Tobit

1 Esdras (Ezra)

CAP 1. 1 In the firste yeer of Cirus, kyng of Persis, that the word of the Lord bi the mouth of Jeremye schulde be fillid, the Lord reiside the spirit of Cyrus, kyng of Persis; and he pupplischide a vois in al his rewme, ye, bi the scripture, and seide, Cirus, 2 the kyng of Persis, seith these thingis, The Lord God of heuene yaf to me alle the rewmes of erthe, and he comaundide to me, that Y schulde bilde to hym an hows in Jerusalem, which is in Judee. 3 Who is among you of al his puple? his God be with hym; stie he in to Jerusalem, which is in Judee, and bilde he the hows of the Lord God of Israel; he is God, which is in Jerusalem. 4 And alle othere men, `that dwellen where euere in alle places, helpe hym; the men of her place helpe in siluer, and gold, and catel, and scheep, outakun that that thei offren wilfulli to the temple of God, which is in Jerusalem. 5 And the princis of fadris of Juda and of Beniamyn risiden, and the preestis, and dekenes, and ech man whos spirit God reiside, for to stie to bilde the temple of the Lord, that was in Jerusalem. 6 And alle men that weren `in cumpas helpiden the hondis of hem, in vesselis of siluer, and of gold, `in catel, in purtenaunce of houshold, and in alle werk beestis, outakun these thingis which thei offriden bi fre wille. 7 Forsothe kyng Cyrus brouyte forth the vessels of the temple of the Lord, whiche Nabugodonosor hadde take fro Jerusalem, and hadde set tho in the temple of his god. 8 Sotheli Cyrus, the kyng of Persis, brouyte forth tho bi the hond of Mytridatis, sone of Gazabar; and noumbride tho to Sasabazar, the prince of Juda. 9 And this is the noumbre of tho vessels; goldun violis, thritti; siluerne viols, a thousynde; `grete knyues, nyne and twenti; goldun cuppis, thritti; siluerne cuppis, 10 two thousynde foure hundrid and ten; othere vessels, a thousynde; 11 alle the vessels of gold and siluere weren fyue thousynde foure hundrid. Sasabazar took alle vessels, with hem that stieden fro the transmygracioun of Babiloyne, in to Jerusalem. CAP 2. 1 Forsothe these ben the sones of prouynce, that stieden fro the caitifte, which Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, hadde translatid in to Babiloyne; and thei turneden ayen in to Jerusalem and in to Juda, ech man in to his citee, that camen with Zorobabel; 2 Jesua, Neemie, Saray, Rahelaie, Mardochaa, Belsan, Mesfar, Begnay, Reum, Baana. This is the noumbre of men of the sones of Israel; the sones of Phares, 3 two thousynde an hundrid and two and seuenti; the sones of Arethi, seuene hundrid and fyue and seuenti; 4 the sones of Sephezie, thre hundrid and two and seuenti; 5 the sones of Area, seuene hundrid and fyue and seuenti; 6 the sones of Phe and of Moab, sones of Josue and of Joab, twei thousynde nyne hundrid and twelue; 7 the sones of Helam, a thousynde two hundrid and foure and fifti; 8 the sones of Zechua, nyne hundrid and fyue and fourti; 9 the sones of Zahai, seuene hundrid and sixti; 10 the sones of Bany, sixe hundrid and two and fourti; 11 the sones of Bebai, sixe hundrid and thre and twenti; the sones of Azgad, 12 a thousynde two hundrid and two and twenti; 13 the sones of Adonycam, sixe hundrid and sixe and sixti; 14 the sones of Beguai, two thousynde two hundrid and sixe and fifti; the sones of Adyn, 15 foure hundrid and foure and fifti; 16 the sones of Ather, that weren of Ezechie, nynti and eiyte; 17 the sones of Besai, thre hundrid and thre and twenti; 18 the sones of Jora, an hundrid and twelue; 19 the sones of Asom, two hundrid and thre and thritti; 20 the sones of Gebar weren nynti and fyue; 21 the sones of Bethleem weren an hundrid and eiyte and twenti; 22 the men of Nechopha, sixe and fifti; 23 the men of Anathot, an hundrid and eiyte and twenti; 24 the sones of Asmaneth, two and fourti; 25 the sones of Cariathiarym, Cephiara, and Berhoc, seuene hundrid and thre and fourti; 26 the sones of Arama and of Gaba, sixe hundrid and oon and twenti; 27 men of `Mathmas, an hundrid and two and twenti; men of Bethel and of Gay, 28 two hundrid and thre and twenti; 29 the sones of Nebo, two and fifti; 30 the sones of Nebgis, an hundrid and sixe and fifti; 31 the sones of the tother Helam, a thousynde two hundrid and foure and fifti; 32 the sones of Arym, thre hundrid and twenti; 33 the sones of Loradid and of Ono, seuene hundrid and fyue and twenti; 34 the sones of Jerico, thre hundrid and fyue and fourti; 35 the sones of Sanaa, thre thousynde sixe hundrid and thritti; 36 preestis, the sones of Idaie, in the hows of Jesue, nyne hundrid and thre and seuenti; 37 the sones of Emmeor, a thousynde and two and fifti; the sones of Phesur, 38 a thousynde two hundrid and seuene and fourti; 39 the sones of Arym, a thousynde and seuentene; dekenes, 40 the sones of Jesue and of Cedynyel, sones of Odonye, foure and seuenti; syngeris, 41 the sones of Asaph, an hundrid and eiyte and twenti; 42 the sones of porteris, sones of Sellum, sones of Ather, sones of Thelmon, sones of Accub, sones of Aritha, sones of Sobar, sones of Sobai, alle weren an hundrid and eiyte and thritty; 43 Nathynneis, the sones of Osai, sones of Asupha, sones of Thebaoth, sones of Ceros, 44 sones of Sisaa, sones of Phadon, 45 sones of Jebana, sones of Agaba, sones of Accub, 46 sones of Accab, sones of Selmai, 47 sones of Annam, sones of Gaddel, sones of Gaer, 48 sones of Rahaia, sones of Rasyn, sones of Nethoda, sones of Gazem, sones of Asa, 49 sones of Phasea, sones of Besee, 50 sones of Asennaa, sones of Numyn, sones of Nethusym, 51 sones of Bethuth, sones of Acupha, sones of Aryn, sones of Besluth, 52 sones of Maida, sones of Arsa, 53 sones of Bercos, sones of Sisara, sones of Thema, 54 sones of Nasia, sones of Acupha, 55 the sones of the seruauntis of Salomon, the sones of Sothelthei, the sones of Soforeth, the sones of Pharuda, the sones of Asa, 56 the sones of Delcon, the sones of Gedeb, 57 the sones of Saphata, the sones of Atil, the sones of Phecerethi, that weren of Asebam, the sones of Ammy; 58 alle the Nathyneis, and the sones of the seruauntis of Salomon weren thre hundrid nynti and tweyne. 59 And thei that stieden fro Thelmela, Thelersa, Cherub, and Don, and Mey, and myyten not schewe the hows of her fadris and her seed, whether thei weren of Israel; 60 the sones of Delaya, the sones of Thobie, the sones of Nethoda, sixe hundrid and two and fifti; 61 and of the sones of prestis, the sones of Obia, sones of Accos, sones of Berzellai, which took a wijf of the douytris of Bersellai Galadite, and was clepid bi the name of hem; 62 these souyten the scripture of her genologie, and founden not, and thei weren cast out of preesthod. 63 And Attersatha seide to hem, that thei schulden not ete of the hooli of hooli thingis, til a wijs preest and perfit roos. 64 Al the multitude as o man, two and fourti thousynde thre hundrid and sixti, 65 outakun the seruauntis of hem and `the handmaydis, that weren seuene thousynde thre hundrid and seuene and thretti; and among hem weren syngeris and syngeressis twei hundrid. 66 The horsis of hem weren sixe hundrid and sixe and thritti; the mulis of hem weren foure hundrid and fyue and fourti; 67 the camels of hem weren foure hundrid and fyue and thritti; the assis of hem weren sixe thousynde seuene hundrid and twenti. 68 And of the princes of fadris, whanne thei entriden in to the temple of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem, thei offriden of fre wille in to the hows of God, to bilde it in his place; 69 thei yauen `bi her myytes the costis of the werk, oon and fourti thousynde platis of gold; fyue thousynde besauntis of siluer; and preestis clothis an hundrid. 70 Therfor preestis and dekenes of the puple, and syngeris, and porteris, and Nathynneis dwelliden in her citees, and al Israel in her cytees. CAP 3. 1 And thanne the seuenthe monethe was comun, and the sones of Israel weren in her citees. 2 Therfor the puple was gaderid as o man in to Jerusalem. And Josue, the sone of Josedech, roos, and hise britheren, prestis, and Zorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and hise britheren, and thei bildiden the auter of God of Israel for to offre therynne brent sacrifices, as it is writun in the lawe of Moises, the man of God. 3 Forsothe thei settiden the auter on his foundementis, while the puplis of londis bi cumpas maden hem aferd, and thei offriden on that auter brent sacrifice to the Lord in the morewtid and euentid. 4 And thei maden solempnytee of tabernaclis, as it is writun, and brent sacrifice ech dai bi ordre, `bi the werk of the dai comaundid in his dai. 5 And after this thei offriden contynuel brent sacrifice, bothe in calendis and in alle solempnytees of the Lord, that weren halewid, and in alle solempnytees, in which yifte was offrid to the Lord bi fre wille. 6 In the firste dai of the seuenthe monethe thei bigunnen to offre brent sacrifice to the Lord; certis the temple of God was not foundid yit. 7 But thei yauen monei to heweris of stoon, and to liggeris of stoon, and thei yauen mete, and drynke, and oile, to men of Sidon, and `to men of Tire, that thei schulden brynge cedre trees fro the Liban to the see of Joppe, bi that that Cirus, kyng of Persis, hadde comaundid to hem. 8 Forsothe in the secounde yeer of her comyng to the temple of God in Jerusalem, in the secounde monethe, Zorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and Josue, 9 the sone of Josedech, and othere of her britheren, preestis and dekenes, and alle that camen fro the caitifte in to Jerusalem, bigunnen; and thei ordeyneden dekenes, fro twenti yeer and aboue, for to haste the werk of the Lord; and Josue stood, and hise sones, and hise britheren, Cedynyel and hise sones, and the sones of Juda, as o man, to be bisi ouer hem that maden the werk in the temple of God; the sones of Benadab, her sones and her britheren, dekenes, `weren bisy. 10 Therfor whanne the temple `of the Lord was foundid of stoon leggeris, prestis stoden in her ournement with trumpis, and dekenes, the sones of Asaph, in cymbalis, for to herie God bi the hond of Dauid, kyng of Israel. 11 And thei sungen togidere in ympnes and knoulechyng to the Lord, For he is good, for his merci is with outen ende on Israel. And al the puple criede with greet cry, in preisynge the Lord, for the temple of the Lord was foundid. 12 Also ful manye of the preestis, and of the dekenes, and the princes of fadris, and the eldre men, that hadden seyn the formere temple, whanne it was foundid, and this temple bifor her iyen, wepten with greet vois, and many men criynge in gladnesse reisiden the vois; 13 and no man myyte knowe the vois of cry of men beynge glad, and the vois of wepyng of the puple; for the puple criede togidere with greet cry, and the vois was herd afer. CAP 4. 1 Forsothe the enemyes of Juda and of Beniamyn herden, that the sones of caitifte bildiden a temple to the Lord God of Israel; 2 and thei neiyeden to Zorobabel, and to the princes of fadris, and seiden to hem, Bilde we with you, for so as ye, we seken youre God; lo! we han offrid sacrificis fro the daies of Assoraddon, kyng of Assur, that brouyte vs hidur. 3 And Zorobabel, and Josue, and the othere princes of the fadris of Israel, seiden to hem, It is not to vs and to you, that we bilde an hows to oure God; but we vs silf aloone schulen bilde to `oure Lord God, as Cirus, the kyng of Persis, comaundide to vs. 4 Forsothe it was doon, that the puple of the lond lettide the hondis of the puple of Juda, and trobliden hem in bildyng. 5 And thei hiriden counselouris ayens the Jewis, that thei schulden destrie the counseil of the Jewis, in alle the daies of Cirus, king of Persis, and `til to the rewme of Darius, king of Persis. 6 Forsothe in the rewme of Assueris, he is Artaxersis, in the bigynnyng of his rewme, thei writiden accusing ayens the dwellers of Juda and of Jerusalem; 7 and in the daies of Artaxarses, Besellam wroot, Mytridates, and Thabel, and othere, that weren in the counsel of hem, to Artaxarses, kyng of Persis. For the pistle of accusyng was writun in langage of Sirie, and was red in word of Sirie. 8 Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryuen, writen sich oon epistle fro Jerusalem to the kyng Artaxerses; Reum, 9 Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the writere, and othere counselouris of hem, Dyney, Pharsathei, and Therphalei, Arphasei, Harthuei, men of Babiloyne, Susanne, Thanei, Dacei, men of Helam, 10 and othere of hethene men, whiche the grete and gloriouse Asennaphar translatide, and made hem to dwelle in the citees of Samarie, and in othere cuntrees biyonde the flood, `in pees. 11 This is the saumplere of the pistle, which thei senten to the kyng. `To Artaxerses, king, thi seruauntis, men `that ben biyende the flood, seyn helthe. 12 Be it knowun to the kyng, that the Jewis, that stieden fro thee, ben comun to vs `in to Jerusalem, the rebel and worste citee, which thei bilden, and thei maken the ground wallis therof, and arayen the wallis aboue. 13 Nou therfor be it knowun to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thei schulen not yyue tribut, and tol, and annuel rentis, and this trespas schal come `til to the kyng. 14 Therfor we ben myndeful of the salt, which we eeten in the paleis, and for we holden it vnleueful to se the harmes of the kyng, therfor we han sent and teld to the kyng; 15 that thou acounte in the bokis of stories of thi fadris, and thou schalt fynde writun in cronyclis, and thou schalt wite, that thilke citee is a rebel citee, and that it anoieth kyngis and prouynces, and batels ben reisid therynne of elde daies; wherfor also thilke citee was distried. 16 We tellen to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thou schalt not haue possessioun biyende the flood. 17 The kyng sente word to Reum, Beel, Theem, and to Samsai, the scryuen, and to othere that weren in the counsel of hem, to the dwelleris of Samarie, and to othere biyendis the flood, and seide, Helthe and pees. 18 The accusyng, which ye senten to vs, was red opynli bifor me; 19 and it was comaundid of me, and thei rekenyden, and thei foundun, that thilke citee rebellith of elde daies ayens kyngis, and dissenciouns and batels ben reisid therynne; 20 for whi `and ful stronge kyngis weren in Jerusalem, which also weren lordis of al the cuntrei which is biyende the flood; also thei token tribut, and tol, and rentis. 21 Now therfor here ye the sentence, that ye forbede tho men, and that thilke citee be not bildid, til if perauenture it be comaundid of me. 22 Se ye, that this be not fillid necgligentli, and yuel encreesse litil `and litil ayens kyngis. 23 Therfor the saumple of the comaundement of kyng Artaxarses was red bifor Reum, Beel, Theem, and Samsai, the scryueyn, and her counseleris; and thei yeden hastili in to Jerusalem to the Jewis, and forbediden hem with arm and myyt. 24 Thanne the werk of Goddis hows in Jerusalem was left, and it was not maad til to the secounde yeer of Darius, king of Persis. CAP 5. 1 Forsothe Aggei, the prophete, and Zacharie, the prophete, the sone of Ado, prophesieden, prophesiynge in the name of God of Israel, to the Jewis that weren in Juda and Jerusalem. 2 Thanne Zorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and Josue, the sone of Josedech, risiden, and bigunnen to bilde the temple of God in Jerusalem; and with hem rysyden the prophetis of God, helpynge hem. 3 Forsothe in that tyme Tatannai, that was duyk biyende the flood, and Starbusannay, and the counselouris of hem, camen to hem, and seiden thus to hem, Who yaf counsel to you to bilde this hows, and to restore these wallis? 4 To which thing we answeriden to hem, whiche weren the names of men, autours of that bildyng. 5 Forsothe the iye of God of hem was maad on the elde men of Jewis, and thei myyten not forbede the Jewis; and it pleside that the thing schulde be teld to Darius, and thanne thei schulden make satisfaccioun ayens that accusyng. 6 This is the saumpler of the pistle, which Tathannai, duyk of the cuntrey biyende the flood, and Starbursannai, and hise counselouris, Arphasacei, that weren biyende the flood, senten to kyng Darius. 7 The word which thei senten to hym was writun thus; Al pees be to the kyng Darius. 8 Be it knowun to the kyng, that we yeden to the prouince of Judee, to the hows of greet God, which is bildid with stoon vnpolischid, and trees ben set in the wallis, and thilke werk is bildid diligently, and encreessith in the hondis of hem. 9 Therfor we axiden tho elde men, and thus we seiden to hem, Who yaf to you power to bilde this hows, and to restore these wallis? 