye the word of the Lord, whether Y am maad a wildirnesse to Israel, ether a lond late bryngynge forth fruyt? Whi therfor seide my puple, We han go awei, we schulen no more come to thee?

³² Whethir a virgyn schal foryete hir ournement? and a spousesse `schal foryete hir brest girdil? But mi puple hath foryete me bi daies with out noumbre.

³³ What enforsist thou to schewe thi weie good to seke loue, which ferthermore bothe hast tauyt thi malices thi weies,

³⁴ and the blood of pore men and innocentis is foundun in thi wyngis? Y fond not hem in dichis, but in alle thingis whiche Y remembride bifore.

³⁵ And thou seidist, Y am with out synne and innocent; and therfor thi stronge veniaunce be turned awei fro me. Lo! Y schal stryue with thee in doom; for thou seidist, Y synnede not.

³⁶ Hou vijl art thou maad, rehersynge thi weies? and thou schalt be schent of Egipt, as thou were schent of Assur.

³⁷ For whi and thou schalt go out of this lond, and thin hondis schulen be on thin heed; for whi the Lord hath al to-broke thi trist, and thou schalt haue no thing to prosperite.

Chapter 3

¹ It is seid comunli, If a man forsakith his wijf, and sche go awei fro hym, and be weddid to an othere hosebonde, whether he schal turne ayen more to hir? whether thilke womman schal not be defoulid, and maad vncleene? Forsothe thou hast do fornycacioun with many loueris; netheles turne thou ayen to me, `seith the Lord, and Y schal resseyue thee.

² Reise thin iyen in to streiyt, and se, where thou art not cast doun. Thou hast setun in weies, abidynge hem as a theef in wildirnesse, and thou hast defoulid the erthe in thi fornicaciouns and in thi malices.

³ Wherfor the dropis of reynes weren forbodun, and no late reyn was. The forhed of a womman hoore is maad to thee; thou noldist be aschamed.

⁴ Nameli fro this tyme forth clepe thou me, Thou art my fadir, the ledere of my virginyte.

⁵ Whether thou schalt be wrooth with outen ende, ether schalt contynue in to the ende? Lo! thou hast spoke, and hast do yuels, and thou were myyti. And for wordis of penaunce thou blasfemydist bi wordis of pride; and thou fillidist thin yuel thouyt, and schewidist thi strengthe ayens thi hosebonde, that thou maist do that thing that thou tretidist bi word.

⁶ And the Lord seide to me, in the daies of Josie, the kyng, Whether thou hast seyn what thing the aduersarie, Israel, hath do? Sche yede to hir silf on ech hiy hil, and vndur ech tre ful of boowis, and dide fornycacioun there.

⁷ And Y seide, whanne sche hadde do alle these thingis, Turne thou ayen to me; and sche turnede not ayen. And hir sistir, Juda, brekere of the lawe,

⁸ siy, that for the aduersarie, Israel, dide auowtrie, Y hadde left hir, and Y hadde youe to hir a libel of forsakyng; and Juda, hir sistir, brekere of the lawe, dredde not, but also sche yede, and dide fornycacioun.

⁹ And bi liytnesse of hir fornicacioun sche defoulide the erthe, and dide auowtrie with a stoon, and with a tree.

¹⁰ And in alle these thingis hir sistir, Juda, brekere of the lawe, turnede not ayen to me, in al hir herte, but in a leesyng, seith the Lord God.

¹¹ And the Lord seide to me, The aduersarie, Israel, hath iustified hir soule, in comparisoun of Juda, brekere of the lawe.

¹² Go thou, and crye these wordis ayens the north; and thou schalt seie, Thou aduersarie, Israel, turne ayen, seith the Lord, and Y schal not turne awei my face fro you; for Y am hooli, seith the Lord, and Y schal not be wrooth with outen ende.

¹³ Netheles knowe thou thi wickidnesse; for thou hast trespassid ayens thi Lord God, and thou hast spred abrood thi weies to aliens vndur ech tre ful of bowis; and thou herdist not my vois, seith the Lord.

¹⁴ Be ye conuertid, sones, turnynge ayen, seith the Lord, for Y am youre hosebonde; and Y schal take you oon of a citee, and tweyne of a kynrede, and Y schal lede you in to Sion;

¹⁵ and Y schal yyue to you scheepherdis after myn herte, and thei schulen feede you with kunnyng and teching.

¹⁶ And whanne ye schulen be multiplied, and encreesse in the lond, in tho daies, seith the Lord, thei schulen no more seie, The arke of testament of the Lord; nether it schal stie on the herte, nether thei schulen thenke on it, nether it schal be visitid, nether it schal be ferthere.

¹⁷ In that tyme thei schulen clepe Jerusalem The seete of the Lord, and alle hethene men schulen be gaderid togidere to it, in the name of the Lord, in Jerusalem; and thei schulen not go aftir the schrewidnesse of her worste herte.

¹⁸ In tho daies the hous of Juda schal go to the hous of Israel; and thei schulen come togidere fro the lond of the north to the lond which Y yaf to youre fadris.

¹⁹ Forsothe Y seide, Hou schal Y sette thee among sones, and schal yyue to thee a desirable lond, a ful cleer eritage of the oostis of hethene men? And Y seide, Thou schalt clepe me fadir, and thou schalt not ceesse to entre aftir me.

²⁰ But as if a womman dispisith hir louyere, so the hous of Israel dispiside me, seith the Lord.

²¹ A vois is herd in weies, the weping and yellyng of the sones of Israel; for thei maden wickid her weie, thei foryaten her Lord God.

²² Be ye conuertid, sones, turnynge ayen, and Y schal heele youre turnyngis awei. Lo! we comen to thee; for thou art oure Lord God.

²³ Verili litil hillis weren lieris, the multitude of mounteyns was fals; verili in oure Lord God is the helthe of Israel.

²⁴ Schenschipe eete the trauel of oure fadris, fro oure yongthe; schenschipe eet the flockis of hem, and the droues of hem, the sones of hem, and the douytris of hem.

²⁵ We schulen slepe in oure schenschipe, and oure sclaundir schal hile vs; for we synneden to oure Lord God, bothe we and oure fadris, fro oure yongthe `til to this dai; and we herden not the vois of oure Lord God.

Chapter 4

¹ Israel, if thou turnest ayen, seith the Lord, turne thou to me; if thou takist awei thin offendyngis fro my face, thou schalt not be mouyd.

² And thou schalt swere, The Lord lyueth, in treuthe and in doom and in riytfulnesse; and alle folkis schulen blesse hym, and schulen preise hym.

³ For the Lord God seith these thingis to a man of Juda and to a dwellere of Jerusalem, Make ye newe to you a lond tilid of the newe, and nyle ye sowe on thornes.

⁴ Men of Juda, and dwelleris of Jerusalem, be ye circumcidid to the Lord, and do ye awey the filthis of youre hertis; lest perauenture myn indignacioun go out as fier, and be kyndlid, and noon be that quenche, for the malice of youre thouytis.

⁵ Telle ye in Juda, and make ye herd in Jerusalem; speke ye, and synge ye with a trumpe in the lond; crye ye strongli, and seie ye, Be ye gaderid togidere, and entre we in to stronge citees.

⁶ Reise ye a signe in Sion, coumforte ye, and nyle ye stonde; for Y bringe yuel fro the north, and a greet sorewe.

⁷ A lioun schal `rise vp fro his denne, and the robbere of folkis schal reise hym silf. He is goon out of his place, to sette thi lond in to wildirnesse; thi citees schulen be distried, abidynge stille with out dwellere.

⁸ On this thing girde you with heiris; weile ye, and yelle, for the wraththe of the strong veniaunce of the Lord is not turned awei fro you.

⁹ And it schal be, in that dai, seith the Lord, the herte of the king schal perische, and the herte of princis; and the prestis schulen wondre, and the prophetis schulen be astonyed.

¹⁰ And Y seide, Alas! alas! alas! Lord God; therfor whether thou hast disseyued this puple and Jerusalem, seiynge, Pees schal be to you, and lo! a swerd is comun `til to the soule?

¹¹ In that tyme it schal be seide to this puple and to Jerusalem, A brennynge wynd in the weies that ben in desert, ben the weies of the douytir of my puple, not to wyndewe, and not to purge.

¹² A spirit ful of hem schal come to me; and now Y, but Y schal speke my domes with hem.

¹³ Lo! he schal stie as a cloude, and hise charis as a tempest; hise horsis ben swifter than eglis; wo to vs, for we ben distried.

¹⁴ Thou Jerusalem, waische thin herte fro malice, that thou be maad saaf. Hou long schulen noiful thouytis dwelle in thee?

¹⁵ For whi the vois of a tellere fro Dan, and makynge knowun an idol fro the hil of Effraym.

¹⁶ Reise, ye folkis; lo! it is herd in Jerusalem that keperis ben comun fro a fer lond, and yyuen her vois on the citees of Juda.

¹⁷ As the keperis of feeldis thei ben maad on it in cumpas; for it stiride me to wrathfulnesse, seith the Lord.

¹⁸ Thi weyes and thi thouytis han maad this to thee; this malice of thee, for it is bittir, for it touchide thin herte.

¹⁹ Mi wombe akith, my wombe akith; the wittis of myn herte ben disturblid in me. Y schal not be stille, for my soule herde the vois of a trumpe, the cry of batel.

²⁰ Sorewe is clepid on sorewe, and al the lond is distried; my tabernaclis ben wastid sudeynli, my skynnes ben wastid sudeynli.

²¹ Hou longe schal Y se hem that fleen, schal Y here the vois of a clarioun?

²² For my fonned puple knew not me; thei ben vnwise sones, and cowardis; thei ben wise to do yuels, but thei kouden not do wel.

²³ Y bihelde the lond, and lo! it was void, and nouyt; and Y bihelde heuenes, and no liyt was in tho.

²⁴ Y siy munteyns, and lo! tho weren mouyd, and all litle hillis weren disturblid.

²⁵ Y lokide, and no man was, and ech brid of heuene was gon a wey.

²⁶ Y bihelde, and lo! Carmele is forsakun, and alle citees therof ben distried fro the face of the Lord, and fro the face of the ire of his strong veniaunce.

²⁷ For the Lord seith these thingis, Al the lond schal be forsakun, but netheles Y schal not make an endyng.

²⁸ The erthe schal mourne, and heuenys aboue schulen make sorewe, for that Y spak; Y thouyte, and it repentide not me, nether Y am turned awei fro it.

²⁹ Ech citee fledde fro the vois of a knyyt, and of a man schetynge an arowe; thei entriden in to hard places, and stieden in to roochis of stoon; alle citees ben forsakun, and no man dwellith in tho.

³⁰ But what schalt thou `destried do? Whanne thou schalt clothe thee with reed scarlet, whanne thou schalt be ourned with a goldun broche, and schalt anoynte thin iyen with wommans oynement, thou schalt be araied in veyn; thi louyeris han dispisid thee, thei schulen seke thi soule.

³¹ For Y herd a vois as of a womman trauelynge of child, the angwischis as of a womman childynge; the vois of the douyter of Sion among hem that dien, and spreden abrood her hondis; Wo to me, for my soule failide for hem that ben slayn.

Chapter 5

¹ Cumpasse ye the weies of Jerusalem, and loke, and biholde ye, and seke ye in the stretis therof, whether ye fynden a man doynge doom, and sekynge feith; and Y schal be merciful to hem.

² That if also thei seien, The Lord lyueth, yhe, thei schulen swere this falsli.

³ Lord, thin iyen biholden feith; thou hast smyte hem, and thei maden not sorewe; thou hast al tobroke hem, and thei forsoken to take chastisyng; thei maden her faces hardere than a stoon, and nolden turne ayen.

⁴ Forsothe Y seide, In hap thei ben pore men, and foolis, that knowen not the weie of the Lord, and the doom of her God.

⁵ Therfor Y schal go to the principal men, and Y schal speke to hem; for thei knewen the weie of the Lord, and the doom of her God. And lo! thei han more broke togidere the yok, and han broke boondis.

⁶ Therfor a lioun of the wode smoot hem; a wolf at euentid wastide hem, a parde wakynge on the citees of hem. Ech man that goith out of hem, schal be takun; for the trespassyngis of hem ben multiplied, the turnyngis awei of hem ben coumfortid.

⁷ On what thing mai Y be merciful to thee? Thi sones han forsake me, and sweren bi hem that ben not goddis. Y fillide hem, and thei diden auowtrie, and in the hous of an hoore thei diden letcherie.

⁸ Thei ben maad horsis, and stalouns, louyeris to wymmen; ech man neiyede to the wijf of his neiybore.

⁹ Whether Y schal not visite on these thingis, seith the Lord, and schal not my soule take veniaunce in siche a folk?

¹⁰ Stye ye on the wallis therof, and distrie ye; but nyle ye make an endyng. Do ye awei the siouns therof, for thei ben not seruauntis of the Lord.

¹¹ For whi the hous of Israel and the hous of Juda hath trespassid bi trespassyng ayens me, seith the Lord;

¹² thei denyeden the Lord, and seiden, He is not, nether yuel schal come on vs; we schulen not se swerd and hungur.

¹³ The profetis spaken ayens the wynd, and noon answer was in hem; therfor these thingis schulen come to hem.

¹⁴ The Lord God of oostis seith these thingis, For ye spaken this word, lo! Y yyue my wordis in thi mouth in to fier, and this puple in to trees, and it schal deuoure hem.

¹⁵ Lo! thou hous of Israel, seith the Lord, Y schal brynge on you a folk fro fer; a strong folk, an eeld folk, `a folk whos langage thou schalt not knowe, nether schalt vndurstonde what it spekith.

¹⁶ The arowe caas therof is as an opyn sepulcre; alle ben stronge men.

¹⁷ And it schal ete thi cornes, and it schal deuoure thi breed, thi sones and thi douytris; it schal ete thi flok, and thi droues, it schal ete also thi vyner, and thi fige tre; and it schal al to-breke thi stronge citees bi swerd, in whiche thou hast trist.

¹⁸ Netheles in tho daies, seith the Lord, Y schal not make you in to endyng.

¹⁹ That if ye seien, Whi hath oure Lord God do alle these thingis to vs? thou schalt seie to hem, As ye forsoken me, and serueden an alien god in youre lond, so ye schulen serue alien goddis in a lond not youre.

²⁰ Telle ye this to the hous of Jacob, and make ye herd in Juda, and seie ye,

²¹ Here, thou fonned puple, that hast noon herte; whiche han iyen, and seen not, and eeris, and heren not.

²² Therfor schulen not ye drede me, seith the Lord, and schulen not ye make sorewe for my face? Whiche haue set grauel a terme, ether ende, to the see, an euerlastynge comaundement, whiche it schal not passe; and the wawis therof schulen be mouyd, and schulen not haue power; and schulen wexe greet, and schulen not passe it.

²³ Forsothe an herte vnbileueful and terrynge to wraththe is maad to this puple; thei departiden,

²⁴ and yeden awei, and thei seiden not in her herte, Drede we oure Lord God, that yiueth to vs reyn tymeful, and lateful in his tyme; that kepith to vs the plente of heruest of the yeer.

²⁵ Youre wickidnessis diden awei these thingis, and youre synnes forbediden good fro you.

²⁶ For ther ben foundun in my puple wickid men, settynge tresoun, as fouleres settynge snaris and trappis, to take men.

²⁷ As a net, ether a trap, ful of briddis, so the housis of hem ben ful of gile. Therfor thei ben magnefied,

²⁸ and maad riche, maad fat with ynne, and maad fat with outforth, and thei passiden worst my wordis; thei demyden not a cause of a widewe, thei dressiden not the cause of a fadirles child, and thei demyden not the doom of pore men.

²⁹ Whether Y schal not visite on these thingis, seith the Lord, ether schal not my soule take veniaunce on sich a folk?

³⁰ Wondur and merueilouse thingis ben maad in the lond;

³¹ profetis profesieden leesyng, and prestis ioieden with her hondis, and my puple louyde siche thingis. What therfor schal be don in the laste thing therof?

Chapter 6

¹ Sones of Beniamyn, be ye coumfortid in the myddil of Jerusalem, and make ye noise with a clarioun in Thecua, and reise ye a baner on Bethecarem; for whi yuel and greet sorewe is seyn fro the north.

² Y haue licned the douytir of Sion to a fair womman and delicat.

³ Scheepherdis and her flockis schulen come to it; thei han piyt tentis in it in cumpas; ech man schal feede hem, that ben vndur his hond.

⁴ Halewe ye batel on it. Rise ye togidire, and stie we in myddai. Wo to vs, for the dai is bowid doun, for shadewis ben maad lengere in the euentid.

⁵ Rise ye, and stie we in the niyt, and distry we the housis therof.

⁶ For the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Kitte ye doun the tre therof, and schede ye erthe aboute Jerusalem; this is the citee of visitacioun; al fals caleng is in the myddis therof.

⁷ As a cisterne makith his water coold, so it made his malice coold; wickidnesse and distriyng schal euer be herd ther ynne bifore me, sikenesse and wounde.

⁸ Jerusalem, be thou tauyt, lest perauenture my soule go awei fro thee; lest perauenture Y sette thee forsakun, a loond vnhabitable.

⁹ The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Thei schulen gadere til to a racyn, thei schulen gadere the remenauntis of Israel as in a vyner; turne thin hond, as a gaderer of grapis to the bascat.

¹⁰ To whom schal Y speke, and to whom schal Y seie witnessing, that he here? Lo! the eeris of hem ben vncircumcidid, and thei moun not here; lo! the word of the Lord is maad to hem in to dispit, and thei schulen not resseiue it.

¹¹ Therfor Y am ful of the strong veniaunce of the Lord, and Y trauelide suffrynge. Schede thou out on a litil child with outforth, and on the counsel of yonge men togidere; for a man with his wijf schal be takun, and an eeld man with him that is ful of daies.

¹² And the housis of hem, the feeldis and wyues togidere, schulen go to othere men; for Y schal stretche forth myn hond on the dwelleris of the lond, seith the Lord.

¹³ For fro the lesse `til to the grettere, alle studien to auerise; and alle doon gile, fro the profete `til to the preest.

¹⁴ And thei heeliden the sorewe of the douyter of my puple with yuel fame, seiynge, Pees, pees, and no pees was.

¹⁵ Thei ben schent, that diden abhomynacioun; yhe, rathere thei weren not schent bi confusioun, and thei kouden not be aschamed. Wherfor thei schulen falle doun among hem that schulen falle doun; thei schulen falle doun in the tyme of her visitacioun, seith the Lord.

¹⁶ The Lord seith these thingis, Stonde ye on weies, and se ye, and axe ye of elde pathis, which is the good weie; and go ye ther ynne, and ye schulen fynde refreischyng to youre soulis. And thei seiden, We schulen not go.

¹⁷ And Y ordeynede aspieris on you, and Y seide, Here ye the vois of a trumpe. And thei seiden, We schulen not here.

¹⁸ Therfor, hethene men, here ye, and, thou congregacioun, knowe, hou grete thingis Y schal do to hem.

¹⁹ Thou erthe, here, lo! Y schal brynge yuels on this puple, the fruit of her thouytis; for thei herden not my wordis, and castiden awei my lawe.

²⁰ Wherto bryngen ye to me encense fro Saba, and a tre of spicerie smellynge swetli fro a fer lond? Youre brent sacrifices ben not acceptid, and youre slayn sacrifices plesiden not me.

²¹ Therfor the Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal yyue fallyngis in to this puple, and fadris and sones togidere, a neiybore and kynesman, schulen falle in hem, and schulen perische.

²² The Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! a puple cometh fro the lond of the north, and a greet folk schal rise togidere fro the endis of erthe.

²³ It schal take an arowe and scheld; it is cruel, and schal not haue merci; the vois therof schal sowne as the see, and thei maad redi as a man to batel schulen stie on horsis ayens thee, thou douyter of Sion.

²⁴ We herden the fame therof, oure hondis ben `a clumsid; tribulacioun hath take vs, sorewis han take vs as a womman trauelinge of child.

²⁵ Nyle ye go out to the feeldis, and go ye not in the weie, for the swerd of the enemye, drede in cumpas.

²⁶ The douytir of my puple, be thou gird with heire, and be thou spreynt togidere with aische; make to thee mourenyng of oon aloone gendrid sone, a bitter weilyng, for whi a wastere schal come sodenli on you.

²⁷ I yaf thee a strong preuere in my puple, and thou schalt knowe, and preue the weie of hem.

²⁸ Alle these princis bowynge awei, goynge gilefuli, ben metal and irun; alle ben corrupt.

²⁹ The belu failide, leed is waastid in the fier, the wellere wellide in veyn; for the malices of hem ben not wastid.

³⁰ Clepe ye hem repreuable siluer, for the Lord hath cast hem awei.

Chapter 7

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye,

² and seide, Stonde thou in the yate of the hous of the Lord, and preche there this word, and seie, Al Juda, that entren bi these yatis for to worschipe the Lord, here ye the word of the Lord.

³ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Make ye good youre weies, and youre studies, and Y schal dwelle with you in this place.

⁴ Nyle ye triste in the wordis of leesyng, and seie, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord is.

⁵ For if ye blessen youre weies, and your studies; if ye doon doom bitwixe a man and his neiybore;

⁶ if ye maken not fals caleng to a comelyng, and to a fadirles child, and to a widewe; nether scheden out innocent blood in this place, and goen not after alien goddis, in to yuel to you silf,

⁷ Y schal dwelle with you in this place, in the lond which Y yaf to youre fadris, fro the world and til in to the world.

⁸ Lo! ye trusten to you in the wordis of leesyng, that shulen not profite to you;

⁹ to stele, to sle, to do auowtrie, to swere falsli, to make sacrifice to Baalym, and to go aftir alien goddys, whiche ye knowen not.

¹⁰ And ye camen, and stoden bifor me in this hous, in which my name is clepid to help; and ye seiden, We ben delyuered, for we han do alle these abhomynaciouns.

¹¹ Whether therfor this hous, wherynne my name is clepid to help bifore youre iyen, is maad a denne of theues? I, Y am, Y siy, seith the Lord.

¹² Go ye to my place in Silo, where my name dwellide at the bigynnyng, and se ye what thingis Y dide to it, for the malice of my puple Israel.

¹³ And now, for ye han do alle these werkis, seith the Lord, and Y spak to you, and roos eerli, and Y spak, and ye herden not, and Y clepide you, and ye answeriden not;

¹⁴ Y schal do to this hous, wherynne my name is clepid to help, and in which hous ye han trist, and to the place which Y yaf to you and to youre fadris, as Y dide to Silo.

¹⁵ And Y schal caste you forth fro my face, as Y castide forth alle youre britheren, al the seed of Effraym.

¹⁶ Therfor nyl thou preie for this puple, nether take thou heriyng and preier for hem; and ayenstonde thou not me, for Y schal not here thee.

¹⁷ Whether thou seest not, what these men don in the citees of Juda, and in the stretis of Jerusalem?

¹⁸ The sones gaderen stickis, and the fadris kyndlen a fier; and wymmen sprengen togidere ynnere fatnesse, to make kakis to the queen of heuene, to make sacrifice to alien goddis, and to terre me to wrathfulnesse.

¹⁹ Whether thei stiren me to wrathfulnesse? seith the Lord; whether thei stiren not hem silf in to schenschip of her cheer?

²⁰ Therfor the Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! my strong veniaunce and myn indignacioun is wellid togidere on this place, on men, and on beestis, and on the tree of the cuntrei, and on the fruitis of erthe; and it schal be kyndlid, and it schal not be quenchid.

²¹ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Heepe ye youre brent sacrifices to youre slayn sacrifices, and ete ye fleischis.

²² For Y spak not with youre fadris, and Y comaundide not to hem of the word of brent sacrifices, and of slayn sacrifices, in the dai in which Y ledde hem out of the lond of Egipt.

²³ But Y comaundide this word to hem, and Y seide, Here ye my vois, and Y schal be God to you, and ye schulen be a puple to me; and go ye in al the weie which Y comaundide to you, that it be wel to you.

²⁴ And thei herden not, nether bowiden doun her eere, but thei yeden in her lustis, and in the schrewidnesse of her yuel herte; and thei ben put bihynde, and not bifore,

²⁵ fro the dai in which her fadris yeden out of the lond of Egipt til to this dai. And Y sente to you alle my seruauntis profetis, and Y roos eerli bi the dai, and Y sente.

²⁶ And thei herden not me, nether bowiden doun her eere; but thei maden hard her nol, and wrouyten worse than the fadris of hem.

²⁷ And thou schalt speke to hem alle these wordis, and thei schulen not heere thee; and thou schalt clepe hem, and thei schul not answere to thee.

²⁸ And thou schalt seie to hem, This is the folc, that herde not the vois of her Lord God, nether resseyuede chastysyng; feith perischide, and is takun awei fro the mouth of hem.

²⁹ Clippe thin heer, and cast awei, and take thou weilyng streiytli; for the Lord hath cast awei, and hath forsake the generacioun of his strong veniaunce.

³⁰ For the sones of Juda han do yuel bifor myn iyen, seith the Lord; thei han set her offendyngis in the hous, in which my name is clepid to help, that thei schulden defoule that hous;

³¹ and thei bildiden hiye thingis in Tophet, which is in the valei of the sone of Ennon, that thei schulden brenne her sones and her douytris bi fier, whiche thingis Y comaundide not, nether thouyte in myn herte.

³² Therfor lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and it schal no more be seid Tophet, and the valei of the sone of Ennon, but the valey of sleyng; and thei schulen birie in Tophet, for ther is no place.

³³ And the deed careyn of this puple schal be in to mete to the briddis of heuene, and to the beestis of erthe; and noon schal be that schal dryue awei.

³⁴ And Y schal make to ceesse the vois of ioye, and the vois of gladnesse, and the vois of spouse, and the vois of spousesse fro the citees of Juda, and fro the stretis of Jerusalem; for the lond schal be in desolacioun.

Chapter 8

¹ In that tyme, seith the Lord, thei schulen caste out the boonys of the kingis of Juda, and the boonys of princes therof, and the boonys of prestis, and the boonys of profetis, and the boonys of hem that dwelliden in Jerusalem fro her sepulcris;

² and thei schulen leie abrood tho boonys to the sunne, and moone, and to al the knyythod of heuene, which thei louyden, and which thei seruyden, and aftir whiche thei yeden, and whiche thei souyten, and worschipiden; tho schulen not be gaderid, and schulen not be biried; tho schulen be in to a dunghil on the face of erthe.

³ And alle men schulen cheese deth more than lijf, whiche ben left of this worst kynrede, in alle places that ben left, to whiche places Y castide hem out, seith the Lord of oostis.

⁴ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, Whether he that schal falle, schal not rise ayen? and whether he that is turned awei, schal not turne ayen?

⁵ Whi therfor is this puple in Jerusalem turned awei bi turnyng awei ful of strijf? Thei han take leesyng, and nolden turne ayen.

⁶ Y perseyuede, and herknede; no man spekith that that is good, noon is that doith penaunce for his synne, and seith, What haue Y do? Alle ben turnede togidere to her cours, as an hors goynge bi fersnesse to batel.

⁷ A kite in the eir knew his tyme; a turtle, and a swalewe, and a siconye, kepten the tyme of her comyng; but my puple knew not the doom of the Lord.

⁸ Hou seien ye, We ben wise men, and the lawe of the Lord is with vs? Verili the fals writyng of scribis wrouyte leesyng.

⁹ Wise men ben schent, ben maad aferd and takun. For thei castiden awei the word of the Lord, and no wisdom is in hem.

¹⁰ Therfor Y schal yyue the wymmen of hem to straungeris, and the feeldis of hem to alien eiris; for fro the leeste `til to the mooste alle suen aueryce, fro a profete `til to the preest alle maken leesyng;

¹¹ and thei heeliden the sorowe of the douytir of my puple to schenschipe, seiynge, Pees, pees, whanne no pees was.

¹² Thei ben schent, for thei diden abhomynacioun; yhe, rather thei weren not schent bi schenschipe, and kouden not be aschamed. Therfor thei schulen falle among falleris, in the tyme of her visitacioun thei schulen falle, seith the Lord.

¹³ I gaderynge schal gadere hem, seith the Lord; no grape is in the vynes, and figis ben not in the fige tre; a leef felle doun, and Y yaf to hem tho thingis that ben go out ouer.

¹⁴ Whi sitten we? come ye togidere, entre we in to a strong citee, and be we stille there; for oure Lord hath maad vs to be stille, and yaf to vs drynk the watir of galle; for we han synned to the Lord.

