The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XIV.

[verse 1] And men of the eldris of Israel camen to me, and saten bifor me. [verse 2] And the word of the Lord was maad to me, and he seide, [verse 3] Sone of man, these men han set her vn|clennesses in her hertis, and han set stid|fastli

the sclaundre of her wickidnesse aȝens her face. Whether Y `that am [Om. ceteri.] axid, schal answere to hem? [verse 4] For this thing speke thou to hem, and thou schalt seie to hem, These thingis seith the Lord God, A man, a man of the hous of Israel, that settith hise vnclennessis in his herte, and settith stidfastli the sclaundre of his wick|idnesse aȝens his face, and cometh to the profete, and axith me bi hym, Y the Lord schal answere to hym in the multitude of hise vnclennessis; that the hous of Israel [verse 5] be takun in her herte, bi which thei ȝeden awei fro me in alle her idols. [verse 6] Therfor seie thou to the hous of Israel, The Lord God seith these thingis, Be ȝe conuertid, and go ȝe awei fro ȝoure idols, and turne awei ȝoure faces fro alle ȝoure filthis. [verse 7] For whi a man, a man of the hous of Israel, and of conuersis, who euer is a comelyng in Israel, if he is alienyd fro me, and set|tith hise idols in his herte, and settith stidfastli the sclaundir of his wickidnesse aȝens his face, and he cometh to the pro|fete, to axe me bi hym, Y the Lord schal answere hym bi my silf. [verse 8] And Y schal sette my face on that man, and Y schal make hym in to ensaumple, and in to a prouerbe, and Y schal leese hym fro the myddis of my puple; and ȝe schulen wite, that Y am the Lord. [verse 9] And whanne a pro|fete errith, and spekith a word, Y the Lord schal disseyue that profete; and Y schal stretche forth myn hond on hym, and Y schal do hym awei fro the myddis of my puple Israel. [verse 10] And thei schulen bere her wickidnesse; bi the wickidnesse of the axere, so the wickidnesse of the [verse 11] profete schal be; that the hous of Israel erre no more fro me, nether be defoulid in alle her trespassyngis; but that it be in to a puple to me, and Y be in to a [Om. ceteri.] God to hem, seith the Lord of oostis. [verse 12] And the word of the Lord was maad to me, and [verse 13] he seide, Sone of man, whanne the lond synneth aȝens me, that it trespassynge do

trespas, Y schal stretche forth myn hond on it, and Y schal al to-breke the ȝerde of breed therof; and Y schal sende hungur in to it, and Y schal sle of it man and beeste. [verse 14] And if these thre men Noe, Danyel, and Job, ben in the myddis therof, thei bi her riȝtfulnesse schulen delyuere her soulis, seith the Lord of oostis. [verse 15] That if also Y brynge in worste beestis on the lond, that Y distrie it, and if it is with out weie, for [verse 16] that no passer is for the beestis, and these thre men, that `ben bifore seid [Om. I. ben forseyd S.] , ben therynne, Y lyue, seith the Lord God, for thei schulen nethir delyuere sones, nether douȝtris, but thei aloone schulen be deli|uered; forsothe the lond schal be maad desolat. [verse 17] Ethir if Y brynge in swerd on that lond, and Y seie to the swerd, Passe thou thorouȝ the lond, and Y sle of it man [verse 18] and beeste, and these thre men ben in the myddis therof, Y lyue, seith the Lord God, that thei schulen not delyuere sones nether douȝtris, but thei aloone schulen be delyuered. [verse 19] Forsothe if Y brynge in [Om. N.] also pestilence on that lond, and Y schede out myn indignacioun on it in blood, that [verse 20] Y do awei fro it man and beeste, and Noe, and Danyel, and Joob, ben in the myddis therof, Y lyue, seith the Lord God, for thei schulen not delyuere a sone and a douȝter, but thei bi her riȝtfulnesse schulen delyuere her soulis. [verse 21] For the Lord God seith these thingis, That thouȝ Y sende in my foure worste domes, swerd, and hun|gur, and yuele beestis, and pestilence, in to Jerusalem, that Y sle of it man and [verse 22] beeste, netheles saluacioun of hem that leden out sones and douȝtris, schal be left ther ynne. Lo! thei schulen go out to [of N.] ȝou, and ȝe schulen se the weie of hem, and the fyndyngis of hem; and ȝe schulen be coumfortid on the yuel, which Y brouȝte in on Jerusalem, in alle thingis whiche Y bar in on it. [verse 23] And thei schulen coumforte ȝou, whanne ȝe schulen se the weie of hem and the fyndyngis of hem; and ȝe schulen

knowe, that not in veyn Y dide alle thingis, what euer thingis Y dide there ynne, seith the Lord almyȝti.