10 But also we axiden of hem the names `of hem, that we schulden telle to thee; and we han write the names of men, whiche thei ben, that ben princes among hem. 11 Sotheli thei answeriden bi sich word, and seiden, We ben the seruauntis of God of heuene and of erthe; and we bilden the temple that was bildid bifor these many yeeris, and `which temple the greet kyng of Israel `hadde bildid, and maad. 12 But aftir that oure fadris stiryden God of heuene and of erthe to wrathfulnesse, bothe he bitook hem in the hond of Nabugodonosor, Caldey, kyng of Babiloyne; and he distriede this hows, and translatide the puple therof in to Babiloyne. 13 Forsothe in the firste yeer of Cirus, king of Babiloyne, Cirus, the king of Babiloyne, settide forth `a comaundement, that the hows of God schulde be bildid. 14 For whi kyng Cirus brouyte forth `fro the temple of Babiloyne also the goldun and siluerne vessels of Goddis temple, whiche Nabugodonosor hadde take fro the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and hadde bore tho awei in to the temple of Babiloyne; and tho vessels weren youun to Sasabazar bi name, whom `he made also prince. And Cirus seide to hym, Take these vessels, 15 and go, and sette tho in the temple, which is in Jerusalem; and the hows of God be bildid in `his place. 16 Therfor thanne thilke Sasabazar cam, and settide the foundementis of Goddis temple in Jerusalem; and fro that tyme `til to now it is bildid, and is not yit fillid. 17 Now therfor if it `semeth good to the king, rikene he in the biblet of the kyng, which is in Babiloyne, whether it be comaundid of kyng Cyrus, that Goddis hows schulde be bildid in Jerusalem; and sende he to vs the wille of the kyng `on this thing. CAP 6. 1 Thanne kyng Darius comaundide, and thei rekenyden in the biblet of bokis, that weren kept in Babiloyne. 2 And o book was foundun in Egbatanys, which is a castel in the prouynce of Medena, and sich a sentence of the kyng was writun therynne. 3 In the first yeer of kyng Cirus, Cirus the kyng demyde, that, `Goddis hows, which is in Jerusalem, schulde be bildid in the place where thei offren sacrifices, and that thei sette foundementis supportynge the heiythe of sixti cubitis, and the lengthe of sixti cubitis, thre ordris of stonys vnpolischid, 4 and so ordris of newe trees. Sotheli costis schulen be youun of the kyngis hows. 5 But also the goldun and siluerne vessels of Goddis temple, whiche Nabugodonosor took fro the temple of Jerusalem, and brouyte tho in to Babiloyne, be yoldun, and borun ayen in to the temple of Jerusalem, and in to her place, whiche also be set in the temple of God. 6 Now therfor Tathannai, duyk of the cuntrei which is biyende the flood, and Starbusannai, and youre counseleris, Arphasacei, that ben byyende the flood, departe ye fer fro hem; 7 and suffre ye, that thilke temple of God be maad of the duyk of Jewis, and of the eldre men of hem; and that thei bilde that hows of God in his place. 8 But also it is comaundid of me, that that bihoueth to be maad of tho preestis of Jewys, that the hows of God be bildid, that is, that costis be youun bisili to tho men of the arke of the kyng, that is, of tributis, that ben youun of the contrei biyende the flood, lest the werk be lettid. 9 That if it be nede, yyue thei bothe calues, and lambren, and kidis in to brent sacrifice to God of heuene; wheete, salt, and wyn, and oile, bi the custom of preestis that ben in Jerusalem, be youun to hem bi ech dai, that no pleynt be in ony thing. 10 And offre thei offryngis to God of heuene; and preye thei for the lijf of the kyng and of hise sones. 11 Therfor the sentence is set of me, that if ony man chaungith this comaundement, a tre be takun of his hows, and be reisid, and be he hangid therynne; sotheli his hows be forfetid. 12 Forsothe God, that makith his name to dwelle there, distrie alle rewmes and puple, that holdith forth her hond to impugne and destrie thilke hows of God, which is in Jerusalem. I Darius haue demyd the sentence, which Y wole be fillid diligentli. 13 Therfor Tathannai, duyk of the `cuntrei biyende the flood, and Starbusannai, and hise counseleris, diden execucioun, `ether filliden, so diligentli, bi that that kyng Darius hadde comaundid. 14 Sotheli the eldre men of Jewis bildiden, and hadden prosperite, bi the profesie of Aggey, the profete, and of Zacarie, the sone of Ado; and thei bildiden, and maden, for God of Israel comaundide, and for Cirus, and Darius, and Artaxerses, kyngis of Persis, comaundiden; 15 and thei performyden this hows of God `til to the thridde dai of the monethe Adar, which is the sixte yeer of the rewme of king Darius. 16 Forsothe the sones of Israel, the preestis and dekenes, and the othere of the sones of transmygracioun, `that is, that camen fro transmigracioun, `ether caitifte, maden the halewyng of Goddis hows in ioie; 17 and offriden, `in the halewyng of Goddis hows, an hundrid caluys, twei hundryd wetheris, foure hundrid lambren, twelue buckis of geet for the synne of al Israel, bi the noumbre of lynagis of Israel. 18 And thei ordeyneden preestis in her ordris, and dekenes in her whilis, on the werkis of God in Jerusalem, as it is writun in the book of Moises. 19 Forsothe the sones of transmygracioun maden pask, in the fourtenthe dai of the firste monethe. 20 For the preestis and dekenes as o man weren clensid, alle weren clene for to offre pask to alle the sones of transmygracioun, and to her britheren preestis, and to hem silf. 21 And the sones of Israel eeten, that turneden ayen fro transmygracioun, and ech man eet, that hadde departid hym silf fro al the defoulyng of hethene men of the lond, for to seke the Lord God of Israel. 22 And thei maden solempnyte of therf looues seuene daies in gladnesse; for the Lord hadde maad hem glad, and hadde turned the herte of the kyng of Assur to hem, that he wolde helpe `her hondis in the werk of the hows of the Lord God of Israel. CAP 7. 1 Forsothe aftir these wordis Esdras, the sone of Saraie, sone of Azarie, sone of Helchie, 2 sone of Sellum, sone of Sadoch, sone of Achitob, 3 sone of Amarie, sone of Azarie, 4 sone of Maraioth, sone of Saraie, sone of Ozi, 5 sone of Bocci, sone of Abisue, sone of Phynees, sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, preest at the bigynnyng, was in the rewme of Artaxerses, king of Persis; thilke Esdras stiede fro Babiloyne, 6 and he was a swift writere in the lawe of Moises, which the Lord God of Israel yaf; and the kyng yaf to hym al his axyng, by the goode hoond of his Lord God on hym. 7 And there stieden of the sones of Israel, and of the sones of preestis, and of the sones of dekenes, and of the syngeris, and of the porteris, and of Nathyneis, `in to Jerusalem in the seuenthe yeer of Artaxerses, kyng. 8 And thei camen in to Jerusalem in the fyuethe monethe; thilke is the seuenthe of the kyng. 9 For in the firste dai of the firste monethe he bigan to stie fro Babiloyne, and in the firste dai of the fyuethe monethe he cam in to Jerusalem, bi the good hond of his God on hym. Forsothe 10 Esdras made redi his herte to enquere the lawe of the Lord, and to do, and teche in Israel the comaundement and doom. 11 Sotheli this is the saumpler of the pistle of the comaundement, which the kyng Artaxerses yaf to Esdras, preest, writere lerud in the wordis and comaundementis of the Lord, and in hise cerymonyes in Israel. 12 Artaxerses, kyng of kyngis, desirith helthe to Esdras, the preest, moost wijs writere of the lawe of God of heuene. 13 It is demyd of me, that whom euer it plesith in my rewme of the puple of Israel, and of hise preestis, and dekenes, to go in to Jerusalem, go he with thee. 14 For thou art sent fro the face of the kyng and of hise seuene counseleris, that thou visite Judee and Jerusalem in the lawe of thi God, which is in thin hond; 15 and that thou bere siluer and gold, which the kyng and hise counseleris han offrid bi fre wille to God of Israel, whos tabernacle is in Jerusalem. 16 And take thou freli al siluer and gold, which euer thou fyndist in al the prouynce of Babiloyne, and the puple wole offre, and of preestis that offriden bi fre wille to the hows of her God, which is in Jerusalem; 17 and bie thou bisili of this monei calues, rammes, lambren, and sacrifices, and moiste sacrifices of tho; and offre thou tho on the auter of the temple of youre God, which temple is in Jerusalem. 18 But also if ony thing plesith to thee, and to thi britheren, for to do of the residue siluer and gold, do ye bi the wille of youre God; 19 also bitake thou in the siyt of God in Jerusalem the vessels, that ben youun in to the seruyce of the hows of thi God. 20 But also thou schalt yyue of the tresouris of the kyng, and of the comyn arke, `ethir purse, and of me `othere thingis, that ben nedeful in the hows of thi God, as myche euere as is nedeful, that thou spende. 21 Y Artaxerses, kyng, haue ordeyned, and demyd to alle the keperis of the comyn arke, that ben biyende the flood, that what euer thing Esdras, the preest, writere of the lawe of God of heuene, axith of you, ye yyue with out tariyng, 22 `til to an hundrid talentis of siluer, and to an hundrid `mesuris clepid chorus of wheete, and til an hundrid mesuris clepid bathus of wyn, and `til to an hundrid `mesuris clepid bathus of oile, salt forsothe without mesure. 23 Al thing that perteyneth to the custom, `ethir religioun, of God of heuene, be youun diligentli in the hows of God of heuene, lest perauenture he be wrooth ayens the rewme of the kyng and of hise sones. 24 Also we make knowun to you of alle the preestis, and dekenes, syngeris, and porteris, and Nathyneis, and mynystris of the hows of this God, `that ye han not power to put on hem tol, and tribute, and costis for keperis of the lond. 25 Forsothe thou, Esdras, bi the wisdom of thi God, which is in thin hond, ordeyne iugis and gouernouris, that thei deme to the puple, which is biyende the flood, that is, to hem that kunnen the lawe of thi God, and the lawe of the kyng; but also teche ye freli vnkunnynge men. 26 And ech man, that doth not the lawe of thi God, and the lawe of the kyng diligentli, doom schal be of hym, ethir in to the deeth, ethir in to exilyng, ethir in to condempnyng of his catel, ethir certis in to prisoun. And Esdras, the writere, seide, Blissid be the Lord God of oure fadris, 27 that yaf this thing in the herte of the kyng, that he schulde glorifie the hows of the Lord, 28 which is in Jerusalem, and bowide his mercy in to me bifor the kyng, and hise counseleris, and bifore alle the myyti princes of the kyng. And Y was coumfortid bi the hond of `my Lord God, that was in me, and Y gederide of the sones of Israel princes, that stieden with me. CAP 8. 1 Therfor these ben the princes of meynees, and this is the genologie of hem, whiche beynge in the rewme of Artaxerses, kyng, stieden with me fro Babiloyne. 2 Of the sones of Phynees, Gerson; of the sones of Ythamar, Danyel; of the sones of Dauid, Arcus; 3 of the sones of Sechemye and of the sones of Pharos, Zacarie, and with hym weren noumbrid an hundrid and fifti men; 4 of the sones of Phet, Moab, and Elioneay, the sone of Zacharie, and with hym two hundrid men; 5 of the sones of Sechemye, the sone of Ezechiel, and with hym thre hundrid men; 6 of the sones of Addam, Nabeth, the sone of Jonathan, and with hym fifti men; 7 of the sones of Elam, Ysaie, the sone of Italie, and with him seuenti men; 8 of the sones of Saphacie, Zebedie, the sone of Mycael, and with him fourescore men; 9 of the sones of Joab, Obedie, the sone of Jehiel, and with him two hundrid and eiytene men; 10 of the sones of Salomyth, the sone of Josphie, and with hym an hundrid and sixti men; of the sones of Belbai, 11 Zacarie, the sone of Belbai, and with hym twenti and eiyte men; 12 of the sones of Ezead, Johannam, the sone of Ezethan, and with hym an hundrid and ten men; 13 of the sones of Adonycam, that weren the laste, and these ben the names of hem, Eliphelech, and Eihel, and Samaie, and with hem weren sexti men; 14 of the sones of Beguy, Vtai, and Zaccur, and with hem weren seuenti men. 15 Forsothe Y gaderide hem togidere at the flood, that renneth doun to Hanna; and we dwelliden there thre daies. And `Y souyte in the puple, and in the prestis of the sonus of Leuy, and Y fonde not there. 16 Therfor Y sente Eliezer, and Ariehel, and Semeam, and Helnathan, and Jaubeth, and an other Helnathan, and Nathan, and Zacharie, and Mesollam, princes; and Joarib, and Elnathan, wise men; 17 and Y sente hem to Heldo, which is `the firste in the place of Casphie, and Y puttide in the mouth of hem wordis, whiche thei schulden speke to Heldo, and to hise britheren, Natynneis, in the place of Casphie, for to brynge to vs the mynystris of the hows of oure God. 18 And `thei brouyten to vs, bi the good hoond of oure God on vs, a ful wijs man of the sones of Mooli, the sone of Leuy, sone of Israel; and Sarabie, and his sones twenti, and his britheren eiytene; 19 and Azabie, and Isaie, with him of the sones of Merari, thei brouyten his britheren, and his sones, twenti; 20 and of Nathynneis, whiche Dauid and the princis hadden youe to the seruyces of dekenes, thei brouyten two hundrid and twenti Nathynneis; alle these weren clepid bi her names. 21 And `Y prechide there fastyng bisidis the flood of Hanna, that we schulden be turmentid bifor `oure Lord God, and that we schulden axe of him the riytful weie to vs, and to oure sones, and to al oure catel. 22 For Y schamede to axe of the kyng help, and horse men, that schulden defende vs fro enemyes in the weie, for we hadden seid to the king, The hond of oure God is on alle men that seken hym in goodnesse; and his lordschip, and his strengthe, and strong veniaunce ben on alle men that forsaken hym. 23 Forsothe we fastiden, and preieden oure God for this thing, and it bifelde to vs `bi prosperite. 24 And `Y departide twelue of the princes of prestis, Sarabie, and Asabie, and ten of her britheren with hem; 25 and Y bitook vndur certeyn weiyte and noumbre to hem the siluer and gold, and the halewid vessels of the hows of oure God, whiche the kyng hadde offrid, and hise counseleris, and hise princes, and `al Israel, of hem that weren foundun. 26 And Y bitook vndur certeyn weiyte and noumbre in the hondis of hem sixe hundrid and fifti talentis of siluer, and an hundrid siluerne vessels; an hundrid talentis of gold, 27 and twenti goldun cuppis, that hadden a thousynde peesis of gold; and twei faire vessels of best bras, schynynge as gold. 28 And Y seide to hem, Ye ben the hooli men of the Lord, 29 and wake ye, and kepe the hooli vessels, and siluer and gold, which is offrid bi fre wille to the Lord God of oure fadris, til ye yelde vndur certeyn weiyte and noumbre bifor th princes of prestis, and of dekenes, and bifor the duykis of meynees of Israel in Jerusalem, in to the tresour of Goddis hows. 30 Sotheli the preestis and dekenes token the weiyte of siluer, and of gold, and of vessels, for to bere in to Jerusalem, in to the hows of oure God. 31 Therfor we mouyden forth fro the flood of Hanna, in the tweluethe dai of the firste monethe, for to go in to Jerusalem; and the hond of oure God was on vs, and delyuerde vs fro the hond of enemye and of aspiere in the weie. 32 And we camen to Jerusalem, and we dwelliden there thre daies. 33 Forsothe in the fourthe dai the siluer was yoldun vndur certeyn weiyte and noumbre, and the gold, and the vessels, `in the hows of oure God, by the noumbre and weiyte of alle thingis, bi the hond of Remmoth, `sone of Vrie, preest; and with him was Eleazar, the sone of Phynees, and with him weren Jozaded, the sone of Josue, and Noadaie, the sone of Bennoy, dekenes; 34 and al the weiyte was discriued in that tyme. 35 But also the sones of transmygracioun, that camen fro caitifte, offriden brent sacrifices to the Lord God of Israel, `twelue calues for al the puple of Israel, nynti and sixe rammes, seuene and seuenti lambren, twelue buckis of geet for synne; alle thingis in to brent sacrifice to the Lord. 36 Forsothe thei yauen the comaundementis of the kyng to the princes, that weren of the siyt of the king, and to the duykis biyende the flood; and thei reisiden the puple, and the hows of God. CAP 9. 1 Forsothe after that these thingis weren fillid, the princes neiyeden to me, and seiden, The puple of Israel, and the prestis, and dekenes, ben not depertid fro the `puplis of londis, and fro abhominaciouns of hem, that is, of Cananei, of Ethei, and of Pheresei, and of Jebusei, and of Amonytis, and of Moabitis, and of Egipcians, and of Ammorreis. 2 For thei han take `of her douytris wyues to hem silf, and to her sones, and thei han medlid hooli seed with the puplis of londis; also the hond of princes and of magistratis was the firste in this trespassyng. 3 And whanne Y hadde herd this word, Y torente my mentil and coote, and Y pullide awei the heeris of myn heed and berd, and Y sat morenynge. 