¹⁵ We abididen pees, and no good was; we abididen tyme of medicyn, and lo! drede is.

¹⁶ Gnastyng of horsis therof is herd fro Dan; al the lond is moued of the vois of neiyngis of hise werriours; and thei camen, and deuouriden the lond, and the plente therof, the citee, and the dwelleris therof.

¹⁷ For lo! Y schal sende to you the werste serpentis, to whiche is no charmyng; and thei schulen bite you, seith the Lord.

¹⁸ My sorewe is on sorewe, myn herte is mourenynge in me.

¹⁹ And lo! the vois of cry of the douyter of my puple cometh fro a fer lond. Whether the Lord is not in Sion, ethir the kyng therof is not therynne? Whi therfor stiriden thei me to wrathfulnesse bi her grauun ymagis, and bi alien vanytees?

²⁰ Heruest is passid, somer is endid; and we ben not sauyd.

²¹ Y am turmentid, and sori on the sorewe of the douyter of my puple; astonying helde me.

²² Whether resyn is not in Galaad, ether a leche is not there? Whi therfor the wounde of the douytir of my puple is not heelid perfitli?

Chapter 9

¹ Who schal yyue watir to myn heed, and a welle of teeris to myn iyen? And Y schal biwepe dai and niyt the slayn men of the douyter of my puple.

² Who schal yyue me in to a wildirnesse of dyuerse weigoeris? And I schal forsake my puple, and Y schal go awei fro hem. For whi alle ben auowteris, and the cumpenyes of trespassouris ayens the lawe;

³ and thei helden forth her tunge as a bouwe of leesyng, and not of treuthe Thei ben coumfortid in erthe, for thei yeden out fro yuel to yuel, and thei knewen not me, seith the Lord.

⁴ Ech man kepe hym fro his neiybore, and haue no trist in ony brother of hym; for whi ech brother disseyuyng schal disseyue, and ech frend schal go gilefuli.

⁵ And a man schal scorne his brother, and schal not speke treuthe; for thei tauyten her tunge to speke leesyng; thei traueliden to do wickidli.

⁶ Thi dwellyng is in the myddis of gile; in gile thei forsoken to knowe me, seith the Lord.

⁷ Therfor the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal welle togidere, and Y schal preue hem; for whi what other thing schal Y do fro the face of the douyter of my puple?

⁸ The tunge of hem is an arowe woundynge, and spak gile; in his mouth he spekith pees with his frend, and priueli he settith tresouns to hym.

⁹ Whether Y schal not visite on these thingis, seith the Lord, ether schal not my soule take veniaunce on siche a folc?

¹⁰ On hillis Y schal take wepyng and mournyng, and weilyng on the faire thingis of desert, for tho ben brent; for no man is passynge forth, and thei herden not the vois of hym that weldith; fro a brid of the eir `til to scheep, tho passiden ouer, and yeden awei.

¹¹ And Y schal yyue Jerusalem in to heepis of grauel, and in to dennes of dragouns; and Y schal yyue the citees of Juda in to desolacioun, for ther is no dwellere.

¹² Who is a wise man that schal vndurstonde these thingis, and to whom the word of the mouth of the Lord schal be maad, that he telle this? Whi the erthe perischide, it is brent as desert, for noon is that passith?

¹³ And the Lord seide, For thei forsoken my lawe, which Y yaf to hem, and thei herden not my vois, and thei yeden not therynne;

¹⁴ and thei yeden aftir the schrewidnesse of her herte, and aftir Baalym, which thei lerneden of her fadris;

¹⁵ therfor the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal fede this puple with wermod, and Y schal yyue to hem drynke the watir of galle.

¹⁶ And Y schal scatere hem among hethene men, whiche thei and her fadris knewen not; and Y schal sende swerd aftir hem, til thei ben wastid.

¹⁷ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Biholde ye, and clepe ye wymmen `that weilen, and come thei; and sende ye to tho wymmen that ben wise, and haste thei.

¹⁸ Haste thei, and take thei weilynge on you; youre iyen brynge doun teeris, and youre iyelidis flowe with watris;

¹⁹ for the vois of weilyng is herd fro Sion. Hou ben we distried, and schent greetli? for we han forsake the lond, for oure tabernaclis ben forsakun.

²⁰ Therfor, wymmen, here ye the word of the Lord, and youre eeris take the word of his mouth; and teche ye youre douytris weilyng, and ech womman teche hir neiybore mournyng.

²¹ For whi deth stiede bi youre wyndows, it entride in to youre housis, to leese litle children with outforth, and yonge men fro the stretis.

²² Speke thou, the Lord seith, these thingis, And the deed bodi of a man schal fal doun as a toord on the face of the cuntrei, and as hei bihynde the bak of the mowere, and noon is that gaderith.

²³ The Lord seith these thingis, A wise man haue not glorie in his wisdom, and a strong man haue not glorie in his strengthe, and a riche man haue not glorie in hise richessis; but he that hath glorie,

²⁴ haue glorie in this, to wite and knowe me, for Y am the Lord, that do merci and dom and riytfulnesse in erthe. For whi these thingis plesen me, seith the Lord.

²⁵ Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal visite on ech man that hath prepucie vncircumcidid; on Egipt,

²⁶ and on Juda, and on Edom, and on the sones of Amon, and on Moab, and on alle men that ben clippid on long heer, and dwellen in desert; for whi alle hethene men han prepucie, forsothe al the hous of Israel ben vncircumcidid in herte.

Chapter 10

¹ The hous of Israel, here ye the word which the Lord spak on you.

² The Lord seith these thingis, Nyle ye lerne aftir the weies of hethene men, and nyle ye drede of the signes of heuene, whiche signes hethene men dreden.

³ For the lawis of puplis ben veyn, for whi the werk of hondis of a crafti man hath kit doun with an axe a tre of the forest.

⁴ He made it fair with siluer and gold; with naylis and hameris he ioynede it togidere, that it be not loosid.

⁵ Idols ben maad in the licnesse of a palm tree, and schulen not speke; tho schulen be takun and be borun, for tho moun not go; therfor nyle ye drede tho, for tho moun nether do yuel, nethir wel.

⁶ Lord, noon is lijk thee; thou art greet, and thi name is greet in strengthe.

⁷ A! thou king of folkis, who schal not drede thee? for whi onour is thin among alle wise men of hethene men, and in alle the rewmes of hem noon is lijk thee.

⁸ Thei schulen be preued, vnwise and foolis togidere; the techyng of her vanyte is a tre.

⁹ Siluer wlappid is brouyt fro Tharsis, and gold fro Ophaz; it is the werk of a crafti man, and of the hond of a worchere in metel; iacynct and purpur ben the clothing of tho; alle these thingis ben the werk of werk men.

¹⁰ Forsothe the Lord is veri God; he is God lyuynge, and a kyng euerlastynge; the erthe schal be mouyd togidere of his indignacioun, and hethene men schulen not suffre the manaassing of hym.

¹¹ Therfor thus ye schulen seie to hem, Goddis that maden not heuene and erthe, perische fro erthe, and fro these thingis that ben vndur heuene.

¹² He is God, that makith the erthe in his strengthe, makith redi the world in his wisdom, and stretchith forth heuenes bi his prudence.

¹³ At his vois he yyueth the multitude of watris in heuene, and he reisith mystis fro the endis of erthe; he makith leitis into reyn, and ledith out wynd of his tresouris.

¹⁴ Ech man is maad a fool of kunnyng, ech crafti man is schent in a grauun ymage; for whi that that he wellide togidere is fals, and no spirit is in tho.

¹⁵ Tho ben veyn, and a werk worthi of scorn; tho schulen perische in the tyme of her visitacioun.

¹⁶ The part of Jacob is not lijk these, for he that formede alle thingis is God of Jacob, and Israel is the yerde of his eritage; the Lord of oostis is name to hym.

¹⁷ Thou that dwellist in bisegyng, gadere fro the lond thi schenschipe;

¹⁸ for the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal caste awei fer the dwelleris of the loond in this while; and Y schal yyue tribulacioun to hem, so that thei be not foundun.

¹⁹ Wo to me on my sorewe, my wounde is ful yuel; forsothe Y seide, Pleynli this is my sikenesse, and Y schal bere it.

²⁰ My tabernacle is distried, alle my roopis ben brokun; my sones yeden out fro me, and ben not; noon is that schal stretche forth more my tente, and schal reyse my skynnes.

²¹ For the scheepherdis diden folili, and souyten not the Lord; therfor thei vndurstoden not, and alle the flok of hem is scaterid.

²² Lo! the vois of hering cometh, and a greet mouynge togidere fro the lond of the north, that it sette the citees of Juda in to wildirnesse, and a dwellynge place of dragouns.

²³ Lord, Y woot, that the weie of a man is not of hym, nether it is of a man that he go, and dresse hise steppis.

²⁴ Lord, chastise thou me; netheles in doom and not in thi strong veniaunce, lest perauenture thou dryue me to nouyt.

²⁵ Schede out thin indignacioun on hethene men that knewen not thee, and on prouynces that clepiden not thi name to help; for thei eeten Jacob, and deuouriden hym, and wastiden hym, and destrieden the onour of hym.

Chapter 11

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye,

² and seide, Here ye the wordis of this couenaunt, and speke ye to the men of Juda, and to the dwelleris of Jerusalem; and thou schalt seie to hem,

³ The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Cursid be the man that herith not the wordis of this couenaunt,

⁴ which Y comaundide to youre fadris, in the dai in which Y ledde hem out of the lond of Egipt, fro the irone furneis; and Y seide, Here ye my vois, and do ye alle thingis whiche Y comaundide to you, and ye schulen be in to a puple to me, and Y schal be in to God to you;

⁵ that Y reise the ooth which Y swoor to youre fadris, that Y schulde yyue to hem a lond flowynge with mylk and hony, as this dai is. And Y answeride, and seide, Amen, Lord.

⁶ And the Lord seide to me, Crye thou alle these wordis in the citees of Juda, and with out Jerusalem, and seie thou, Here ye the wordis of this couenaunt, and do ye tho;

⁷ for Y witnessynge haue witnessid to youre fadris, in the dai in which Y ledde hem out of the lond of Egipt, `til to this dai; Y roos eerli, and witnesside, and seide, Here ye my vois.

⁸ And thei herden not, nether bowiden doun her eere, but thei yeden forth ech man in the schrewidnesse of his yuel herte; and Y brouyte in on hem alle the wordis of this couenaunt, which Y comaundide that thei schulden do, and thei diden not.

¹⁰ And the Lord seide to me, Sweryng togidere is foundun in the men of Juda, and in the dwelleris of Jerusalem; thei turneden ayen to the formere wickidnessis of her fadris, that nolden here my wordis; and therfor these men yeden aftir alien goddis, for to serue hem; the hous of Israel and the hous of Juda maden voide my couenaunt, which Y made with the fadris of hem.

¹¹ Wherfor the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bringe in on hem yuels, of whiche thei schulen not mow go out; and thei schulen crie to me, and Y schal not here hem.

¹² And the citees of Juda and the dwellers of Jerusalem schulen go, and schulen crye to hem, to whiche thei offren sacrifices; and thei schulen not saue hem in the tyme of her turment.

¹³ For thou, Juda, thi goddis weren bi the noumbre of thi citees, and thou settidist auters of schenschipe, bi the noumbre of the weies of Jerusalem, auters to offre sacrifices to Baalym.

¹⁴ Therfor nyle thou preie for this puple, and take thou not heriyng and preier for hem; for Y schal not here in the tyme of the cry of hem to me, in the tyme of the turment of hem.

¹⁵ What is it, that my derlyng doith many greet trespassis in myn hous? whether hooli fleischis schulen do awei fro thee thi malice, in which thou hast glorie?

¹⁶ The Lord clepide thi name an olyue tre, fair, ful of fruyt, schapli; at the vois of a greet speche fier brent an hiy ther ynne, and the buyschis therof ben brent.

¹⁷ And the Lord of oostis that plauntide thee, spak yuel on thee, for the yuels of the hous of Israel, and of the hous of Juda, whiche thei diden to hem silf, and offriden to Baalym, to terre me to wraththe.

¹⁸ Forsothe, Lord, thou schewidist to me, and Y knew; thou schewidist to me the studies of hem.

¹⁹ And Y am as a mylde lomb, which is borun to slayn sacrifice; and Y knew not, that thei thouyten counsels on me, and seiden, Sende we a tre in to the brede of hym, and rase we hym awei fro the lond of lyueris, and his name be no more hadde in mynde.

²⁰ But thou, Lord of oostis, that demest iustli, and preuest reynes and hertis, se Y thi veniaunce of hem; for to thee Y schewide my cause.

²¹ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis to the men of Anathot, that seken thi lijf, and seien, Thou schalt not prophesie in the name of the Lord, and thou schalt not die in oure hondis.

²² Therfor the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal visite on hem; the yonge men of hem schulen die bi swerd, the sones of hem and the douytris of hem schulen die for hungur;

²³ and no relifs, ether children abidynge, schulen be of hem; for Y schal bringe ynne yuel on the men of Anathot, the yeer of the visitacioun of hem.

Chapter 12

¹ Forsothe, Lord, thou art iust; if Y dispute with thee, netheles Y schal speke iust thingis to thee. Whi hath the weie of wickid men prosperite? It is wel to alle men that breken the lawe, and doen wickidli?

² Thou hast plauntid hem, and thei senten roote; thei encreessen, and maken fruyt; thou art niy to the mouth of hem, and fer fro the reynes of hem.

³ And thou, Lord, hast knowe me, thou hast seyn me, and hast preued myn herte with thee. Gadere thou hem togidere as a flok to slayn sacrifice, and halewe thou hem in the dai of sleyng.

⁴ Hou long schal the erthe mourne, and ech eerbe of the feeld schal be dried, for the malice of hem that dwellen ther ynne? A beeste is wastid, and a brid, for thei seiden, The Lord schal not se oure laste thingis.

⁵ If thou trauelist rennynge with foot men, hou schalt thou mow stryue with horsis? but whanne thou art sikur in the lond of pees, what schalt thou do in the pride of Jordan?

⁶ For whi bothe thi britheren and the hous of thi fadir, yhe, thei fouyten ayens thee, and crieden with ful vois aftir thee; bileue thou not to hem, whanne thei speken goodis to thee.

⁷ I haue left myn hous, Y haue forsake myn eritage; Y yaf my loued soule in to the hondis of enemyes therof.

⁸ Myn eritage is maad as a lioun in the wode to me; it yaf vois ayens me, therfor Y hate it.

⁹ Whether myn eritage is a brid of dyuerse colours to me? whether it is a brid died thorou out? Alle beestis of the feeld, come ye, be ye gaderid togidere; haste ye for to deuoure.

¹⁰ Many scheepherdis distrieden my vyner, defouliden my part, yauen my desirable porcioun in to desert of wildirnesse;

¹¹ thei settiden it in to scateryng, and it mourenyde on me; al the lond is desolat bi desolacioun, for noon is that ayenthenkith in herte.

¹² Alle distrieris of the lond camen on alle the weies of desert, for the swerd of the Lord schal deuoure fro the laste part of the lond `til to the laste part therof; no pees is to al fleisch.

¹³ Thei sowiden wheete, and repiden thornes; thei token erytage, and it schal not profite to hem. Ye schulen be schent of youre fruytis, for the wraththe of the stronge veniaunce of the Lord.

¹⁴ The Lord seith these thingis ayens alle my worst neiyboris, that touchen the eritage which Y departide to my puple Israel, Lo! Y schal drawe hem out of her lond, and Y schal drawe the hous of Juda out of the myddis of hem.

¹⁵ And whanne Y schal drawe out thilke Jewis, Y schal conuerte, and haue merci on hem; and Y schal lede hem ayen, a man to his eritage, and a man in to his lond.

¹⁶ And it schal be, if thei `that ben tauyt lernen the weies of my puple, that thei swere in my name, The Lord lyueth, as thei tauyten my puple to swere in Baal, thei schulen be bildid in the myddis of my puple.

¹⁷ That if thei heren not, Y schal drawe out that folk by drawyng out and perdicioun, seith the Lord.

Chapter 13

¹ The Lord seith these thingis to me, Go, and take in possessioun to thee a lynnun breigirdil; and thou schalt putte it on thi leendis, and thou schalt not bere it in to watir.

² And Y took in possessioun a breigirdil, bi the word of the Lord; and Y puttide aboute my leendis.

³ And the word of the Lord was maad to me in the secounde tyme,

⁴ and seide, Take the brigirdil, which thou haddist in possessioun, which is aboute thi leendis; and rise thou, and go to Eufrates, and hide thou it there, in the hoole of a stoon.

⁵ And Y yede, and hidde it in Eufrates, as the Lord comaundide to me.

⁶ And it was don aftir ful many daies, the Lord seide to me, Rise thou, and go to Eufrates, and take fro thennus the brigirdil, whiche Y comaundide to thee, that thou schuldist hide it there.

⁷ And Y yede to Eufrates, and diggide out, and Y took the breigirdil fro the place, where Y hadde hidde it; and lo! the breigirdil was rotun, so that it was not able to ony vss.

⁸ And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

⁹ and seide, The Lord seith these thingis, So Y schal make rotun the pride of Juda, and the myche pride of Jerusalem,

¹⁰ and this worste puple, that nylen here my wordis, and goen in the schrewidnesse of her herte; and thei yeden aftir alien goddis, to serue hem, and to worschipe hem; and thei schulen be as this breigirdil, which is not able to ony vss.

¹¹ For as a breigirdil cleueth to the leendis of a man, so Y ioynede faste to me al the hous of Israel, and al the hous of Juda, seith the Lord, that thei schulden be to me in to a puple, and in to name, and in to heriyng, and in to glorie; and thei herden not.

¹² Therfor thou schalt seie to hem this word, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Ech potel schal be fillid of wyn. And thei schulen seie to thee, Whether we witen not, that ech potel schal be fillid of wyn?

¹³ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y shal fille with drunkenesse alle the dwelleris of this lond, and the kyngis of the generacioun of Dauith, that sitten on his trone, and the prestis, and profetis, and alle the dwelleris of Jerusalem.

¹⁴ And Y schal scatere hem, a man fro his brother, and the fadris and sones togidere, seith the Lord; Y schal not spare, and Y schal not graunte, nether Y schal do mercy, that I leese not hem.

¹⁵ Here ye, and perseyue with eeris; nyle ye be reisid, for the Lord spak.

¹⁶ Yyue ye glorie to youre Lord God, bifore that it wexe derk, and bifor that youre feet hirte at derk hillis; ye schulen abide liyt, and he schal sette it in to the schadewe of deeth, and in to derknesse.

¹⁷ That if ye heren not this, my soule schal wepe in hid place for the face of pride; it wepynge schal wepe, and myn iye shal caste out a teer, for the floc of the Lord is takun.

¹⁸ Seye thou to the kyng, and to the ladi, Be ye mekid, sitte ye, for the coroun of youre glorie schal go doun fro youre heed.

¹⁹ The cities of the south ben closid, and noon is that openith; al Juda is translatid bi perfit passyng ouere, ether goynge out of her lond.

²⁰ Reise ye youre iyen, and se ye, what men comen fro the north; where is the floc which is youun to thee, thi noble scheep?

²¹ What schalt thou seie, whanne he schal visite thee? for thou hast tauyt hem ayens thee, and thou hast tauyt ayens thin heed. Whether sorewis han not take thee, as a womman trauelynge of child?

²² That if thou seist in thin herte, Whi camen these thingis to me? for the multitude of thi wickidnesse thi schamefulere thingis ben schewid, thi feet ben defoulid.

²³ If a man of Ethiopie mai chaunge his skyn, ether a pard mai chaunge hise dyuersitees, and ye moun do wel, whanne ye han lerned yuel.

²⁴ And Y schal sowe hem abrood, as stobil which is rauyschid of the wynd in desert.

²⁵ This is thi lot, and the part of thi mesure of me, seith the Lord; for thou foryetidist me, and tristidist in a leesyng.

²⁶ Wherfor and Y made nakid thin hipis ayens thi face, and thi schenschipe apperide,

²⁷ thin auowtries, and thin neyyng, and the felonye of thi fornycacioun on litle hillis in the feeld; Y siy thin abhomynaciouns. Jerusalem, wo to thee, thou schalt not be clensid after me til yit.

Chapter 14

¹ The word of the Lord, that was maad to Jeremye, of the wordis of dryenesse.

² Jude weilide, and the yatis therof fellen doun, and ben maad derk in erthe, and the cry of Jerusalem stiede.

³ Grettere men senten her lesse men to water; thei camen to drawe watir, and thei foundun no water, thei brouyten ayen her vessels voide; thei weren schent and turmentid,

⁴ and thei hiliden her heedis for distriyng of the lond, for reyn cam not in the lond. Erthe tilieris weren schent, thei hiliden her heedis.

⁵ For whi and an hynde caluyde in the feeld, and lefte her calues, for noon eerbe was;

⁶ and wield assis stoden in rochis, and drowen wynde as dragouns; her iyen failiden, for noon eerbe was.

⁷ If oure wickidnessis answeren to vs, Lord, do thou for thi name, for oure turnyngis awei ben manye; we han synned ayens thee.

⁸ Thou abidyng of Israel, the sauyour therof in the tyme of tribulacioun,

⁹ whi schalt thou be as a comelyng in the lond, and as a weigoere bowynge to dwelle? whi schalt thou be as a man of vnstable dwellyng, as a strong man that mai not saue? Forsothe, Lord, thou art in vs, and thin hooli name is clepid to help on vs; forsake thou not vs.

¹⁰ The Lord seith these thingis to this puple, that louede to stire hise feet, and restide not, and pleside not the Lord; now he schal haue mynde on the wickidnesses of hem, and he schal visite the synnes of hem.

¹¹ And the Lord seide to me, Nyle thou preie for this puple in to good.

¹² Whanne thei schulen faste, Y schal not here the preieris of hem; and if thei offren brent sacrifices and slayn sacrifices, Y schal not resseyue tho, for Y schal waste hem bi swerd and hungur and pestilence.

¹³ And Y seide, A! A! A! Lord God, profetis seien to hem, Ye schulen not se swerd, and hungur schal not be in you, but he schal yyue to you veri pees in this place.

¹⁴ And the Lord seide to me, The profetis profesien falsli in my name; Y sente not hem, and Y comaundide not to hem, nether Y spak to hem; thei profesien to you a fals reuelacioun, and a gileful dyuynyng, and the disseyuyng of her herte.

¹⁵ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis of the profetis that profesien in my name, whiche Y sente not, and seien, Swerd and hungur schal not be in this lond; Tho profetis schulen be wastid bi swerd and hungur.

¹⁶ And the puplis, to whiche thei profesieden, schulen be cast forth in the weies of Jerusalem, for hungur and swerd, and noon schal be, that schal birie hem; they and the wyues of hem, the sones and the douytris of hem `schulen be cast forth; and Y schal schede out on hem her yuel.

¹⁷ And thou schalt seie to hem this word, Myn iyen lede doun a teer bi niyt and dai, and be not stille, for the virgyn, the douyter of my puple, is defoulid bi greet defoulying, with the worste wounde greetli.

¹⁸ If Y go out to feeldis, lo! men ben slayn bi swerd; and if Y entre in to the citee, lo! men ben maad leene for hungur; also a profete and a prest yeden in to the lond which thei knewen not.

¹⁹ Whether thou castynge awei hast cast awei Juda, ether thi soule hath wlatid Sion? whi therfor hast thou smyte vs, so that noon heelthe is? We abididen pees, and no good is; and we abididen time of heeling, and lo! disturbling is.

²⁰ Lord, we han know oure vnfeithfulnessis, and the wickidnessis of oure fadris, for we han synned to thee.

²¹ Yyue thou not vs in to schenschip, for thi name, nether do thou dispite to vs; haue thou mynde on the seete of thi glorie, make thou not voide thi boond of pees with vs.

²² Whether in grauun ymagis of hethene men ben thei that reynen, ethir heuenes moun yyue reynes? whether thou art not oure Lord God, whom we abididen? For thou madist alle these thingis.

Chapter 15

¹ And the Lord seide to me, Thouy Moises and Samuel stoden bifore me, my soule is not to this puple; caste thou hem out fro my face, and go thei out.

² That if thei seien to thee, Whidur schulen we go out? thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, Thei that to deth, to deth, and thei that to swerd, to swerd, and thei that to hungur, to hungur, and thei that to caitiftee, to caitifte.

³ Y schal visite on hem foure spices, seith the Lord; a swerd to sleeynge, and doggis for to reende, and volatilis of the eir, and beestis of the erthe to deuoure and to distrie.

⁴ And Y schal yyue hem in to feruour to alle rewmes of erthe, for Manasses, the sone of Ezechie, king of Juda, on alle thingis whiche he dide in Jerusalem.

⁵ For whi who schal haue merci on thee, Jerusalem, ethir who schal be sori for thee, ether who schal go to preie for thi pees?

⁶ Thou hast forsake me, seith the Lord, thou hast go abac; and Y schal stretche forth myn hond on thee, and Y schal sle thee; Y trauelide preiyng.

⁷ And Y schal scatere hem with a wyndewynge instrument in the yatis of erthe; Y killide, and loste my puple, and netheles thei turneden not ayen fro her weies.

⁸ The widewis therof ben multiplied to me aboue the grauel of the see; and Y brouyte in to hem a distriere in myddai on the modir of a yonge man, Y sente drede sudeynli on citees.

⁹ Sche was sijk that childide seuene, hir soule failide; the sunne yede doun to hir, whanne dai was yit. Sche was schent, and was aschamed; and Y schal yyue the residue therof in to swerd in the siyt of her enemyes, seith the Lord.

¹⁰ Mi modir, wo to me; whi gendridist thou me a man of chidyng, a man of discord in al the lond? Y lente not, nether ony man lente to me; alle men cursen me, the Lord seith.

¹¹ No man bileue to me, if thi remenauntis be not in to good, if Y ranne not to thee in the tyme of turment, and in the tyme of tribulacioun and of anguysch, ayens the enemye.

¹² Whether yrun and metal schal be ioyned bi pees to irun fro the north?

¹³ And Y schal yyue freli thi ritchessis and thi tresouris in to rauyschyng, for alle thi synnes, and in alle thin endis.

¹⁴ And Y schal brynge thin enemyes fro the lond which thou knowist not; for fier is kyndlid in my strong veniaunce, and it schal brenne on you.

¹⁵ Lord, thou knowist, haue thou mynde on me, and visite me, and delyuere me fro hem that pursuen me; nyle thou take me in thi pacience, knowe thou, that Y suffride schenschipe for thee.

¹⁶ Thi wordis ben foundun, and Y eet tho; and thi word was maad to me in to ioye, and in to gladnesse of myn herte; for thi name, Lord God of oostis, is clepid to help on me.

¹⁷ Y sat not in the counsel of pleieris, and Y hadde glorie for the face of thin hond; Y sat aloone, for thou fillidist me with bittirnesse.

¹⁸ Whi is my sorewe maad euerlastinge, and my wounde dispeirid forsook to be curid? it is maad to me, as a leesyng of vnfeithful watris.

¹⁹ For this thing the Lord seith these thingis, If thou turnest, Y schal turne thee, and thou schalt stonde bifore my face; and if thou departist preciouse thing fro vijl thing, thou schalt be as my mouth; thei schulen be turned to thee, and thou schalt not be turned to hem.

²⁰ And Y schal yyue thee in to a brasun wal and strong to this puple, and thei schulen fiyte ayens thee, and schulen not haue the victorie; for Y am with thee, to saue thee, and to delyuere thee, seith the Lord.

²¹ And Y schal delyuere thee fro the hond of the worste men, and Y schal ayenbie thee fro the hond of stronge men.

Chapter 16

¹ And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

² and seide, Thou schalt not take a wijf, and sones and douytris schulen not be to thee in this place.

³ For the Lord seith these thingis on sones and douytris, that ben gendrid in this place, and on the modris of hem, that gendride hem, and on the fadris of hem, of whos generacioun thei ben borun in this lond.

⁴ Thei schulen die bi dethis of sikenessis, thei schulen not be biweilid, and thei schulen not be biried; thei schulen be in to a dunghil on the face of erthe, and thei schulen be wastid bi swerd and hungur; and the careyn of hem schal be in to mete to the volatilis of heuene, and to beestis of erthe.

⁵ For the Lord seith these thingis, Entre thou not in to an hous of feeste, nethir go thou to biweile, nether comfourte thou hem; for Y haue take awei my pees fro this puple, seith the Lord, `Y haue take awei merci and merciful doyngis.