4 Forsothe alle that dredden the word of God of Israel camen togidere to me, for the trespassyng of hem that weren comun fro caitifte; and Y sat sori `til to the sacrifice of euentid. 5 And in the sacrifice of euentid Y roos fro myn afflicioun, and aftir that Y to-rente the mentil and coote, Y bowide my knees, and I spredde abrood myn hondis to `my Lord God, 6 and Y seide, My God, Y am confoundid and aschamed to reise my face to thee, for oure wickidnessis ben multiplied `on myn heed, and oure trespassis encreessiden `til to heuene, 7 fro the daies of oure fadris; but also we vs silf han synned greuousli `til to this dai, and for our wickidnessis we, and oure kyngis, and oure prestis ben bitakun in the hondis of kyngis of londis, bothe in to swerd, and in to caitifte, in to raueyn, and in to schenship of cheer, as also in this dai. 8 And now as at a litil and at a moment oure preier is maad anentis `oure Lord God, that relikis schulden be left to vs, and that `his pees schulde be youun in his hooli place, and that oure God schulde liytne oure iyen, and yyue to vs a litil lijf in oure seruage. 9 For we ben seruauntis, and oure God forsoke vs not in oure seruage; and he bowide merci on vs bifor the king of Persis, that he schulde yyue lijf to vs, and enhaunse the hows of oure God, and that he schulde bilde the wildernessis therof, and yyue to vs hope in Juda and in Jerusalem. 10 And now, `oure Lord God, what schulen we seie after these thingis? For we han forsake thi comaundementis, 11 whiche thou comaundidist in the hond of thi seruauntis profetis, and seidist, The lond, to which ye schulen entre, to holde it in possessioun, is an vnclene lond, bi the vnclennesse of puplis, and of othere londis, in the abhomynaciouns of hem, that filliden it with her defoulyng, fro the mouth `til to the mouth. 12 Now therfor yiue ye not youre douytris to her sones, and take ye not her douytris to youre sones; and seke ye not the pees of hem and the prosperite `of hem `til in to with outen ende; that ye be coumfortid, and ete the goodis, that ben of the lond, and that ye haue eiris, youre sones, `til in to `the world. 13 And after alle thingis that camen on vs in oure werste werkis, and in oure grete trespas, for thou, oure God, hast delyuered vs fro oure wickidnesse, and hast youe helthe to vs, 14 as `it is to dai, that we schulden not be turned, and make voide thi comaundementis, and that we schulden not ioyne matrimonyes with the puplis of these abhomynacouns. Whether thou art wrooth to vs `til to the endyng, that thou schuldist not leeue to us remenauntis, and helthe? 15 Lord God of Israel, thou art iust; for we ben left, that schulden be sauyd as in this day, lo! we ben bifor thee in oure synne; for me may `not stonde bifor thee on this thing. CAP 10. 1 Therfor while Esdras preiede so, and bisouyte God, and wepte, and lai bifor the temple of God, a ful greet cumpenye of Israel, of men, and of wymmen, and of children, was gaderid to him; and the puple wepte bi myche weping. 2 And Sechenye, the sone of Jehiel, of the sones of Helam, answeride, and seide to Esdras, We han trespasside ayens oure God, and han weddid wyues, alien wymmen, of `the puplis of the lond. And now, for penaunce is in Israel on this thing, 3 smyte we boond of pees with `oure Lord God, and caste we awei alle `wyues aliens, and hem that ben borun of tho wyues, bi the wille of the Lord; and of hem that dreden the comaundement of oure God, `be it don bi the lawe. 4 Rise thou, it `is thin office to deme, and we schulen be with thee; be thou coumfortid, and do. 5 Therfor Esdras roos, and chargide greetli the princes of prestis, and of dekenes, and of al Israel, to do after this word; and thei sworen. 6 And Esdras roos bifor the hows of God, and he yede to the bed of Johannan, sone of Eliasiph, and entride thidur; he eet not breed, and drank not watir; for he biweilide the trespassing of hem, that weren comun fro the caitifte. 7 And a vois of hem was sent in to Juda and Jerusalem, to alle the sones of transmygracioun, that thei schulden be gaderid in to Jerusalem; 8 and ech man that cometh not in thre daies, bi the counsel of the princes and of eldre men, al his catel schal be takun awey fro him, and he schal be cast awei fro the cumpeny of transmygracioun. 9 Therfor alle the men of Juda and of Beniamyn camen togidere in to Jerusalem in thre daies; thilke is the nynthe monethe, in the twentithe dai of the monethe; and al the puple sat in `the street of Goddis hows, and trembliden for synne and reyn. 10 And Esdras, the preest, roos, and seide to hem, Ye han trespassid, and han weddid wyues, alien wymmen, that ye schulden `leie to on the trespas of Israel. 11 And now yyue ye knowlechyng to the Lord God of oure fadris, and do ye his pleasaunce, and be ye departid fro the puplis of the lond, and fro `wyues aliens. 12 And al the multitude answeride, and seide with greet vois, Bi thi word to vs, so be it doon. 13 Netheles for the puple is myche, and the tyme of reyn is, and we suffren not to stonde withoutforth, and it is not werk of o dai, nether of tweyne; for we han synned greetli in this word; 14 `princes be ordeyned in al the multitude, and alle men in oure citees, that han weddid `wyues aliens, come in tymes ordeyned, and with hem come the eldere men, bi citee and citee, and the iugis therof, til the ire of oure God be turned awei fro vs on this synne. 15 Therfor Jonathan, the sone of Asahel, and Jaazie, the sone of Thecue, stoden on this thing; and Mosollam, and Sebethai, dekenes, helpiden hem. 16 And the sones of transmygracioun diden so. And Esdras, the prest, and men, princes of meynees, yeden into the howsis of her fadris, and alle men bi her names; and thei saten in the firste dai of the tenthe monethe, for to seke the thing. 17 And alle men weren endid, that hadden weddid `wyues aliens, `til to the firste dai of the firste monethe. 18 And there weren foundun of the sones of preestis, that weddiden `wyues aliens; of the sones of Josue, the sone of Josedech, and hise britheren, Maasie, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Godolie. 19 And thei yauen her hondis, that thei schulden caste out her wyues, and offre for her trespas a ram of the scheep. 20 And of the sones of Semmer; Anam, and Zebedie. 21 And of the sones of Serym; Maasie, and Helie, and Semeie, and Jehiel, and Ozie. 22 And of the sones of Phessur; Helioneai, Maasie, Hismael, Nathanael, and Jozabet, and Elasa. 23 And of the sones of dekenes; Josabeth, and Semey, and Elaie; he is Calithaphataie; Juda, and Elezer. 24 And of syngeris, Eliazub; and of porteris, Sellum, and Thellem, and Vry. 25 And of Israel, of the sones of Pharos; Remea, and Ezia, and Melchia, and Vnanym, and Eliezer, and Melchia, and Banea. 26 And of the sones of Elam; Mathanye, and Zacharie, and Jehil, and Abdi, and Rymoth, and Helia. 27 And of the sones of Zechua; Helioneay, Heliasib, Mathanye, and Jerymuth, and Zaeth, and Aziza. 28 And of the sones of Bebai; Johannan, Ananye, Zabbai, Athalia. 29 And of the sones of Beny; Mosallam, and Melue, and Azaie, Jasub, and Saal, and Ramoth. 30 And of the sones of Phaeth; Moab, Edua, and Calal, Banaie, and Massie, Mathanye, Beseleel, and Bennun, and Manasse. 31 And of the sones of Erem; Elieer, Jesue, Melchie, Semeye, Symeon, Beniamyn, Maloth, Samarie. 32 And of the sones of Asom; Mathanai, Mathetha, 33 Zabeth, Eliphelech, Jermai, Manasse, Semei. 34 Of the sones of Bany; Maddi, Amram, 35 and Huel, Baneas, and Badaie, Cheilian, 36 Biamna, Marymuth, and Eliasiph, Mathanye, 37 and Jasy, and Bany, and Bennan, 39 and Semei, and Salymas, and Nathan, and Daias, 40 Metuedabai, Sisai, Sarai, Ezrel, 41 and Seloman, Semerie, Sellum, 42 Amarie, Joseph. 43 Of the sones of Nebny; Aiel, Mathatie, Zabed, Zabina, Jebdu, and Johel, Banai. 44 Alle these hadden take `wyues aliens, and of hem weren wymmen, that hadden bore children.

2 Esdras (Nehemiah)

CAP 1. 1 The wordis of Neemye, the sone of Helchie. And it was doon in the monethe Casleu, in the twentithe yeer, and Y was in the castel Susis; 2 and Ananye, oon of my britheren, cam to me, he and men of Juda; and Y axide hem of the Jewis, that weren left, and weren alyue of the caitifte, and of Jerusalem. 3 And thei seiden to me, Thei that `dwelliden, and ben left of the caitifte there in the prouynce, ben in greet turment, and in schenship; and the wal of Jerusalem is destried, and the yatis therof ben brent with fier. 4 And whanne Y hadde herd siche wordis, Y sat and wepte, and morenede many daies, and Y fastide, and preiede bifor the face of God of heuene; 5 and Y seide, Y biseche, Lord God of heuene, strong, greet, and ferdful, which kepist couenaunt and merci with hem, that louen thee, and kepen thin heestis; 6 thin eere be maad herknynge, and thin iyen openyd, that thou here the preier of thi seruaunt, bi which Y preie bifor thee `to dai, bi nyyt and dai, for the sones of Israel, thi seruauntis, and `Y knouleche for the synnes of the sones of Israel, bi which thei han synned to thee; bothe Y and the hows of my fadir han synned; we weren disseyued bi vanyte, 7 and we `kepten not `thi comaundement, and cerymonyes, and domes, which thou comaundidist to Moises, thi seruaunt. 8 Haue mynde of the word, which thou comaundidist to thi seruaunt Moises, and seidist, Whanne ye han trespassid, Y schal scatere you in to puplis; 9 and if ye turnen ayen to me, that ye kepe myn heestis, and do tho, yhe, thouy ye ben led awei to the fertheste thingis of heuene, fro thennus Y schal gadere you togidere, and Y schal brynge you in to the place, which Y chees, that my name schulde dwelle there. 10 And we ben thi seruauntis, and thi puple, whiche thou `ayen bouytist in thi greet strengthe, and in thi strong hond. 11 Lord, Y biseche, `thin eere be ententif to the preier of thi seruaunt, and to the preier of thi seruauntis, that wolen drede thi name; and dresse thi seruaunt to dai, and yiue thou merci to him bifor this man. For Y was the boteler of the kyng. CAP 2. 1 Forsothe it was doon in the monethe Nysan, in the twentithe yeer of Artaxerses, kyng, and wyn was bifor hym, and Y reyside the wyn, and yaf to the kyng, and Y was as langwischynge bifor his face. 2 And the kyng seide to me, Whi is thi cheer sory, sithen Y se not thee sijk? This is not without cause; but `yuel, Y not what, is in thin herte. And Y dredde ful greetli; 3 and seide to the kyng, Kyng, lyue thou withouten ende; whi moreneth not my cheer? for the citee of the hows of the sepulcris of my fadir is desert, `ether forsakun, and the yatis therof ben brent with fier. 4 And the kyng seide to me, For what thing axist thou? And Y preiede God of heuene, 5 and seide to the kyng, If it semeth good to the kyng, and if it plesith thi seruauntis bifor thi face, Y biseche, that thou sende me in to Judee, to the citee of the sepulcre of my fadir, and Y schal bilde it. 6 And the kyng seide to me, and the queen sat bisidis him, `Til to what tyme schal thi weie be, and whanne schalt thou turne ayen? And Y pleside `bifor the cheer of the kyng, and he sente me, and Y ordeynede to hym a time; 7 and Y seide to `the kyng, If it semeth good to kyng, yyue he pistlis to me to the duykis of the cuntrey biyende the flood, that thei lede me ouer, til Y come in to Judee; 8 `and a pistle to Asaph, kepere of the kyngis forest, that he yyue trees to me, that Y may hile the yatis of the tour of the hows, and of the wal of the citee, and the hows, into which Y schal entre. And `the kyng yaf to me, bi the good hond of my God with me. 9 And Y cam to the duykis of the cuntrei biyende the flood, and Y yaf to hem the pistlis of the kyng. Sotheli the kyng `hadde sent with me the princes of knyytis, and horsemen. 10 And Sanaballath Oronythes, and Tobie, the seruaunt Amanytes, herden, and thei weren soreuful bi greet turment, for a man was comun, that souyte prosperite of the sones of Israel. 11 And Y cam in to Jerusalem, and Y was there thre daies. 12 And Y roos bi nyyt, Y and a fewe men with me, and Y schewide not to ony man, what thing God hadde youe in myn herte, that Y wolde do in Jerusalem; and no werk beest was with me, no but the beeste, `on which Y sat. 13 And Y yede out bi the yate of the valei bi nyyt, and bifor the welle of dragoun, and to the yat of drit; and Y bihelde the wal of Jerusalem distried, and the yatis therof wastid bi fier. 14 And Y passid to the yate of the welle, and to the watir cundit of the kyng, and no place was to the hors, `on which Y sat `for to passe; 15 and Y stiede bi the stronde `in nyyt, and Y bihelde the wal, and Y turnede ayen, and cam to the yate of the valei, and Y yede ayen. 16 Forsothe the magistratis wisten not, whidir Y hadde go, ethir what Y wolde do; but also Y hadde not schewid ony thing to the Jewis, and prestis, and to the best men, and magestratis, and to othere men that maden the werk, `til to that `place, that is, til to that tyme. 17 And Y seide to hem, Ye knowen the turment, in which we ben, for Jerusalem is deseert, and the yatis therof ben wastid with fier; come ye, bilde we the wallis of Jerusalem, and be we no more schenship. 18 And Y schewide to hem the hond of my God, that it was good with me, and the wordis of the kyng, whiche he spak to me; and Y seide, Rise we, and bilde we; and the hondis of hem weren coumfortid in good. 19 Forsothe Sanballath Oronytes, and Tobie, the seruaunt Amanytes, and Gosem Arabs, herden, and scorneden vs, and dispisiden; and seiden, What is this thing, which ye doon? whether ye rebellen ayens the kyng? 20 And Y yeldide to hem a word, and seide to hem, God hym silf of heuene helpith vs, and we ben hise seruauntis; rise we, and bilde; forsothe part and riytfulnesse and mynde in Jerusalem is not to you. CAP 3. 1 And Eliasiph, the greet preest, roos, and hise britheren, and prestis, and thei bildiden the yate of the floc; thei maden it stidfast; and settiden the yatis therof, and `til to the tour of an hundrid cubitis, thei maden it stidfast, `til to the tour of Ananehel. 2 And bisidis hym the men of Jerico bildiden; and bisidis hem Zaccur, the sone of Amry, bildide. 3 Forsothe the sones of Asamaa bildiden the yatis of fischis; thei hiliden it, and settiden the yatis therof, and lockis, and barris. And Marymuth, sone of Vrye, the sone of Accus, bildide bisidis hem. 4 And Mosolla, sone of Barachie, the sone of Meseze, bildide bisidis hym. And Sadoch, the sone of Baana, bildide bisidis him. 5 And men of Thecue bildiden bisidis hym; but the principal men of hem puttiden not her neckis vndur in the werk of her Lord God. 6 And Joiada, the sone of Phasea, and Mosollam, the sone of Besoyda, bildiden the elde yate; thei hiliden it, and settiden the yatis therof, and lockis, and barris. 7 And Melchie Gabaonyte, and Jaddon Methonatite, men of Gabaon and of Maspha, bildiden bisidis hem, for the duyk that was in the cuntrei biyende the flood. 8 And Eziel, goldsmyyt, the sone of Araie, bildide bisidis hym; and Annany, the sone of `a makere of oynement, bildide bisidis him; and thei leften Jerusalem `til to the wal of the largere street. 9 And Raphaie, the sone of Hahul, prince of a street of Jerusalem, bildide bisidis him. 10 And Jeieda, the sone of Aramath, bildide bisidis him ayens his owne hous; and Accus, the sone of Asebonye, bildide bisidis hym. 11 Forsothe Melchie, the sone of Herem, and Asub, the sone of Phet Moab, bildiden the half part of the street, and the tour of ouenys. 12 Sellum, the sone of Aloes, prince of the half part of a street of Jerusalem, bildide bisidis hym, he and hise sones. 13 And Amram, and the dwelleris of Zanoe, bildiden the yate of the valei; thei bildiden it, and settiden the yatis therof, and lockis, and barris therof; and thei bildiden a thousynde cubitis in the wal `til to the yate of the dunghil. 14 And Melchie, the sone of Rechab, prynce of a street of Bethacarem, bildide the yate of the dunghil; he bildide it, and settide, and hilide the yatis therof, and lockis, and barris. 15 And Sellum, the sone of Colozai, prince of a toun Maspha, bildide the yate of the welle; he bildide it, and hilide, and settide the yatis therof, and lockis, and barris; and he bildide the wallis of the cisterne of Ciloe `til in to the orchard of the kyng, and `til to the greces of the kyng, that comen doun fro the citee of Dauid. 16 Nemye, the sone of Azboch, prince of the half part of the street of Bethsury, bildide after hym til ayens the sepulcre of Dauid, and `til to the cisterne, which is bildide with greet werk, and `til to the hous of stronge men. 17 Dekenes bildiden after hym; and Reum, the sone of Beny, bildide aftir hem. Asebie, the prince of half part of the street of Cheile, bildide in his street aftir hym. 18 The britheren of hem, Bethyn, the sone of Enadab, prince of the half part of Cheyla, bildiden after hym. 19 And Aser, the sone of Josue, prince of Maspha, bildide bisidis hym the secounde mesure ayens the stiyng of the `moost stidefast corner. 20 Baruch, the sone of Zachay, bildide aftir hym in the hil the secounde mesure fro the corner `til to the yate of the hows of Eliasiph, the greet prest. 21 Marymuth, the sone of Vrie, sone of Zaccur, bildide after hym the secounde mesure fro the yate of Eliasiph, as fer as the hows of Eliasiph was stretchid forth. 22 And prestis, men of the feeldi places of Jordan, bildiden aftir hym. 23 Beniamyn and Asub bildiden after hem ayens her hows; and Azarie, the sone of Maasie, sone of Ananye, bildide aftir hym ayens his owne hows. 24 Bennuy, the sone of Senadad, bildide after hym the secounde mesure fro the hows of Azarie `til to the bowyng and `til to the corner. 25 Phalel, the sone of Ozi, bildide ayens the bowyng, and the tour that stondith forth, fro the hiy hows of the kyng, that is in the large place of the prisoun; Phadaie, the sone of Pheros, bildide after hym. 26 Forsothe Nathynneis dwelliden in Ophel til ayens the yate of watris at the eest, and the tour that apperide. 27 Aftir hym men of Thecue bildiden the secounde mesure euene ayens, fro the greet tour and apperynge `til to the wal of the temple. 28 Forsothe prestis bildiden aboue at the yate of horsis, ech man ayens his hows. Seddo, the sone of Enner, bildide ayens his hows aftir hem. 29 And Semeie, the sone of Sechenye, the kepere of the eest yate, bildide after hym. 30 Ananye, the sone of Selemye, and Anon, the sixte sone of Selon, bildide aftir hym the secounde mesure. Mosallam, the sone of Barachie, bildide ayenus his tresorie after hym. Melchie, the sone of a goldsmiyt, bildide aftir hym `til to the hows of Nathynneis, and of men sillynge scheldis ayens the yate of iugis, and `til to the soler of the corner. 31 And crafti men and marchauntis bildiden with ynne the soler of the corner and the yate of the kyng. CAP 4. 1 Forsothe it was doon, whanne Sanaballath hadde herd, that we bildiden the wal, he was ful wrooth, and he was stirid greetli, and scornede the Jewis. 2 And he seide bifor hise britheren, and the multitude of Samaritans, What doen the feble Jewis? Whether hethene men schulen suffre hem? Whether thei schulen fille, and make sacrifice in o dai? Whether thei moun bilde stonys of the heepis of the dust, that ben brent? 3 But also Tobie Amanytes, his neiybore, seide, Bilde thei; if a fox stieth, he schal `skippe ouer the stony wal `of hem. 4 And Neemye seide, Oure God, here thou, for we ben maad dispising; turne thou the schenschip on her heed, and yyue thou hem in to dispisyng in the lond of caytifte; 5 hile thou not the wickidnesse of hem, and her synnes be not doon awei bifor thi face; for thei scorneden bilderis. 6 Therfor we bildiden the wal, and ioyneden togidere al `til to the half part, and the herte of the puple was exitid to worche. 7 Forsothe it was doon, whanne Sanaballat `hadde herd, and Tobie, and Arabiens, and Amanytys, and men of Azotus hadden herd, that the brekyng of the wal of Jerusalem was stoppid, and that the crasyngis hadden bigunne to be closid togidere, thei weren ful wrothe. 8 And alle weren gaderid togidere to come and fiyte ayens Jerusalem, and to caste tresouns. 9 And we preieden oure Lord God, and we settiden keperis on the wal bi dai and niyt ayens hem. 10 Forsothe Juda seide, The strengthe of the berere is maad feble, and the erthe is ful myche, and we moun not bilde the wal. 11 And oure enemyes seiden, Wite thei not, and knowe thei not, til we comen in to the myddil of hem, and sleen hem, and maken the werk to ceesse. 12 Forsothe it was doon, whanne Jewis came, that dwelliden bisidis hem, and seiden to vs `bi ten tymes, fro alle places fro whiche thei camen to vs, 13 Y ordeynede the puple in ordre, with her swerdis, and speris, and bouwis, in a place bihynde the wal bi cumpas. 14 Y bihelde, and roos, and seide to the principal men, and magistratis, and to `the tother part of the comyn puple, Nyle ye drede of her face; haue ye mynde of the greet Lord, and ferdful, and fiyte ye for youre britheren, and youre sones, and youre douytris, for youre wyues, and housis. 15 Forsothe it was doon, whanne oure enemyes hadden herd that it was teld to vs, God distriede her counsel; and alle we turneden ayen to the wallis, ech man to his werk. 16 And it was doon fro that dai, the half part of yonge men made werk, and the half part was redi to batel; `and speris, and scheldis, and bouwis, and harburiouns, and princes aftir hem, in al the hows of men of Juda, 17 bildynge in the wal, and berynge birthuns, and puttynge on; with her oon hond thei maden werk, and with the tother thei helden swerd. 18 For ech of the bilderis was gird with the swerd on the reynes; and thei bildiden, and sowneden with clariouns bisidis me. 19 And Y seide to the principal men, and magistratis, and to the tothir part of the comyn puple, The werk is greet and brood, and we ben departid fer in the wal, oon from anothir; 20 in what euer place ye heren the sown of the trumpe, renne ye togidere thidur to vs; for oure God schal fiyte for vs. 21 And we `vs silf schal make the werk, and the half part of vs holde speris, fro `the stiyng of the moreutid til that sterris go out. 22 And `in that tyme Y seide to the puple, Ech man with his child dwelle in the myddil of Jerusalem, and whilis be to vs `bi nyyt and dai to worche. 23 But Y, and my britheren, and my keperis, and children, that weren after me, diden not of oure clothis; ech man was maad nakid oneli to waischyng. CAP 5. 1 And greet cry of the puple and of her wyues was maad ayens her britheren Jewis. 2 And there weren that seiden, Oure sones and oure douytris ben ful manye; take we wheete for the prijs of hem, and ete we, and lyue. 3 And there weren that seiden, Sette we forth oure feeldis, and vyneris, and oure howsis, and take we wheete in hungur. 4 And othere men seiden, Take we money bi borewyng in to the tributis of the kyng, and yyue oure feeldis and vyneris. 5 And now as the fleischis of oure britheren ben, so and oure fleischis ben; and as ben the sones of hem, so and oure sones ben; lo! we han maad suget oure sones and oure douytris in to seruage, and seruauntissis ben of oure douytris, and we han not wherof thei moun be ayenbouyt; and othere men han in possessioun oure feeldis, and oure vyneris. 6 And Y was ful wrooth, whanne Y hadde herde the cry of hem bi these wordis. 7 And myn herte thouyte with me, and Y blamede the principal men and magistratis; and Y seide to hem, Axe ye not vsuris, `ech man of youre britheren. And Y gaderide togidire a greet cumpeny ayens hem, 8 and Y seide to hem, As ye witen, we bi oure power ayenbouyten oure britheren Jewis, that weren seeld to hethene men; and ye therfor sillen youre britheren, and schulen we ayenbie hem? And thei holden silence, and founden not what thei schulen answere. 9 And Y seide to hem, It is not good thing, which ye doon; whi goen ye not in the drede of oure God, and repreef be not seid to vs of hethene men, oure enemyes? 10 Bothe Y and my britheren, and my children, han lent to ful many men monei and wheete; in comyn axe we not this ayen; foryyue we alien money, which is due to vs. 11 Yelde ye to hem to dai her feeldis, and her vyneris, her olyue places, and her housis; but rather yyue ye for hem bothe the hundrid part `of money of wheete, of wyn, and of oile, which we weren wont to take of hem. 12 And thei seiden, We schulen yelde, and we schulen axe no thing of hem; and we schulen do so as thou spekist. And Y clepide the preestis, and Y made hem to swere, that thei schulden do aftir that, that Y hadde seid. 13 Ferthermore Y schook my bosum, and Y seide, So God schake awei ech man, `that fillith not this word fro his hows, and hise trauels; and be he schakun awei, and be he maad voide. And al the multitude seide, Amen; and thei herieden God. Therfor the puple dide, as it was seid. 14 Forsothe fro that dai in which the kyng hadde comaundid to me, that Y schulde be duyk in the lond of Juda, fro the twentithe yeer `til to the two and threttithe yeer of Artaxerses kyng, bi twelue yeer, Y and my britheren eeten not sustenauncis, that weren due to duykis. 15 But the firste duykis, that weren bifor me, greuyden the puple, and token of hem in breed, and in wiyn, and in monei, ech dai fourti siclis; but also her mynistris oppressiden the puple. Forsothe Y dide not so, for the drede of God; 16 but rather Y bildide in the werk of the wal, and Y bouyte no feeld, and alle my children weren gaderid to the werk. 17 Also `Jewis and the magistratis of hem, an hundrid and fifti men; and thei that camen to me fro hethene men, that ben in oure cumpas, weren in my table. 18 Forsothe bi ech dai oon oxe was maad redi to me, sixe chosun wetheris, outakun volatils, and withynne ten daies dyuerse wynes; and Y yaf many othere thingis; ferthermore and Y axide not the sustenauncis of my duchee; for the puple was maad ful pore. 19 My God, haue thou mynde of me in to good, bi alle thingis whiche Y dide to this puple. CAP 6. 1 Forsothe it was doon, whanne Sanaballath hadde herd, and Tobie, and Gosem of Arabie, and oure other enemyes, that Y hadde bildide the wal, and nomore brekyng was therynne; sotheli `til to that tyme Y hadde not set leeuys of schittyng in the yatis; 2 Sanaballath, and Tobie, and Gosem of Arabie senten to me, and seiden, Come thou, and smyte we boond of pees in calues, `in o feeld; forsothe thei thouyten for to do yuel to me. 3 Therfor Y sente messangeris to hem, and Y seide, Y make a greet werk, and Y mai not go doun, lest perauenture it be doon retchelesli, whanne Y come, and go doun to you. 4 Sotheli thei senten to me `bi this word bi foure tymes, and Y answeride to hem by the formere word. 5 And Sanaballath sente to me the fyuethe tyme bi the formere word his child; and he hadde in his hond a pistle writun in this maner; 6 It is herd among hethene men, and Gosem seide, that thou and the Jewis thenken for to rebelle, and therfor ye bilden, and thou wolt `reise thee king on hem; 7 for which cause also thou hast set profetis, that prechen of thee in Jerusalem, and seien, A king is in Jerusalem; the king schal here these wordis; therfor come thou now, that we take counsel togidere. 8 And Y sente to hem, and seide, It is not doon bi these wordis whiche thou spekist; for of thin herte thou makist these thingis. 9 Alle these men maden vs aferd, and thouyten that oure hondis schulden ceesse fro werkis, that we schulden reste; for which cause Y coumfortide more myn hond. 10 And Y entride priueli in to the hows of Samaie, sone of Dalie, the sone of Methabehel, which seide, Trete we with vs silf in the hows of God, in the myddis of the temple, and close we the yatis of the hows; for thei schulen come to sle thee, `and thei schulen come `bi niyt to sle thee. 11 And Y seide, Whether ony man lijk me fledde, and who as Y schal entre in to the temple, and schal lyue? 12 Y schal not entre. And Y vndurstood that God `hadde not sent hym, but `he spak as profesiynge to me; and Tobie and Sanaballath `hadden hirid hym for meede. 13 For he hadde take prijs, that Y schulde be aferd, and do, and that Y schulde do synne; and thei schulden haue yuel, which thei schulden putte to me with schenschip. 14 Lord, haue mynde of me, for Tobye and Sanaballath, bi siche werkis `of hem; but also of Noadie, the profete, and of othere profetis, that maden me aferd. 15 Forsothe the wal was fillid in the fyue and twentithe dai of the monethe Ebul, in two and fifti daies. 16 Sotheli it was doon, whanne alle oure enemyes hadden herd, that alle hethene men dredden, that weren in oure cumpas, and thei felden doun with ynne hem silf, and wiste, that this work was maad of God. 17 But also in tho daies many pistlis of the principal men of Jewis weren sent to Tobie, and camen fro Tobie to hem. 18 For many men weren in Judee, and hadden his ooth; for he hadde weddid the douyter of Sechenye, the sone of Rotel; and Johannam, his sone, hadde take the douyter of Mosallam, sone of Barachie. 19 But also thei preisiden hym bifor me, and telden my wordis to hym; and Tobie sente lettris, for to make me aferd. CAP 7. 1 Forsothe aftir that the wal of Jerusalem was bildid, and Y hadde set yatis, and Y hadde noumbrid porters, and syngeris, 2 and dekenys, Y comaundide to Aneny, my brother, and to Ananye, the prince of the hows of Jerusalem; for he semyde a sothefast man, and dredynge God more than othere men diden; 3 `and Y seide `to hem, The yatis of Jerusalem ben not openyd `til to the heete of the sunne; and, whanne Y was yit present, the yatis weren closid, and lockid. And Y settide keperis of the dwelleris of Jerusalem, alle men bi her whilis, and ech man ayens his hows. 4 Sotheli the citee was ful brood and greet, and litil puple was in myddis therof, and housis weren not bildid. 5 Forsothe God yaf in myn herte, and Y gaderide togidere the principal men, and magistratis, and the comyn puple, for to noumbre hem; and Y foond the book of the noumbre of hem, that hadden stied first. And it was foundun writun ther ynne, 6 These ben the sones of the prouynce, `that stieden fro the caitifte of men passynge ouer, whiche Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyne, hadde `translatid, ether led ouer; 7 and thei that weren comun with Zorobabel turneden ayen in to Jerusalem and in to Judee, ech man in to his citee; Josue, Neemye, Azarie, Raanye, Naanum, Mardochee, Bethsar, Mespharath, Beggaay, Naum, Baana. The noumbre of men of the puple of Israel; 8 the sones of Pharos, two thousynde an hundrid and two and seuenti; the sones of Saphaie, 9 thre hundrid and two and seuenti; 10 the sones of Area, sixe hundrid and two and fifti; the sones of Phaeth Moab, 11 of the sones of Josue and of Joab, two thousynde eiyte hundrid and eiytene; 12 the sones of Helam, a thousynde eiyte hundrid and foure and fifti; 13 the sones of Ezecua, eiyte hundrid and fyue and fourti; 14 the sones of Zachai, seuene hundrid and sixti; 15 the sones of Bennuy, sixe hundrid and eiyte and fourti; 16 the sones of Hebahi, sixe hundrid and eiyte and twenti; 17 the sones of Degad, two thousynde thre hundrid and two and twenti; 18 the sones of Azonicam, sixe hundrid and seuene and sixti; 19 the sones of Bagoamy, two thousynde and seuene and sixti; 20 the sones of Adyn, sixe hundrid and fiue and fifti; 21 the sones of Azer, sone of Ezechie, eiyte and twenti; 22 the sones of Asem, thre hundrid and eiyte and twenti; the sones of Bethsai, 23 thre hundrid and foure and twenti; 24 the sones of Areph, an hundrid and seuene and twenti; 25 the sones of Zabaon, fyue and twenti; 26 the men of Bethleem and of Necupha, an hundrid foure score and eiyte; 27 the men of Anatoth, an hundrid and eiyte and twenti; 28 the men of Bethamoth, two and fourti; 29 the men of Cariathiarym, of Cephura, and Beroth, seuene hundrid and thre and fourti; 30 the men of Rama and of Gabaa, sixe hundrid and oon and twenti; the men of Machimas, 31 two hundrid and two and twenti; 32 the men of Bethel and of Hay, an hundrid and thre and twenti; the men of the tother Nebo, 33 two and fifti; 34 the men of the tother Helam, a thousynde two hundrid and foure and fifti; 35 the sones of Arem, thre hundrid and twenti; 36 the sones of Jerico, thre hundrid and fyue and fourti; 37 the sones of Joiadid and Anon, seuene hundrid and oon and twenti; 38 the sones of Senaa, thre thousynde nyne hundrid and thritti; preestis, 39 the sones of Idaie, in the hous of Josua, nyne hundrid and foure and seuenti; the sones of Emmer, 40 a thousynde and two and fifti; 41 the sones of Phassur, a thousynd two hundrid and `seuene and fourti; 42 the sones of Arem, a thousynde and eiytene; 43 dekenes, the sones of Josue and of Gadymel, 44 sones of Odyna, foure and seuenti; 45 syngeris, the sones of Asaph, an hundrid and seuene and fourti; 46 porteris, the sones of Sellum, sones of Ater, sones of Thelmon, sones of Accub, sones of Accita, sones of Sobai, an hundrid and eiyte and thretti; 47 Nathynneis, sones of Soa, sones of Aspha, sones of Thebaoth, sones of Cheros, 48 sones of Sicca, sones of Phado, sones of Lebana, sones of Agaba, sones of Selmon, 49 sones of Anan, sones of Geddel, 50 sones of Gaer, sones of Raaie, sones of Rasym, 51 sones of Necuda, sones of Jezem, sones of Asa, sones of Phascha, sones of Besai, 52 sones of Mynum, sones of Nephusym, 53 sones of Bechue, sones of Acupha, sones of Assur, 54 sones of Belloth, sones of Meida, 55 sones of Arsa, sones of Berchos, sones of Sisara, 56 sones of Thema, sones of Nesia, 57 sones of Atipha, sones of the seruauntis of Salomon, sones of Sothai, sones of Sophoreth, 58 sones of Pherida, sones of Jacala, sones of Dalcon, sones of Geddel, sones of Saphatie, 59 sones of Atthal, the sones of Phetereth, `that was borun of Abaim, sone of Amon; 60 alle Natynneis, and the sones of the seruauntis of Salomon, weren thre hundrid and two and twenti. 