⁶ And greete and smalle schulen die in this lond; thei schulen not be biried, nethir schulen be biweilid; and thei schulen not kitte hem silf, nethir ballidnesse schal be maad for hem.

⁷ And thei schulen not breke breed among hem to hym that mourneth, to coumforte on a deed man, and thei schulen not yyue to hem drynk of a cuppe, to coumforte on her fadir and modir.

⁸ And thou schalt not entre in to the hous of feeste, that thou sitte with hem, and ete, and drynke.

⁹ For whi the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal take awei fro this place, bifore youre iyen and in youre daies, the vois of ioie, and the vois of gladnesse, and the vois of spouse, and the vois of spousesse.

¹⁰ And whanne thou schalt telle alle these wordis to this puple, and thei schulen seie to thee, Whi spak the Lord al this greet yuel on vs? what is oure wickidnesse, ether what is oure synne which we synneden to oure Lord God?

¹¹ thou schalt seie to hem, For youre fadris forsoken me, seith the Lord, and yeden aftir alien goddis, and seruyden hem, and worschipiden hem, and thei forsoken me, and kepten not my lawe.

¹² But also ye wrouyten worse than youre fadris; for lo! ech man goith aftir the schrewidnesse of his yuel herte, that he here not me.

¹³ And Y schal caste you out of this lond, in to the lond which ye and youre fadris knowen not; and ye schulen serue there to alien goddis dai and niyt, whiche schulen not yiue reste to you.

¹⁴ Therfor lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and it schal no more be seid, The Lord lyueth, that ledde the sones of Israel out of the lond of Egipt;

¹⁵ but the Lord lyueth, that ledde the sones of Israel fro the lond of the north, and fro alle londis to whiche Y castide hem out; and Y schal lede hem ayen in to her lond which Y yaf to the fadris of hem.

¹⁶ Lo! Y schal sende many fischeris to hem, seith the Lord, and thei schulen fische hem; and aftir these thingis Y schal sende many hunteris to hem, and thei schulen hunte hem fro ech mounteyn, and fro ech litil hil, and fro the caues of stoonys.

¹⁷ For myn iyen ben on alle the weies of hem; tho weies ben not hid fro my face, and the wickidnesse of hem was not priuy fro myn iyen.

¹⁸ And Y schal yelde first the double wickidnessis and synnes of hem, for thei defouliden my lond in the slayn beestis of her idols, and filliden myn eritage with her abhomynaciouns.

¹⁹ Lord, my strengthe, and my stalworthnesse, and my refuyt in the dai of tribulacioun, hethene men schulen come to thee fro the fertheste places of erthe, and schulen seie, Verili oure fadris helden a leesyng in possessioun, vanyte that profitide not to hem.

²⁰ Whether a man schal make goddis to hym silf? and tho ben no goddis.

²¹ Therfor lo! Y schal schewe to hem bi this while, Y schal schewe to hem myn hond, and my vertu; and thei schulen wite, that the name to me is Lord.

Chapter 17

¹ The synne of Juda is writun with an irone poyntel, in a nail of adamaunt; it is writun on the breede of the herte of hem, and in the hornes of the auteris of hem.

² Whanne the sones of hem bithenken on her auteris, and woodis, and on the trees ful of boowis, makynge sacrifice in the feld in hiye munteyns,

³ Y schal yyue thi strengthe and alle thi tresouris in to rauyschyng, thin hiye thingis for synnes in alle thin endis.

⁴ And thou schalt be left aloone fro thin eritage which Y yaf to thee; and Y schal make thee to serue thin enemyes, in the lond which thou knowist not; for thou hast kyndlid fier in my strong veniaunce, it schal brenne til in to with outen ende.

⁵ The Lord seith these thingis, Cursid is the man that trestith in man, and settith fleisch his arm, and his herte goith awei fro the Lord.

⁶ For he schal be as bromes in desert, and he schal not se, whanne good schal come; but he schal dwelle in drynesse in desert, in the lond of saltnesse, and vnabitable.

⁷ Blessid is the man that tristith in the Lord, and the Lord schal be his trist.

⁸ And he schal be as a tre, which is plauntid ouer watris, which sendith hise rootis to moisture; and it schal not drede, whanne heete schal come; and the leef therof schal be greene, and it schal not be moued in the tyme of drynesse, nether ony tyme it schal faile to make fruyte.

⁹ The herte of man is schrewid, and `may not be souyt; who schal knowe it?

¹⁰ Y am the Lord sekynge the herte, and preuynge the reynes, and Y yyue to ech man after his weye, and aftir the fruyt of his fyndyngis.

¹¹ A partriche nurschide tho thingis whiche sche bredde not; he made richessis, and not in doom; in the myddis of hise daies he schal forsake tho, and in hise laste tyme he schal be vnwijs.

¹² The seete of glorie of hiynesse was at the bigynnyng the place of oure halewyng, the abidyng of Israel.

¹³ Lord, alle thei that forsaken thee, schulen be schent; thei that goen aweie fro thee, schulen be writun in erthe, for thei han forsake the Lord, a veyne of quyk watirs.

¹⁴ Lord, heele thou me, and Y schal be heelid; make thou me saaf, and Y schal be saaf; for thou art myn heriyng.

¹⁵ Lo! thei seien to me, Where is the word of the Lord? come it.

¹⁶ And Y am not disturblid, suynge thee scheepherd, and Y desiride not the dai of man, thou woost. That that yede out of my lippis was riytful in thi siyt.

¹⁷ Be thou not to drede to me; thou art myn hope in the dai of turment.

¹⁸ Be thei schent, that pursuen me, and be Y not schent; drede thei, and drede not Y; brynge in on hem a dai of turment, and defoule thou hem bi double defouling.

¹⁹ The Lord seith these thingis to me, Go thou, and stonde in the yate of the sones of the puple, bi whiche the kingis of Juda entren and goen out, and in alle the yatis of Jerusalem.

²⁰ And thou schalt seie to hem, Here the word of the Lord, ye kingis of Juda, and al Judee, and alle the dwelleris of Jerusalem, that entren bi these yatis.

²¹ The Lord God seith these thingis, Kepe ye youre soulis, and nyle ye bere birthuns in the dai of sabat, nether bringe in bi the yatis of Jerusalem.

²² And nyle ye caste birthuns out of youre housis in the dai of sabat, and ye schulen not do ony werk; halewe ye the dai of sabat, as Y comaundide to youre fadris.

²³ And thei herden not, nether bowiden doun her eere, but thei maden hard her nol, that thei schulden not here me, and that thei schulden not take chastisyng.

²⁴ And it schal be, if ye heren me, seith the Lord, that ye bere not in birthuns bi the yatis of this citee in the dai of sabat, and if ye halewen the dai of sabat, that ye do not werk ther ynne,

²⁵ kingis and princes sittynge on the seete of Dauid schulen entre bi the yatis of this citee, and stiynge in charis and horsis; thei, and the princis of hem, the men of Juda, and the dwelleris of Jerusalem; and this citee schal be enhabitid withouten ende.

²⁶ And thei schulen come fro the citees of Juda, and fro the cumpas of Jerusalem, and fro the lond of Beniamyn, and fro feeldi places, and fro hilli places, and fro the south, beringe brent sacrifice, and slayn sacrifice, and encense; and thei schulen bringe offring in to the hous of the Lord.

²⁷ Forsothe if ye heren not me, that ye halewe the dai of sabat, and that ye bere not a birthun, and that ye bringe not in bi the yatis of Jerusalem in the dai of sabat, Y schal kyndle fier in the yatis therof; and it schal deuoure the housis of Jerusalem, and it schal not be quenchid.

Chapter 18

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye,

² and seide, Rise thou, and go doun in to the hous of a pottere, and there thou schalt here my wordis.

³ And Y yede doun in to the hous of a pottere, and lo! he made a werk on a wheel.

⁴ And the vessel was distried, which he made of clei with hise hondis; and he turnede it, and made it another vessel, as it pleside in hise iyen to make.

⁵ And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

⁶ and he seide, Whether as this pottere doith, Y mai not do to you, the hous of Israel? seith the Lord. Lo! as cley is in the hond of a pottere, so ye, the hous of Israel, ben in myn hond.

⁷ Sudenli Y schal speke ayens a folk, and ayens a rewme, that Y drawe out, and distrie, and leese it.

⁸ If thilke folk doith penaunce of his yuel, which Y spak ayens it, also Y schal do penaunce on the yuel, which Y thouyte to do to it.

⁹ And Y schal speke sudenli of a folk, and of a rewme, that Y bilde, and plaunte it.

¹⁰ If it doith yuel bifore myn iyen, that it here not my vois, Y schal do penaunce on the good which Y spak, that Y schulde do to it.

¹¹ Now therfor seie thou to a man of Juda, and to the dwellere of Jerusalem, and seie, The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y make yuel ayens you, and Y thenke a thouyte ayens you; ech man turne ayen fro his yuel weie, and dresse ye youre weies and youre studies.

¹² Whiche seiden, We han dispeirid, for we schulen go after oure thouytis, and we schulen do ech man the schrewidnesse of his yuel herte.

¹³ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis, Axe ye hethene men, who herde siche orible thingis, whiche the virgyn of Israel hath do greetli?

¹⁴ Whether snow of the Liban schal fail fro the stoon of the feeld? ether coolde watris brekynge out, and fletynge doun moun be takun awei?

¹⁵ For my puple hath foryete me, and offriden sacrifices in veyn, and snaperiden in her weies, and in the pathis of the world, that thei yeden bi tho in a weie not trodun;

¹⁶ that the lond of hem schulde be in to desolacioun, and in to an hissyng euerlastinge; for whi ech that passith bi it, schal be astonyed, and schal moue his heed.

¹⁷ As a brennynge wynd Y schal scatere hem bifor the enemy; Y schal schewe to hem the bak and not the face, in the dai of the perdicioun of hem.

¹⁸ And thei seiden, Come ye, and thenke we thouytis ayens Jeremye; for whi the lawe schal not perische fro a preest, nether councel schal perische fro a wijs man, nether word schal perische fro a profete; come ye, and smyte we hym with tunge, and take we noon heede to alle the wordis of hym.

¹⁹ Lord, yyue thou tent to me, and here thou the vois of myn aduersaries.

²⁰ Whether yuel is yoldun for good, for thei han diggid a pit to my soule; haue thou mynde, that Y stoode in thi siyt, to speke good for hem, and to turne awei thin indignacioun fro hem.

²¹ Therfor yyue thou the sones of hem in to hungur, and lede forth hem in to the hondis of swerd; the wyues of hem be maad with out children, and be maad widewis, and the hosebondis of hem be slayn bi deth; the yonge men of hem be persid togidere bi swerd in batel.

²² Cry be herd of the housis of hem, for thou schalt bringe sudenli a theef on hem; for thei diggiden a pit to take me, and hidden snaris to my feet.

²³ But thou, Lord, knowist al the councel of hem ayens me in to deth; do thou not merci to the wickidnesse of hem, and the synne of hem be not doon awei fro thi face; be thei maad fallynge doun in thi siyt, in the tyme of thi stronge veniaunce; vse thou hem to othir thing than thei weren ordeyned.

Chapter 19

¹ The Lord seith these thingis, Go thou, and take an erthene potel of a pottere, of the eldre men of the puple, and of the eldre men of preestis.

² And go thou out to the valei of the sones of Ennon, which is bisidis the entring of the erthene yate; and there thou schalt preche the wordis whiche Y schal speke to thee;

³ and thou schalt seie, Kyngis of Juda, and the dwelleris of Jerusalem, here ye the word of the Lord. The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bringe in turment on this place, so that ech man that herith it, hise eeris tyngle.

⁴ For thei han forsake me, and maad alien this place, and offriden sacrifices to alien goddis ther ynne, whiche thei, and the fadris of hem, and the kingis of Juda, knewen not; and thei filliden this place with the blood of innocentis,

⁵ and bildiden hiy thingis to Baalym, to brenne her sones in fier, in to brent sacrifice to Baalym; whiche thingis Y comaundide not, nether spak, nether tho stieden in to myn herte.

⁶ Therfor the Lord seith, Lo! daies comen, and this place schal no more be clepid Tophet, and the valei of the sone of Ennon, but the valei of sleyng.

⁷ And Y schal distrie the councel of Juda and of Jerusalem in this place, and Y schal distrie hem bi swerd, in the siyt of her enemyes, and in the hond of men sekynge the lyues of hem; and Y schal yyue her deed bodies mete to the briddis of the eir, and to beestis of erthe.

⁸ And Y schal sette this citee in to wondring, and in to hissing; ech that passith bi it, schal wondre, and hisse on al the veniaunce therof.

⁹ And Y schal feede hem with the fleischis of her sones, and with the fleischis of her douytris; and ech man schal ete the fleischis of his frend in the bisegyng and angwisch, in which the enemyes of hem, and thei that seken the lyues of hem, schulen close hem togidere.

¹⁰ And thou schalt al to-breke the potel bifore the iyen of the men, that schulen go with thee.

¹¹ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, So Y schal al to-breke this puple, and this citee, as the vessel of a pottere is al to-brokun, which mai no more be restorid; and thei schulen be biried in Tophet, for noon other place is to birie.

¹² So Y schal do to this place, seith the Lord, and to dwelleris therof, that Y sette this citee as Tophet.

¹³ And the housis of Jerusalem, and the housis of the kingis of Juda, schulen be as the place of Tophet; alle the vncleene housis, in whose roouys thei sacrifieden to al the chyualrie of heuene, and offriden moist sacrifices to alien goddis.

¹⁴ Forsothe Jeremye cam fro Tophet, whidur the Lord hadde sente hym for to profesie; and he stood in the porche of the hous of the Lord,

¹⁵ and seide to al the puple, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bringe in on this citee, and on alle the citees therof, alle the yuelis whiche Y spak ayens it; for thei maden hard her nol, that thei herden not my wordis.

Chapter 20

¹ And Phassur, the sone of Emyner, the preest, that was ordeyned prince in the hous of the Lord, herde Jeremye profesiynge these wordis.

² And Phassur smoot Jeremye, the profete, and sente hym in to the stockis, that weren in the hiyere yate of Beniamyn, in the hous of the Lord.

³ And whanne it was cleer in the morewe, Phassur ledde Jeremye out of the stockis. And Jeremye seide to hym, The Lord clepide not Phassur thi name, but Drede on ech side.

⁴ For the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal yyue thee and alle thi freendis in to drede, and thei schulen falle doun bi the swerd of her enemyes; and thin iyen schulen se; and Y schal yyue al Juda in the hond of the king of Babiloyne, and he schal lede hem ouer in to Babiloyne, and he schal smyte hem bi swerd.

⁵ And Y schal yyue al the catel of this citee, and al the trauel therof, and al the prijs; and Y schal yyue alle the tresours of the kingis of Juda in the hond of her enemyes; and thei schulen rauysche tho, and schulen take, and lede forth in to Babiloyne.

⁶ Forsothe thou, Phassur, and alle the dwelleris of thin hous, schulen go in to caitifte; and thou schalt come in to Babiloyne, and thou schalt die there; and thou schalt be biried there, thou and alle thi freendis, to whiche thou profesiedist a leesyng.

⁷ Lord, thou disseyuedist me, and Y am disseyued; thou were strongere than Y, and thou haddist the maistrie; Y am maad in to scorn al dai.

⁸ Alle men bymowen me, for now a while ago Y speke criynge wickidnesse, and Y criede distriynge. And the word of the Lord is maad to me in to schenschip, and in to scorn al dai.

⁹ And Y seide, Y schal not haue mynde on hym, and Y schal no more speke in his name. And the word of the Lord was maad, as fier swalynge in myn herte, and cloosid in my boonys; and Y failide, not suffryng to bere.

¹⁰ For Y herde dispisyngis of many men, and drede in cumpas, Pursue ye, and pursue we hym, of alle men that weren pesible to me, and kepynge my side; if in ony maner he be disseyued, and we haue the maistrie ayens hym, and gete veniaunce of hym.

¹¹ Forsothe the Lord as a stronge werriour is with me, therfor thei that pursuen me schulen falle, and schulen be sijk; and thei schulen be schent greetli, for thei vndurstoden not euerlastynge schenschip, that schal neuere be don awei.

¹² And thou, Lord of oostis, the preuere of a iust man, which seest the reynes and herte, Y biseche, se Y thi veniaunce of hem; for Y haue schewid my cause to thee.

¹³ Synge ye to the Lord, herie ye the Lord, for he delyueride the soule of a pore man fro the hond of yuel men.

¹⁴ Cursid be the dai where ynne Y was borun, the dai where ynne my modir childide me, be not blessid.

¹⁵ Cursid be the man, that telde to my fadir, and seide, A knaue child is borun to thee, and made hym glad as with ioye.

¹⁶ Thilke man be as the citees ben, whiche the Lord distriede, and it repentide not hym;

¹⁷ he that killide not me fro the wombe, here cry eerli, and yellynge in the tyme of myddai; that my modir were a sepulcre to me, and hir wombe were euerlastinge conseyuyng.

¹⁸ Whi yede Y out of the wombe, that Y schulde se trauel and sorewe, and that mi daies schulen be waastid in schenschipe?

Chapter 21

¹ The word which was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, whanne king Sedechie sente to hym Phassur, the sone of Helchie, and Sofonye, the preest, the sone of Maasie, and seide,

² Axe thou the Lord for vs, for Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, fiytith ayens vs; if in hap the Lord do with vs bi alle hise merueilis, and he go awei fro vs.

³ And Jeremye seide to hem, Thus ye schulen seie to Sedechie,

⁴ The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal turne the instrumentis of batel that ben in youre hondis, and with which ye fiyten ayens the king of Babiloyne, and ayens Caldeis, that bisegen you in the cumpas of wallis; and Y schal gadere tho togidere in the myddis of this citee.

⁵ And Y schal ouercome you in hond stretchid forth, and in strong arm, and in stronge veniaunce, and indignacioun, and in greet wraththe;

⁶ and Y schal smyte the dwelleris of this citee, men and beestis schulen die bi greet pestilence.

⁷ And after these thingis, seith the Lord, Y schal yyue Sedechie, kyng of Juda, and hise seruauntis, and his puple, and that ben left in this citee fro pestilence, and swerd, and hungur, in the hond of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and in the hond of her enemyes, and in the hond of men sekynge the lijf of hem; and he schal smyte hem bi the scharpnesse of swerd; and he schal not be bowid, nether schal spare, nether schal haue mercy.

⁸ And thou schalt seie to this puple, The Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! Y yyue bifore you the weie of lijf, and the weie of deth.

⁹ He that dwellith in this citee, schal die bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence; but he that goith out, and fleeth ouer to Caldeis that bisegen you, schal lyue, and his lijf schal be as a prey to hym.

¹⁰ For Y haue set my face on this citee in to yuel, and not in to good, seith the Lord; it schal be youun in the hond of the king of Babiloyne, and he schal brenne it with fier.

¹¹ And thou schalt seie to the hous of the king of Juda, the hous of Dauid, Here ye the word of the Lord.

¹² The Lord seith these thingis, Deme ye eerli doom, and delyuere ye hym that is oppressid bi violence fro the hond of the fals chalenger; lest perauenture myn indignacioun go out as fier, and be kyndlid, and noon be that quenche, for the malice of youre studies.

¹³ Lo! Y to thee, dwelleresse of the sad valei and pleyn, seith the Lord, which seien, Who schal smyte vs, and who schal entre in to oure housis?

¹⁴ And Y schal visite on you bi the fruyt of youre studies, seith the Lord; and Y schal kyndle fier in the forest therof, and it schal deuoure alle thingis in the cumpas therof.

Chapter 22

¹ The Lord seith these thingis, Go thou doun in to the hous of the kyng of Juda, and thou schalt speke there this word, and schalt seie,

² Thou kyng of Juda, that sittist on the seete of Dauid, here the word of the Lord, thou, and thi seruauntis, and thi puple, that entren bi these yatis.

³ The Lord seith these thingis, Do ye doom, and riytfulnesse, and delyuere ye hym that is oppressid bi violence fro the hond of the fals chalenger; and nyle ye make sori, nether oppresse ye wickidli a comelyng, and a fadirles child, and a widewe, and schede ye not out innocent blood in this place.

⁴ For if ye doynge don this word, kyngis of the kyn of Dauid sittynge on his trone schulen entre bi the yatis of this hous, and schulen stie on charis and horsis, thei, and the seruauntis, and the puple of hem.

⁵ That if ye heren not these wordis, Y swoore in my silf, seith the Lord, that this hous schal be in to wildirnesse.

⁶ For the Lord seith these thingis on the hous of the kyng of Juda, Galaad, thou art to me the heed of the Liban; credence be not youun to me, if Y sette not thee a wildirnesse, citees vnhabitable.

⁷ And Y schal halewe on thee a man sleynge, and hise armuris; and thei schulen kitte doun thi chosun cedris, and schulen caste doun in to fier.

⁸ And many folkis schulen passe bi this citee, and ech man schal seie to his neiybore, Whi dide the Lord thus to this greet citee?

⁹ And thei schulen answere, For thei forsoken the couenaunt of her Lord God, and worschipiden alien goddis, and serueden hem.

¹⁰ Nyle ye biwepe hym that is deed, nether weile ye on hym bi wepyng; biweile ye hym that goith out, for he schal no more turne ayen, nether he schal se the lond of his birthe.

¹¹ For the Lord seith these thingis to Sellum, the sone of Josie, the kyng of Juda, that regnede for Josye, his fadir, He that yede out of this place, schal no more turne ayen hidur;

¹² but in the place to which Y translatide him, there he schal die, and he schal no more se this lond.

¹³ Wo to him that bildith his hous in vnriytfulnesse, and his soleris not in doom; he schal oppresse his freend in veyn, and he schal not yelde his hire to hym.

¹⁴ Which seith, Y schal bilde to me a large hous, and wide soleris; which openeth wyndows to hym silf, and makith couplis of cedre, and peyntith with reed colour.

¹⁵ Whether thou schalt regne, for thou comparisonest thee to a cedre? whether thi fadir eet not, and drank, and dide doom and riytfulnesse thanne, whanne it was wel to hym?

¹⁶ He demyde the cause of a pore man, and nedi, in to his good; whether not therfor for he knew me? seith the Lord.

¹⁷ Forsothe thin iyen and herte ben to aueryce, and to schede innocent blood, and to fals caleng, and to the perfourmyng of yuel werk.

¹⁸ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis to Joachym, the sone of Josie, the kyng of Juda, Thei schulen not biweile hym, Wo brother! and wo sistir! thei schulen not sowne togidere to hym, Wo lord! and wo noble man!

¹⁹ He schal be biried with the biriyng of an asse, he schal be rotun, and cast forth without the yatis of Jerusalem.

²⁰ Stie thou on the Liban, and cry thou, and yyue thi vois in Basan, and cry to hem that passen forth, for alle thi louyeris ben al to-brokun.

²¹ Y spak to thee in thi plentee, and thou seidist, Y schal not here; this is thi weie fro thi yongthe, for thou herdist not my vois.

²² Wynd schal feede alle thi scheepherdis, and thi louyeris schulen go in to caitifte;

²³ and thanne thou that sittist in the Liban, and makist nest in cedris, schalt be schent, and be aschamed of al thi malice. Hou weilidist thou, whanne sorewis weren comun to thee, as the sorew of a womman trauelynge of child?

²⁴ I lyue, seith the Lord, for thouy Jeconye, the sone of Joachym, kyng of Juda, were a ring in my riyt hond, fro thennus Y schal drawe awei hym.

²⁵ And Y schal yyue thee in the hond of hem that seken thi lijf, and in the hond of hem whos face thou dredist, and in the hond of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and in the hond of Caldeis.

²⁶ And Y schal sende thee, and thi moder that gendride thee, in to an alien lond, in which ye weren not borun, and there ye schulen die;

²⁷ and thei schulen not turne ayen in to the lond, to which thei reisen her soule, that thei turne ayen thidur.

²⁸ Whether this man Jeconye is an erthene vessel, and al to-brokun? whether a vessel withouten al likyng? Whi ben he and his seed cast awei, and cast forth in to a lond which thei knewen not?

²⁹ Erthe, erthe, erthe, here thou the word of the Lord.

³⁰ The Lord seith these thingis, Write thou this man bareyn, a man that schal not haue prosperite in hise daies; for of his seed schal be no man, that schal sitte on the seete of Dauid, and haue powere ferthere in Juda.

Chapter 23

¹ Wo to the scheepherdis, that scateren and to-drawen the floc of my lesewe, seith the Lord.

² Therfor the Lord God of Israel seith these thingis to the scheepherdis, that feeden my puple, Ye han scaterid my floc, and han cast hem out, and han not visitid hem; lo! Y schal visite on you the malice of youre studies, seith the Lord.

³ And Y schal gadere togidere the remenauntis of my floc fro alle londis, to whiche Y schal caste hem out thidur; and Y schal turne hem to her feeldis, and thei schulen encreesse, and schulen be multiplied.

⁴ And Y schal reise schepherdis on hem, and thei schulen feede hem; thei schulen no more drede, and schulen not be aferd; and noon schal be souyt of the noumbre seith the Lord.

⁵ Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal reise a iust buriownyng to Dauid; and he schal regne a kyng, and he schal be wijs, and he schal make doom and riytfulnesse in erthe.

⁶ In tho daies Juda schal be sauid, and Israel schal dwelle tristili; and this is the name which thei schulen clepe hym, The Lord oure riytful.

⁷ For this thing lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and thei schulen no more seie, The Lord lyueth, that ledde the sones of Israel out of the lond of Egipt;

⁸ but, The Lord lyueth, that ledde out, and brouyte the seed of the hous of Israel fro the lond of the north, and fro alle londis to whiche Y hadde cast hem out thidur; and thei schulen dwelle in her lond.

⁹ To the prophetis; Myn herte is contrit in the myddis of me, alle my boonys trembliden togidere; Y am maad as a man drunkun, and as a man weet of wyn, of the face of the Lord, and of the face of the hooli wordis of hym;

¹⁰ for the lond is fillid with auowteris. For the erthe mourenede of the face of cursyng; the feeldis of desert ben maad drie, the cours of hem is maad yuel, and her strengthe is vnlijk.

¹¹ For whi the profete and the prest ben defoulid; and in myn hous, seith the Lord, Y foond the yuel of hem.

¹² Therfor the weie of hem schal be as slidur in derknessis, for thei schulen be hurtlid, and schulen falle doun therynne; for Y schal bringe on hem yuels, the yeer of visitacioun of hem, seith the Lord.

¹³ And in the profetis of Samarie Y siy fonnednesse, and thei profesieden in Baal, and disseyueden my puple Israel.

¹⁴ And in the profetis of Jerusalem Y siy licnesse, auoutrie, and the weie of leesyng; and thei confortiden the hondis of the worste men, that ech man schulde not conuerte fro his malice; alle thei ben maad as Sodom to me, and alle the dwellers therof `ben maad as Gommorre.

¹⁵ Therfor the Lord of oostis seith these thingis to the prophetis, Lo! Y schal feed hem with wermod, and Y schal yyue drynke to hem with galle; for whi defoulyng is goen out of the profetis of Jerusalem on al the lond.

¹⁶ The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Nyle ye here the wordis of profetis, that profesien to you, and disseyuen you; thei speken the visioun of her herte, not of the mouth of the Lord.

¹⁷ Thei seien to hem that blasfemen me, The Lord spak, Pees schal be to you; and thei seiden to ech man that goith in the schrewidnesse of his herte, Yuel schal not come on you.

¹⁸ For whi who is present in the councel of the Lord, and siy, and herde his word? who bihelde, and herde the word of hym?

¹⁹ Lo! the whirlewynd of the Lordis indignacioun schal go out, and tempest brekynge schal come on the heed of wickid men.

²⁰ The strong veniaunce of the Lord schal not turne ayen, til that he do, and til that he fille the thouyt of his herte. In the laste daies ye schulen vndurstonde the councel of hym.

²¹ Y sente not the profetis, and thei runnen; Y spak not to hem, and thei profesieden.

²² If thei hadden stonde in my councel, and hadde maad knowun my wordis to my puple, forsothe Y hadde turned hem awei fro her yuel weie, and fro her worste thouytis.

²³ Gessist thou, whether Y am God of niy, seith the Lord, and not God afer?

²⁴ A man schal not be priuy in hid places, and Y schal not se hym, seith the Lord. Whether Y fille not heuene and erthe? seith the Lord.