61 Forsothe these it ben that stieden, Dethemel, Mela, Thelarsa, Cherub, Addo, and Emmer, and myyten not schewe the hows of her fadris, and her seed, whether thei weren of Israel; the sones of Dalaie, 62 the sones of Tobie, the sones of Nethoda, sixe hundrid and two and fourti; 63 and of prestis, the sones of Abia, the sones of Achos, the sones of Berzellai, that took a wijf of the douytris of Berzellai of Galaad, and was clepid bi the name of hem; 64 these souyten the scripture of her genelogie, and founden not, and weren cast out of presthod. 65 And Athersata seide to hem, that thei schulden not eete of the hooli thingis of hooli men, til a wijs prest `and lerud roos. 66 Al the multitude as o man, two and fourti thousynde sixe hundrid and sixti, 67 outakun the seruauntis and handmaidis of hem, that weren seuene thousynde thre hundrid and seuene and thretti; and among the syngeris and syngeressis, sixe hundrid and fyue and fourti. 68 The horsis of hem, sixe hundrid and sixe and thritti; the mulis of hem, two hundrid and fyue and fourti; 69 the camels of hem, foure hundrid and fyue and thritti; the assis of hem, sixe thousynde eiyte hundrid and thritti. 70 Forsothe summe of the princes of meynees yauen costis in to the werk of God; Athersata yaf in to the tresour, a thousynde dragmes of gold, fifti viols, fyue hundrid and thritti cootis of prestis. 71 And of the prynces of meynees thei yauen in to the tresour of the werk, twenti thousynde dragmes of gold, and two thousynde and two hundrid besauntis of siluer. 72 And that that the residue puple yaf, twenti thousynde dragmes of gold, and two thousynde besauntis of siluer, and seuene and sixti cootis of prestis. Sotheli prestis, and dekenes, and porteris, and syngeris, and the residue puple, and Natynneis, and al Israel dwelliden in her citees. CAP 8. 1 And the seuenthe monethe `was comun vndur Esdras and Neemye; sotheli the sones of Israel weren in her cytees. And al the puple was gaderid togydere as o man, to the street which is bifor the yate of watris. And thei seiden to Esdras, the scribe, that he schulde brynge the book of the lawe of Moises, which the Lord hadde comaundid to Israel. 2 Therfor Esdras, the preest, brouyte the lawe bifor the multitude of men and of wymmen, and bifor alle that myyten vndurstonde, `in the firste day of the seuenth monethe. 3 And he redde in it opynli in the street that was bifor the yate of watris, fro the morewtid `til to myddai, in the siyt of men and of wymmen and of wise men; and the eeris of al the puple weren reisid to the book. 4 Forsothe Esdras the writere stood on the grees of tree, which he hadde maad to speke theron; and Mathatie, and Semma, and Ananye, and Vrie, and Elchie, and Maasie stoden bisidis hym at his riyt half; and Phadaie, Mysael, and Melchie, Assum, and Aseph, Dana, and Zacharie, and Mosollam stoden at the left half. 5 And Esdras openyde the book bifor al the puple; for he apperide ouer al the puple; and whanne he hadde openyd the book, al the puple stood. 6 And Esdras blesside the Lord God with greet vois; and al the puple answeride, Amen, Amen, reisynge her hondis. And thei weren bowid, and thei worschipiden God, lowli on the erthe. 7 Forsothe Josue, and Baany, and Serebie, Jamyn, Acub, Septhai, Odia, Maasie, Celitha, Ayarie, Jozabeth, Anan, Phallaie, dekenes, maden silence in the puple for to here the lawe. Sotheli the puple stood in her degree. 8 And thei redden in the book of Goddis lawe distinctli, `ether atreet, and opynli to vndurstonde; `and thei vndurstoden, whanne it was red. 9 Forsothe Neemye seide, he is Athersata, and Esdras, the preest and writere, and the dekenes, expownynge to al the puple, It is a dai halewid to `oure Lord God; nyle ye morne, and nyle ye wepe. For al the puple wepte, whanne it herde the wordis of the lawe. 10 And he seide to hem, Go ye, and `ete ye fatte thingis, and drynke ye wiyn `maad swete with hony, and sende ye partis to hem, that maden not redi to hem silf, for it is an hooli dai of the Lord; `nyle ye be sory, for the ioye of the Lord is youre strengthe. 11 Sotheli the dekenes maden silence in al the puple, and seiden, Be ye stille, for it is an hooli dai, and `nyle ye make sorewe. 12 Therfor al the puple yede for to ete, and drynke, and to sende partis, and `to make greet gladnesse; for thei vndurstoden the wordis, whiche he hadde tauyt hem. 13 And in the secound dai the princes of meynees, alle the puplis, prestis, and dekenes, weren gaderid togidere to Esdras, the writere, that he schulde expowne to hem the wordis of the lawe. 14 And thei foundun writun in the lawe, that the Lord comaundide `in the hond of Moyses, that the sones of Israel dwelle in tabernaclis in the solempne dai, in the seuenthe moneth; 15 and that thei preche, and pupplische a vois in alle her citees, and in Jerusalem; and seie, Go ye out in to the hil, and brynge ye bowis of olyue, and bowis of the faireste tree, the bowis of a myrte tree, and the braunchis of a palm tree, and the bowis of a `tree ful of wode, that tabernaclis be maad, as it is writun. 16 And al the puple yede out, and thei brouyten, and maden to hem silf tabernaclis, `ech man in `his hows roof, and in her stretis, `ether foryerdis, and in the large placis of Goddis hows, and in the street of the yate of watris, and in the street of the yate of Effraym. 17 Therfor al the chirche of hem, that camen ayen fro caytifte, made tabernaclis, and thei dwelliden in tabernaclis. For the sones of Israel hadden not do siche thingis fro the daies of Josue, sone of Nun, `til to that dai; and ful greet gladnesse was. 18 Forsothe Esdras radde in the book of Goddis lawe bi alle daies, fro the firste dai `til to the laste dai; and thei maden solempnytee bi seuene daies, and in the eiyte day thei maden a gaderyng of siluer, `bi the custom. CAP 9. 1 Forsothe in the foure and twentithe dai of this monethe, the sones of Israel camen togidere in fastyng, 2 and in sackis, and `erthe was on hem. And the seed of the sones of Israel was departid fro ech alien sone. And thei stoden bifor the Lord, and knoulechiden her synnes, and the wickidnessis of her fadris. 3 And thei risiden togidere to stonde; and thei redden in the book of the lawe of `her Lord God fouresithis in the dai, and fouresithis in the niyt; thei knoulechiden, and herieden `her Lord God. 4 Forsothe `thei risiden on the degree, of dekenes, Jesuy, and Bany, Cedynyel, Remmy, Abany, Sarabie, Bany, and Chanany. 5 And the dekenes crieden with grete vois to her Lord God. And Jesue, and Cedyniel, Bonny, Assebie, Serebie, Arabie, Odaie, Sebua, and Facaia, seiden, Rise ye, and blesse ye `youre Lord God fro without bigynnyng and til in to with outen ende; and blesse thei the hiye name of thi glorie in al blessyng and preysyng. 6 And Esdras seide, Thou thi silf, Lord, art aloone; thou madist heuene and the heuene of heuenes, and al the oost of tho heuenes; thou madist the erthe and alle thingis that ben there ynne; `thou madist the sees and alle thingis that ben in tho; and thou quikenyst alle these thingis; and the oost of heuene worschipith thee. 7 Thou thi silf art the Lord God, that chesidist Abram, and leddist hym out of the fier of Caldeis, and settidist his name Abraham; 8 and foundist his herte feithful bifor thee, and thou hast smyte with hym a boond of pees, that thou woldist yyue to hym the lond of Cananei, of Ethei, of Euey, and of Ammorrei, and of Pherezei, and of Jebuzei, and of Gergesei, that thou woldist yyue it to his seed; and thou hast fillid thi wordis, for thou art iust. 9 And thou hast seyn the turment of oure fadris in Egipt, and thou herdist the cry of hem on the reed see. 10 And thou hast youe signes and grete wondris in Farao, and in alle hise seruauntis, and in al the puple of that lond; for thou knowist, that thei diden proudli ayens oure fadris; and thou madist to thee a name, as also in this dai. 11 And thou departidist the see bifor hem, and thei passiden thorou the `myddis of the see in the drie place; forsothe thou castidist doun the pursueris of hem into depthe, as a stoon in strong watris. 12 And in a piler of cloude thou were the ledere of hem bi dai, and in a piler of fier bi nyyt, that the weie, bi which thei entriden, schulde appere to hem. 13 Also thou camest doun at the hil of Synai, and spakist with hem fro heuene, and thou yauest to hem riytful domes, and the lawe of trewthe, cerymonyes, and goode comaundementis. 14 And thou schewidist to hem an halewid sabat; and thou comaundidist `to hem comaundementis, and cerymonyes, and lawe, in the hond of Moises, thi seruaunt. 15 Also thou yauest to hem breed fro heuene in her hungur; and thou leddist out of the stoon watir to hem thirstinge; and thou seidist to hem, that thei schulden entre, and haue in possessioun the lond, on which lond thou reisidist thin hond, that thou schuldist yyue it to hem. 16 But `thei and oure fadris diden proudli, and maden hard her nollis, and herden not thi comaundementis. 17 And thei nolden here; and thei hadden not mynde of thi merueils, which thou haddist do to hem; and thei maden hard her nollis; and thei yauen the heed, that thei `weren al turned to her seruage as bi strijf; but thou art God helpful, meke, and merciful, abidynge longe, `ether pacient, and of myche merciful doyng, and forsokist not hem; 18 and sotheli whanne thei hadden maad to hem a yotun calf, as bi strijf, and hadden seid, This is thi God, that `ledde thee out of Egipt, and thei diden grete blasfemyes. 19 But thou in thi many mercyes leftist not hem in deseert; for a piler of cloude yede not awei fro hem bi the dai, that it schulde lede hem in to the weie; and a piler of fier yede not awei `fro hem bi nyyt, that it schulde schewe to hem the weie, bi which thei schulden entre. 20 And thou yauest to hem thi good Spirit, that tauyte hem; and thou forbedist not thin aungels mete fro her mouth, and thou yauest to hem water in thirst. 21 Fourti yeer thou feddist hem in deseert, and no thing failide to hem; her clothis wexiden not elde, and her feet weren not hirt. 22 And thou yauest to hem rewmes, and puplis; and thou departidist lottis, `ether eritagis, to hem, and thei hadden in possessioun the lond of Seon, and the lond of the kyng of Esebon, and the lond of Og, kyng of Basan. 23 And thou multipliedist the sones of hem, as the sterris of heuene; and thou brouytist hem to the lond, of which thou seidist to her fadris, that thei schulden entre, and holde it in possessioun. 24 And the sones of Israel camen, and hadden the lond in possessioun; and bifor hem thou madist low the dwellers of the lond, Cananeis; and thou yauest hem in to the hondis of the sones of Israel, and the kyngis of hem, and the puplis of the lond, that thei diden to hem, as it pleside hem. 25 And thei token citees maad strong, and fat erthe; and thei hadden in possessioun housis fulle of alle goodis, cisternes maad of othere men, vineris, and places of olyues, and many apple trees. And thei eeten, and weren fillid, and weren maad fat; and hadden plentee of ritchessis `in thi greet goodnesse. 26 Sotheli thei terriden thee to wrathfulnesse, and yeden awei fro thee, and castiden awei thi lawe bihynde her backis; and thei killiden thi prophetis, that witnessiden to hem, that thei schulden turne ayen to thee; and thei diden grete blasfemyes. 27 And thou yauest hem in to the hond of her enemyes; and thei turmentiden hem; and in the tyme of her tribulacioun thei crieden to thee; and thou herdist them fro heuyn, and bi thi many merciful doyngis thou yauest hem sauyours, that sauyden hem fro the hond of her enemyes. 28 And whanne thei hadden restid, thei turneden ayen to do yuel in thi siyt; and thou forsokist hem in the hond of her enemyes, and enemyes hadden hem in possessioun; and thei weren conuertid, and thei crieden to thee; forsothe thou herdist hem fro heuene, and delyueridist hem `in thi mercies in many tymes. 29 And thou witnessidist to hem, that thei schulden turne ayen to thi lawe; but thei diden proudli, and herden not thin heestis, and synneden in thi domes, whiche a man that schal do schal lyue in tho; and thei yauen the schuldre goynge awei, and thei maden hard her nol. 3 And thou drowist along many yeeris on hem, and thou witnessidist to hem in thi Spirit bi the hond of thi prophetis; and thei herden not; and thou yauest hem in to the hond of the puplis of londis. 31 But in thi mercies ful manye thou madist not hem in to wastyng, nethir thou forsokist hem; for thou art God of merciful doynges, and meke. 32 Now therfor, oure Lord God, greet God, strong, and ferdful, kepynge couenaunt and merci, turne thou not awei thi face in al the trauel that foond vs, oure kyngis, and oure princes, and oure fadris, and oure preestis, and oure profetis, and al thi puple, fro the daies of kyng Assur til to this dai. 33 And thou art iust in alle thingis, that camen on vs, for thou didist trewthe to vs; but we han do wickidli. 34 Oure kyngis, and oure princes, oure prestis, and fadris `diden not thi lawe; and thei perseyueden not thin heestis and witnessyngis, whiche thou witnessidist in hem. 35 And thei in her good rewmes, and in thi myche goodnesse, which thou yauest to hem, and in the largest lond and fat, whych thou haddist youe in the siyt of hem, serueden not thee, nether turneden ayen fro her werste studies. 36 Lo! we `vs silf ben thrallis to dai; and the lond which thou yauest to oure fadris, that thei schulden ete the breed therof, and the goodis that ben therof, `is thral; and we `vs silf ben thrallis, `ethir boonde men, in that lond. 37 And the fruytis therof ben multiplied to kyngis, whiche thou hast set on vs for oure synnes; and thei ben lordis of oure bodies, and of oure beestis, bi her wille, and we ben in greet tribulacioun. CAP 10. 38 Therfor on alle these thingis we `vs silf smyten and writen boond of pees, and oure princes, oure dekenes, and oure prestis aseelen. 1 Forsothe the seeleris weren Neemye, Athersata, the sone of Achilai, 2 and Sedechie, Saraie, Azarie, Jeremye, Phasur, 3 Amarie, Melchie, 4 Accus, Sebenye, 5 Mellucarem, Nerymuth, Oddie, Danyel, 6 Genton, Baruc, Mosollam, Abia, 7 Mianymy, Mazie, Belga, and Semeie; 8 these weren prestis. 9 Forsothe dekenes weren Josue, the sone of Azarie, Bennuy, of the sones of Ennadab, 10 Cedinyel, and hise britheren, Sethenye, Odenmye, Telita, Phalaie, Anam, 11 Myca, Roob, Asebie 12 Zaccur, Serebie, Sabanye, 13 Odias, Bany, Hamyn. 14 The heedis of the puple, Phetos, Moab, Elam, 15 Zecu, Banny, Bonny, Azgad, Bebay, 16 Donai, Bogoia, Adyn, 17 Ather, Azochie, Azur, 18 Odenye, Assuyn, Bessaie, 19 Ares, Anatoth, Nebai, 20 Methpie, Mosollam, Azir, 21 Meizabel, Sadoch, Reddua, 22 Pheltie, Ananye, Osee, 23 Anaie, Azub, Aloes, 24 Phaleam, Sobeth, 25 Reu, Asebyne, Mathsie, 26 Ethaie, Anam, 27 Mellucarem, Baana; 28 and othere of the puple, prestis, dekenes, porteris, and syngeris, Natynneis, and alle men that departiden hem silf fro the puplis of londis to the lawe of God, the wyues of hem, and `the sones of hem, and the douytris of hem; 29 alle that myyten vndurstonde, bihetynge for her britheren, the principal men of hem, `and thei that camen to biheete, and to swere, that thei schulden go in the lawe of the Lord, which he `hadde youe bi the hond of Moyses, his seruaunt, that thei schulden do and kepe alle the heestis of `oure Lord God, and hise domes, and hise cerymonyes; and that we schulden not yyue 30 oure douytris to the puple of the lond, and that we schulden not take her douytris to oure sones. 31 Also the puplis of the lond, `that bryngen in thingis set to sale, and alle thingis to vss, bi the dai of sabat, for to sille, we schulen not take of hem in the sabat, and in a dai halewid; and we schulen leeue the seuenthe yeer, and the axynge of al hond. 32 And we schulen ordeyne comaundementis `on vs, that we yyue the thridde part of a sicle `bi the yeer to the werk of `oure Lord God, 33 to the looues of settyngforth, and to the euerlastynge sacrifice, `and in to brent sacrifice euerlastynge, in sabatis, in calendis, `that is, bigynnyngis of monethis, in solempnytees, in halewid daies, and for synne, that `me preie for Israel, and in to al the vss of the hows of oure God. 34 `Therfor we senten `lottis on the offryng of trees, bitwixe prestis and dekenes and the puple, that tho schulden be brouyt in to the hows of oure God, bi the housis of oure fadris bi tymes, fro the tymes of a yeer `til to a yeer, that `tho schulden brenne on the auter of `oure Lord God, as it is writun in the lawe of Moyses; 35 and that we bringe the firste gendrid thingis of oure lond, and the firste fruytis of al fruyt of ech tree, fro yeer in to yeer, 36 in to the hows of the Lord, and the firste gendrid thingis of oure sones, and of oure beestis, as it is writun in the lawe, and the firste gendrid thingis of oure oxis, and of oure scheep, that tho be offrid in the hows of oure God, to prestis that mynystren in the hows of oure God; 37 and we schulen brynge the firste fruytis of oure metis, and of oure moiste sacrifices, and the applis of ech tre, and of vendage, and of oile, to `prestis, at the treserie of the Lord, and the tenthe part of oure lond to dekenes; thilke dekenes schulen take tithis of alle the citees of oure werkis. 38 Sotheli a prest, the sone of Aaron, schal be with the dekenes in the tithis of dekenes; and the dekenes schulen offre the tenthe part of her tithe in the hows of oure God, `at the tresorie, in the hows of tresour. 39 For the sones of Israel and the sones of Leuy schulen brynge the firste fruytis of wheete, of wiyn, and of oile; and halewid vessels schulen be there, and prestis, and syngeris, and porteris, and mynystris; and we schulen not forsake the hows of `oure God. CAP 11. 1 Forsothe the princis of the puple dwelliden in Jerusalem; the principal men dwelliden in the myddis of the puple with out lot; but the residue puple sente lot, for to take o part of ten, `whiche schulden dwelle in Jerusalem, in the hooli citee; the tenthe part of the puple is chosun for to dwelle in Jerusalem, for the citee was voide; forsothe the nyne partis dwelliden in citees. 2 Forsothe the puple blesside alle men, that profriden hem silf bi fre wille to dwelle in Jerusalem. 3 And so these ben the princes of prouynce, that dwelliden in Jerusalem, and in the citees of Juda; sothely ech man dwellide in his possessioun, in her citees of Israel, prestis, dekenes, Nathynneis, and the sones of the seruauntis of Salomon. 4 And men of the sones of Juda, and of the sones of Beniamyn dwelliden in Jerusalem; of the sones of Juda, Athaie, the sone of Aziam, sone of Zacarie, sone of Amarie, sone of Saphie, sone of Malaleel; 5 of the sones of Phares, Amasie, the sone of Baruch, the sone of Colozay, the sone of Azie, the sone of Adaie, the sone of Jozarib, the sone of Zacarie, the sone of Salonytes; alle the sones of Phares, 6 that dwelliden in Jerusalem, weren foure hundrid eiyte and sixti, stronge men. 7 Sotheli these ben the sones of Beniamyn; Sellum, the sone of Mosollam, the sone of Joedi, the sone of Sadaie, the sone of Colaie, the sone of Masie, the sone of Ethel, the sone of Saie; 8 and aftir hym Gabai, Sellai, nynti and eiyte and twenti; and Johel, the sone of Zechri, was the souereyn of hem, and Judas, the sone of Semyna, was the secounde man on the citee. 10 And of prestis; Idaie, 11 sone of Joarib, Jachyn, Saraie, the sone of Helchie, the sone of Mossollam, the sone of Sadoch, the sone of Meraioth, the sone of Achitob, `the princis of `Goddis hows, 12 and her britheren, makynge the werkis of the temple, weren eiyte hundrid and two and twenti. And Adaie, the sone of Jeroam, the sone of Pheler, the sone of Amsi, the sone of Zacarie, the sone of Phessur, 13 the sone of Melchie, and the britheren of hem, the princes of fadris, weren two hundrid and two and fourti. And Amasie, the sone of Azrihel, the sone of Azi, the sone of Mosollamoth, the sone of Semyner, 14 and her britheren, ful myyti men, weren an hundrid and eiyte and twenti; and the souereyn of hem was Zebdiel, the sone of myyty men. 15 And of dekenes; Sechenye, the sone of Azab, the sone of Azarie, the sone of Azabie, the sone of Bone, and Sabathai; 16 and Jozabed was ordened of the princes of dekenes, on alle the werkis that weren with out forth in Goddis hows. 17 And Mathanye, the sone of Mycha, the sone of Zebdai, the sone of Asaph, was prince, to herie and to knowleche in preier; and Bethechie was the secounde of hise britheren, and Abdie, the sone of Sammya, the sone of Galal, the sone of Iditum. 18 Alle the dekenes in the hooli citee, weren two hundrid and foure score and foure. 19 And the porteris, Accub, Thelmon, and the britheren of hem, that kepten the doris, weren an hundrid `and two and seuenti. 20 And othere men of Israel, prestis, and dekenes, in alle the citees of Juda, ech man in his possessioun. 21 And Natynneis, that dwelliden in Ophel, and Siacha, and Gaspha; of Natynneis. 22 And bischopis of dekenes in Jerusalem; Azi, the sone of Bany, the sone of Asabie, the sone of Mathanye, the sone of Mychee. Of the sones of Asaph, syngeris in the seruyce of Goddis hows. 23 For the comaundement of the kyng was on hem, and ordre was in syngeris bi alle daies; 24 and Aphataie, the sone of Mosezehel, of the sones of Zara, sone of Juda, in the hond of the kyng, bi ech word of the puple; 25 and in the housis bi alle the cuntreis of hem. Of the sones of Juda dwelliden in Cariatharbe, and in the vilagis therof, and in Dibon, and in the vilagis therof, and in Capseel, and in the townes therof; 26 and in Jesue, and in Molada, and in Bethpheleth, 27 and in Asersual, and in Bersabee, and in the vilagis therof; 28 and in Sicheleg, and in Mochone, and in the vilagis therof; 29 and in Remmon, and in Sara, 30 and in Jerymuth, Zonocha, Odollam, and in the townes `of tho; in Lachis, and in the cuntreis therof; in Azecha and the vilagis therof; and thei dwelliden in Bersabee `til to the valei of Ennon. 31 Forsothe the sones of Beniamyn dwelliden in Areba, Mechynas, and Aia, and Bethel and vilagis therof; 32 in Anatoth, Nob, Ananya, 33 Asor, Rama, Jethaym, 34 Adid, Soboym, 35 Nebollaloth, and in Onam, the valei of crafti men. 36 And of dekenes, `the porciouns of Juda and of Beniamyn. CAP 12. 1 Sotheli these weren prestis and dekenes, that stieden with Zorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and with Josue; Saraie, Jeremye, 2 Esdras, Amarie, Melluch, Accus, 3 Sechenye, Reum, Merymucth, 4 Addo, Jethon, Myomyn, 5 Abia, Meldaa, Belga, Semeie, and Joarib, 6 Adaie, Sellum, Amoe, Elceia, and Jadie; 7 these weren the princes of prestis `and her britheren, in the daies of Josue. 8 Certis dekenes; Jesua, Bennuy, Cedynyel, Serabie, Juda, Mathanye, `weren ouer the ympnes, `thei and her britheren; 9 and Bezechie, and Ezanny, and the britheren of hem, ech man in his office. 10 Sotheli Josue gendride Joachym, and Joachym gendride Eliasib, and Eliasib gendride Joiada, 11 and Joiada gendride Jonathan, and Jonathan gendride Jeddaia. 12 Forsothe in the daies of Joachym weren prestis, and princis of meynees of prestis, Saraie, Amarie, Jeremye, Ananye, Esdre, 13 Mosollam, Amarie, Johannam, 14 Mylico, Jonathan, Sebenye, 15 Joseph, Aram, Edua, 16 Maraioth, Elchie, Addaie, Zacharie, Genthon, 17 Mosollam, Abie, Zecherie, Myamyn, and Moadie, 18 Phelti, Belge, Sannya, Semeie, 19 Jonathan, Joarib, Mathanye, Jodaie, Azi, 20 Sellaye, Mochebor, Helchie, 21 Asebie, Idaie, Nathanael. 22 Dekenes in the daies of Eliasib, and of Joiada, and of Jonam, and of Jedda, weren writun princes of meynees, `and prestis in the rewme of Darius of Persis. 23 The sones of Leuy, princes of meynees, weren writun in the book of wordis of daies, and `til to the daies of Jonathan, sone of Eliasib. 24 `And the princes of dekenes weren Asebie, Serebie, and Jesue, the sone of Cedynyel; and the britheren of hem bi her whiles, that thei schulden herie and knowleche bi the comaundement of kyng Dauid, the man of God, and thei schulden kepe euenli bi ordre. 25 Mathanye, and Bethbecie, and Obedie, Mosollam, Thelmon, Accub, weren keperis of the yatis, and of the porchis bifor the yatis. 26 These weren in the daies of Joachym, sone of Josue, sone of Josedech, and in the daies of Neemye, duyk, and of Esdras, the prest and writere. 27 Forsothe in the halewyng of the wal of Jerusalem thei souyten dekenes of alle her places, to bryng hem in to Jerusalem, and to make the halewyng in gladnesse, in the doyng of thankyngis, and in song, and in cymbalis, and in sautrees, and in harpis. 28 Sotheli the sones of syngeris weren gaderid bothe fro the feeldi places aboute Jerusalem, and fro the townes of Nethophati, 29 and fro the hows of Galgal, and fro the cuntreis of Gebez, and of Amanech; for syngeris hadden bildid townes to hem silf in the cumpas of Jerusalem. 30 And prestis and dekenes weren clensid, and thei clensiden the puple, and the yatis, and the wal. 31 Forsothe Y made the princes of Juda to stie on the wal, and Y ordeynede twei greete queris of men heriynge; and thei yeden to the riyt side on the wal, to the yate of the dunghil. 32 And Osaie yede aftir hem, and the half part of prynces of Juda, 33 and Azarie, Esdras, and Mosollam, Juda, and Beniamyn, and Semeye, and Jeremye `yeden aftir hem. 34 And of the sones of prestis syngynge in trumpis; Zacharie, the sone of Jonathan, the sone of Semeie, the sone of Mathanye, the sone of Machaie, the sone of Zeccur, the sone of Asaph. 35 And hise britheren; Semeie, and Azarel, Malalai, Galalai, Maai, Nathanael, and Juda, and Amany, in the instrumentis of song of Dauid, the man of God; and Esdras, the wrytere, bifor hem, in the yate of the welle. 36 And thei stieden ayens hem in the greis of the citee of Dauid, in the stiyng of the wal, on the hows of Dauid, and `til to the yate of watris at the eest. 37 And the secounde queer of men tellynge thankyngis yede euene ayens, and Y aftir hym; and the half part of the puple was on the wal, and on the tour of ouenys, and `til to the broddeste wal; 38 and on the yate of Effraym, and on the elde yate, and on the yate of fischis, and on the toure of Ananeel, and on the tour of Emath, and thei camen `til to the yate of the floc; 39 and thei stoden in the yate of kepyng. And twei queeris of men heriynge stoden in the hows of God, and Y and the half part of magistratis with me. 40 And the prestis, Eliachym, Maasie, Myamyn, Mychea, Helioneai, Zacharie, Ananye, in trumpis; 41 and Maasie, and Senea, and Eleazar, and Azi, and Johannan, and Melchia, and Elam, and Ezer; and the syngeris sungen clereli, and Jezraie, the souereyn. 42 And thei offriden in that dai grete sacrifices, and weren glad; `for God `hadde maad hem glad with grete gladnesse. But also her wyues and lawful childre weren ioiful, and the gladnesse of Jerusalem was herd fer. 43 Also thei noumbriden in that dai men ouer the keping places of tresour, to moiste sacrifices, and to the firste fruytis, and to tithis, that the princes of the citee schulden brynge in bi hem, `in the fairenesse of doyng of thankyngis, prestis and dekenes; for Juda was glad in prestis and dekenes present. 44 And thei kepten the kepyng of her God, the kepyng of clensyng; and syngeris, and porteris, bi the comaundement of Dauid and of Salomon, his sone; 45 for in the daies of Dauid and of Asaph fro the bigynnyng princes of syngeris weren ordeyned, heriyng in song, and knoulechynge to God. 46 And al Israel, in the daies of Zorobabel, and in the daies of Neemye, yauen partis to syngeris and to porteris bi alle `the daies; and thei halewiden dekenes, and the dekenes halewiden the sones of Aaron. CAP 13. 1 Forsothe in that dai it was red in the book of Moises, in heryng of the puple; and it was foundun writun ther ynne, that Amonytis and Moabitis owen not entre in to the chirche of God til in to with outen ende; 2 for thei metten not the sones of Israel with breed and watir, and thei hiriden ayens the sones of Israel Balaam, for to curse hem; and oure God turnede the cursyng in to blessyng. 3 Sotheli it was doon, whanne `thei hadden herd the lawe, thei departiden ech alien fro Israel. 4 And upon these thingis Eliasib, the prest, `was blameful, that was the souereyn in the tresorie of the hows of oure God, and was the neiybore of Tobie. 5 Therfor he made to him a grete treserie, `that is, in the hows of God; and men kepynge yiftis, and encence, and vessels, and the tithe of wheete, of wyn, and of oile, the partis of dekenes, and of syngeris, and of porteris, and the firste fruytis of prestis, `weren there bifor him. 6 Forsothe in alle these thingis Y was not in Jerusalem; for in the two and thrittithe yeer of Artaxerses, kyng of Babiloyne, Y cam to the kyng, and in the ende of daies Y preiede the kyng. 7 And Y cam in to Jerusalem, and Y vndurstood the yuel, which Eliasib hadde do to Tobie, to make to hym a tresour in the porchis of Goddis hows; and to me it semede ful yuel. 8 And Y castide forth the vessels of the hows of Tobie out of the tresorie; 9 and Y comaundide, and thei clensiden the tresories; and Y brouyte ayen there the vessels of Goddis hous, sacrifice, and encence. 10 And Y knew that the partes of dekenes weren not youun, and that ech man of the dekenes and of the syngeris, and of hem that mynystriden hadde fledde in to his cuntrei; 11 and Y dide the cause ayens magistratis, and Y seide, Whi `forsaken we the hous of God? And Y gaderide hem togidere, `that is, dekenes and mynystris `that hadden go awei, and Y made hem to stonde in her stondyngis. 12 And al Juda brouyte the tithe of wheete, of wiyn, and of oile, in to bernes. 13 And we ordeyneden on the bernes, Selemye, the prest, and Sadoch, the writere, and Phadaie, of the dekenes, and bisidis hem, Anan, the sone of Zaccur, the sone of Mathanye; for thei weren preued feithful men, and the partis of her britheren weren bitakun to hem. 14 My God, haue mynde of me for this thing, and do thou not awei my merciful doyngis, whiche Y dide in the hows of my God, and in hise cerymonyes. 15 Yn tho daies Y siy in Juda men tredinge pressours in the sabat, `men bryngynge hepis, and chargynge on assis wiyn, and grapis, and figis, and al birthun, and `bringynge in to Jerusalem in the dai of sabat; and Y witnesside to hem, that thei schulden sille in the dai, in which it was leueful to sille. 16 And men of Tire dwelliden `in it, and brouyten in fischis, and alle thingis set to sale, and thei selden `in the sabatis to the sones of Juda and of Jerusalem. 17 And Y rebuykide the principal men of Juda, and Y seide to hem, What is this yuel thing which ye doen, and maken vnhooli the daie of the sabat? 18 Whether oure fadris diden not these thingis, and oure God brouyte on vs al this yuel, and on this citee? and `ye encreessen wrathfulnesse on Israel, in defoulynge the sabat. 19 Forsothe it was doon, whanne the yatis of Jerusalem hadden restid in the dai of sabat, Y seide, Schitte ye the yatis; and thei schittiden the yatis; and I comaundide, that thei schuden not opene tho yatis til aftir the sabat. And of my children Y ordeynede noumbris on the yatis, that no man schulde brynge in a birthun in the dai of sabat. 20 And marchauntis, and men sillinge alle thingis set to sale dwelliden with out Jerusalem onys and twies. 21 And Y aresonyde hem, and Y seide to hem, Whi dwellen ye euene ayens the wal? If ye doon this the secounde tyme, Y schal sette hond on you. Therfor fro that tyme thei camen not in the sabat. 22 Also Y seide to dekenes, that thei schulden be clensid, and that thei schulden come to kepe the yatis, and to halowe the dai of sabat. And therfor for this thing, my God, haue mynde of me, and spare me bi the mychilnesse of thi merciful doyngis. 23 But also in tho daies Y siy Jewys weddinge wyues, wymmen of Azotus, and wymmen of Amonytis, and wymmen of Moabitis. 24 And her children spaken half part bi the speche of Ayotus, and kouden not speke bi the speche of Jewis, and thei spaken bi the langage of puple and of puple. 25 And Y rebuykide hem, and Y curside; and Y beet the men `of hem, and Y made hem ballid, and Y made hem to swere bi the Lord, that thei schulden not yyue her douytris to the sones of `tho aliens, and that thei schulden not take of the douytris of `tho aliens to her sones, and to hem silf; 26 and Y seide, Whether Salomon, the kyng of Israel, synnede not in siche a thing? And certis in many folkis was no kyng lijk hym, and he was loued of his God, and God settide hym kyng on al Israel, and therfor alien wymmen brouyten hym to synne. 27 Whether also we vnobedient schulden do al this grete yuel, that we trespasse ayens `oure Lord God, and wedde alien wyues? 28 Forsothe Sanabalath Horonyte hadde weddid a douyter of the sones of Joiada, sone of Eliasib, the grete prest, which Sanaballath Y droof awei fro me. 29 My Lord God, haue mynde ayens hem, that defoulen presthod, and the riyt of prestis and of dekenes. Therfor I clenside hem fro alle aliens, and I ordeynede ordris of prestis and of dekenes, 30 ech man in his seruice, and in the offring, 31 that is, dressing, of trees in tymes ordeyned, and in the firste fruytis. My God, haue mynde of me in to good.