²⁵ Y herde what thingis the profetis seiden, profesiynge a leesyng in my name, and seiynge, Y dremede dremes.

²⁶ Hou longe is this thing in the herte of profetis, profesiynge a leesyng, and profesiynge the disseite of her herte?

²⁷ Whiche wolen make, that my puple foryete my name for the dremes of hem, which ech man tellith to his neiybore, as the fadris of hem foryaten my name for Baal.

²⁸ A profete that hath a dreme, telle a dreem; and he that hath my word, speke verili my word. What is with chaffis to the wheete? seith the Lord.

²⁹ Whether my wordis ben not as fier brennynge, seith the Lord, and as an hamer al to-brekynge a stoon?

³⁰ Therfor lo! Y am redi to the profetis, seith the Lord, that stelen my wordis, ech man fro his neiybore.

³¹ Lo! Y to the profetis, seith the Lord, that taken her tungis, and seien, The Lord seith.

³² Lo! Y to the profetis, dremynge a leesyng, seith the Lord; which telden tho, and disseyueden my puple in her leesyng, and in her myraclis, whanne Y hadde not sente hem, nether hadde comaundide to hem; whiche profitiden no thing to this puple, seith the Lord.

³³ Therfor if this puple, ether profete, ether prest, axith thee, and seith, What is the birthun of the Lord? thou schalt seie to hem, Ye ben the birthun, for Y schal caste you awei, seith the Lord;

³⁴ and a profete, and a prest, and the puple, that seith, The birthun of the Lord, Y schal visite on that man, and on his hous.

³⁵ Ye schulen seie these thingis, ech man to his neiybore, and to his brother, What answeride the Lord? and what spak the Lord?

³⁶ For the birthun of the Lord schal no more be remembrid, and the word of ech man schal be birthun to hym; and ye han peruertid the wordis of lyuynge God, of the Lord of oostis, youre God.

³⁷ Thou schalt seie these thingis to the profete, What answeride the Lord to thee? and what spak the Lord?

³⁸ Forsothe if ye seien, The birthin of the Lord, for this thing the Lord seith these thingis, For ye seiden this word, The birthun of the Lord, and Y sente to you, and Y seide, Nyle ye seie, The birthun of the Lord; therfor lo!

³⁹ Y schal take you awei, and schal bere, and Y schal forsake you, and the citee which Y yaf to you, and to youre fadris, fro my face.

⁴⁰ And Y schal yyue you in to euerlastynge schenschipe, and in to euerlastynge sclaundir, that schal neuere be doon awei bi foryetyng.

Chapter 24

¹ The Lord schewide to me, and lo! twei panyeris ful of figys weren set bifor the temple of the Lord, aftir that Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, translatide Jeconye, the sone of Joachym, the kyng of Juda, and the princes of hym, and a sutil crafti man, and a goldsmith fro Jerusalem, and brouyte hem in to Babiloyne.

² And o panyere hadde ful good figis, as figis of the firste tyme ben wont to be; and o panyere hadde ful yuel figis, that miyten not be etun, for tho weren yuel figis.

³ And the Lord seide to me, Jeremye, what thing seest thou? And Y seide, Figis, goode figis, ful goode, and yuele figis, ful yuele, that moun not be etun, for tho ben yuele figis.

⁴ And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

⁵ and seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, As these figis ben goode, so Y schal knowe the transmygracioun of Juda, which I sente out fro this place in to the lond of Caldeis, in to good.

⁶ And Y schal sette myn iyen on hem to plese, and Y schal brynge hem ayen in to this lond; and Y schal bilde hem, and Y schal not distrie hem; and Y schal plaunte hem, and Y schal not drawe vp bi the roote.

⁷ And Y schal yyue to hem an herte, that thei knowe me, for Y am the Lord; and thei schulen be in to a puple to me, and Y schal be in to God to hem, for thei schulen turne ayen to me in al her herte.

⁸ And as the worste figis ben, that moun not be etun, for tho ben yuele figis, the Lord seith these thingis, So Y schal yyue Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, and the princes of hym, and other men of Jerusalem, that dwelliden in this citee, and that dwellen in the lond of Egipt.

⁹ And Y schal yyue hem into trauelyng and turment in alle rewmes of erthe, in to schenschipe, and in to parable, and in to a prouerbe, and in to cursyng, in alle places to whiche Y castide hem out.

¹⁰ And Y schal sende in hem a swerd, and hungur, and pestilence, til thei be wastid fro the lond which Y yaf to hem, and to the fadris of hem.

Chapter 25

¹ The word of the Lord, that was maad to Jeremye, of al the puple of Juda, in the fourthe yeer of Joachym, the sone of Josie, the king of Juda, aftir that Jeconye was translatid in to Babiloyne; thilke is the firste yeer of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne; which word Jeremy,

² the prophete, spak to al the puple of Juda, and to alle the dwelleris of Jerusalem, and seide,

³ Fro the threttenthe yeer of the rewme of Josie, the sone of Amon, the kyng of Juda, `til to this dai, this is the three and twentithe yeer, the word of the Lord was maad to me; and Y spak to you, and Y roos bi niyt and spak, and ye herden not.

⁴ And the Lord sente to you alle hise seruauntis profetis, and roos ful eerli, and sente, and ye herden not, nether ye bowiden youre eeris, for to here;

⁵ whanne he seide, Turne ye ayen, ech man fro his yuel weie, and fro youre worste thouytis, and ye schulen dwelle in the lond whiche the Lord yaf to you, and to youre fadris, fro the world and til in to the world.

⁶ And nyle ye go aftir alien goddis, that ye serue hem, and worschipe hem, nether terre ye me to wrathfulnesse, in the werkis of youre hondis, and Y schal not turmente you.

⁷ And ye herden not me, seith the Lord, that ye terreden me to wrathfulnesse in the werkis of youre hondis, in to youre yuel.

⁸ Therfor the Lord of oostis seith these thingis, For that that ye herden not my wordis, lo!

⁹ Y schal sende, and take alle the kynredis of the north, seith the Lord, and Nabugodonosor, my seruaunt, the kyng of Babiloyne; and Y schal bringe hem on this lond, and on the dwelleris therof, and on alle naciouns, that ben in the cumpas therof; and Y schal sle hem, and Y schal sette hem in to wondryng, and in to hissyng, and in to euerlastynge wildirnessis.

¹⁰ And Y schal leese of hem the vois of ioye, and the vois of gladnesse, the vois of spouse, and the vois of spousesse, the vois of queerne, and the liyt of the lanterne.

¹¹ And al the lond therof schal be in to wildirnesse, and in to wondring; and alle these folkis schulen serue the king of Babiloyne seuenti yeer.

¹² And whanne seuenti yeer ben fillid, Y schal visite on the kyng of Babiloyne, and on that folc the wickidnesse of hem, seith the Lord, and on the lond of Caldeis, and Y schal set it in to euerlastynge wildirnesses.

¹³ And Y schal brynge on that lond alle my wordis whiche Y spak ayens it, al thing that is writun in this book; what euer thingis Jeremye profeside ayens alle folkis;

¹⁴ for thei serueden to hem, whanne thei weren many folkis, and grete kingis; and Y schal yelde to hem aftir the werkis of hem, and aftir the dedis of her hondis.

¹⁵ For the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith thus, Take thou the cuppe of wyn of this woodnesse fro myn hond, and thou schal birle therof to alle hethene men, to whiche Y schal sende thee.

¹⁶ And thei schulen drynke, and schulen be disturblid, and schulen be woode of the face of swerd, which Y schal sende among hem.

¹⁷ And Y took the cuppe fro the hond of the Lord, and Y birlide to alle folkis, to whiche the Lord sente me;

¹⁸ to Jerusalem, and to alle the citees of Juda, and to the kyngis therof, and to the princes therof; that Y schulde yyue hem in to wildirnesse, and in to wondring, and in to hissyng, and in to cursing, as this dai is; to Farao,

¹⁹ the king of Egipt, and to hise seruauntis, and to hise princes, and to al hise puple;

²⁰ and to alle men generali, to alle the kyngis of the lond Ansitidis, and to alle the kyngis of the lond of Filistiym, and to Ascalon, and to Gaza, and to Acoron, and to the residues of Azotus;

²¹ to Idumee, and to Moab, and to the sones of Amon;

²² and to alle the kyngis of Tirus, and to alle the kingis of Sidon, and to the kingis of the lond of ilis that ben biyendis the see;

²³ and to Dedan, and Theman, and Buz, and to alle men that ben clippid on the long heer;

²⁴ and to alle the kingis of Arabie, and to alle the kingis of the west, that dwellen in desert;

²⁵ and to alle the kingis of Zambri, and to alle the kingis of Elam, and to alle the kyngis of Medeis; and to alle the kingis of the north,

²⁶ of niy and of fer, to ech man ayens his brothir; and to alle the rewmes of erthe, that ben on the face therof; and kyng Sesac schal drynke after hem.

²⁷ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Drynke ye, and be ye drunkun, and spue ye, and falle ye doun, and nyle ye rise fro the face of swerd which Y schal sende among you.

²⁸ And whanne thei nylen take the cuppe fro thin hond, that thei drynke, thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Ye drynkynge schulen drynke;

²⁹ for lo! in the citee in which my name is clepid to help, Y bigynne to turmente, and schulen ye as innocentis be with out peyne? ye schulen not be with out peyne, for Y clepe swerd on alle the dwelleris of erthe, seith the Lord of oostis.

³⁰ And thou schalt profesie to hem alle these wordis, and thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord schal rore fro an hiy, and fro his hooli dwellyng place he schal yyue his vois; he rorynge schal rore on his fairnesse; a myry song, as of men tredynge in pressouris, schal be sungun ayens alle dwelleris of erthe.

³¹ Sown is comun til to the laste partis of erthe, for whi doom is to the Lord with folkis, he is demed with ech fleisch; the Lord seith, Y haue youe wickid men to the swerd.

³² The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Lo! turment schal go out fro folk in to folk, and a greet whirlwynd schal go out fro the endis of erthe.

³³ And the slayn men of the Lord schulen be in that dai fro the ende of the erthe `til to the ende therof; thei schulen not be biweilid, nether schulen be gaderid togidere, nether schulen be biried; thei schulen ligge in to a dunghil on the face of erthe.

³⁴ Yelle, ye scheepherdis, and crye, and, ye princypals of the floc, bispreynge you with aische; for youre daies ben fillid, that ye be slayn, and youre scateryngis ben fillid, and ye schulen falle as precious vessels.

³⁵ And fleyng schal perische fro scheepherdis, and sauyng schal perische fro the principals of the floc.

³⁶ The vois of the crye of scheepherdis, and the yellyng of the principals of the floc, for the Lord hath wastid the lesewis of hem.

³⁷ And the feeldis of pees weren stille, for the face of wraththe of the strong veniaunce of the Lord.

³⁸ He as a lion hath forsake his tabernacle, for the lond of hem is maad in to desolacioun, of the face of wraththe of the culuer, and of the face of wraththe of the strong veniaunce of the Lord.

Chapter 26

¹ In the bigynnyng of the rewme of Joachym, the sone of Josie, kyng of Juda, this word was maad of the Lord, and seide,

² The Lord seide these thingis, Stonde thou in the porche of the hous of the Lord, and thou schalt speke to alle the citees of Juda, fro whiche thei comen for to worschipe in the hous of the Lord, alle the wordis whiche Y comaundide to thee, that thou speke to hem; nyle thou withdrawe a word;

³ if perauenture thei heren, and ben conuertid, ech man fro his yuele weie, and it repente me of the yuel which Y thouyte to do to hem for the malices of her studies.

⁴ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, If ye heren not me, that ye go in my lawe which Y yaf to you,

⁵ that ye here the wordis of my seruauntis, profetis, whiche Y risynge bi niyte, and dressynge, sente to you, and ye herden not;

⁶ Y schal yyue this hous as Silo, and Y schal yyue this citee in to cursyng to alle folkis of erthe.

⁷ And the prestis, and profetis, and al the puple herden Jeremye spekynge these wordis in the hous of the Lord.

⁸ And whanne Jeremye hadde fillid spekynge alle thingis, whiche the Lord hadde comaundid to hym, that he schulde speke to al the puple, the prestis, and profetis, and al the puple token hym, and seiden, Die he bi deeth;

⁹ whi profesiede he in the name of the Lord, and seide, This hous schal be as Silo, and this citee schal be desolat, for no dwellere is? And al the puple was gaderid togidere ayens Jeremye, in the hous of the Lord.

¹⁰ And the princes of Juda herden alle these wordis; and thei stieden fro the kyngis hous in to the hous of the Lord, and saten in the entryng of the newe yate of the hous of the Lord.

¹¹ And the prestis and profetis spaken to the princes, and to al the puple, and seiden, Doom of deth is to this man, for he profesiede ayens this citee, as ye herden with youre eeris.

¹² And Jeremye seide to alle the princes, and to al the puple, `and seide, The Lord sente me, that Y schulde prophesie to this hous, and to this citee, alle the wordis whiche ye herden.

¹³ Now therfor make ye good youre weies, and youre studies, and here ye the vois of youre Lord God; and it schal repente the Lord of the yuel which he spak ayens you.

¹⁴ Lo! forsothe Y am in youre hondis; do ye to me, as it is good and riytful bifore youre iyen.

¹⁵ Netheles wite ye, and knowe, that if ye sleen me, ye schulen bitraie innocent blood ayens you silf, and ayens this citee, and the dwelleris therof; for in trewthe the Lord sente me to you, that Y schulde speke in youre eeris alle these wordis.

¹⁶ And the princes and al the puple seiden to the preestis and profetis, Doom of deth is not to this man; for he spak to vs in the name of oure Lord God.

¹⁷ Therfor men of the eldere men of the lond rysiden vp, and seiden to al the cumpanye of the puple,

¹⁸ and spaken, Mychee of Morasten was a profete in the daies of Ezechie, king of Juda; and he seide to al the puple of Juda, and seide, The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Sion schal be erid as a feeld, and Jerusalem schal be in to an heep of stoonys, and the hil of the hous of the Lord schal be in to hiy thingis of woodis.

¹⁹ Whether Ezechie, kyng of Juda, and al Juda condempnede hym bi deth? Whether thei dredden not the Lord, and bisouyten the face of the Lord? and it repentide the Lord of the yuel which he spak ayens hem. Therfor do we not greet yuel ayens oure soulis.

²⁰ Also Vrye, the sone of Semey, of Cariathiarym, was a man profesiynge in the name of the Lord; and he profesiede ayens this citee, and ayens this lond, bi alle the wordis of Jeremye.

²¹ And kyng Joachym, and alle the myyti men, and princes of hem, herden these wordis; and the kyng souyte to sle hym; and Vrye herde, and dredde, and he fledde, and entride in to Egipt.

²² And kyng Joachym sente men in to Egipt, Elnathan, the sone of Achobor, and men with hym, in to Egipt;

²³ and thei ledden Vrye out of Egipt, and brouyten hym to kyng Joachym; and the kyng killide hym bi swerd, and castide forth his careyn in the sepulcris of the comyn puple vnnoble.

²⁴ Therfor the hond of Aicham, sone of Saphan, was with Jeremye, that he was not bitakun in to the hondis of the puple, and that it killide not hym.

Chapter 27

¹ In the bigynnyng of the rewme of Joachym, the sone of Josie, kyng of Juda, this word was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, and seide,

² The Lord seith these thingis to me, Make thou to thee boondis and chaynes, and thou schalt putte tho in thi necke;

³ and thou schalt sende tho to the kyng of Edom, and to the kyng of Moab, and to the kyng of the sones of Amon, and to the kyng of Tyre, and to the kyng of Sidon, bi the hond of messangeris that camen to Jerusalem, and to Sedechie, kyng of Juda.

⁴ And thou schalt comaunde to hem, that thei speke to her lordis, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Ye schulen seie these thingis to youre lordis,

⁵ Y made erthe, and man, and beestis that ben on the face of al erthe, in my greet strengthe, and in myn arm holdun forth; and Y yaf it to hym that plesyde bifore myn iyen.

⁶ And now therfor Y yaf alle these londis in the hond of Nabugodonosor, my seruaunt, the kyng of Babiloyne; ferthermore and Y yaf to hym the beestis of the feeld, that thei serue hym.

⁷ And alle folkis schulen serue hym, and his sone, and the sone of his sone, til the tyme of his lond and of hym come; and many folkis and grete kyngis schulen serue hym.

⁸ Forsothe the folk and rewme that serueth not Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and whoeuer bowith not his necke vndur the yok of the kyng of Babiloyne, Y schal visite on that folk in swerd, and hungur, and pestilence, seith the Lord, til Y waaste hem in his hond.

⁹ Therfor nyle ye here youre profetis, and false dyuynouris, and dremeris, and dyuyneris bi chiteryng and fleyng of briddis, and witchis, that seien to you, Ye schulen not serue the kyng of Babiloyne;

¹⁰ for thei profesien a lessyng to you, that thei make you fer fro youre lond, and caste out you, and ye perische.

¹¹ Certis the folk that makith suget her nol vndur the yok of the kyng of Babiloyne, and serueth hym, Y schal dismytte it in his lond, seith the Lord; and it schal tile that lond, and schal dwelle therynne.

¹² And Y spak bi alle these wordis to Sedechie, kyng of Juda, and Y seide, Make ye suget youre neckis vndur the yok of the kyng of Babiloyne, and serue ye hym, and his puple, and ye schulen lyue.

¹³ Whi schulen ye die, thou and thi puple, bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence, as the Lord spak to the folk, that nolde serue to the kyng of Babiloyne?

¹⁴ Nyle ye here the wordis of profetis seiynge to you, Ye schulen not serue the kyng of Babiloyne; for thei speken leesyng to you, for Y sente not hem, seith the Lord;

¹⁵ and thei profesien falsly in my name, that thei caste out you, and that ye perische, bothe ye and the profetis that profesien to you.

¹⁶ And Y spak to the preestis, and to this puple, and Y seide, The Lord God seith these thingis, Nyle ye here the wordis of youre profetis, that profesien to you, and seien, Lo! the vessels of the Lord schulen turne ayen now soone fro Babiloyne; for thei profesien a leesyng to you.

¹⁷ Therfor nyle ye here hem, but serue ye to the kyng of Babiloyne, that ye lyue; whi is this citee youun in to wildirnesse?

¹⁸ And if thei ben profetis, and if the word of God is in hem, renne thei to the Lord of oostis, that the vessels whiche weren left in the hous of the Lord, and in the hous of the kyng of Juda, and in Jerusalem, come not in to Babiloyne.

¹⁹ For the Lord of oostis seith these thingis to the pilers, and to the see, that is, a greet waischyng vessel, and to the foundementis, and to the remenauntis of vessels, that weren left in this citee,

²⁰ whiche Nabugodonosor, king of Babiloyne, took not, whanne he translatide Jeconye, the sone of Joachim, king of Juda, fro Jerusalem in to Babiloyne, and alle the principal men of Juda and of Jerusalem.

²¹ For the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis to the vessels that ben left in the hous of the Lord, and in the hous of the king of Juda, and in Jerusalem, Tho schulen be translatid in to Babiloyne,

²² and schulen be there `til to the dai of her visitacioun, seith the Lord; and Y schal make tho to be brouyt, and to be restorid in this place.

Chapter 28

¹ And it was don in that yeer, in the bigynnyng of the rewme of Sedechie, kyng of Juda, in the fourthe yeer, in the fyuethe monethe, Ananye, the sone of Azur, a profete of Gabaon, seide to me in the hous of the Lord, bifor the preestis, and al the puple,

² `and seide, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Y haue al to-broke the yok of the kyng of Babiloyne.

³ Yit twei yeeris of daies ben, and Y schal make to be brouyt ayen to this place alle the vessels of the Lord, whiche Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, took fro this place, and translatide tho in to Babiloyne.

⁴ And Y schal turne to this place, seith the Lord, Jeconye, the sone of Joachym, the kyng of Juda, and al the passyng ouer of Juda, that entriden in to Babiloyne; for Y schal al to-breke the yok of the kyng of Babiloyne.

⁵ And Jeremye, the profete, seide to Ananye, the profete, bifore the iyen of preestis, and bifore the iyen of al the puple that stoden in the hous of the Lord.

⁶ And Jeremye, the profete, seide to Ananye, Amen! so do the Lord; the Lord reise thi wordis whiche thou profesiedist, that the vessels be brouyt ayen in to the hous of the Lord, and al the passyng ouer fro Babiloyne, to this place.

⁷ Netheles here thou this word, which Y speke in thin eeris, and in the eeris of al the puple.

⁸ Profetis that weren bifore me, and bifor thee, fro the bigynnyng, and profesieden on many londis, and on many rewmes, of batel, and of turment, and of hungur.

⁹ The profete that profesiede pees, whanne his word cometh, shal be knowun the profete whom the Lord sente in treuthe.

¹⁰ And Ananye, the profete, took the chayne fro the necke of Jeremye, the profete, and brak it.

¹¹ And Ananye, the profete, seide in the siyt of al the puple, `and seide, The Lord seith these thingis, So Y schal breke the yok of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, aftir twei yeeris of daies, fro the necke of alle folkis.

¹² And Jeremye, the profete, yede in to his weie. And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, aftir that Ananye, the profete, brak the chayne fro the necke of Jeremye; and the Lord seide,

¹³ Go thou, and seie to Ananye, The Lord seith these thingis, Thou hast al to-broke the chaynes of tre, and thou schalt make yrun chaynes for tho.

¹⁴ For the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Y haue set an yrun yok on the necke of alle these folkis, that thei serue Nabugodonosor, the king of Babiloyne, and thei schulen serue hym; ferthermore and Y yaf to hym the beestis of erthe.

¹⁵ And Jeremye, the profete, seide to Ananye, the profete, Ananye, here thou; the Lord sente not thee, and thou madist this puple for to triste in a leesyng.

¹⁶ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal sende thee out fro the face of erthe; in this yeer thou schalt die, for thou spakest ayens the Lord.

¹⁷ And Ananye, the profete, diede in that yeer, in the seuenthe monethe.

Chapter 29

¹ And these ben the wordis of the book, whiche Jeremye, the profete, sente fro Jerusalem to the residues of eldere men of passyng ouer, and to the preestis, and to the profetis, and to al the puple, whom Nabugodonosor hadde ledde ouer fro Jerusalem in to Babiloyne,

² after that Jeconye, the kyng, yede out, and the ladi, and the onest seruauntis and chast, and the princis of Juda yeden out of Jerusalem, and a sutel crafti man, and a goldsmyth of Jerusalem,

³ in the hond of Elasa, sone of Saphan, and of Gamalie, the sone of Elchie, whiche Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, sente to Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, in to Babiloyne.

⁴ And Jeremye seide, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis to al the passyng ouer, which Y translatide fro Jerusalem in to Babiloyne,

⁵ Bilde ye housis, and enhabite, and plaunte ye orcherdis, and ete ye fruyt of tho;

⁶ take ye wyues, and gendre ye sones and douytris, and yyue ye wyues to youre sones, and yyue ye youre douytris to hosebondis, and bere thei sones and douytris; and be ye multiplied there, and nyle ye be fewe in noumbre.

⁷ And seke ye pees of the citees, to whiche Y made you to passe ouer; and preie ye the Lord for it, for in the pees therof schal be pees to you.

⁸ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Youre profetis, that ben in the myddis of you, and youre dyuynours disseyue you not; and take ye noon heede to youre dremes, whiche ye dremen;

⁹ for thei profesien falsli to you in my name, and Y sente not hem, seith the Lord.

¹⁰ For the Lord seith thes thingis, Whanne seuenti yeer bigynnen to be fillid in Babiloyne, Y schal visite you, and Y schal reise on you my good word, and Y schal brynge you ayen to this place.

¹¹ For Y knowe the thouytis whiche Y thenke on you, seith the Lord, the thouytis of pees, and not of turment, that Y yyue to you an ende and pacience.

¹² And ye schulen clepe me to help, and ye schulen go, and schulen worschipe me, and Y schal here you;

¹³ ye schulen seke me, and ye schulen fynde, whanne ye seken me in al youre herte.

¹⁴ And Y schal be foundun of you, seith the Lord, and Y schal brynge ayen youre caitifte, and Y schal gadere you fro alle folkis, and fro alle places, to whiche Y castide out you, seith the Lord; and Y schal make you to turne ayen fro the place, to which Y made you to passe ouer.

¹⁵ For ye seiden, The Lord schal reise profetis to vs in Babiloyne.

¹⁶ For the Lord seith these thingis to the kyng, that sittith on the seete of Dauid, and to al the puple, dwellere of this citee, to youre britheren, that yeden not out with you in to the passyng ouer,

¹⁷ The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal sende among hem swerd, and hungur, and pestilence; and Y schal sette hem as yuele figis, that moun not be etun, for tho ben ful yuele.

¹⁸ And Y schal pursue hem in swerd, and in hungur, and in pestilence; and Y schal yyue hem in to trauelyng in alle rewmes of erthe, in to cursyng, and in to wondryng, and in to scornyng, and in to schenschipe to alle folkis, to whiche Y castide hem out.

¹⁹ For thei herden not my wordis, seith the Lord, which Y sente to hem bi my seruauntis, profetis, and roos bi nyyt, and sente, and ye herden not, seith the Lord.

²⁰ Therfor al the passyng ouer, which Y sente out fro Jerusalem in to Babiloyne, here ye the word of the Lord.

²¹ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis to Achab, the sone of Chulie, and to Sedechie, the sone of Maasie, that profesien to you a leesyng in my name, Lo! Y schal bitake hem in to the hond of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and he schal smyte hem bifore youre iyen.

²² And cursyng schal be takun of hem to al the passyng ouer of Juda, which is in Babiloyne, of men seiynge, The Lord sette thee as Sedechie, and as Achab, whiche the kyng of Babiloyne friede in fier,

²³ for thei diden foli in Israel, and diden auowtrie on the wyues of her frendis; and thei spaken a word falsli in my name, which Y comaundide not to hem; Y am iuge and witnesse, seith the Lord.

²⁴ And thou schalt seie to Semei Neelamyte,

²⁵ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, For that that thou sentist bookis in my name to al the puple, which is in Jerusalem, and to Sofony, the sone of Maasie, the preest, and to alle the prestis,

²⁶ and seidist, The Lord yaf thee the preest for Joiada, the preest, that thou be duyk in the hous of the Lord on ech man `that is trauelid of the fend, and profesiynge, that thou sende hym in to stockis, and in to prisoun.

²⁷ And now whi blamest thou not Jeremye of Anathot, that profesieth to you?

²⁸ For on this thing he sente to vs in to Babiloyne, and seide, It is long; bielde ye housis, and enhabite, and plaunte ye orcherdis, and ete ye the fruit of tho.

²⁹ Therfor Sofonye, the preest, redde this book in the eeris of Jeremye, the prophete.

³⁰ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye,

³¹ and seide, Sende thou to al the passyng ouer, and seie, The Lord seith these thingis to Semeye Neelamite, For that that Semeye profesiede to you, and Y sente not hym, and he made you to triste in a leesyng;

³² therfor the Lord seith thes thingis, Lo! Y schal visite on Semeye Neelamyte, and on his seed; and no man sittynge in the myddis of this puple schal be to hym; and he schal not se the good, which Y schal do to my puple, seith the Lord, for he spak trespassyng ayens the Lord.

Chapter 30

¹ This is the word, that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye,

² and seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, and spekith, Write to thee in a book, alle these wordis whiche Y spak to thee.

³ For lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal turne the turnyng of my puple Israel and Juda, seith the Lord; and Y schal turne hem to the lond which Y yaf to the fadris of hem, and thei schulen haue it in possessioun.

⁴ And these ben the wordis, whiche the Lord spak to Israel, and to Juda,

⁵ For the Lord seith these thingis, We herden a word of drede; inward drede is, and pees is not.

⁶ Axe ye, and se, if a male berith child; whi therfor siy Y the hond of ech man on his leende, as of a womman trauelynge of child, and alle faces ben turned in to yelow colour?

⁷ Wo! for thilke day is greet, nether ony is lyk it; and it is a tyme of tribulacioun to Jacob, and of hym schal be sauyd.

⁸ And it schal be, in that dai, seith the Lord of oostis, Y schal al to-breke the yok of hym fro thi necke, and Y schal breke hise boondis; and aliens schulen no more be lordis of it,

⁹ but thei schulen serue to her Lord God, and to Dauid, her kyng, whom Y schal reyse for hem.