3 Esdras (2 Ezra)

CAP 1. 1 And Josias made pask in Jerusalem to the Lord, and he offride pask the fourtenthe day of the monthe of the first monthe, 2 ordeynynge prestis bi her whiles of daies, clothid in stolis, or longe clothis, in the temple of the Lord. 3 And he seide to the dekens, the holy seruauntis of Israel, that thei schulden halewe hem self to the Lord, in settynge of the holy arke of the Lord in the hous, that kyng Salomon, the sone of Dauid, bildide; 4 It schal not be to you no more to take it upon schuldris; and now serueth to oure Lord, and do ye cure of that folk of Israel, of the part aftir townes, 5 and her lynagis, aftir the writyng of Dauid, kyng of Israel, and aftir the greet wirschipful doyng of Salomon, his sone, in al the temple, and aftir youre litil fadris part of princehood of hem, that stonden in the siyt of the bretheren of the sones of Israel. 6 Offre ye pask, and maketh redy the sacrifices to youre bretheren; and do ye aftir the heest of the Lord, that is youen to Moyses. 7 And Josias yaf to the folc that was founden there, scheep, of lombis, and of kides, and of sche geet, thritti thousynd; calues, thre thousynd. 8 Thes yiftis ben youen of the kingis owne thingis aftir the heest of the Lord to the peple, and to prestis, in to pask; scheep in noumbre two thousynd, and calues an hundrid. 9 And Jechonyas, and Semeias, and Nathanael, his brother, and Azabias, and Oziel, and Coroba, yauen in to pask, fyue thousynd scheep, and fyue hundrid calues. 10 And whanne thes thingis weren nobly don, the prestis and dekens stoden, hauynge therf looues bi lynages. 11 And aftir the partis of the princehood of fadris thei offriden to the Lord in the siyt of the peple, after tho thingis that ben writen in the book of Moyses. 12 And thei rostiden the pask with fijr, as it bihouyde; and thei soden oostis in sethinge vessels and in pottis, with wel willyng. 13 And thei brouyten it to alle that ther weren of the folk; and aftir thes thingis thei maden redy to hem self and to prestis. 14 Forsothe the prestis offriden ynner fatnesse, vnto the hour was endid; and dekens greythiden to hem self, and to her bretheren, and to the sones of Aaron. 15 And men sacrifiynge offriden her douytris, aftir the oordre and the heestis of Dauid; and Azaph, and Zacharie, and Jeddynus, that was of the king; 16 and the porters bi alle the yatis offriden, so that noon passide his yate. Forsothe her bretheren greythiden to hem. 17 And so tho thingis, that perteynyden to the sacrifice of the Lord, ben endid. 18 In that day thei diden pask, and offriden ostis upon the sacrifice of the Lord, aftir the heest of kyng Josie. 19 And the sones of Israel, that weren founden present, diden in that tyme pask, and the feest day of therf looues bi seuen daies. 20 And ther was not solempnyzed sich a paske in Israel, fro the tymes of Samuel, the prophet. 21 And alle the kyngis of Israel halewiden not sich a pask, as diden Josias, and the prestis, and dekens, and Jewis, and al Israel, that weren founden in the commemoracioun, or mynde making, at Jerusalem. 22 In the eiytenthe yer, Josie regnynge, this pask was halewid. 23 And the werkis of Josie ben maad riyt in the siyt of his Lord, in ful dredynge herte; 24 and tho thingis forsothe that weren aboute him ben writen, in the rathere tymes of hem that synnyden, and the whiche weren vnreligious ayen the Lord, bifore or more than al hethen folk, and the whiche synners souyten not the wordis of the Lord upon Israel. 25 And aftir al this deede of Josie, Pharao, king of Egipt, yede up, comynge to casten awey in Carcamys upon Eufraten; and Josias wente in to metyng to him. 26 And the king of Egipt sente to Josiam, seiynge, What is to me and to thee, kyng of Jude? 27 I am not sent of the Lord, upon Eufraten forsothe is my bataile; hastily therfor go doun. 28 And Josias was not turned ayen upon the chare, but he enforside him self to ouercome Pharao, not takinge hede to the word of the prophet, fro the mouth of the Lord; 29 but he sette to him bataile in the feeld of Mecedan; and princis camen doun to kyng Josiam. 30 And thanne the king seide to his children, or seruauntes, Moueth me awey fro the bataile; forsothe I am gretly maad sijk. And anoon his children moueden him awey fro the scheltrun. 31 And he stiede upon his secoundarie chare; and comynge to Jerusalem, he diede, and was biried in his fadris sepulcre. 32 And in al Jude thei biweiliden Josie, and thei that bifore seten with wyues, weiliden him vnto this day; and this is grauntid to be don euer more in al the kynrede of Israel. 33 Thes thingis forsothe ben writen in the book of stories of kyngis of Juda, and the glorie of Josie, and his vndirstonding in the lawe of God, bi alle dedes of the doyng of him; for euenly tho weren don of hym, and the whiche ben not writun in the book of kingis of Israel and of Juda. 34 And thei that weren of the kynrede token Jeconye, the sone of Josie, and setten him king for Josie, his fadir, whanne he was of thre and thritty yeer. 35 And he regnyde upon Israel thre monthis; and thanne the kyng of Egipt putte him awey, that he regnyde not in Jerusalem. 36 And he pilide the folk of an hundrid talentis of siluer, and of a talent of gold. 37 And the kyng of Egipt sette Joachim, his brother, kyng of Jude and of Jerusalem; and he bonde the maistir iuges of Joachim, and takynge Saracel, his brother, he brouyte him ayen to Egipt. 39 Joachim was of fyue and twenty yeer, whanne he regnyde in the loond of Juda and of Jerusalem; and he dide yuel thing in the siyt of the Lord. 40 Aftir this forsothe Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, stiede up, and byndynge Joachim in a strong boond, brouyte him in to Babiloyne; 41 and Nabugodonosor toke and brouyte the holy vessels of God, and sacride tho in his temple in Babiloyne. 42 Forsothe of his vnclennesse and his vnreligioustee it is writen in the book of the tymes of kyngis. 43 And Joachim, his sone, regnyde for him; whanne forsothe he was ordeyned king, he was of eiyte yeer. 44 Forsothe he regnyde thre monthis and ten daies in Jerusalem; and dide yuel in siyt of the Lord. 45 And aftir a yer Nabugodonosor sente, and brouyte him ouer in to Babiloyne, togidre with the sacrid vessels of the Lord. 46 And he sette Sedechie kyng of Juda and of Jerusalem, whanne he was of oon and twenti yeer. 47 Forsothe he regnyde elleuen yeer; and he dide yuel in siyt of the Lord, and was not adred of the wordis that ben seid of Jeremye, the prophet, fro the mouth of the Lord. 48 And he adiurid, or chargid bi ooth, of kyng Nabugodonosor, forsworn wente awey, and his noll made hard, he ouerpasside the laweful thingis of the Lord God of Israel. 49 And the duykis of the Lordis peple baren hem wickidly many thingis, and thei diden vnpitously ouer alle the wickidnessis of Gentiles; and thei defouliden the temple of the Lord, that was hooly in Jerusalem. 50 And God of her fadris sente bi his aungel to ayenclepe hem, for the whiche thing he sparide to hem, and to her tabernaclis. 51 Thei forsothe scornyden in her corners, and that dai that the Lord spake, thei weren bobbynge his prophetis. 52 The whiche Lord is stirid to wraththe upon his folk, for their irreligiositee. And the kyngis of Caldeis comaundiden, and stiyeden up, 53 thei slowen the younge men of hem with swerd, aboute the hooly temple of hem; and thei spariden not to yonge man, ne to maiden, ne to old man, and to ful woxen man; 54 but also alle thei ben taken in to the hondis of hem; and thei token alle the sacrid vessels of the Lord, and the kyngis coffres, and brouyten tho in to Babiloyne. 55 And thei brenden up the hous of the Lord, and destroieden the wallis of Jerusalem, and thei brenden his touris with fijr. 56 And thei wastiden alle the wurschipful thingis, and brouyten hem to nouyt; and thei brouyten the peple lefte of the swerd in to Babiloyne. 57 And thei weren his thrallis, vn to the tyme that Peersis regnyden, in the fulfillynge of the word of the Lord, in the mouth of Jeremye; 58 til that the loond wolde do benyngnely their sabotis, he sabatisede al the tyme of their forsakyng, in the appliynge of seuenti yer. CAP 2. 1 Regnynge Cyro, kyng of Peersis, in the fulfillyng of the word of the Lord, in the mouth of Jeremye, 2 the Lord reiside up the spirit of Ciry, kyng of Persis; and he prechide in al his rewme togidre bi scripture, seiynge, 3 Thes thingis seith Cirus, kyng of Persis, The Lord of Israel, the hiye Lord, hath ordeyned me kyng to the world of erthis; 4 and he signyfiede to me to bilde to him an hous in Jerusalem, that is in Juda. 5 If ther is ony man of youre kynrede, his Lord stie up with him in to Jerusalem. 6 Therfor hou many euer dwellen in places aboute, helpe thei hem that dwellen in that place, in gold and siluer, 7 in yiftis, with hors, and bestis, and with othere thingis, the whiche aftir vowes ben leid up in to the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem. 8 And the stondynge princis of lynages of townes of Jude, of the lynage of Beniamyn, and prestis and dekens, whom the Lord stiride to wende up, and to bilde up the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem; and thei, that weren in the enuyroun, or in cumpas, of hem, schulden helpe in al siluer and gold of it, 9 and in bestis, and in many vowis; and many othere, of whom the witt is stirid, helpe thei also. 10 And kyng Cirus brouyte forth the sacrid vessels of the Lord, the whiche Nabugodonosor translatide fro Jerusalem, and sacride hem in his mawmett. 11 And Cirus, king of Persis, bryngynge hem forth, toke tho to Mitridate, that was upon the tresours of him. 12 Forsothe bi him thei ben taken to Salmanasar, gouernour of Jude. 13 Of thes thinges forsothe this is the noumbre; silueren halewid vessels of licours, two thousynd and foure hundrid; thritti silueren drinkynge vessels; thritty goldene violes; and two thousynd and foure hundrid silueren violes; and a thousynd othere vessels. 14 Forsothe alle the golden and silueren vessels weren foure thousynd and foure hundrid and eiyt and sixty. 15 And thei ben delyuered out to Salmanasar, togidere with hem, that weren comen in to Jerusalem of the caytiftee or thraldom of Babiloyne. 16 Forsothe in the tyme of Artaxerses, kyng of Persis, ther wreten to him, of thes that dwelliden in Judee and in Jerusalem, Balsamus, and Mitridatus, and Sabelius, and Ratymus, Baltheneus, and Samelius, the scribe, and othere dwellinge in Samarie, and in othere placis, thei writen this subiect lettre to the kyng Artaxersy. 17 Lord, thi children, Ratymus, and Sabelius, the scribe, and othere domes men of thi court, of thingis that fallen in Coelem Siriem, and Fenycen. 18 And now be it knowen to the lord the kyng, that Jewis, the whiche stieden up fro you to us, comynge in to Jerusalem, a citee of fleers awei, and a ful yuel citee, thei bilden up the ouenes of it, and thei setten the wallis, and reren the temple. 19 That if this citee and wallis weren maad up, thei shul not suffre to yelde tributis, but also thei shul ayenstonde to kyngis. 20 And for cause that that thing is done aboute the temple, to haue it riytly we haue demed to not despise that same thing, 21 but to make knowen to the lord kyng, that if it schal be seen plesyng to the king, be it souyt in the bookis of thi fadris; 22 and thou schalt fynde in remembrauncis writen of hem, and thou schalt knowe, that thilke citee was ayen flowun, and kyngis and citees smytinge togidre, 23 and Jewis fleynge ayen, and makinge bateilis in it alwey; for the whiche cause this citee was forsake. 24 Now therfor we maken knowen to the lord king, that if this citee were bild up, and the wallis of it weren arerid, ther schal be no comyng doun to thee in to Choelem Cyriem and Fenycen. 25 Thanne the kyng wroot ayen to Ratimym, that wroot tho thingis that bifellen, and to Bellumym, and to Sabellio, the scribe, and to othere ordeyned souereyns, and dwellinge in Cirye and in Fenyce, he wrot to hem thes thingis that ben sett vndir. 26 I haue rad the lettre, that thou sentist to me. Therfor I comaundide it to be souyt; and it was founden, that thilke citee was alwey withstondynge to kyngis, 27 and men ayen fugitijf, and makynge bateilis in it; and moost stronge kingis han ben lordschipinge in Jerusalem, and askinge tributis of Chole Cirie and Fenycem. 28 Now therfore I comaunde to forfende tho men to bilde up the citee, and to loke, that ony thing be not maad her aftir; 29 but that thei passe not in to ful myche, sith thei ben of malice, so that greuauncis be not brouyt ther to kinges. CAP 3. 30 Thanne aftir thes thingis weren rehersid, that weren writen of Artaxerses, the kyng, Rathinus, and Sabellius, the scribe, and thei that weren with hem ordeyned, ioynynge, hyingly camen in to Jerusalem, with horse men, and peple, and with cumpanye; 31 and thei bigunnen to forfende the buylders. And thei voididen thanne fro the bildyng of the temple, vnto the secounde yeer of the rewme of Darij, kyng of Persis. 1 Kyng Darius made a gret soper to alle his seruauntis, and to alle the maister iuges of Medes and of Persis, 2 and to alle that wereden purpre, and to gouernours, and to counselers, and to prefectis vndir him, fro Ynde vn to Ethiope, to an hundrid and seuen and twenty prouyncis. 3 And whanne thei hadden eten and drunken, and weren fulfillid, thei turneden ayen. Thanne kyng Darius stiede vp in his litil bed place, and slepte, and was waken. 4 Thanne thilke thre younge men, kepers of the bodi, the whiche kepten the bodi of the kyng, seiden oon to an oother, 5 Sey we ech of us a word, that bifore passe in kunnyng; and whos euer word seme wiser than of an oother, kyng Darius schal yiue to him grete yiftis, 6 and to be kouered with purpre, and to drynke in gold, and to slepe upon gold; and he schal yiue him a golden chare, with the bridil, and a mytre of bijs, and a bie aboute the necke; 7 and he schal sitte in the secounde place fro Darius, for his wisdom; and he schal be clepid Daryus cosyn. 8 Thanne ech of hem thre writinge his word, seleden, and putten tho vndir the pelewe of kyng Daryus; 9 and seiden, Whanne the king hath risen, thei wil take to him her thingis writen, and what euer thing the kyng shall deme of thre, and the maistir iuges of Persis, forsothe the word of him is wiser than of the othere, to him schal be youen the victorie, as it is writen. 10 Oon wrot, Wyn is strong. 11 An oother wrot, The kyng is strenger. 12 The thridde wrot, Wymmen ben strengiste; treuthe ouercomith forsothe ouer alle thingis. 13 And whanne the kyng had resen up, thei token her thingis writen, and youen tho to him, and he radde. 14 And he sende and clepede alle the maistre iuges of Persis, and of the lond Medis, and the clothid men in purpre, and the rewlers of prouynces, and prefectis; 15 and thei seten in counsel, and the writingis weren red bifore hem. 16 And the kyng seide, Clepeth the younge men, and thei schul schewe her wordis. And thei weren clepid, and thei camen yn. 17 And Darius seide to hem, Schewe ye to us of thes thingis that ben writen. And the firste, that had seid of the strengthe of wyn, he biganne, and seide to hem, Men! 18 ful passynge strong is wyn; to alle men that drynken it it berith doun the mynde; also it makith the mynde veyn, 19 bothe of kyng and of the fadirles child; also of seruaunt and of fre men, of pore and of riche; and it turnith al the mynde in to sikirnesse, 20 and to gladnesse; and it remembrith not ony serewe and dette; 21 and it makith alle the entrailes honest; and it remembrith not kyng, ne maistir iuge; and alle thingis it makith speke bi talent; 22 and whanne thei han drunken, thei remembren not frendschip ne brotherhed, and not longe aftir thei taken swerdis; 23 and whanne thei han be drowned of wyn, and rijsen, thei han no mynde what thinges thei diden. 24 O men! whether wyn is not passyngly strong, that thus constreynith men to do? And this thing seid, he hilde his pes. CAP 4. 1 And the nexte folewer biganne to sey, that seide of the strengthe of a kyng, 2 O men! whether men ben not passyngly stronge, the whiche holden loond and see, and alle thingis that ben in hem? 3 The kyng forsothe passith aboue alle thingis, and he hath lordschip of hem, and thei don al thing, what euer he wil sey to hem. 4 And if he sende hem to fiyters, thei gon, and destroyen hillis, and walles, and toures; thei ben sleyn, 5 and slen, and thei passen not the word of the kyng; for if thei ouercomen, thei bryngen to the king alle thingis, what euer thingis thei han spoiled euermore, and all othere thingis. 