¹⁰ Therfor, Jacob, my seruaunt, drede thou not, seith the Lord, and Israel, drede thou not; for lo! Y schal saue thee fro a fer lond, and thi seed fro the lond of the caitiftee of hem. And Jacob schal turne ayen, and schal reste, and schal flowe with alle goodis; and noon schal be whom he schal drede.

¹¹ For Y am with thee, seith the Lord, for to saue thee. For Y schal make endyng in alle folkis, in whiche Y scateride thee; sotheli Y schal not make thee in to endyng, but Y schal chastise thee in doom, that thou be not seyn to thee to be gilteles.

¹² For the Lord seith these thingis, Thi brekyng is vncurable, thi wounde is the worste.

¹³ Noon is, that demeth thi doom to bynde togidere; the profit of heelyngis is not to thee.

¹⁴ Alle thi louyeris han foryete thee, thei schulen not seke thee; for Y haue smyte thee with the wounde of an enemy, with cruel chastisyng; for the multitude of thi wickidnesse, thi synnes ben maad hard.

¹⁵ What criest thou on thi brekynge? thi sorewe is vncurable; for the multitude of thi wickidnesse, and for thin hard synnes, Y haue do these thingis to thee.

¹⁶ Therfor alle that eeten thee, schulen be deuourid, and alle thin enemyes schulen be led in to caitifte; and thei that distrien thee, schulen be distried, and Y schal yyue alle thi robberis in to raueyn.

¹⁷ For Y schal heele perfitli thi wounde, and Y schal make thee hool of thi woundis, seith the Lord; for thou, Sion, thei clepeden thee cast out; this is it that hadde no sekere.

¹⁸ The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal turne the turnyng of the tabernaclis of Jacob, and Y schal haue merci on the housis of hym; and the citee schal be bildid in his hiynesse, and the temple schal be foundid bi his ordre.

¹⁹ And heriyng and the vois of pleiers schal go out of hem, and Y schal multiplie hem, and thei schulen not be decreessid; and Y schal glorifie hem, and thei schulen not be maad thynne.

²⁰ And the sones therof schulen be as at the bigynnyng, and the cumpeny therof schal dwelle bifore me; and Y schal visite ayens alle that doon tribulacioun to it.

²¹ And the duyk therof schal be of it, and a prince schal be brouyt forth of the myddis therof; and Y schal applie hym, and he schal neiye to me; for who is this, that schal applie his herte, that he neiye to me? seith the Lord.

²² And ye schulen be in to a puple to me, and Y schal be in to God to you.

²³ Lo! the whirlewynd of the Lord, a strong veniaunce goynge out, a tempest fallynge doun, schal reste in the heed of wickid men.

²⁴ The Lord schal not turne awey the ire of indignacioun, til he do, and fille the thouyt of his herte; in the laste of daies ye schulen vndurstonde tho thingis.

Chapter 31

¹ In that tyme, seith the Lord, Y schal be God to alle the kynredis of Israel; and thei schulen be in to a puple to me.

² The Lord seith these thingis, The puple that was left of swerd, foond grace in desert; Israel schal go to his reste.

³ Fer the Lord apperide to me, and in euerlastynge charite Y louede thee; therfor Y doynge merci drow thee.

⁴ And eft Y schal bilde thee, and thou, virgyn Israel, schalt be bildid; yit thou schalt be ourned with thi tympans, and schalt go out in the cumpenye of pleieris.

⁵ Yit thou schalt plaunte vynes in the hillis of Samarie; men plauntynge schulen plaunte, and til the tyme come, thei schulen not gadere grapis.

⁶ For whi a dai schal be, wherynne keperis schulen crye in the hil of Samarie, and in the hil of Effraym, Rise ye, and stie we in to Sion, to oure Lord God.

⁷ For the Lord seith these thingis, Jacob, make ye ful out ioye in gladnesse, and neye ye ayens the heed of hethene men; sowne ye, synge ye, and seie ye, Lord, saue thi puple, the residues of Israel.

⁸ Lo! Y schal brynge hem fro the loond of the north, and Y schal gadere hem fro the fertheste partis of erthe; among whiche schulen be a blynd man, and crokid, and a womman with childe, and trauelynge of child togidere, a greet cumpeny of hem that schulen turne ayen hidur.

⁹ Thei schulen come in wepyng, and Y schal brynge hem ayen in merci; and Y schal brynge hem bi the strondis of watris in a riytful weie, thei schulen not spurne therynne; for Y am maad a fadir to Israel, and Effraym is my gendrid sone.

¹⁰ Ye hethene men, here ye the word of the Lord, and telle ye in ylis that ben fer, and seie, He that scateride Israel, schal gadere it, and schal kepe it, as a scheepherde kepith his floc.

¹¹ For the Lord ayenbouyte Jacob, and delyuerede hym fro the hond of the myytiere.

¹² And thei schulen come, and herye in the hil of Sion; and thei schulen flowe togidere to the goodis of the Lord, on wheete, wyn, and oile, and on the fruyt of scheep, and of neet; and the soule of hem schal be as a watri gardyn, and thei schulen no more hungre.

¹³ Thanne a virgyn schal be glad in a cumpenye, yonge men and elde togidere; and Y schal turne the morenyng of hem in to ioie, and Y schal coumforte hem, and Y schal make hem glad of her sorewe.

¹⁴ And Y schal greetli fille the soule of prestis with fatnesse, and my puple schal be fillid with my goodis, seith the Lord.

¹⁵ The Lord seith these thingis, A vois of weilyng, and of wepyng, and of mourenyng, was herd an hiy; the vois of Rachel biwepynge hir sones, and not willynge to be coumfortid on hem, for thei ben not.

¹⁶ The Lord seith these thingis, Thi vois reste of wepyng, and thin iyen reste of teeres; for whi mede is to thi werk, seith the Lord; and thei schulen turne ayen fro the lond of the enemy.

¹⁷ And hope is to thi laste thingis, seith the Lord, and thi sones schulen turne ayen to her endis.

¹⁸ I heringe herde Effraym passinge ouer; thou chastisidist me, and Y am lerned as a yong oon vntemyd; turne thou me, and Y schal be conuertid, for thou art my Lord God.

¹⁹ For aftir that thou conuertidist me, Y dide penaunce; and aftir that thou schewidist to me, Y smoot myn hipe; Y am schent, and Y schamede, for Y suffride the schenschipe of my yongthe.

²⁰ For Effraym is a worschipful sone to me, for he is a delicat child; for sithen Y spak of hym, yit Y schal haue mynde on hym; therfor myn entrails ben disturblid on him, Y doynge merci schal haue merci on hym, seith the Lord.

²¹ Ordeyne to thee an hiy totyng place, sette to thee bitternesses; dresse thin herte in to a streiyt weie, in which thou yedist; turne ayen, thou virgyn of Israel, turne ayen to these thi citees.

²² Hou longe, douyter of vnstidfast dwellyng, art thou maad dissolut in delices? for the Lord hath maad a newe thing on erthe, a womman schal cumpasse a man.

²³ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Yit thei schulen seie this word in the lond of Juda, and in the citees therof, whane Y schal turne the caytifte of hem, The Lord blesse thee, thou fairnesse of riytfulnesse, thou hooli hil.

²⁴ And Juda, and alle citees therof schulen dwelle in it togidere, erthetilieris, and thei that dryuen flockis.

²⁵ For Y fillide greetli a feynt soule, and Y haue fillid ech hungri soule.

²⁶ Therfor Y am as reisid fro sleep, and Y siy; and my sleep was swete to me.

²⁷ Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal sowe the hous of Israel and the hous of Juda with the seed of men, and with the seed of werk beestis.

²⁸ And as Y wakide on hem, to drawe vp bi the roote, and to distrie, and to scatere, and to leese, and to turmente; so Y schal wake on hem, to bilde, and to plaunte, seith the Lord.

²⁹ In tho daies thei schulen no more seie, The fadres eeten a sour grape, and the teeth of sones weren astonyed; but ech man schal die in his wickidnesse,

³⁰ ech man that etith a sour grape, hise teeth schulen be astonyed.

³¹ Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal smyte a newe boond of pees to the hous of Israel, and to the hous of Juda;

³² not bi the couenaunte which Y made with youre fadris, in the dai in which Y took the hond of hem, to lede hem out of the lond of Egipt, the couenaunte which thei made voide; and Y was Lord of hem, seith the Lord.

³³ But this schal be the couenaunte, which Y schal smyte with the hous of Israel aftir tho daies, seith the Lord; Y schal yyue my lawe in the entrails of hem, and Y schal write it in the herte of hem, and Y schal be in to God to hem, and thei schulen be in to a puple to me.

³⁴ And a man schal no more teche his neiybore, and a man his brother, and seie, Knowe thou the Lord; for alle schulen knowe me, fro the leeste of hem `til to the mooste, seith the Lord; for Y schal be merciful to the wickidnessis of hem, and Y schal no more be myndeful on the synne of hem.

³⁵ The Lord seith these thingis, that yyueth the sunne in the liyt of dai, the ordre of the moone and of sterris in the liyt of the niyt, whiche disturblith the see, and the wawis therof sownen, the Lord of oostis is name to hym.

³⁶ If these lawis failen bifore me, seith the Lord, thanne and the seed of Israel schal faile, that it be not a folk bifore me in alle daies.

³⁷ The Lord seith these thingis, If heuenes aboue moun be mesurid, and the foundementis of erthe bynethe be souyt out, and Y schal caste awei al the seed of Israel, for alle thingis whiche thei diden, seith the Lord.

³⁸ Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and a citee schal be bildid to the Lord, fro the tour of Ananeel `til to the yate of the corner.

³⁹ And it schal go out ouer the reule of mesure, in the siyt therof, on the hil Gareb, and it schal cumpasse Goatha,

⁴⁰ and al the valei of careyns, and it schal cumpasse aischis, and al the cuntrei of deth, `til to the stronde of Cedron, and til to the corner of the eest yate of horsis; the hooli thing of the Lord schal not be drawun out, and it schal no more be destried with outen ende.

Chapter 32

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, in the tenthe yeer of Sedechie, kyng of Juda; thilke is the eiytenthe yeer of Nabugodonosor.

² Thanne the oost of the kyng of Babiloyne bisegide Jerusalem; and Jeremye, the profete, was closid in the porche of the prisoun, that was in the hous of the kyng of Juda.

³ For whi Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, hadde closid hym, and seide, Whi profesiest thou, seiynge, The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal yyue this citee in the hond of the kyng of Babyloyne, and he schal take it; and Sedechie,

⁴ the kyng of Juda, schal not ascape fro the hond of Caldeis, but he schal be bitake in to the hond of the kyng of Babiloyne; and his mouth schal speke with the mouth of hym, and hise iyen schulen se the iyen of hym;

⁵ and he schal lede Sedechie in to Babiloyne, and he schal be there, til Y visyte hym, seith the Lord; forsothe if ye fiyten ayens Caldeis, ye schulen haue no thing in prosperite?

⁶ And Jeremye seide, The word of the Lord was maad to me, and seide, Lo!

⁷ Ananeel, the sone of Sellum, the sone of thi fadris brothir, schal come to thee, and seie, Bi thou to thee my feeld, which is in Anathot; for it bifallith to thee by niy kynrede, that thou bie it.

⁸ And Ananeel, the sone of my fadris brothir, cam to me, bi the word of the Lord, to the porche of the prisoun, and seide to me, Welde thou my feeld, which is in Anathot, in the lond of Beniamyn; for whi the erytage bifallith to thee, and thou art the next of blood, that thou welde it. Forsothe Y vndirstood, that it was the word of the Lord.

⁹ And Y bouyte the feeld, which is in Anathot, of Ananeel, the sone of my fadris brothir. And Y paiede to hym siluer, seuene stateris, and ten platis of siluer;

¹⁰ and Y wroot in a book, and Y seelide, and Y yaf witnessis. And Y weiede siluer in a balaunce;

¹¹ and Y took the book aseelid of possessioun, and axingis and answerys of the seller and bier, and couenauntis, and seelis withoutforth.

¹² And Y yaf the book of possessioun to Baruc, the sone of Neri, sone of Maasie, bifore the iyen of Ananeel, the sone of my fadris brother, and bifore the iyen of witnessis that weren writun in the book of biyng, bifore the iyen of alle Jewis, that saten in the porche of the prisoun.

¹³ And Y comaundide to Baruc bifore hem,

¹⁴ and Y seide, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Take thou these bookis, this seelid book of biyng, and this book which is opyn, and putte thou tho in an erthen vessel, that tho moun dwelle bi many daies.

¹⁵ For whi the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Yit housis, and feeldis, and vynes schulen be weldid in this lond.

¹⁶ And Y preiede to the Lord, aftir that Y bitook the book of possessioun to Baruc, the sone of Nery; and Y seide, Alas!

¹⁷ alas! alas! Lord God, Lord, thou madist heuene and erthe in thi greet strengthe, and in thin arm stretchid forth; ech word schal not be hard to thee;

¹⁸ which doist merci in thousyndis, and yeldist the wickidnesse of fadris in to the bosum of her sones aftir hem. Thou strongeste, greet, myyti, Lord of oostis is name to thee;

¹⁹ greet in councel, and vncomprehensible in thouyt, whose iyen ben open on alle the weies of the sones of Adam, that thou yelde to ech aftir hise weies, and aftir the fruyt of hise fyndyngis;

²⁰ which settidist signes and greet woundris in the lond of Egipt, `til to this dai, bothe in Israel and in men; and madist to thee a name, as this dai is.

²¹ And thou leddist thi puple Israel out of the lond of Egipt, in signes and in greet woundris, and in a strong hond, and in an arm holdun forth, and in greet dreed; and thou yauest to hem this lond,

²² which thou sworist to the fadris of hem, that thou woldist yyue to hem, a lond flowynge with milk and hony.

²³ And thei entriden, and hadden it in possessioun; and thei obeieden not to thi vois, and thei yeden not in thi lawe; alle thingis whiche thou comaundidist to hem to do, thei diden not; and alle these yuels bifellen to hem.

²⁴ Lo! strengthis ben bildid ayens the citee, that it be takun, and the citee is youun in to the hondis of Caldeis, and in to the hondis of the kyng of Babiloyne, that fiyten ayens it, of the face of swerd, and of hungur, and of pestilence; and what euer thingis thou spakest, bifellen, as thou thi silf seest.

²⁵ And Lord God, thou seist to me, Bie thou a feeld for siluer, and yyue thou witnessis, whanne the citee is youun in the hondis of Caldeis.

²⁶ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, and seide, Lo!

²⁷ Y am the Lord God of `al fleisch. Whether ony word schal be hard to me?

²⁸ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bitake this citee in to the hondis of Caldeis, and in to the hond of the kyng of Babiloyne, and he schal take it.

²⁹ And Caldeis schulen come, and fiyte ayens this citee, and thei schulen brenne it with fier, and thei schulen brenne it, and housis, in whose rooues thei sacrifieden to Baal, and offriden moist sacrifices to alien goddis, to terre me to wraththe.

³⁰ For whi the sones of Israel and the sones of Juda diden yuel contynueli, fro her yonge waxynge age, bifore myn iyen, the sones of Israel, whiche `til to now wraththen me bi the werk of her hondis, seith the Lord.

³¹ For whi this citee is maad to me in my strong veniaunce and indignacioun, fro the day in which thei bildiden it, `til to this dai, in which it schal be takun awei fro my siyt;

³² for the malice of the sones of Israel, and of the sones of Juda, which thei diden, terrynge me to wrathfulnesse, thei, and the kyngis of hem, the princes of hem, and the prestis, and profetis of hem, the men of Juda, and the dwelleris of Jerusalem.

³³ And thei turneden to me the backis, and not the faces, whanne Y tauyte, and enformede hem erli; and thei nolden here, that thei schulden take techyng.

³⁴ And thei settiden her idols in the hous, in which my name is clepid to help, that thei schulden defoule it.

³⁵ And thei bildiden hiy thingis to Baal, that ben in the valei of the sones of Ennon, that thei schulden halewe her sones and her douytris to Moloc, which thing Y comaundide not to hem, nether it stiede in to myn herte, that thei schulden do this abhomynacioun, and brynge Juda in to synne.

³⁶ And now for these thingis, the Lord God of Israel seith these thingis to this citee, of whiche ye seien, that it schal be bitakun in to the hondis of the kyng of Babiloyne, in swerd, and in hungur, and in pestilence, Lo!

³⁷ Y schal gadere hem fro alle londis, to whiche Y castide hem out in my strong veniaunce, and in my wraththe, and in greet indignacioun; and Y schal brynge hem ayen to this place, and Y schal make hem to dwelle tristili.

³⁸ And thei schulen be in to a puple to me, and Y schal be in to God to hem.

³⁹ And Y schal yyue to hem oon herte and o soule, that thei drede me in alle daies, and that it be wel to hem, and to her sones aftir hem.

⁴⁰ And Y schal smyte to hem a couenaunt euerlastynge, and Y schal not ceese to do wel to hem, and Y schal yyue my drede in the herte of hem, that thei go not awey fro me.

⁴¹ And Y schal be glad on hem, whanne Y schal do wel to hem; and Y schal plaunte hem in this lond in treuthe, in al myn herte, and in al my soule.

⁴² For the Lord seith these thingis, As Y brouyte on this puple al this greet yuel, so Y schal brynge on hem al the good, which Y schal speke to hem.

⁴³ And feeldis schulen be weldid in this lond, of which ye seien, that it is desert, for no man and beeste is left; and it is youun in to the hondis of Caldeis.

⁴⁴ Feeldis schulen be bouyt for money, and schulen be writun in a book, and a seel schal be preentid; and witnessis schulen be youun, in the lond of Beniamyn, and in the cumpas of Jerusalem, and in the citees of Juda, and in the citees in hilli places, and in the citees in feeldi places, and in the citees that ben at the south; for Y schal turne the caitiftee of hem, seith the Lord.

Chapter 33

¹ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, in the secounde tyme, whanne he was closid yit in the porche of the prisoun, and seide,

² The Lord seith these thingis, The Lord is name of hym, that schal do, and fourme, and make redi that thing;

³ Crye thou to me, and Y schal here thee, and Y schal telle to thee grete thingis, and stidfast, whiche thou knowist not.

⁴ For the Lord God of Israel seith these thingis to the housis of this citee, and to the housis of the kyng of Juda, that ben distried, and to the strengthingis,

⁵ and to the swerd of men comynge to fiyte with Caldeis, and to fille tho housis with careyns of men, which Y smoot in my strong veniaunce, and in myn indignacioun; and Y hidde my face fro this citee, for al the malice of hem.

⁶ Lo! Y schal close togidere to hem a wounde and helthe, and Y schal make hem hool, and Y schal schewe to hem the bisechyng of pees and of treuthe;

⁷ and Y schal conuerte the conuersioun of Juda, and Y schal conuerte the conuersioun of Jerusalem, and Y schal bilde hem, as at the bigynnyng.

⁸ And Y schal clense hem fro al her wickidnesse, in which thei synneden to me, and Y schal be merciful to alle the wickidnessis of hem, in which thei trespassiden to me, and forsoken me.

⁹ And thei schulen be to me in to a name, and in to ioye, and in to heriyng, and in to ful out ioiyng to alle folkis of erthe, that herden alle the goodis whiche Y schal do to hem; and thei schulen drede, and schulen be disturblid in alle goodis, and in al the pees, which Y schal do to hem.

¹⁰ The Lord seith these thingis, Yit in this place, which ye seien to be forsakun, for no man is nether beeste in the citees of Juda, and in the yatis of Jerusalem, that ben desolat, without man, and with out dwellere,

¹¹ and with out beeste, the vois of ioye schal be herd, and the vois of gladnesse, the vois of spouse, and the vois of spousesse, the vois of men, seiynge, Knowleche ye to the Lord of oostis, for the Lord is good, for his merci is with outen ende, and of men berynge vowis in to the hous of the Lord; for Y schal brynge ayen the conuersioun of the lond, as at the bigynnyng, seith the Lord.

¹² The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, Yit in this forsakun place, with out man, and with out beeste, and in alle citees therof, schal be a dwellyng place of scheepherdis, of flockis ligynge.

¹³ And in the citees in hilli places, and in the citees in feeldi places, and in the citees that ben at the south, and in the lond of Beniamyn, and in the cumpas of Jerusalem, and in the citees of Juda, yit flockis schulen passe, at the hond of the noumbrere, seith the Lord.

¹⁴ Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal reise the good word, which Y spak to the hous of Israel, and to the hous of Juda.

¹⁵ In tho daies, and in that tyme, Y schal make the seed of riytfulnesse to buriowne to Dauid, and he schal make doom and riytfulnesse in erthe.

¹⁶ In tho daies Juda schal be sauyd, and Israel schal dwelle tristili; and this is the name which thei schulen clepe hym, Oure riytful Lord.

¹⁷ For the Lord seith these thingis, A man of Dauid schal not perische, that shal sitte on the trone of the hous of Israel;

¹⁸ and of preestis and dekenes a man schal not perische fro my face, that schal offre brent sacrifices, and brenne sacrifice, and sle sacrifice, in alle daies.

¹⁹ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye,

²⁰ and seide, The Lord seith these thingis, If my couenaunt with the dai and my couenaunt with the niyt mai be maad voide, that the dai and the niyt be not in his tyme;

²¹ and my couenaunt with Dauid, my seruaunt, mai be voide, that of hym be no sone, that schal regne in his trone, and no dekenes, and preestis, my mynistris;

²² as the sterris of heuene moun not be noumbrid, and the grauel of the see mai not be metun, so Y schal multiplie the seed of Dauid, my seruaunt, and dekenes, my mynystris.

²³ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, and seide, Whether thou hast not seyn,

²⁴ that this puple spak, seiynge, Twei kynredis whiche the Lord chees, ben cast awei, and thei dispisiden my puple, for it is no more a folc bifore hem.

²⁵ The Lord seith these thingis, If Y settide not my couenaunt bitwixe dai and niyt, and if Y settide not lawis to heuene and erthe;

²⁶ sotheli and Y schal caste awei the seed of Jacob, and of Dauid, my seruaunt, that Y take not of the seed of hym princes, of the seed of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; for Y schal brynge ayen the conuersioun of hem, and Y schal haue merci on hem.

Chapter 34

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, whanne Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and al his oost, and alle the rewmes of erthe, that weren vndur the power of his hond, and alle puplis fouyten ayens Jerusalem, and ayens alle citees therof; and he seide,

² The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Go thou, and speke to Sedechie, kyng of Juda; and thou schalt seie to hym, The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bitake this citee in to the hond of the kyng of Babiloyne, and he schal brenne it bi fier.

³ And thou schalt not ascape fro his hond, but thou schalt be takun bi takyng, and thou schalt be bitakun in to his hond; and thin iyen schulen se the iyen of the kyng of Babiloyne, and his mouth schal speke with thi mouth, and thou schalt entre in to Babiloyne.

⁴ Netheles Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, here thou the word of the Lord; the Lord seith these thingis to thee, Thou schalt not die bi swerd,

⁵ but thou schalt die in pees, and bi the brennyngis of thi fadris, the formere kyngis that weren bifore thee, so thei schulen brenne thee, and thei schulen biweile thee, Wo! lord; for Y spak a word, seith the Lord.

⁶ And Jeremye, the profete, spak to Sedechie, kyng of Juda, alle these wordis in Jerusalem.

⁷ And the oost of the kyng of Babiloyne fauyt ayens Jerusalem, and ayens alle the citees of Juda, that weren left; ayens Lachis, and ayens Azecha; for whi these strong citees weren left of the citees of Juda.

⁸ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, aftir that kyng Sedechie smoot boond of pees with al the puple in Jerusalem,

⁹ and prechide, that ech man schulde delyuere his seruaunt, and ech man his handmaide, an Ebreu man and an Ebru womman fre, and that thei schulden not be lordis of hem, that is, in a Jew, and her brothir.

¹⁰ Therfor alle the princes and al the puple herden, whiche maden couenaunt, that thei schulden delyuere ech man his seruaunt, and ech man his handmaide fre, and schulde no more be lordis of hem; therfor thei herden, and delyueriden;

¹¹ and thei weren turned aftirward, and drowen ayen her seruauntis, and handmaidis, whiche thei hadden left fre, and thei maden suget in to seruauntis, and in to seruauntessis.

¹² And the word of the Lord was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, and seide,

¹³ The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Y smoot a boond of pees with youre fadris, in the dai in which Y ledde hem out of the lond of Egipt, out of the hous of seruage; and Y seide, Whanne seuene yeeris ben fillid,

¹⁴ ech man delyuere his brother, an Ebreu man, which is seeld to hym, and he schal serue thee sixe yeer, and thou schalt delyuere hym fro thee; and youre fadris herden not me, nether bowiden her eere.

¹⁵ And ye ben conuertid to dai, and ye diden that, that is riytful bifore myn iyen, that ye precheden ech man fredom to his frend, and ye maden couenaunt in my siyt, in the hous wherynne my name is clepid to help on that fredom.

¹⁶ And ye turneden ayen, and defouliden my name, and ye brouyten ayen ech man his seruaunt, and ech man his handmaide, whiche ye delyueriden, that thei schulden be fre, and of her owne power; and ye maden hem suget, that thei be seruauntis and haundmaidis to you.

¹⁷ Therfor the Lord seith thes thingis, Ye herden not me, that ye prechiden fredom, ech man to his brothir, and ech man to his freend; lo! Y preeche to you fredom, seith the Lord, and to swerd, and to hungur, and to pestilence, and Y schal yyue you in to stiryng to alle rewmes of erthe.

¹⁸ And Y schal yyue the men, that breken my boond of pees, and kepten not the wordis of boond of pees, to whiche thei assentiden in my siyt, and kepten not the calf, which thei kittiden in to twei partis; and the princes of Juda,

¹⁹ and the princes of Jerusalem, and the onest seruauntis, and preestis yeden bytwixe the partyngis therof, and al the puple of the lond, that yeden bitwixe the departyngis of the calf;

²⁰ and Y schal yyue hem in to the hond of her enemyes, and in to the hond of hem that seken her lijf; and the deed careyn of hem schal be in to mete to the volatilis of the eir, and to the beestis of erthe.

²¹ And Y schal yyue Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, and hise princes, in to the hond of her enemyes, and in to the hond of hem that seken her lijf, and in to the hond of the oostis of the kyng of Babiloyne, that yeden awei fro you.

²² Lo! Y comaunde, seith the Lord, and Y schal brynge hem ayen in to this citee, and thei schulen fiyte ayens it, and schulen take it, and schulen brenne it with fier; and Y schal yyue the citees of Juda in to wildirnesse, for ther is no dwellere.

Chapter 35

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, in the daies of Joachym, sone of Josie,

² kyng of Juda, and seide, Go thou to the hous of Recabitis, and speke thou to hem; and thou schalt brynge hem in to the hous of the Lord, in to o chaumbre of tresouris, and thou schalt yyue to hem to drynke wyn.

³ And Y took Jeconye, the sone of Jeremye, sone of Absanye, and hise britheren, and alle the sones of hym, and al the hous of Recabitis.

⁴ And Y ledde hem in to the hous of the Lord, to the treserie of the sones of Eman, sone of Godolie, the man of God; which treserie was bisidis the treserie of princes, aboue the tresour of Maasie, sone of Sellum, that was kepere of the vestiarie.

⁵ And Y settide bifore the sones of the hous of Recabitis pecis, and grete cowpis ful of wyn; and Y seide to hem, Drinke ye wyn.

⁶ And thei answeriden, We schulen not drinke wyn; for whi Jonadab, oure fadir, the sone of Recab, comaundide to vs, and seide, Ye schulen not drinke wyn, ye and youre sones, `til in to withouten ende;

⁷ and ye schulen not bilde an hous, and ye schulen not sowe seed, and ye schulen not plaunte vynes, nether schulen haue, but ye schulen dwelle in tabernaclis in alle youre daies, that ye lyue many daies on the face of erthe, in which ye goen in pilgrymage.

⁸ Therfor we obeieden to the vois of Jonadab, oure fadir, the sone of Recab, in alle thingis whiche he comaundide to vs; so that we drunken not wyn in alle oure dayes, we, and oure wymmen, oure sones, and douytris;

⁹ and we bildiden not housis to dwelle, and we hadden not a vyner, and a feeld, and seed;

¹⁰ but we dwelliden in tabernaclis, and weren obeiynge, and diden bi alle thingis, whiche Jonadab, oure fadir, comaundide to vs.

¹¹ But whanne Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, hadde stied to this lond, we seiden, Come ye, and entre we in to Jerusalem, fro the face of the oost of Caldeis, and fro the face of the oost of Sirie; and we dwelliden in Jerusalem.

¹² And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye,

¹³ and seide, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Go thou, and seie to the men of Juda, and to the dwelleris of Jerusalem, Whether ye schulen not take techyng, that ye obeie to my wordis, seith the Lord?

¹⁴ The wordis of Jonadab, sone of Rechab, hadden the maistrie, whiche he comaundide to hise sones, that thei schulden not drynke wyn; and thei drynken not, `til to this dai; for thei obeieden to the comaundement of her fadir; but Y spak to you, and Y roos ful eerli, and spake, and ye obeieden not to me.

¹⁵ And Y sente to you alle my seruauntis profetis, and Y roos ful eerli, and Y sente, and seide, Be ye conuertid, ech man fro his worste weye, and make ye good youre studies, and nyle ye sue alien goddis, nether worschipe ye hem, and ye schulen dwelle in the lond, which Y yaf to you, and to youre fadris; and ye bowiden not youre eere, nether herden me.

¹⁶ Therfor the sones of Jonadab, sone of Recab, maden stidfast the comaundement of her fadir, which he comaundide to hem; but this puple obeiede not to me.

¹⁷ Therfor the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bringe on Juda, and on alle the dwelleris of Jerusalem, al the turment which Y spak ayens hem; for Y spak to hem, and thei herden not; Y clepide hem, and thei answeriden not to me.

¹⁸ Forsothe Jeremye seide to the hous of Recabitis, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, For that that ye obeieden to the comaundement of Jonadab, youre fadir, and kepten alle hise comaundementis, and diden alle thingis, whiche he comaundide to you;

¹⁹ therfor the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, A man of the generacioun of Jonadab, sone of Recab, schal not faile stondynge in my siyt in alle daies.

Chapter 36

¹ And it was don, in the fourthe yeer of Joachym, sone of Josie, kyng of Juda, this word was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, and seide,

² Take thou the volym of a book, and thou schalt write therynne alle the wordis, whiche Y spake to thee ayens Israel and Juda, and ayens alle folkis, fro the dai in whiche Y spak to thee, fro the daies of Josie `til to this dai.

³ If perauenture whanne the hous of Juda herith alle the yuels whiche Y thenke to do to hem, ech man turne ayen fro his worste weye, and Y schal be merciful to the wickidnesse and synne of hem.

⁴ Therfor Jeremye clepide Baruk, the sone of Nerye; and Baruk wroot of the mouth of Jeremye in the volym of a book alle the wordis of the Lord, whiche he spak to hym.

⁵ And Jeremye comaundide to Baruk, and seide, Y am closid, and Y may not entre in to the hous of the Lord.

⁶ Therfor entre thou, and rede of the book, in which thou hast write of my mouth the wordis of the Lord, in hering of the puple, in the hous of the Lord, in the dai of fastyng; ferthermore and in heryng of al Juda, that comen fro her citees, thou schalt rede to hem;

⁷ if perauenture the preier of hem falle in the siyt of the Lord, and eche man turne ayen fro his worste weie; for whi the strong veniaunce and indignacioun is greet, which the Lord spak ayens this puple.

⁸ And Baruk, the sone of Nerie, dide aftir alle thingis, which Jeremye, the prophete, comaundide to hym; and he redde of the book the wordis of the Lord, in the hous of the Lord.

⁹ Forsothe it was doon, in the fyueth yeer of Joachym, sone of Josie, kyng of Juda, in the nynthe monethe, thei prechiden fastynge in the siyt of the Lord, to al the puple in Jerusalem, and to al the multitude, that cam togidere fro the citees of Juda in to Jerusalem.

¹⁰ And Baruc redde of the volym the wordis of Jeremye, in the hous of the Lord, in the treserie of Gamarie, sone of Saphan, scryuen, in the hiyere porche, in the entring of the newe yate of the hous of the Lord, in audience of al the puple.

¹¹ And whanne Mychie, the sone of Gamarie, sone of Saphan, hadde herd alle the wordis of the Lord,

¹² of the book, he yede doun in to the hous of the kyng, to the treserye of the scryuen. And lo! alle the princes saten there, Elisama, the scryuen, and Dalaie, the sone of Semeye, and Elnathan, the sone of Achabor, and Gamarie, the sone of Saphan, and Sedechie, the sone of Ananye, and alle princes.

¹³ And Mychee telde to hem alle the wordis, whiche he herde Baruc redynge of the book, in the eeris of the puple.

¹⁴ Therfor alle the princes senten to Baruc Judi, the sone of Nathathie, sone of Selemye, sone of Chusi, and seiden, Take in thin hond the book, of which thou reddist in audience of the puple, and come thou. Therfor Baruc, the sone of Nereie, took the book in his hoond, and cam to hem.

¹⁵ And thei seiden to hym, Sitte thou, and rede these thingis in oure eeris; and Baruc redde in the eeris of hem.

¹⁶ Therfor whanne thei hadden herd alle the wordis, thei wondriden ech man to his neiybore, and thei seiden to Baruc, Owen we to telle to the kyng alle these wordis?

¹⁷ And thei axiden hym, and seiden, Schewe thou to vs, hou thou hast write alle these wordis of his mouth.

¹⁸ Forsothe Baruc seide to hem, Of his mouth he spak, as redynge to me, alle these wordis; and Y wroot in a book with enke.

¹⁹ And alle the princes seiden to Baruc, Go, be thou hid, thou and Jeremye; and no man wite where ye ben.

²⁰ And thei entriden to the kyng, in to the halle; forsothe thei bitoken the book to be kept in to the treserie of Elisame, the scryuen. And thei telden alle the wordis, in audience of the kyng.

²¹ Therfor the kyng sente Judi, that he schulde take the book. Which took the book fro the treserie of Elysame, the scryuen, and redde in audience of the kyng, and of alle the princes, that stoden aboute the kyng.

²² Forsothe the kyng sat in the wyntir hous, in the nynthe monethe; and a panne ful of coolis was set bifore hym.

²³ And whanne Judi hadde red thre pagyns, ethir foure, he kittide it with the knyf of a scryueyn, and castide in to the fier, `that was in the panne, til al the book was wastid bi the fier, that was on the panne.

²⁴ And the kyng and alle hise seruauntis, that herden alle these wordis, dredden not, nethir to-renten her clothis.

²⁵ Netheles Elnathan, and Dalaie, and Gamarie ayenseiden the kyng, that he schulde not brenne the book; and he herde not hem.

²⁶ And the kyng comaundide to Jeremyel, sone of Amalech, and to Saraie, sone of Esreel, and to Selemye, sone of Abdehel, that thei schulden take Baruc, the writer, and Jeremye, the profete; forsothe the Lord hidde hem.

²⁷ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, the profete, aftir that the kyng hadde brent the book and wordis, whiche Baruc hadde write of Jeremyes mouth;

²⁸ and he seid, Eft take thou another book, and write therynne alle the former wordis, that weren in the firste book, which Joachym, the kyng of Juda, brente.

²⁹ And thou schalt seie to Joachym, kyng of Juda, The Lord seith these thingis, Thou brentist that book, and seidist, What hast thou write therynne, tellynge, The kyng of Babiloyne schal come hastynge, and schal distrie this lond, and schal make man and beeste to ceesse therof?

³⁰ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis ayens Joachym, king of Juda, Noon schal be of hym, that schal sitte on the seete of Dauid; and his careyn schal be cast forth to the heete bi dai, and to the forst bi niyt.

³¹ And Y schal visite ayens hym, and ayens his seed, and ayens hise seruauntis, her wickidnessis. And Y schal bryng on hem, and on the dwelleris of Jerusalem, and on the men of Juda, al the yuel which Y spak to hem, and thei herden not.

³² Forsothe Jeremye took an other book, and yaf it to Baruc, the writer, the sone of Nerie, which wroot therynne of Jeremyes mouth alle the wordis of the book, which book Joachym, the kyng of Juda, hadde brent bi fier; and ferthermore many mo wordis weren addid than weren bifore.

Chapter 37

¹ And kyng Sedechie, the sone of Josie, regnede for Jeconye, the sone of Joachym, whom Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, made kyng in the lond of Juda.

² And he, and hise seruauntis, and his puple obeieden not to the wordis of the Lord, whiche he spak in the hond of Jeremye, the profete.

³ And kyng Sedechie sente Jothal, the sone of Selemye, and Sofonye, the preest, the sone of Maasie, to Jeremye, the profete, and seide, Preie thou for vs oure Lord God.

⁴ Forsothe Jeremye yede freli in the myddis of the puple; for thei hadden not sente hym in to the kepyng of the prisoun. Therfor the oost of Farao yede out of Egipt, and Caldeis, that bisegiden Jerusalem, herden sich a message, and yeden awei fro Jerusalem.

⁵ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, the profete,

⁶ and seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Thus ye schulen seie to the kyng of Juda, that sente you to axe me, Lo! the oost of Farao, which yede out to you in to help, schal turne ayen in to his lond, in to Egipt.

⁷ And Caldeis schulen come ayen, and schulen fiyte ayens this citee, and schulen take it, and schulen brenne it bi fier.

⁸ The Lord seith these thingis, Nyle ye disseyue youre soulis, seiynge, Caldeis goynge schulen go a wey, and schulen departe fro vs; for thei schulen not go a wei.

⁹ But thouy ye sleen al the oost of Caldeis, that fiyten ayens you, and summe woundid men of hem be left, ech man schal rise fro his tente, and thei schulen brenne this citee bi fier.

¹⁰ Therfor whanne the oost of Caldeis hadde goon awei fro Jerusalem, for the oost of Farao, Jeremye yede out of Jerusalem,

¹¹ to go in to the lond of Beniamyn, and to departe there the possessioun in the siyt of citeseyns.

¹² And whanne he was comun to the yate of Beniamyn, ther was a kepere of the yate bi whiles, Jerie bi name, the sone of Selemye, sone of Ananye; and he took Jeremye, the prophete, and seide, Thou fleest to Caldeis.

¹³ And Jeremye answeride, It is fals; Y fle not to Caldeis. And he herde not Jeremye, but Jerie took Jeremye, and brouyte hym to the princes.

¹⁴ Wherfor the princes weren wrooth ayens Jeremye, and beeten hym, and senten hym in to the prisoun, that was in the hous of Jonathas, the scryuen; for he was souereyn on the prisoun.

¹⁵ Therfor Jeremye entride in to the hous of the lake, and in to the prisoun of trauel; and Jeremye sat there manye daies.

¹⁶ Therfor kyng Sedechie sente, and took hym a wei, and axide hym priuyli in his hous, and seide, Gessist thou, whether a word is of the Lord? And Jeremye seide, Ther is. And Jeremye seide, Thou schalt be bitakun in to the hond of the kyng of Babiloyne.

¹⁷ And Jeremye seide to Sedechie, the kyng, What haue Y synned to thee, and to thi seruauntis, and to thi puple, for thou hast sent me in to the hous of prisoun?

¹⁸ Where ben youre profetis, that profesieden to you, and seiden, The king of Babiloyne schal not come on you, and on this lond?

¹⁹ Now therfor, my lord the kyng, Y biseche, here thou, my preier be worth in thi siyt, and sende thou not me ayen in to the hous of Jonathas, the scryuen, lest Y die there.

²⁰ Therfor Sedechie comaundide, that Jeremye schulde be bitakun in to the porche of the prisoun, and that a cake of breed schulde be youun to hym ech dai, outakun seew, til alle looues of the citee weren wastid; and Jeremye dwellide in the porche of the prisoun.

Chapter 38

¹ Forsothe Safacie, sone of Nathan, and Jedelie, sone of Fassur, and Jothal, sone of Selemye, and Fassour, sone of Melchie, herden the wordis whiche Jeremye spak to al the puple,

² `and seide, The Lord seith these thingis, Who euer dwellith in this citee, schal die bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence; but he that flieth to Caldeis, shal lyue, and his soule schal be hool and lyuynge.

³ The Lord seith these thingis, This citee to be bitakun schal be bitakun in to the hond of the oost of the kyng of Babiloyne, and he schal take it.

⁴ And the princes seiden to the kyng, We preien, that this man be slayn; for of bifore castyng he discoumfortith the hondis of men werriours, that dwelliden in this citee, and the hondis of al the puple, and spekith to hem bi alle these wordis. For whi this man sekith not pees to this puple, but yuel.

⁵ And kyng Sedechie seide, Lo! he is in youre hondis, for it is not leueful that the kyng denye ony thing to you.

⁶ Therfor thei token Jeremye, and castiden hym doun in to the lake of Elchie, sone of Amalech, which was in the porche of the prisoun; and thei senten doun Jeremye bi cordis in to the lake, wherynne was no watir, but fen; therfor Jeremye yede doun in to the filthe.

⁷ Forsothe Abdemalech Ethiopien, a chast man and oneste, herde, that was in the kyngis hous, that thei hadden sent Jeremye in to the lake; sotheli the king sat in the yate of Beniamyn.

⁸ And Abdemalech yede out of the kyngis hous, and spak to the kyng,

⁹ and seide, My lord the kyng, these men diden yuele alle thingis, what euer thingis thei diden ayens Jeremye, the profete, sendynge hym in to the lake, that he die there for hungur; for whi looues ben no more in the citee.

¹⁰ Therfor the kyng comaundide to Abdemelech Ethiopien, and seide, Take with thee thretti men fro hennus, and reise thou Jeremye, the profete, fro the lake, bifor that he die.

¹¹ Therfor whanne Abdemelech hadde take men with hym, he entride in to the hous of the kyng, that was vndur the celer; and he took fro thennus elde clothis, and elde ragges, that weren rotun; and he sente tho doun to Jeremye, in to the lake, bi cordis.

¹² And Abdemelech Ethiopien seide to Jeremye, Putte thou elde clothis, and these to-rent and rotun thingis vndur the cubit of thin hondis, and on the cordis. Therfor Jeremye dide so.

¹³ And thei drowen out Jeremye with cordis, and ledden hym out of the lake. Forsothe Jeremye dwellide in the porche of the prisoun.

¹⁴ And kyng Sedechie sente, and took hym Jeremye, the profete, at the thridde dore that was in the hous of the Lord. And the kyng seide to Jeremye, Y axe of thee a word; hide thou not ony thing fro me.

¹⁵ Forsothe Jeremye seide to Sedechie, If Y telle to thee, whether thou schalt not sle me? And if Y yyue councel to thee, thou schalt not here me.

¹⁶ Therfor Sedechie the king swoor to Jeremye priueli, and seide, The Lord lyueth, that maad to vs this soule, Y schal not sle thee, and Y schal not bitake thee in to the hondis of these men, that seken thi lijf.

¹⁷ And Jeremye seide to Sedechie, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, If thou goest forth, and goest out to the princes of the kyng of Babiloyne, thi soule schal lyue, and this citee schal not be brent with fier, and thou schalt be saaf, thou and thin hous.

¹⁸ Forsothe if thou goest not out to the princes of the kyng of Babiloyne, this citee schal be bitakun in to the hondis of Caldeis; and thei schulen brenne it with fier, and thou schalt not ascape fro the hond of hem.

¹⁹ And kyng Sedechie seide to Jeremye, Y am angwischid for the Jewis that fledden ouer to Caldeis, lest perauenture Y be bitakun in to the hondis of hem, and thei scorne me.

²⁰ Forsothe Jeremye answeride, and seide to hym, Thei schulen not bitake thee; Y biseche, here thou the vois of the Lord, which Y schal speke to thee, and it schal be wel to thee, and thi soule schal lyue.

²¹ That if thou wolt not go out, this is the word which the Lord schewide to me, Lo!

²² alle the wymmen, that weren left in the hous of the kyng of Juda, schulen be led out to the princes of the kyng of Babiloyne; and tho wymmen schulen seie, Thi pesible men disseyueden thee, and hadden the maistrye ayens thee; thei drenchiden thee in filthe, and thi feet in slidirnesse, and yeden awei fro thee.

²³ And alle thi wyues and thi sones schulen be led out to Caldeis, and thou schalt not ascape the hondis of hem; but thou schalt be bitakun in to the hondis of the kyng of Babiloyne, and he schal brenne this citee bi fier.

²⁴ Therfore Sedechie seide to Jeremye, No man wite these wordis, and thou schalt not die.

²⁵ Sotheli if the princes heren, that Y spak with thee, and comen to thee, and seien to thee, Schewe thou to vs what thou spakest with the kyng, hide thou not fro vs, and we schulen not sle thee; and what the kyng spak with thee,

²⁶ thou schalt seie to hem, Knelyngli Y puttide forth my preiris bifore the kyng, that he schulde not comaunde me to be led ayen in to the hous of Jonathan, and Y schulde die there.

²⁷ Therfor alle the princes camen to Jeremye, and axiden hym; and he spak to hem bi alle the wordis whiche the kyng hadde comaundid to hym, and thei ceessiden fro hym; for whi no thing was herd.

²⁸ Therfor Jeremye dwellide in the porche of the prisoun, til to the dai wherynne Jerusalem was takun; and it was don, that Jerusalem schulde be takun.

Chapter 39

¹ In the nynethe yeer of Sedechie, kyng of Juda, in the tenthe monethe, Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and al his oost cam to Jerusalem, and thei bisegiden it.

² Forsothe in the enleuenthe yeer of Sedechie, in the fourthe monethe, in the fyuethe day of the monethe, the citee was opened;

³ and alle the princes of the kyng of Babiloyne entriden, and saten in the myddil yate, Veregel, Fererer, Semegar, Nabusarrachym, Rapsaces, Neregel, Sereser, Rebynag, and alle othere princes of the kyng of Babiloyne.

⁴ And whanne Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, and alle the men werriouris hadden seien hem, thei fledden, and yeden out bi niyt fro the citee, bi the weie of the gardyn of the kyng, and bi the yate that was bitwixe twei wallis; and thei yeden out to the weie of desert.

⁵ Forsothe the oost of Caldeis pursueden hem, and thei token Sedechie in the feeld of wildirnesse of Jericho; and thei token hym, and brouyten to Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, in Reblatha, which is in the lond of Emath; and Nabugodonosor spak domes to hym.

⁶ And the kyng of Babiloyne killide the sones of Sedechye in Reblatha, bifor hise iyen; and the kyng of Babyloyne killide alle the noble men of Juda.

⁷ Also he puttide out the iyen of Sedechie, and boond hym in feteris, that he schulde be led in to Babiloyne.

⁸ And Caldeis brenten with fier the hous of the kyng, and the hous of the comun puple, and distrieden the wal of Jerusalem.

⁹ And Nabusardan, the maister of knyytis, translatide in to Babiloyne the residues of the puple, that dwelliden in the citee, and the fleeris awei, that hadden fled ouer to hym, and the superflue men of the comyn puple, that weren left.

¹⁰ And Nabusardan, the maistir of knyytis, lefte in the lond of Juda, of the puple of pore men, and yaf to hem vyneris and cisternes in that dai.

¹¹ Forsothe Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, hadde comaundid of Jeremye to Nabusardan, maister of chyualrie, and seide,

¹² Take thou him, and sette thin iyen on hym, and do thou no thing of yuel to him; but as he wole, so do thou to hym.

¹³ Therfor Nabusardan, the prynce of chyualrie, sente Nabu, and Lesban, and Rapsases, and Veregel, and Sereser, and Rebynag, and alle the principal men of the kyng of Babiloyne,

¹⁴ senten, and token Jeremye fro the porche of the prisoun, and bitokun hym to Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan, that he schulde entre in to the hous, and dwelle among the puple.

¹⁵ Forsothe the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, whanne he was closid in the porche of the prisoun, and seide,

¹⁶ Go thou, and seie to Abdemelech Ethiopien, and speke thou, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal brynge my wordis on this citee in to yuel, and not in to good; and tho schulen be in thi siyt in that dai.

¹⁷ And Y schal delyuere thee in that day, seith the Lord, and thou schalt not be bitakun in to the hondis of men, whiche thou dreddist;

¹⁸ but Y delyuerynge schal delyuere thee, and thou schalt not falle doun bi swerd; but thi soule schal be in to helthe to thee, for thou haddist trist in me, seith the Lord.

Chapter 40

¹ The word that was maad of the Lord to Jeremye, aftir that he was delyuered of Nabusardan, maister of chyualrie, fro Rama, whanne he took hym boundun with chaynes, in the myddis of alle men that passiden fro Jerusalem, and fro Juda, and weren led in to Babyloyne.

² Therfor the prince of chyualrie took Jeremye, and seide to hym, Thi Lord God spak this yuel on this place,

³ and the Lord hath brouyt, and hath do, as he spak; for ye synneden to the Lord, and herden not the vois of hym, and this word is doon to you.

⁴ Now therfor lo! Y haue releessid thee to dai fro the chaynes that ben in thin hondis; if it plesith thee to come with me in to Babiloyne, come thou, and Y schal sette myn iyen on thee; sotheli if it displesith thee to come with me in to Babiloyne, sitte thou here; lo! al the lond is in thi siyt, that that thou chesist, and whidur it plesith thee to go, thidur go thou,

⁵ and nyle thou come with me. But dwelle thou with Godolie, sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan, whom the kyng of Babiloyne made souereyn to the citees of Juda; therfor dwelle thou with hym in the myddis of the puple, ether go thou, whidir euer it plesith thee to go. And the maister of chyualrie yaf to hym metis, and yiftis, and lefte hym.

⁶ Forsothe Jeremye cam to Godolie, sone of Aicham, in to Masphat, and dwellide with hym, in the myddis of the puple that was left in the lond.

⁷ And whanne alle princes of the oost hadden herd, that weren scatered bi cuntreis, thei and the felowis of hem, that the kyng of Babiloyne hadde maad Godolie souereyn of the lond, the sone of Aicham, and that he hadde bitake to Godolie men, and wymmen, and litle children, and of pore men of the lond, that weren not translatid in to Babiloyne,

⁸ thei camen to Godolie in Masphat; and Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, and Johannan, the sone of Caree, and Jonathan, and Sareas, the sone of Tenoemeth, and the sones of Offi, that weren of Nethophati, and Jeconye, the sone of Machati; bothe thei and her men camen to Godolie.

⁹ And Godolie, sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan, swoor to hem, and to the felowis of hem, and seide, Nyle ye drede to serue Caldeis; but dwelle ye in the lond, and serue ye the kyng of Babiloyne, and it schal be wel to you.

¹⁰ Lo! Y dwelle in Mesphath, for to answere to the comaundement of Caldeis, that ben sent to vs; forsothe gadere ye vyndage, and ripe corn, and oile, and kepe ye in youre vessels, and dwelle ye in youre citees whiche ye holden.

¹¹ But also alle the Jewis, that weren in Moab, and in the oostis of Amon, and in Ydumee, and in alle the cuntreis, whanne it is herd, that the kyng of Babiloyne hadde youe residues, ether remenauntis, in Judee, and that he hadde maad souereyn on hem Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan,

¹² sotheli alle Jewis turneden ayen fro alle places, to whiche thei hadden fled; and thei camen in to the lond of Juda, to Godolie in Masphat, and gaderiden wyn and ripe corn ful myche.

¹³ Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of the oost, that weren scaterid in the cuntreis, camen to Godolie in Masphath,

¹⁴ and seiden to hym, Wite thou, that Bahalis, kyng of the sones of Amon, hath sent Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, to smyte thi lijf. And Godolie, the sone of Aicham, bileuyde not to hem.

¹⁵ Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, seide to Godolie asidis half in Masphath, and spak, Y schal go, and sle Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, while no man knowith, lest he sle thi lijf, and alle the Jewis ben scatered, that ben gaderid to thee, and the remenauntis of Juda schulen perische.

¹⁶ And Godolie, the sone of Aicham, seide to Johannan, the sone of Caree, Nyle thou do this word, for thou spekist fals of Ismael.

Chapter 41

¹ And it was don in the seuenthe monethe, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, sone of Elisama, of the kingis seed, and the principal men of the kyng, and ten men with hym, camen to Godolie, the sone of Aicham, in Masphath; and thei eeten there looues togidere in Masphath.

² Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, and the ten men that weren with hym, risiden vp, and killiden bi swerd Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan; and thei killiden hym, whom the kyng of Babiloyne hadde maad souereyn of the lond.

³ Also Ismael killide alle the Jewis, that weren with Godolie in Masphath, and the Caldeis, that weren foundun there, and the men werriours.

⁴ Forsothe in the secounde dai, aftir that he hadde slayn Godolie, while no man wiste yit,

⁵ foure scoor men with schauen beerdis, and to-rent clothis, and pale men, camen fro Sichem, and fro Silo, and fro Samarie; and thei hadden yiftis and encense in the hond, for to offre in the hous of the Lord.

⁶ Therfor Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, yede out of Masphath in to the metyng of hem; and he yede goynge and wepynge. Sotheli whanne he hadde met hem, he seide to hem, Come ye to Godolie, the sone of Aicham;

⁷ and whanne thei weren comun to the myddis of the citee, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, killide hem aboute the myddis of the lake, he and the men that weren with hym `killiden hem.

⁸ But ten men weren foundun among hem, that seiden to Ismael, Nyle thou sle vs, for we han tresour of wheete, and of barli, and of oile, and of hony, in the feeld. And he ceesside, and killide not hem with her britheren.

⁹ Forsothe the lake in to which Ismael castide forth alle the careyns of men, whiche he killide for Godolie, is thilke lake, which kyng Asa made for Baasa, the kyng of Israel; Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fillide that lake with slayn men.

¹⁰ And Ismael ledde prisoneris alle the remenauntis of the puple, that weren in Mesphath, the douytris of the kyng, and al the puple that dwelliden in Masphath, whiche Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, hadde bitakun to kepyng to Godolie, the sone of Aicham. And Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, took hem, and yede to passe ouer to the sones of Amon.

¹¹ Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, herden al the yuel, which Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde do.

¹² And whanne thei hadden take alle men, thei yeden forth to fiyte ayens Ismael, the sone of Nathanye; and thei foundun hym at the many watris, that ben in Gabaon.

¹³ And whanne al the puple, that was with Ismael, hadden seyn Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, thei weren glad.

¹⁴ And al the puple, whom Ismael hadde take in Masphath, turnede ayen; and it turnede ayen, and yede to Johannan, the sone of Caree.

¹⁵ Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fledde with eiyte men fro the face of Johannan, and yede to the sones of Amon.

¹⁶ Therfor Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, that weren with hym, token alle the remenauntis of the comyn puple, whiche thei brouyten ayen fro Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, that weren of Masphat, aftir that he killide Godolie, the sone of Aicham; he took strong men to batel, and wymmen, and children, and geldyngis, whiche he hadde brouyt ayen fro Gabaon.

¹⁷ And thei yeden, and saten beynge pilgryms in Canaan, which is bisidis Bethleem, that thei schulden go, and entre in to Egipt fro the face of Caldeis;

¹⁸ for thei dredden thilke Caldeis, for Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde slayn Godolie, the sone of Aicham, whom the kyng Nabugodonosor hadde maad souereyn in the lond of Juda.

Chapter 42

¹ And alle the princes of werriours neiyiden, and Johannan, the sone of Caree, and Jeconye, the sone of Josie, and the residue comyn puple, fro a litil man `til to a greet man.

² And thei seiden to Jeremye, the profete, Oure preier falle in thi siyt, and preie thou for vs to thi Lord God, for alle these remenauntis; for we ben left a fewe of manye, as thin iyen biholden vs; and thi Lord God telle to vs the weie,

³ bi which we schulen go, and the word which we schulen do.

⁴ Forsothe Jeremye, the profete, seide to hem, Y haue herd; lo! Y preye to oure Lord God, bi youre wordis; Y schal schewe to you ech word, what euere word the Lord schal answere to me, nether Y schal hide ony thing fro you.

⁵ And thei seiden to Jeremye, The Lord be witnesse of treuthe and of feith bitwixe vs; if not bi ech word, in which thi Lord God schal sende thee to vs, so we schulen do, whether it be good ether yuel.

⁶ We schulen obeie to the vois of oure Lord God, to whom we senden thee, that it be wel to vs, whanne we han herd the vois of oure Lord God.

⁷ Forsothe whanne ten daies weren fillid, the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye.

⁸ And he clepide Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, that weren with hym, and al the puple fro the leste `til to the mooste; and he seide to hem,

⁹ The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, to whom ye senten me, that Y schulde mekeli sette forth youre preyeris in his siyt.

¹⁰ If ye resten, and dwellen in this lond, Y schal bilde you, and Y schal not distrie; Y schal plaunte, and Y schal not drawe out; for now Y am plesid on the yuel which Y dide to you.

¹¹ Nyle ye drede of the face of the kyng of Babiloyne, whom ye `that ben ferdful, dreden; nyle ye drede hym, seith the Lord, for Y am with you, to make you saaf, and to delyuere fro his hond.

¹² And Y schal yyue mercies to you, and Y schal haue merci on you, and Y schal make you dwelle in youre lond.

¹³ Forsothe if ye seien, We schulen not dwelle in this lond, nether we schulen here the vois of oure Lord God, and seie,

¹⁴ Nai, but we schulen go to the lond of Egipt, where we schulen not se batel, and schulen not here the noise of trumpe, and we schulen not suffre hungur, and there we schulen dwelle;

¹⁵ for this thing, ye remenauntis of Juda, here now the word of the Lord. The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, If ye setten youre face, for to entre in to Egipt, and if ye entren,

¹⁶ to dwelle there, the swerd whiche ye dreden schal take you there in the lond of Egipt, and the hungur for which ye ben angwischid schal cleue to you in Egipt; and there ye schulen die.

¹⁷ And alle the men that settiden her face, to entre in to Egipt, and to dwelle there, schulen die bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence; no man of hem schal dwelle stille, nether schal aschape fro the face of yuel, which Y schal brynge on hem.

¹⁸ For why the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, As my strong veniaunce and myn indignacioun is wellid togidere on the dwelleris of Jerusalem, so myn indignacioun schal be wellid togidere on you, whanne ye han entrid in to Egipt; and ye schulen be in to sweryng, and in to wondring, and in to cursyng, and in to schenschipe; and ye schulen no more se this place.

¹⁹ The word of the Lord is on you, ye remenauntis of Juda; nyle ye entre in to Egipt; ye witinge schulen wite, that Y haue witnessid to you to dai;

²⁰ for ye han disseyued youre soulis, for ye senten me to youre Lord God, and seiden, Preye thou for vs to oure Lord God, and bi alle thingis what euer thingis oure Lord schal seie to thee, so telle thou to vs, and we schulen do.

²¹ And Y telde to you to dai, and ye herden not the vois of youre Lord God, on alle thingis for whiche he sente me to you.

²² Now therfor ye witynge schulen wite, for ye schulen die bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence, in the place to which ye wolden entre, to dwelle there.

Chapter 43

¹ Forsothe it was don, whanne Jeremye spekinge to the puple hadde fillid alle the wordis of the Lord God of hem, for whiche the Lord God of hem sente hym to hem, alle these wordis,

² Azarie, the sone of Josie, seide, and Johanna, the sone of Caree, and alle proude men, seiynge to Jeremye, Thou spekist a leesyng; oure Lord God sente not thee, and seide, Entre ye not in to Egipt, to dwelle there;

³ but Baruc, the sone of Nerie, stirith thee ayens vs, that he bitake vs in the hondis of Caldeis, that he sle vs, and make to be led ouer in to Babiloyne.

⁴ And Johanna, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, and al the puple, herden not the vois of the Lord, that thei dwellen in the lond of Juda.

⁵ But Johanna, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, token alle of the remenauntis of Juda, that turneden ayen fro alle folkis, to whiche thei weren scatered bifore, that thei schulden dwelle in the lond of Juda;

⁶ thei token men, and wymmen, and litle children, and the douytris of the kyng, and ech persoone, whom Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, hadde left with Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan. And thei token Jeremye, the profete, and Baruc, the sone of Nerie,

⁷ and thei entriden in to the lond of Egipt; for thei obeieden not to the vois of the Lord, and thei camen `til to Taphnys.

⁸ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye in Taphnys,

⁹ and seide, Take in thin hond grete stoonys, and hide thou tho in a denne, which is vndur the wal of tiil stoon, in the yate of the hous of Farao, in Taphnys, while alle Jewis seen.

¹⁰ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal sende, and Y schal take Nabugodonosor, my seruaunt, the kyng of Babiloyne; and Y schal sette his trone on these stoonys, whiche Y hidde; and he schal sette his seete on tho stoonys.

¹¹ And he schal come, and smyte the lond of Egipt, whiche in deth in to deth, and whiche in caitiftee in to caitiftee, and whiche in swerd in to swerd.

¹² And he schal kindle fier in the templis of goddis of Egipt, and he schal brenne tho templis, and schal lede hem prisoneris; and the lond of Egipt schal be wlappid, as a scheepherd is wlappid in his mentil; and he schal go out fro thennus in pees.

¹³ And he schal al to-breke the ymagis of the hous of the sunne, that ben in the lond of Egipt; and he schal brenne in fier the templis of the goddis of Egipt.

Chapter 44

¹ The word that was maad to Jeremye, and to alle the Jewis, that dwelliden in the lond of Egipt, dwellinge in Magdalo, and in Taphnys, and in Memphis, and in the lond of Phatures,

² and seide, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Ye sien al this yuel, which Y brouyte on Jerusalem, and on alle the citees of Juda; and lo! tho ben forsakun to dai, and no dwellere is in tho;

³ for the malice which thei diden, to terre me to wrathfulnesse, and that thei yeden, and maden sacrifice, and worschipiden alien goddis, whiche thei knewen not, bothe ye, and thei, and youre fadris.

⁴ And Y sente to you alle my seruauntis profetis; and Y roos bi nyyte, and sente, and seide, Nyle ye do the word of sich abhomynacioun.

⁵ And thei herden not, nether bowiden doun her eere, that thei schulen be conuertid fro her yuels, and schulden not make sacrifice to alien goddis.

⁶ And myn indignacioun and my strong veniaunce is wellid togidere, and is kindlid in the citees of Juda, and in the stretis of Jerusalem; and tho ben turned in to wildirnesse, and wastnesse, bi this dai.

⁷ And now the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Whi doon ye this greet yuel ayens youre soulis, that a man of you perische and a womman a litil child and soukynge perische, fro the myddis of Juda, nether ony residue thing be left in you,

⁸ that terre me to wraththe bi the werkis of youre hondis, in makynge sacrifice to alien goddis in the lond of Egipt, in to which ye entriden, that ye dwelle there, and that ye perische, and be in to cursyng, and in to schenschipe to alle the folkis of erthe?

⁹ Whether ye han foryete the yuels of youre fadris, and the yuels of the kingis of Juda, and the yuels of her wiues, and youre yuels, and the yuels of youre wyues, whiche thei diden in the lond of Juda, and in the cuntreis of Jerusalem?

¹⁰ Thei ben not clensid `til to this dai, and thei dredden not, and thei yeden not in the lawe of the Lord, and in myn heestis, whiche Y yaf bifore you, and bifore youre fadris.

¹¹ Therfor the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal sette my face in you in to yuel,

¹² and Y schal leese al Juda, and Y schal take the remenauntis of Juda, that settiden her faces, to go in to the lond of Egipt, and to dwelle there; and alle schulen be waastid in the lond of Egipt, thei schulen falle doun bi swerd, and schulen be wastid in hungur, fro the leeste `til to the mooste, thei schulen die bi swerd and hungur, and schulen be in to swering, and in to myracle, and in to cursyng, and in to schenschipe.

¹³ And Y schal visite on the dwelleris of Egipt, as Y visitide on Jerusalem, in swerd, and in hungur, and in pestilence.

¹⁴ And noon schal be, that schal ascape, and be residue of the remenauntis of Jewis, that goen to be pilgrimys in the lond of Egipt, and to turne ayen to the lond of Juda, to which thei reisen her soulis, that thei turne ayen, and dwelle there; thei schulen not turne ayen thidir, no but thei that fledden.

¹⁵ Forsothe alle men answeriden to Jeremye, and wisten, that her wyues maden sacrifice to alien goddis, and alle wymmen, of whiche a greet multitude stood, and alle the puple of dwelleris in the lond of Egipt, in Fatures, and seiden,

¹⁶ We schulen not here of thee the word which thou spekist to vs in the name of oure Lord God,

¹⁷ but we doynge schulen do ech word that schal go out of oure mouth, that we make sacrifice to the queen of heuene, and that we offre to it moist sacrifices, as we diden, and oure fadris, oure kingis, and oure princes, in the citees of Juda, and in the stretis of Jerusalem; and we weren fillid with looues, and it was wel to vs, and we sien noon yuel.

¹⁸ But fro that tyme, in which we ceessiden to make sacrifice to the queen of heuene, and to offre to it moist sacrifices, we hadden nede to alle thingis, and we weren wastid bi swerd and hungur.

¹⁹ That if we maken sacrifice to the queen of heuene, and offren to it moist sacrifices, whether withouten oure hosebondis we maden to it cakis, to worschipe it, and looues to be offrid?

²⁰ And Jeremye seide to al the puple, ayens the men, and ayens the wymmen, and ayens al the puple, that answeriden to hym the word, and he seide,

²¹ Whether not the sacrifice which ye sacrifisiden in the citees of Juda, and in the stretis of Jerusalem, ye, and youre fadris, youre kyngis, and youre princes, and the puple of the lond, terriden God to veniaunce? The Lord hadde mynde on these thingis, and it stiede on his herte;

²² and the Lord myyte no more bere, for the malice of youre studies, and for abhomynaciouns whiche ye diden. And youre lond is maad in to desolacioun, and in to wondryng, and in to curs, for no dwellere is, as this dai is.

²³ Therfor for ye maden sacrifice to idols, and synneden to the Lord, and herden not the vois of the Lord, and yeden not in the lawe, and in the comandementis, and in the witnessis of hym, therfor these yuels bifellen to you, as this dai is.

²⁴ Forsothe Jeremye seide to al the puple, and to alle the wymmen, Al Juda, that ben in the lond of Egipt, here ye the word of the Lord.

²⁵ The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, and spekith, Ye and youre wyues spaken with youre mouth, and filliden with youre hondis, and seiden, Make we oure vowis whiche we vowiden, that we make sacrifice to the queen of heuene, and offre to it moist sacrifices; ye filliden youre vowis, and diden tho in werk.

²⁶ Therfor, al Juda, that dwellen in the lond of Egipt, here ye the word of the Lord; Lo! Y swoor in my greet name, seith the Lord, that my name schal no more be clepid bi the mouth of ech man Jew, seiynge, The Lord God lyueth, in al the lond of Egipt.

²⁷ Lo! Y schal wake on hem in to yuel, and not in to good; and alle the men of Juda, that ben in the lond of Egipt, schulen be waastid, bi swerd and hungur, til thei be wastid outerli.

²⁸ And a fewe men that fledden the swerd, schulen turne ayen fro the lond of Egipt in to the lond of Juda; and alle the remenauntis of Juda, of hem that entren in to the lond of Egipt, to dwelle there, schulen wite, whos word schal be fillid, myn ether hern.

²⁹ And this schal be a signe to you, seith the Lord, that Y schal visite on you in this place, that ye wite, that verili my wordis schulen be fillid ayens you in to yuel.

³⁰ The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bitake Farao, the kyng of Egipt, in to the hond of hise enemyes, and in to the hond of hem that seken his lijf, as Y bitook Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, in to the hond of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, his enemye, and sekynge his lijf.

Chapter 45

¹ The word that Jeremye, the profete, spak to Baruc, the sone of Nerie, whanne he hadde write these wordis in the book, of the mouth of Jeremye, in the fourthe yeer of Joachym, the sone of Josie, kyng of Juda,

² and seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis to thee, Baruc.

³ Thou seidist, Wo to me wretche, for the Lord encreesside sorewe to my sorewe; Y trauelide in my weilyng, and Y foond not reste.

⁴ The Lord seith these thingis, Thus thou schalt seye to hym, Lo! Y distrie hem, whiche Y bildide, and Y drawe out hem, whiche Y plauntide, and al this lond.

⁵ And sekist thou grete thingis to thee? nyle thou seke, for lo! Y schal brynge yuel on ech man, seith the Lord, and Y schal yyue to thee thi lijf in to helthe, in alle places, to whiche euer places thou schalt go.

Chapter 46

¹ The word of the Lord, that was maad to Jeremye, the profete, ayens hethene men;

² to Egipt, ayens the oost of Farao Nechao, kyng of Egipt, that was bisidis the flood Eufrates, in Charchamys, whom Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, smoot, in the fourthe yeer of Joachym, sone of Josie, kyng of Juda.

³ Make ye redi scheeld and targat, and go ye forth to batel.

⁴ Ioyne ye horsis, and stie, ye knyytis; stonde ye in helmes, polische ye speris, clothe ye you in haburiowns.

⁵ What therfor? Y siy hem dredeful, and turnynge the backis, the stronge men of hem slayn; and thei fledden swiftli, and bihelden not; drede was on ech side, seith the Lord.

⁶ A swift man schal not fle, and a strong man gesse not hym silf to be saued; at the north, bisidis the flood Eufrates, thei weren ouer comun, and fellen doun.

⁷ Who is this, that stieth as a flood, and hise swelewis wexen greet as of floodis?

⁸ Egipte stiede at the licnesse of a flood, and hise wawis schulen be mouyd as floodis; and it schal seie, Y schal stie, and hile the erthe; Y schal leese the citee, and dwelleris therof.

⁹ Stie ye on horsis, and make ye ful out ioie in charis; and stronge men, come forth, Ethiopie and Libie, holdynge scheeld, and Lidii, takynge and schetynge arowis.

¹⁰ Forsothe that dai of the Lord God of oostis is a dai of veniaunce, that he take veniaunce of hise enemyes; the swerd schal deuoure, and schal be fillid, and schal greetli be fillid with the blood of hem; for whi the slayn sacrifice of the Lord of oostis is in the lond of the north, bisidis the flood Eufrates.

¹¹ Thou virgyn, the douyter of Egipt, stie in to Galaad, and take medicyn. In veyn thou schalt multiplie medecyns; helthe schal not be to thee.

¹² Hethene men herden thi schenschipe, and thi yellyng fillide the erthe; for a strong man hurtlide ayens a strong man, and bothe fellen doun togidere.

¹³ The word which the Lord spak to Jeremye, the profete, on that that Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, was to comynge, and to smytynge the lond of Egipt.

¹⁴ Telle ye to Egipt, and make ye herd in Magdalo, and sowne it in Memphis, and seie ye in Taphnys, Stonde thou, and make thee redi, for a swerd schal deuoure tho thingis that ben bi thi cumpas.

¹⁵ Whi hath thi strong man wexe rotun? He stood not, for the Lord vndurturnede hym.

¹⁶ He multipliede falleris, and a man felle doun to his neiybore; and thei schulen seie, Rise ye, and turne we ayen to oure puple, and to the lond of oure birthe, fro the face of swerd of the culuer.

¹⁷ Clepe ye the name of Farao, kyng of Egipt; the tyme hath brouyt noise.

¹⁸ Y lyue, seith the kyng, the Lord of oostis is his name; for it schal come as Thabor in hillis, and as Carmele in the see.

¹⁹ Thou dwelleresse, the douyter of Egipt, make to thee vessels of passyng ouer; for whi Memfis schal be in to wildirnesse, and schal be forsakun vnhabitable.

²⁰ Egipt is a schapli cow calf, and fair; a prickere fro the north schal come to it.

²¹ Also the hirid men therof, that liueden as caluys maad fatte in the myddis therof, ben turned, and fledden togidere, and miyten not stonde; for the dai of sleynge of hem schal come on hem, the tyme of the visityng of hem.

²² The vois of hem schal sowne as of bras, for thei schulen haste with oost, and with axis thei schulen come to it. As men kittynge doun trees thei kittiden doun the forest therof,

²³ seith the Lord, which mai not be noumbrid; thei ben multiplied ouer locustis, and no noumbre is in hem.

²⁴ The douytir of Egipt is schent, and bitakun in to the hond of the puple of the north,

²⁵ seide the Lord of oostis, God of Israel. Lo! Y schal visite on the noise of Alisaundre, and on Farao, and on Egipt, and on the goddis therof, and on the kyngis therof, and on hem that tristen in hym.

²⁶ And Y schal yyue hem in to the hondis of men that seken the lijf of hem, and in to the hondis of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, and in to the hondis of hise seruauntis; and aftir these thingis it schal be enhabitid, as in the formere daies, seith the Lord.

²⁷ And thou, Jacob, my seruaunt, drede thou not, and Israel, drede thou not; for lo! Y schal make thee saaf fro fer place, and thi seed fro the lond of his caitiftee; and Jacob schal turne ayen, and schal reste, and schal haue prosperite, and noon schal be, that schal make hym aferd.

²⁸ And Jacob, my seruaunt, nyle thou drede, seith the Lord, for Y am with thee; for Y schal waste alle folkis, to whiche Y castide thee out; but Y schal not waste thee, but Y schal chastise thee in doom, and Y schal not spare thee as innocent.

Chapter 47

¹ The word of the Lord, that was maad to Jeremye, the profete, ayens Palestyns, bifor that Farao smoot Gaza.

² The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! watris schulen stie fro the north, and tho schulen be as a stronde flowynge, and tho schulen hile the lond, and the fulnesse therof, the citee, and the dwelleris therof. Men schulen crie, and alle the dwelleris of the lond schulen yelle,

³ for the noise of boost of armed men, and of werriours of hym, and for mouyng of hise cartis, and multitude of hise wheelis. Fadris bihelden not sones with clumsid hondis,

⁴ for the comyng of the dai in which alle Filisteis schulen be destried; and Tirus schal be destried, and Sidon with alle her othere helpis. For the Lord hath destried Palestyns, the remenauntis of the ile of Capadocie.

⁵ Ballidnesse cam on Gaza; Ascolon was stille, and the remenauntis of the valei of tho.

⁶ Hou longe schalt thou falle doun, O! swerd of the Lord, hou long schalt thou not reste? Entre thou in to thi schethe, be thou refreischid, and be stille.

⁷ Hou schal it reste, whanne the Lord comaundide to it ayens Ascalon, and ayens the see coostis therof, and there hath seide to it?

Chapter 48

¹ To Moab the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis. Wo on Nabo, for it is destried, and schent; Cariathiarym is takun, the stronge citee is schent, and tremblide.

² And ful out ioiyng is no more in Moab, thei thouyten yuel ayens Esebon. Come ye, and leese we it fro folk. Therfor thou beynge stille, schalt be stille, and swerd schal sue thee.

³ A vois of cry fro Oronaym, distriynge, and greet sorewe.

⁴ Moab is defoulid, telle ye cry to litil children therof.

⁵ For a man wepynge stiede with wepyng bi the stiyng of Luyth, for in the comyng doun of Oronaym enemyes herden the yellyng of sorewe.

⁶ Fle ye, saue ye youre lyues; and ye schulen be as bromes in desert.

⁷ For that that thou haddist trist in thi strengthis, and in thi tresouris, also thou schalt be takun. And Chamos schal go in to passyng ouer, the preestis therof and the princes therof togidere.

⁸ And a robbere schal come to ech citee, and no citee schal be sauyd; and valeis schulen perische, and feeldi places schulen be distried, for the Lord seide.

⁹ Yyue ye the flour of Moab, for it schal go out flourynge; and the citees therof schulen be forsakun, and vnhabitable.

¹⁰ He is cursid, that doith the werk of God gilefuli; and he is cursid, that forbedith his swerd fro blood.

¹¹ Moab was plenteuouse fro his yong wexynge age, and restide in hise drastis, nether was sched out fro vessel in to vessel, and yede not in to passyng ouer; therfor his taaste dwellide in hym, and his odour is not chaungid.

¹² Therfor lo! daies comun, seith the Lord, and Y schal sende to it ordeynours, and arayeris of potels; and thei schulen araye it, and thei schulen waste the vessels therof, and hurtle togidere the potels of hem.

¹³ And Moab schal be schent of Chamos, as the hous of Israel was schent of Bethel, in which it hadde trist.

¹⁴ Hou seien ye, We ben stronge, and stalworthe men to fiyte?

¹⁵ Moab is distried, and thei han brent the citees therof, and the chosun yonge men therof yeden doun in to sleynge, seith the kyng, the Lord of oostis is his name.

¹⁶ The perischyng of Moab is nyy, that it come, and the yuel therof renneth ful swiftli.

¹⁷ Alle ye that ben in the cumpas therof, coumforte it; and alle ye that knowen the name therof, seie, Hou is the stronge yerde brokun, the gloriouse staaf?

¹⁸ Thou dwellyng of the douytir of Dibon, go doun fro glorie, sitte thou in thirst; for the distriere of Moab schal stie to thee, and he schal destrie thi strengthis.

¹⁹ Thou dwellyng of Aroer, stonde in the weie, and biholde; axe thou hym that fleeth, and hym that ascapide; seie thou, What bifelle?

²⁰ Moab is schent, for he is ouercomun; yelle ye, and crye; telle ye in Arnon, that Moab is destried.

²¹ And doom is comun to the lond of the feeld, on Elon, and on Jesa, and on Mephat, and on Dibon,

²² and on Nabo, and on the hous of Debalthaym,

²³ and on Cariathiarym, and on Bethgamul, and on Bethmaon, and on Scarioth,

²⁴ and on Bosra, and on alle the citees of the lond of Moab, that ben fer, and that ben niy.

²⁵ The horn of Moab is kit awei, and the arm therof is al to-brokun, seith the Lord.

²⁶ Fille ye him greetli, for he is reisid ayens the Lord; and he schal hurtle doun the hond of Moab in his spuyng, and he also schal be in to scorn.

²⁷ For whi, Israel, he was in to scorn to thee, as if thou haddist founde hym among theues; therfor for thi wordis whiche thou spakist ayens hym, thou schalt be led prisoner.

²⁸ Ye dwelleris of Moab, forsake citees, and dwelle in the stoon, and be ye as a culuer makynge nest in the hiyeste mouth of an hool.

²⁹ We han herd the pride of Moab; he is ful proud.

³⁰ Y knowe, seith the Lord, the hiynesse therof, and pride in word, and pride in beryng, and the hiynesse of herte, and the boost therof, and that the vertu therof is not niy, ethir lijk it, nethir it enforside to do bi that that it miyte.

³¹ Therfor Y schal weile on Moab, and Y schal crie to al Moab, to the men of the erthene wal, that weilen.

³² Of the weilyng of Jaser Y schal wepe to thee, thou vyner of Sabama; thi siouns passiden the see, tho camen `til to the see of Jazer; a robbere felle in on thi ripe corn, and on thi vyndage.

³³ Ful out ioye and gladnesse is takun awei fro Carmele, and fro the lond of Moab, and Y haue take awei wyn fro pressouris; a stampere of grape schal not synge a customable myri song.

³⁴ Of the cry of Esebon `til to Eleale and Jesa thei yauen her vois, fro Segor `til to Oronaym a cow calf of thre yeer; forsothe the watris of Nemrym schulen be ful yuele.

³⁵ And Y schal take awei fro Moab, seith the Lord, him that offrith in hiy places, and him that makith sacrifice to the goddis therof.

³⁶ Therfor myn herte schal sowne as a pipe of bras to Moab, and myn herte schal yyue sown of pipis to the men of the erthene wal; for it dide more than it myyte, therfor thei perischiden.

³⁷ For whi ech heed schal be ballidnesse, and ech beerd schal be schauun; in alle hondis schal be bindyng togidere, and an heir schal be on ech bak.

³⁸ And al weilyng schal be on alle the roouys of Moab, and in the stretis therof, for Y haue al to-broke Moab as an vnprofitable vessel, seith the Lord.

³⁹ Hou is it ouercomun, and thei yelliden? hou hath Moab cast doun the nol, and is schent? And Moab schal be in to scorn, and in to ensaumple to alle men in his cumpas.

⁴⁰ The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! as an egle he schal fle out, and he schal stretche forth hise wyngis to Moab.

⁴¹ Carioth is takun, and stronge holdis ben takun; and the herte of stronge men of Moab schal be in that dai, as the herte of a womman trauelynge of child.

⁴² And Moab schal ceesse to be a puple, for it hadde glorie ayens the Lord.

⁴³ Drede, and diche, and snare is on thee, thou dwellere of Moab, seith the Lord.

⁴⁴ He that fleeth fro the face of drede, schal falle in to a diche; and thei that stien fro the dyche, schulen be takun with a snare. For Y schal brynge on Moab the yeer of the visitacioun of hem, seith the Lord.

⁴⁵ Men fleynge fro the snare stoden in the schadewe of Esebon, for whi fier yede out of Esebon, and flawme fro the myddis of Seon; and deuouride a part of Moab, and the cop of the sones of noise.

⁴⁶ Moab, wo to thee; thou puple of Chamos, hast perischid, for whi thi sones and thi douytris ben takun in to caitiftee.

⁴⁷ And Y schal conuerte the caitiftee of Moab in the laste daies, seith the Lord. Hidur to ben the domes of Moab.

Chapter 49

¹ `Go ye to the sones of Amon. The Lord seith these thingis. Whether no sones ben of Israel, ether an eir is not to it? whi therfor weldide Melchon the eritage of Gad, and the puple therof dwellide in the citees of Gad?

² Lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal make the gnaisting of batel herd on Rabath of the sones of Amon; and it schal be distried in to noise, and the vilagis therof schulen be brent with fier, and Israel schal welde hise welderis, seith the Lord.

³ Yelle ye, Esebon, for Hay is distried; crie, ye douytris of Rabath, girde you with heiris, weile ye, and cumpasse bi heggis; for whi Melchon schal be lad in to passyng ouer, the prestis therof and princes therof togidere.

⁴ What hast thou glorie in valeis? Thi valeis fleet awei, thou delicat douyter, that haddist trist in thi tresours, and seidist, Who schal come to me?

⁵ Lo! Y schal bringe in drede on thee, seith the Lord God of oostis, God of Israel, of alle men that ben in thi cumpasse; and ye schulen be scaterid, ech bi hym silf, fro youre siyt, and noon schal be, that gadere hem that fleen.

⁶ And after these thingis Y schal make the fleeris and prisoneris of the sones of Amon to turne ayen, seith the Lord.

⁷ To Ydumee the Lord God of oostis seith these thingis. Whether wisdom is no more in Theman? Councel perischide fro sones, the wisdom of hem is maad vnprofitable.

⁸ Fle ye, and turne ye backis; go doun in to a swolowe, ye dwelleris of Dedan, for Y haue brouyt the perdicioun of Esau on hym, the tyme of his visitacioun.

⁹ If gadereris of grapis hadden come on thee, thei schulden haue left a clustre; if theues in the niyt, thei schulden haue rauyschid that that suffiside to hem.

¹⁰ Forsothe Y haue vnhilid Esau, and Y haue schewid the hid thingis of hym, and he mai not mow be hid; his seed is distried, and hise britheren, and hise neiyboris, and it schal not be.

¹¹ Forsake thi fadirles children, and Y schal make hem to lyue, and thi widewis schulen hope in me.

¹² For the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! thei drynkynge schulen drynke, to whiche was no doom, that thei schulden drynke the cuppe. And `schalt thou be left as innocent? thou schalt not be innocent, but thou drynkynge schalt drynke.

¹³ For Y swoor bi my silf, seith the Lord, that Bosra schal be in to wildirnesse, and in to schenschipe, and in to forsakyng, and in to cursyng; and alle the citees therof schulen be in to euerlastynge wildirnessis.

¹⁴ I herde an heryng of the Lord, and Y am sent a messanger to hethene men; be ye gaderid togidere, and come ye ayens it, and rise we togidere in to batel.

¹⁵ For lo! Y haue youe thee a litil oon among hethene men, despisable among men.

¹⁶ Thi boost, and the pride of thin herte, hath disseyued thee, that dwellist in the caues of stoon, and enforsist to take the hiynesse of a litil hil; whanne thou as an egle hast reisid thi nest, fro thennus Y schal drawe thee doun, seith the Lord.

¹⁷ And Ydumee schal be forsakun; ech man that schal passe bi it, schal wondre, and schal hisse on alle the woundis therof;

¹⁸ as Sodom and Gommor is distried, and the niy citees therof, seith the Lord. A man schal not dwelle there, and the sone of man schal not enhabite it.

¹⁹ Lo! as a lioun he schal stie, fro the pride of Jordan to the strong fairnesse; for Y schal make hym renne sudenli to it; and who schal be the chosun man, whom Y schal sette bifore hym? For who is lijk to me, and who schal suffre me? and who is this scheepherde, that schal ayenstonde my cheer?

²⁰ Therfor here ye the councel of the Lord, which he took of Edom, and his thouytis, whiche he thouyte of the dwelleris of Theman. If the litle of the floc caste not hem doun, if thei distrien not with hem the dwellyng of hem, ellis no man yyue credence to me.

²¹ The erthe was mouyd of the vois of fallyng of hem; the cry of vois therof was herd in the reed see.

²² Lo! as an egle he schal stie, and fle out, and he schal sprede abrood hise wynges on Bosra; and the herte of the strong men of Idumee schal be in that dai, as the herte of a womman trauelynge of child.

²³ To Damask. Emath is schent, and Arphath, for thei herden a ful wickid heryng; thei weren disturblid in the see, for angwisch thei miyten not haue reste.

²⁴ Damask was discoumfortid, it was turned in to fliyt; tremblyng took it, angwischis and sorewis helden it, as a womman trauelynge of child.

²⁵ How forsoken thei a preisable citee, the citee of gladnesse?

²⁶ Therfor the yonge men therof schulen falle in the stretis therof, and alle men of batel schulen be stille in that dai, seith the Lord of oostis.

²⁷ And Y schal kyndle fier in the wal of Damask, and it schal deuoure the bildyngis of Benadab.

²⁸ To Cedar, and to the rewme of Azor, which Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, smoot, the Lord seith these thingis. Rise ye, and stie to Cedar, and distrie ye the sones of the eest.

²⁹ Thei schulen take the tabernaclis of hem, and the flockis of hem; thei schulen take to hem the skynnes of hem, and alle the vessels of hem, and the camels of hem; and thei schulen clepe on hem inward drede in cumpas.

³⁰ Fle ye, go ye awei greetli, ye that dwellen in Asor, sitte in swolewis, seith the Lord. For whi Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, hath take councel ayens you, and he thouyte thouytis ayens you.

³¹ Rise ye togidere, and stie ye to a pesible folk, and dwellinge tristili, seith the Lord; not doris nether barris ben to it, thei dwellen aloone.

³² And the camels of hem schulen be in to rauyschyng, and the multitude of her beestis in to prey; and Y schal schatere hem in to ech wynd, that ben biclippid on the long heer, and bi ech coost of hem Y schal brynge perischyng on hem, seith the Lord.

³³ And Asor schal be in to a dwellyng place of dragouns; it schal be forsakun `til in to withouten ende; a man schal not dwelle there, nether the sone of man schal enhabite it.

³⁴ The word of the Lord that was maad to Jeremye, the profete, ayens Elam, in the bigynnyng of the rewme of Sedechie,

³⁵ kyng of Juda, and seide, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal breke the bowe of Elam, and Y schal take the strengthe of hem.

³⁶ And I schal bringe on Elam foure wyndis; fro foure coostis of heuene, and Y schal wyndewe hem in to alle these wyndis, and no folc schal be, to which the fleeris of Elam schulen not come.

³⁷ And Y schal make Elam for to drede bifore her enemyes, and in the siyt of men sekynge the lijf of hem; and Y schal brynge on hem yuel, the wraththe of my strong veniaunce, seith the Lord; and Y schal sende after hem a swerd, til Y waste hem.

³⁸ And Y schal sette my kyngis seete in Elam, and Y schal leese therof kyngis, and princes, seith the Lord.

³⁹ But in the laste daies Y schal make the prisoneris of Elam to turne ayen, seith the Lord.

Chapter 50

¹ The word which the Lord spak of Babiloyne, and of the lond of Caldeis, in the hond of Jeremye, the profete.

² Telle ye among hethene men, and make ye herd; reise ye a signe; preche ye, and nyle ye holde stille; seie ye, Babiloyne is takun, Bel is schent, Maradach is ouer comun; the grauun ymagis therof ben schent, the idols of hem ben ouer comun.

³ For a folk schal stie fro the north ayenus it, which folk schal sette the lond therof in to wildirnesse; and noon schal be that schal dwelle therynne, fro man `til to beeste; and thei ben moued, and yeden a wei.

⁴ In tho daies, and in that tyme, seith the Lord, the sones of Israel schulen come, thei and the sones of Juda togidere, goynge and wepynge; thei schulen haaste, and seke her Lord God in Sion,

⁵ and thei schulen axe the weie. Hidur the faces of hem schulen come, and thei schulen be set to the Lord with boond of pees euerlastynge, which schal not be don awei by ony foryetyng.

⁶ My puple is maad a lost floc, the scheepherdis of hem disseyueden hem, and maden to go vnstabli in hillis; thei passiden fro mounteyn in to a litil hil, thei foryaten her bed.

⁷ Alle men that founden, eeten hem, and the enemyes of hem seiden, We synneden not, for that thei synneden to the Lord, the fairnesse of riytfulnesse, and to the Lord, the abidyng of her fadris.

⁸ Go ye awei fro the myddis of Babiloyne, and go ye out of the lond of Caldeis, and be ye as kydis bifore the floc.

⁹ For lo! Y schal reise, and brynge in to Babiloyne the gaderyng togidere of grete folkis, fro the lond of the north; and thei schulen be maad redi ayens it, and it schal be takun in the dai; the arowe therof as of a strong man a sleere, schal not turne ayen voide.

¹⁰ And Caldee schal be in to prey, alle that distrien it, schulen be fillid, seith the Lord.

¹¹ For ye maken ful out ioye, and speken grete thingis, and rauyschen myn eritage; for ye ben sched out as caluys on erbe, and lowiden as bolis.

¹² Youre modir is schent greetli, and sche that gendride you, is maad euene to dust; lo! sche schal be the last among folkis, and forsakun, with out weie, and drie.

¹³ For the wraththe of the Lord it schal not be enhabitid, but it schal be dryuun al in to wildirnesse; ech that schal passe bi Babiloyne, schal wondre, and schal hisse on alle the woundis therof.

¹⁴ Alle ye that beenden bowe, be maad redi ayens Babiloyne bi cumpas; ouercome ye it, spare ye not arowis, for it synnede to the Lord.

¹⁵ Crye ye ayens it, euery where it yaf hond; the foundementis therof fellen doun, and the wallis therof ben distried; for it is the veniaunce of the Lord. Take ye veniaunce of it; as it dide, do ye to it.

¹⁶ Leese ye a sowere of Babiloyne, and hym that holdith a sikil in the tyme of heruest, fro the face of swerd of the culuer; ech man schal be turned to his puple, and ech man schal flee to his lond.

¹⁷ Israel is a scaterid flok, liouns castiden out it; first kyng Assur eete it, this laste Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, dide awei the bonys therof.

¹⁸ Therfor the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal visite the kyng of Babiloyne, and his lond, as Y visitide the kyng of Assur;

¹⁹ and Y schal brynge ayen Israel to his dwellyng place. Carmele and Baasan schal be fed, and his soule schal be fillid in the hil of Effraym, and of Galaad.

²⁰ In tho daies, and in that tyme, seith the Lord, the wickidnesse of Israel schal be souyt, and it schal not be; and the synne of Juda schal be souyt, and it schal not be foundun; for Y schal be merciful to hem, whiche Y schal forsake.

²¹ Stie thou on the lond of lordis, and visite thou on the dwelleris therof; scatere thou, and sle tho thingis, that ben aftir hem, seith the Lord; and do thou bi alle thingis which Y comaundide to thee.

²² The vois of batel and greet sorewe in the lond.

²³ Hou is the hamer of al erthe brokun and al defoulid? hou is Babiloyne turned in to desert, among hethene men?

²⁴ Babiloyne, Y haue snarid thee, and thou art takun, and thou wistist not; thou art foundun, and takun, for thou terridist the Lord to wraththe.

²⁵ The Lord openide his tresour, and brouyte forth the vessels of his wraththe; for whi a werk is to the Lord God of oostis in the lond of Caldeis.

²⁶ Come ye to it fro the fertheste endis, opene ye, that thei go out, that schulen defoule it; take ye awei stoonys fro the weie, and dryue ye in to heepis, and sle ye it, and nothing be residue.

²⁷ Distrie ye alle the stronge men therof, go thei doun in to sleynge; wo to hem, for the dai of hem cometh, the tyme of visityng of hem.

²⁸ The vois of fleeris, and of hem that ascapiden fro the lond of Babiloyne, that thei telle in Sion the veniaunce of oure Lord God, the veniaunce of his temple.

²⁹ Telle ye ayens Babiloyne to ful many men, to alle that beenden bowe. Stonde ye togidere ayens it bi cumpas, and noon ascape; yelde ye to it aftir his werk, aftir alle thingis whiche it dide, do ye to it; for it was reisid ayens the Lord, ayens the hooli of Israel.

³⁰ Therfor yonge men therof schulen falle doun in the stretis therof, and alle men werriours therof schulen be stille in that dai, seith the Lord.

³¹ Lo! thou proude, Y to thee, seith the Lord God of oostis, for thi dai is comun, the tyme of thi visitacioun.

³² And the proude schal falle, and schal falle doun togidere, and noon schal be, that schal reise hym; and Y schal kyndle fier in the citees of hym, and it schal deuoure alle thingis in cumpas of it.

³³ The Lord of oostis seith these thingis, The sones of Israel and the sones of Juda togidere suffren fals caleng; alle that token hem, holden, thei nylen delyuere hem.

³⁴ The ayenbyere of hem is strong, the Lord of oostis is his name; bi dom he schal defende the cause of hem, that he make the lond aferd, and stire togidere the dwelleris of Babiloyne.

³⁵ A swerd to Caldeis, seith the Lord, and to the dwelleris of Babiloyne, and to the princes, and to the wise men therof.

³⁶ A swerd to the false dyuynours therof, that schulen be foolis; a swerd to the stronge men therof, that schulen drede.

³⁷ Swerd to the horsis therof, and to the charis therof, and to al the comyn puple whiche is in the myddis therof, and thei schulen be as wymmen; a swerd to the tresours therof, that schulen be rauyschid.

³⁸ Drynesse schal be on the watris therof, and tho schulen be drye; for it is the lond of grauun ymagis, and hath glorie in false feynyngis.

³⁹ Therfor dragouns schulen dwelle with fonned wielde men, and ostrigis schulen dwelle therynne; and it schal no more be enhabitid `til in to with outen ende, and it schal not be bildid `til to generacioun and generacioun;

⁴⁰ as the Lord distriede Sodom and Gomorre, and the niy citees therof, seith the Lord. A man schal not dwelle there, and the sone of man schal not dwelle in it.

⁴¹ Lo! a puple cometh fro the north, and a greet folc, and many kyngis schulen rise togidere fro the endis of erthe.

⁴² Thei schulen take bowe and swerd, thei ben cruel and vnmerciful; the vois of hem schal sowne as the see, and thei schulen stie on horsis as a man maad redi to batel, ayens thee, thou douyter of Babiloyne.

⁴³ The kyng of Babiloyne herde the fame of hem, and hise hondis ben aclumsid; angwisch took hym, sorewe took hym, as a womman trauelynge of child.

⁴⁴ Lo! as a lioun he schal stie fro the pride of Jordan to the stronge fairnesse, for Y schal make hym to renne sudenli to it; and who schal be the chosun man, whom Y schal sette bifore him? For who is lijk me? and who schal suffre me? and who is this scheepherde, that schal ayenstonde my cheer?

⁴⁵ Therfore here ye the councel of the Lord, which he conseyuede in mynde ayens Babiloyne, and hise thouytis, whiche he thouyte on the lond of Caldeis, no but the litle of the flockis drawen hem doun, no but the dwellyng place of hem be destried with hem, ellis no man yyue credence to me.

⁴⁶ The erthe is mouyd of the vois of caitiftee of Babiloyne, and cry is herd among hethene men.

Chapter 51

¹ The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal reise on Babiloyne, and on the dwelleris therof, that reisiden her herte ayens me, as a wynd of pestilence.

² And Y schal sende in to Babiloyne wyndeweris, and thei schulen wyndewe it, and thei schulen destrie the lond of it; for thei camen on it on ech side, in the dai of the turment therof.

³ He that beendith his bowe, beende not, and a man clothid in haburioun, stie not; nyle ye spare the yonge men therof, sle ye al the chyualrie therof.

⁴ And slayn men schulen falle in the lond of Caldeis, and woundid men in the cuntreis therof.

⁵ For whi Israel and Juda was not maad widewe fro her God, the Lord of oostis; but the lond of hem was fillid with trespas of the hooli of Israel.

⁶ Fle ye fro the myddis of Babiloyne, that ech man saue his soule; nyle ye be stille on the wickidnesse therof, for whi tyme of veniaunce therof is to the Lord; he schal yelde while to it.

⁷ Babiloyne is a goldun cuppe in the hond of the Lord, and fillith al erthe; hethene men drunken of the wyn therof, and therfor thei ben mouyd.

⁸ Babiloyne felle doun sudenli, and is al to-brokun; yelle ye on it, take ye recyn to the sorewe therof, if perauenture it be heelid.

⁹ We heeliden Babiloyne, and it is not maad hool; forsake we it and go we ech in to his lond; for the doom therof cam `til to heuenes, and is reisid `til to cloudis.

¹⁰ The Lord hath brouyt forth oure riytfulnessis; come ye, and telle we in Sion the werk of oure Lord God.

¹¹ Scharpe ye arowis, fille ye arowe caasis; the Lord reiside the spirit of the kyngis of Medeis, and his mynde is ayen Babiloyne, that he leese it, for it is the veniaunce of the Lord, the veniaunce of his temple. The kyng of Medeis is reisid of the Lord ayens Babiloyne.

¹² Reise ye a signe on the wallis of Babiloyne, encreesse ye kepyng, reise ye keperis, make ye redi buyschementis; for the Lord thouyte, and dide, what euer thing he spak ayens the dwelleris of Babiloyne.

¹³ A! thou Babiloyne, that dwellist on many watris, riche in thi tresours, thin ende cometh, the foote mesure of thi kittyng doun.

¹⁴ The Lord of oostis swoor bi his soule, that Y schal fille thee with men, as with bruke, and a myry song schal be sungun on thee.

¹⁵ The Lord swoor, which made erthe bi his strengthe, made redy the world bi his wisdom, and stretchide forth heuenes bi his prudence.

¹⁶ Whanne he yyueth vois, watris ben multiplied in heuene; which Lord reisith cloudis fro the laste of erthe, made leitis in to reyn, and brouyt forth wynd of hise tresouris.

¹⁷ Ech man is maad a fool of kunnyng, ech wellere togidere is schent in a grauun ymage; for his wellyng togidere is fals, and a spirit is not in tho.

¹⁸ The werkis ben veyn, and worthi of scorn; tho schulen perische in the tyme of her visityng.

¹⁹ The part of Jacob is not as these thingis; for he that made alle thingis is the part of Jacob, and Israel is the septre of his eritage; the Lord of oostis is his name.

²⁰ Thou hurtlist doun to me the instrumentis of batel, and Y schal hurtle doun folkis in thee, and Y schal leese rewmes in thee;

²¹ and Y schal hurtle doun in thee an hors, and the ridere therof; and Y schal hurtle doun in thee a chare, and the stiere therof;

²² and Y schal hurtle doun in thee a man and womman; and Y schal hurtle doun in thee an elde man and a child; and Y schal hurtle doun in thee a yong man and a virgyn;

²³ and Y schal hurtle doun in thee a scheepherde and his floc; and Y schal hurtle doun in thee an erthetiliere and his yok beestis; and Y schal hurtle doun in thee duykis and magistratis.

²⁴ And Y schal yelde, seith the Lord, to Babiloyne, and to alle the dwelleris of Caldee, al her yuel, which thei diden in Sion, bifore youre iyen.

²⁵ Lo! Y, seith the Lord, to thee, thou hil berynge pestilence, which corrumpist al erthe. Y schal stretche forth myn hond on thee, and Y schal vnwlappe thee fro stoonys, and Y schal yyue thee in to an hil of brennyng.

²⁶ And Y schal not take of thee a stoon in to a corner, and a stoon in to foundementis; but thou schalt be lost with outen ende, seith the Lord.

²⁷ Reise ye a signe in the lond, sowne ye with a clarioun in hillis; halewe ye folkis on it, telle ye to the kyngis of Ararath, of Menny, and of Ascheneth ayens it; noumbre ye Tapser ayens it, and bringe ye an hors, as a bruke hauynge a pricke.

²⁸ Halowe ye folkis ayens it, the kyngis of Medey, the duykis therof, and alle magistratis therof, and al the lond of his power.

²⁹ And the erthe schal be mouyd, and schal be disturblid; for the thouyt of the Lord schal fulli wake ayens Babiloyne, that he sette the lond of Babiloyne desert, and vnhabitable.

³⁰ The stronge men of Babiloyne ceessiden of batel, thei dwelliden in stronge holdis; the strengthe of hem is deuourid, and thei ben maad as wymmen; the tabernaclis therof ben brent, the barris therof ben al to-brokun.

³¹ A rennere schal come ayens a rennere, and a messanger ayens a messanger, to telle to the kyng of Babiloyne, that his citee is takun fro the toon ende `til to the tother ende;

³² and the forthis ben bifore ocupied, and the mareisis ben brent with fier, and the men werryours ben disturblid.

³³ For the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, The douyter of Babiloyne is as a corn floor, the tyme of threischyng therof; yit a litil, and the tyme of repyng therof schal come.

³⁴ Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, eet me, and deuouride me; he made me as a voide vessel, he as a dragoun swolewide me; he fillide his wombe with my tendirnesse, and he castide me out.

³⁵ Wickidnesse ayens me, and my fleisch on Babiloyne, seith the dwellyng of Sion; and my blood on the dwelleris of Caldee, seith Jerusalem.

³⁶ Therfor the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal deme thi cause, and Y schal venge thi veniaunce; and Y schal make the see therof forsakun, and Y schal make drie the veyne therof.

³⁷ And Babiloyne schal be in to biriels, it schal be the dwellyng of dragouns, wondryng and hissyng, for that no dwellere is.

³⁸ Thei schulen rore togidere as liouns, and thei schulen schake lockis, as the whelpis of liouns.

³⁹ In the heete of hem Y schal sette the drynkis of hem; and Y schal make hem drunkun, that thei be brouyt asleepe, and that thei slepe euerlastynge sleep, and rise not, seith the Lord.

⁴⁰ Y schal lede forth hem, as lambren to slayn sacrifice, and as wetheris with kidis. Hou is Sesac takun, and the noble citee of al erthe is takun?

⁴¹ Hou is Babiloyne made in to wondre among hethene men?

⁴² And the see stiede on Babiloyne, it was hilid with the multitude of hise wawis.

⁴³ The citees therof ben maad in to wondryng, the lond is maad vnhabitable and forsakun; the lond wherynne no man dwellith, and the sone of man schal not passe bi it.

⁴⁴ And Y schal visite on Bel in to Babiloyne, and Y schal caste out of hise mouth that, that he hadde swolewid, and folkis schulen no more flowe to it; for also the wal of Babiloyne schal falle doun.

⁴⁵ Mi puple, go ye out fro the myddis therof, that ech man saue his soule fro the wraththe of the strong veniaunce of the Lord;

⁴⁶ and lest perauenture youre herte wexe neische, and lest ye dreden the heryng, that schal be herd in the lond; and heryng schal come in a yeer, and aftir this yeer schal come heryng and wickidnesse in the lond, and a lord on a lord.

⁴⁷ Therfor lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal visite on the grauun ymagis of Babiloyne; and al the lond therof schal be schent, and alle slayn men therof schulen falle doun in the myddis therof.

⁴⁸ And heuenes, and erthis, and alle thingis that ben in tho, schulen herie on Babiloyne; for rauynours schulen come fro the north to it, seith the Lord.

⁴⁹ And as Babiloyne dide, that slayn men felle doun in Israel, so of Babiloyne slayn men schulen falle doun and in al the lond.

⁵⁰ Come ye, that fledden the swerd, nyle ye stonde; haue ye mynde afer on the Lord, and Jerusalem stie on youre herte.

⁵¹ We ben schent, for we herden schenschipe; schame hilide oure faces, for aliens comen on the halewyng of the hous of the Lord.

⁵² Therfor lo! daies comen, seith the Lord, and Y schal visite on the grauun ymagis of Babiloyne, and in al the lond therof a woundid man schal loowe.

⁵³ If Babiloyne stieth in to heuene, and makith stidfast his strengthe an hiy, distrieris therof schulen come on me, seith the Lord.

⁵⁴ The vois of a criere of Babiloyne, and greet sorewe of the lond of Caldeis,

⁵⁵ for the Lord distriede Babiloyne, and lost of it a greet vois; and the wawis of hem schulen sowne as many watris. The vois of hem yaf sown,

⁵⁶ for a rauenour cam on it, that is, on Babiloyne; and the stronge men therof ben takun, and the bouwe of hem welewide, for the stronge vengere the Lord yeldynge schal yelde.

⁵⁷ And Y schal make drunkun the princis therof, and the wise men therof, the duykis therof, and the magistratis therof, and the stronge men therof; and thei schulen slepe euerlastynge sleep, and thei schulen not be awakid, seith the kyng, the Lord of oostis is name of hym.

⁵⁸ The Lord God of oostis seith these thingis, Thilke brodeste wal of Babiloyne schal be mynyd with mynyng, and the hiye yatis therof schulen be brent with fier; and the trauels of puples schulen be to nouyt, and the trauels of hethene men schulen be in to fier, and schulen perische.

⁵⁹ The word which Jeremye, the profete, comaundide to Saraie, sone of Nerie, sone of Maasie, whanne he yede with Sedechie, the kyng, in to Babiloyne, in the fourthe yeer of his rewme; forsothe Saraie was prynce of profesie.

⁶⁰ And Jeremye wroot al the yuel, that was to comynge on Babiloyne, in a book, alle these wordis that weren writun ayens Babiloyne.

⁶¹ And Jeremye seide to Saraie, Whanne thou comest in to Babiloyne, and seest, and redist alle these wordis,

⁶² thou schalt seie, Lord, thou spakist ayens this place, that thou schuldist leese it, that noon be that dwelle therynne, fro man `til to beeste, and that it be an euerlastynge wildirnesse.

⁶³ And whanne thou hast fillid to rede this book, thou schalt bynde to it a stoon, and thou schalt caste it forth in to the myddis of Eufrates; and thou schalt seie,

⁶⁴ So Babiloyne schal be drenchid, and it schal not rise fro the face of turment, which Y brynge on it, and it schal be distried. Hidurto ben the wordis of Jeremye.

Chapter 52

¹ Sedechie was a sone of oon and twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede enleuene yeer in Jerusalem; and the name of his modir was Amychal, the douyter of Jeremye of Lobna.

² And he dide yuels bifore the iyen of the Lord, bi alle thingis whiche Joachym hadde do.

³ For the stronge veniaunce of the Lord was in Jerusalem, and in Juda, til he castide hem awey fro his face. And Sedechie yede awei fro the kyng of Babiloyne.

⁴ Forsothe it was don in the nynthe yeer of his rewme, in the tenthe monethe, in the tenthe dai of the monethe, Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, cam, he and al his oost, ayens Jerusalem; and thei bisegiden it, and bildiden ayens it strengthis in cumpas.

⁵ And the citee was bisegid, til to the enleuenthe yeer of the rewme of Sedechie.

⁶ Forsothe in the fourthe monethe, in the nynthe dai of the monethe, hungur helde the citee; and foodis weren not to the puple of the lond.

⁷ And the citee was brokun, and alle men werriouris therof fledden; and thei yeden out of the citee in the niyt, bi the weie of the yate, which is bitwixe twei wallis, and ledith to the gardyn of the kyng, while Caldeis bisegiden the citee in cumpas; and thei yeden forth bi the weie that ledith in to desert.

⁸ Sotheli the oost of Caldeis pursuede the kyng; and thei token Sedechie in desert, which is bisidis Jerico, and al his felouschipe fledde awei fro hym.

⁹ And whanne thei hadden take the kyng, thei brouyten hym to the kyng of Babiloyne in Reblatha, which is in the lond of Emath; and the kyng of Babiloyne spak domes to hym.

¹⁰ And the kyng of Babiloyne stranglide the sones of Sedechie bifore hise iyen; but also he killide alle the princes of Juda in Rablatha.

¹¹ And he puttide out the iyen of Sedechie, and boond hym in stockis; and the kyng of Babiloyne brouyte hym in to Babiloyne, and puttide hym in the hous of prisoun, til to the dai of his deth.

¹² Forsothe in the nynthe monethe, in the tenthe dai of the monethe, thilke is the nyntenthe yeer of the kyng of Babiloyne, Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, that stood bifore the kyng of Babiloyne, cam in to Jerusalem.

¹³ And he brente the hous of the Lord, and the hous of the kyng, and alle the housis of Jerusalem; and he brente with fier ech greet hous.

¹⁴ And al the ost of Caldeis, that was with the maistir of chyualrie, distriede al the wal of Jerusalem bi cumpas.

¹⁵ Sotheli Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, translatide of the pore men of the puple, and of the residue comyn puple, that was left in the citee, and of the fleeris ouer, that fledden ouer to the kyng of Babiloyne; and he translatide other men of the multitude.

¹⁶ But Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, lefte of the pore men of the lond vyne tilers, and erthe tilers.

¹⁷ Also Caldeis brakun the brasun pilers, that weren in the hous of the Lord, and the foundementis, and the brasun waischyng vessel, that was in the hous of the Lord; and thei token al the metal of tho in to Babiloyne.

¹⁸ And thei tokun cawdruns, and fleischokis, and sautrees, and violis, and morteris, and alle brasun vessels, that weren in seruyce;

¹⁹ thei token also `watir pottis, and vessels of encense, and pottis, and basyns, and candilstikis, and morters, and litle cuppis; hou manye euere goldun, goldun, and hou manye euere siluerne, siluerne.

²⁰ The maister of chyualrie took twei pilers, and o waischyng vessel, and twelue brasun caluys, that weren vndur the foundementis, whiche kyng Salomon hadde maad in the hous of the Lord. No weiyte was of the metal of alle these vessels.

²¹ Forsothe of the pilers, eiytene cubitis of heiythe weren in o piler, and a roop of twelue cubitis cumpasside it; certis the thickenesse therof was of foure fyngris, and was holowe withynne.

²² And brasun pomels weren on euer either; and the heiythe of a pomel was of fyue cubitis; and werkis lijk nettis and pumgranatis weren on the coroun `in cumpas.

²³ And the pumgranatis weren nynti and sixe hangynge doun, and alle pumgranatis weren cumpassid with an hundred werkis lijk nettis.

²⁴ And the maister of the chyualrie took Saraie, the firste preest, and Sophonye, the secounde preest, and three keperis of the vestiarie.

²⁵ And of the citee he took o chast seruaunt and onest, that was souereyn on the men werriours; and seuene men of hem that sien the face of the kyng, whiche weren foundun in the citees; and a scryuen, prince of knyytis, that preuyde yonge knyytis; and sixti men of the puple of the lond, that weren foundun in the myddis of the citee.

²⁶ Forsothe Nabusardan, the maistir of chyualrie, took hem, and brouyte hem to the kyng of Babiloyne in Reblatha.

²⁷ And the kyng of Babiloyne smoot hem, and killide hem in Reblatha, in the lond of Emath; and Juda was translatid fro his lond.

²⁸ This is the puple, whom Nabugodonosor translatide in the seuenthe yeer; Jewis, thre thousynde and thre and twenti.

²⁹ In the eiytenthe yeer, Nabugodonosor translatide fro Jerusalem eiyte hundrid and two and thritti persoones.

³⁰ In the thre and twentithe yeer of Nabugodonosor, Nabusardan, the maister of chyualrie, translatide seuene hundrid and fyue and fourti persoones of Jewis. Therfor alle the persoones weren foure thousynde and sixe hundrid.

³¹ And it was doon, in the seuene and threttithe yeer of the passyng ouer of Joachym, kyng of Juda, in the tweluethe monethe, in the fyue and twentithe dai of the monethe, Euylmerodach, kyng of Babiloyne, reiside in that yeer of his rewme the heed of Joachym, kyng of Juda; and ledde hym out of the hous of the prisoun,

³² and spak good thingis with hym. And he settide the trone of him aboue the trones of kyngis, that weren after hym in Babiloyne,

³³ and chaungide the clothis of his prisoun. And Joachym eet breed bifore hym euere, in alle the daies of his lijf;

³⁴ and hise metis, euerlastynge metis weren youun to hym of the kyng of Babiloyne, ordeyned bi ech dai, til to the dai of his deth, in alle the daies of his lijf. And it was don, aftir that Israel was led in to caitiftee, and Jerusalem was distried, Jeremye, the profete, sat wepinge, and biweilide Jerusalem with this lamentacioun; and he siyyide, and weilide with bitter soule, and seide.

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