6 And hou fele euer beren not knyythod, ne fiyten, but eren the loond, eftsone whanne thei schul repe, thei bringen tributis to the king. 7 And he is oon aloone; and if he bidde to sle, thei sleen; and if he bidde hem to foryiue, thei foryiuen; 8 and if he sey hem to smyten, thei smyten; if he sey to outlawe, thei outlawen; if he bidde hem to bilden, thei bilden; 9 if he bidde to throwe doun, thei throwen adoun; if he bidde to plaunte, thei plaunten; 10 and alle folk and vertues obeishen to him; and ouer alle thes thingis he schal sitte, and drynke, and slepe. 11 Thes forsothe kepen him aboute, and moun not gon echoon, and do her owne werkis, but in his word men obeishen to him. 12 What maner wise passith not the kyng bifore oothere, that thus is loosid? 13 And he helde his pes. The thridde, that had seid of wymmen, and of treuthe; this is seid Sorobabel; he biganne to speke, O men! 14 the kyng is not greet, neither many othere men, ne wyn passith biforn; who is it thanne that hath lordschip of hem? 15 Whether not wymmen, that han goten kyngis, and al the peple, the whiche kingis han lordschip bothe of see and of loond, and of wymmen thei ben born? 16 And thei brouyten forth hem that plauntiden vynes, of the whiche wyn is maad. 17 And thei maken the stoles, or longe clothis, of alle men, and thei don glorie to men, and men moun not be seuered fro wymmen. 18 If thei gedere togidere gold and siluer, and al fair thing, and seen a womman in good aray, and in good fairnesse, 19 thei, forsakynge alle thes thingis, taken heede to here, and the mouth opened, thei biholden hir, and thei drawen more to hir than to gold and siluer, or ony precious thing. 20 A man schal forsake his fadir, that norishide him, and his owne loond, and to a womman he ioynith him togidre, 21 and with a womman he lyuith his lijf, and noither remembrith fadir, ne modir, ne the lond of his birthe. 22 And therfor it bihouith us to knowen, that wymmen han lordschip of us. Whether ye serewen not? 23 And also a man takith his swerd, and goth in the wey to don theftis, and man slauytris, and to seilen ouer the see, and ouer flodes; 24 and he seeth a lioun, and he goth in derkenessis; and whanne he hath don his thefte, and gijles, and raueynes, he bringith it to his leef. 25 And efte a man louith his wijf more than fadir or modir; 26 and many men ben maad woode for their wyues, and many ben maad thrallis for hem; 27 and many perischiden, and weren stranglid, and many han synned for wymmen. 28 And now leeueth me; forsothe a kyng is greet, and his power, for alle regiouns, or kingdoms aboute, ben aferd to touche him. 29 I sawye neuer the latter Apeemen, the douyter of Besacis, the wondirful man, the secoundarie wijf of the kyng, sittynge biside the kyng at the riyt side; 30 and takynge awey the diademe fro his heed, and puttynge it on hir self, and with the pawme of hir lift hoond she smote the kyng. 31 And ouer thes thingis, the mouth opened, he bihilde hir, and if sche lowye to him, he lowye, and if sche were wrooth to him, he glosith or plesith, vnto the tyme that he be recounsilid to grace. 32 O men! whi ben not wymmen strengist? Greet is the erthe, and heuen is hiy, that don thes thingis. 33 Thanne the kyng and the purpred men bihelden either in to oothere; and he biganne to speke of treuthe. 34 O men! wher wymmen ben not stronge? Greet is the eerthe, and heuen is hiy, and the cours of the sunne is swift; it is turned in the cumpas of heuen, and eft it renneth ayen in to the same place in a day. 35 Wher he is not a greet doer, that makith thes thingis? and treuthe greet, and strenger biforn alle thingis? 36 All erthe clepith inwardly trouthe, also it blessith heuene, and alle werkis ben moued and dreden it; and ther is no wickid thing with it. 37 Wickid kyng, and wickid wymmen, and alle the sones of men ben wickid, and ther is not treuthe in hem, and in her wickidnesse thei schul perische; 38 and treuthe dwellith, and wexith in to withouten ende, and it lyuith, and weldith, into worldus of worldis. 39 It is not anentis treuthe to outtake persoones, and differencis; but it doth tho thingis that ben riytful, to alle vnriytwise and yuel men; and alle men ben maad benyngne in his werkis. 40 And ther is not wickidnesse in his doom, but ther is strengthe, and rewme, and power, and magestee of alle duryngis aboue tyme. 41 Blessid be the God of treuthe! And thanne he lefte in spekynge. And alle the peplis crieden, and seiden, Greet is treuthe, and it passith bifore alle othere. 42 Thanne the kyng seide to him, Aske, if thou wilt, ony thing more ouer, than ther ben writen, and I schal yiue to thee, aftir that thou art founden wiser; and next to me thou schalt sitte, and thou schalt be clepid my cosyn. 43 Thanne seide he to the king, Be thou myndeful of the vowy, that thou vowidist, to bilden up Jerusalem, in the day in whiche thou toke the rewme; and to senden ayen alle the vessels, 44 that ben taken fro Jerusalem, the whiche Cyrus departide, whanne he slouy Babiloyne, and wolde sende ayen thoo thingis thidere. 45 And thou woldist bilde up the temple, that Ydumes brenden, for Judee is put out of her termes, or marchis, of the Caldeis. 46 And now, lord, this it is that I aske, and that I bidde; this is the mageste that I aske of thee, that thou do the vow that thou vowidist to the kyng of heuen, of thi mouth. 47 Thanne Darius, the kyng, risynge kisside him, and wroot epistlis to alle the dispensatours, and prefectis, and to men clothid in purpre, that thei schulden lede him forth, and hem that weren with him, alle wendynge up to bilde Jerusalem. 48 And to alle the prefectis that weren in Sirie, and Fenyce, and Liban, he wroot epistles, that thei schulden drawe cedre trees fro the hill Liban in to Jerusalem, that thei bilde up the citee with hem. 49 And he wroot to alle the Jewis, that steyden up fro the rewme in Judee, for fredam, that ony man of power, or maistir iuge, and prefect, schulden not come ouer to the yatis of hem, 50 and eche regioun, that thei hadden holde, to be fre fro hem; and that Ydumeis leue up the castels of Jewis, that thei withholden, 51 and to yiue yer bi yer twenty talentis, in to making of the temple, vnto the tyme that it be ful bildid; 52 and ech day to offre ostis upon the place of sacrid thingis, as thei ben comaundid; to offre, bi alle yeris, othere ten talentis; and to alle men, 53 that gon forth fro Babiloyne, to make the citee, as fredom were, bothe to hem, and to the sones of hem, and to the prestis that gon bifore. 54 Forsothe also he wroot the quantitee; and he comaundide the sacrid stole, or vestyment, to be youen, in whiche thei schulden serue; 55 and he wroot wagis to be youen to the dekens, vnto the day that the hous schulde be fully endid, and Jerusalem maad out; and he wrot to alle men kepinge the citee, 56 to yiue to the bilders lottis and wagis. 57 And he lefte hem alle the vessels, that Cirus had partid fro Babiloyn; and alle thingis, what euer Cyrus seide, he comaundide it to be don, and to be sent to Jerusalem. 58 And whanne that younge man had gon forth, reisynge his face toward Jerusalem, he blesside the kyng of heuen, and seide, 59 Of thee, Lord, is victorie, and of thee is wisdom, and clernesse, and I am thi seruaunt. 60 Thou art blessid, for thou hast youen to me wisdom, and I knowleche to thee, Lord of oure fadris. 61 And he toke the epistlis, or lettres, and wente forth in to Babiloyne; and he came, and tolde to alle his bretheren, that weren in Babyloyne. 62 And thei blessiden the God of her fadris, that yaf to hem foryiuenesse and refreschyng, 63 that thei schulden stye up, and bilde Jerusalem, and the temple, where his name is nemned in it; and thei ioyeden with musikis and with gladnesse seuen daies. CAP 5. 1 Aftir thes thingis forsothe ther weren pryncis chosen of townus, that thei schulden wende up, bi housis, bi her lynagis, and the wyues of hem, and the sonus and douytris of hem, and seruauntis and hand maydens of hem, and her bestis. 2 And kyng Darye sende togidre with hem a thousynd hors men, to the tyme that thei brouyte hem in to Jerusalem, with pees, and with musikis, and tymbres, and trumpis; and alle the britheren weren pleiynge. 3 And he made hem to stie up togidre with hem. 4 And thes ben the names of the men, that yeden up, bi her tounnes, in to lynagis, and in to part of the princehod of hem. 5 Prestis; the sones of Fynees, the sones of Aaron, Jesus, the sone of Josedech, Joachim, the sone of Sorobabel, sone of Salathiel, of the hous of Dauid, of the progenye of Phares, of the lynage forsothe of Juda, 6 that spac vndir Darij, king of Persis, merueylous doynge wordis, in the secounde yeer of his rewme, in Aprel, the firste monthe. 7 Forsothe thes it ben, that stieden up of Juda fro the caitiftee, or thraldom, of the transmygracioun, whom Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, translatide in to Babiloyne; and ech is turned ayen in to Jerusalem, 8 and in to alle the citees of Judee, ech in to his owne citee, that camen with Sorobabel, and with Jesu; Neemyas, Ariores, and Elymeo, Emmanyo, Mardocheo, Beelsuro, Methsatothor, Olioro, Eboma, oon of the princis of hem. 9 And the noumbre fro the Gentiles of hem, fro the prouostis, or reeuys, of hem; the sones of Phares, two thousynd an hundrid seuenty and two; 10 the sones of Ares, thre thousynd and fifty and seuen; 11 the sones of Phemo, an hundrid and two and fourty; the sones of Jesu and of Joabes, a thousynd thre hundrid and two; 12 the sones of Denny, two thousynd foure hundrid and seuenty; the sones of Choroba, two hundrid and fyue; the sones of Banycha, an hundrid and sixty and eiyte; 13 the sones of Bebeth, foure hundrid and thre; the sones of Arcad, foure hundrid and seuen and twenty; 14 the sones of Thau, seuen and thritty; the sonis of Zozaar, two thousynd sixty and seuen; the sones of Adymy, foure hundrid and oon and sixty; 15 the sones of Azeroectis, an hundrid and eiyte; the sonus of Ziazo and Zelas, an hundrid and seuene; the sones of Azoroch, foure hundrid and nyne and thritty; 16 the sones of Jebdarbone, an hundrid and two and thritty; the sones of Ananye, an hundrid and thritty; 17 the sones of Arsom; the sones of Marsar, foure hundrid and two and twenty; the sones of Saberus, nynty and fyue; the sones of Sophelemon, an hundrid and thre and twenty; 18 the sones of Nepobai, fyue and fifty; the sones of Ecbanatus, an hundrid and eiyt and fifty; the sones of Ebethamus, an hundrid and two and thritty; 19 the sones of Octatarpatros, the whiche weren clepid Enochadies and Modie, foure hundrid and two and twenti; thei that weren of Gramas and Gabia, an hundrid and oon and twenti; the whiche weren of Besellon and of Agie, 20 fyue and sixty; thei that weren of Bascharo, an hundrid and two and twenty; the whiche of Bethonobes, fyue and fifty; 21 the sones of Lippis, an hundrid and fyue and fifty; the sones of Jabomy, thre hundrid and seuen and fifty; 22 the sones of Sichem, thre hundrid and seuenty; the sones of Sanadon and of Chamus, thre hundrid and seuenty and eiyte; 23 the sones of Ericus, two thousynd an hundrid and fyue and fifty; the sones of Anaas, thre hundrid and seuenty. 24 Prestis; the sones of Jeddus, the sones of Enytem, the sones of Eliazib, thre hundrid and two and seuenty; the sones of Emmechus, two hundrid and two and fifty; 25 the sones of Sasurij, thre hundrid and seuen and fifty; the sones of Charee, two hundrid and seuen and twenty. 26 Dekens; the sonus of Jesu, in Caduel, and Banus, and Serebias, and Edias, foure and seuenty; al the noumbre fro the two and twenty yeer, thritti thousynd foure hundrid and two and sixty; sones, 27 and douytris, and wyues, al the noumbryng, sixty thousynd two hundrid and two and fourty. 28 The sones of prestis, that sungen in the temple; the sones of Asaph, an hundrid and eiyt and twenty. 29 Vschers forsothe; the sones of Esueum, the sones of Ather, the sones of Amon, the sones of Accuba Copa, the sones of Thoby, alle an hundrid and nyne and thritty. 30 Prestis, seruynge in the temple; sones of Sel, the sones of Gasipa, the sones of Tabloth, the sones of Carie, the sones of Su, the sones of Phellu, the sones of Labana, the sones of Acmathi, the sones of Accub, the sones of Vta, the sones of Cetha, the sones of Agab, the sones of Obay, the sones of Anan, the sones of Chayma, the sones of Jeddu, 31 the sones of An, the sones of Radyn, the sones of Desamyn, the sones of Nechoba, the sones of Caseba, the sones of Gase, the sones of Osyn, the sones of Phynoe, the sones of Atren, the sones of Bascem, the sones of Aziana, the sones of Manay, the sones of Naphisym, the sones of Accuphu, the sones of Agista, the sonus of Aria Phausym, the sones of Phasaluon, the sones of Meeda, 32 the sones of Phusia, the sones of Careth, the sones of Barthus, the sones of Caree, the sones of Thoesy, the sones of Nasith, the sones of Agisty, the sones of Pedon. 33 Salmon, the sones of hym, the sones of Asophoth, the sones of Pharida, the sones of Thely, the sones of Dedon, the sones of Gaddahel, the sones of Cephegy, 34 the sones of Aggya, the sones of Phacareth, the sones of Sabathan, the sones of Saroneth, the sones of Malcie, the sones of Ame, the sones of Saphuy, the sones of Addus, the sones of Suba, the sones of Eirra, the sones of Rabatis, the sones of Phasophat, the sonus of Malmon. 35 Alle thes weren in holy seruyng; and the children of Salmon weren foure hundrid foure score and two. 36 These ben the sones that yeden up to Athemel and Thersas; the princis of hem weren Carmellam and Careth; and thei myyten not telle out her citees, 37 and her progenyes, what manere thei ben; and of Israel, the sones of Dalarij, the sones of Tubam, the sones of Nechodaicy. 38 And of the prestis, that vsiden presthod, and weren founden; the sones of Obia, the sones of Achisos, the sones of Addyn, that token Vmyn wijf, of the douytris of Phargelen, 39 and thei ben clepid bi the name of hir; and of thes is souyt the genologie writen of the kynrede, and thei ben forfendid to vsen presthode. 40 And Neemye seide to hem, and Astaras, that thei take not part of the hooly thingis, til the tyme that ther arijse a tauyt bischop, in to schewyng and treuthe. 41 Al Israel forsothe was twelff thousynd, out take seruauntis and hand maidens, two and fourty thousynd thre hundrid and sixti. 42 The seruauntis of hand maidens weren seuen thousynd thre hundrid and seuen and thritty; syngers and singsters, two hundrid and fyue and sixty; 43 cameils, foure hundrid and fyue and thritty; horsis, seuen thousind sixe and thritti; mules, two hundrid thousynd and fyue and fourty; bestis vndir yok, fyue thousynd and fyue and twenty. 44 And of tho prouostis, or reeues, bi tounnes, while thei schulden come in to the temple of God, that was in Jerusalem, to ben avowid to rere up the temple in his place, aftir her vertue; 45 and the hooly tresorie to be youen in to the temple of werkis, weren elleuen thousynd besauntis, and an hundrid prestis stolis. 46 And ther dwelliden prestis, and dekens, and othere, that weren of the peple, in Jerusalem, and in the rewme; and the hooly syngers, and vsshers, and al Israel, in her regiouns. 47 While the seuenthe monthe yitt lastide, and whanne the sonus of Israel weren ech in his owne thingis, thei camen togidre of oon accord in to the porche, that was bifore the eest yate. 48 And while Jesus, the sone of Josedech, and his bretheren, prestis, stoden, and Sorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and his bretheren, thei maden redy an auter, that thei wolden offre on it brent sacrifices, 49 aftir tho thingis that ben writen in the book of Moyses, the man of God. 50 And ther camen to hem of othere naciouns of the loond, and reriden the holy tresorie in his place, alle the folk of the lond; and thei offriden oostis, and brent sacrifises of the morutijd to the Lord. 51 And thei diden the feest of tabernaclis, and a solempne dai, as it is writen in the lawe, and sacrifises ech day, as it bihouyde. 52 And aftir thes thinges thei ordeyneden offryngis, and oostis of sabotis, and of newe mones, and of alle solempne daies halewid. 53 And hou many euere vowiden to the Lord, fro the tyme of the newe moone of the seuenthe monthe, thei token oostis to offren to God; and the temple of the Lord was not yitt bildid up. 54 And thei yauen money to masouns, and to wriytis, and drynkis and metis with ioye. 55 And thei yauen carris to Sydonyes and to Tyres, that thei schulden carie ouer to hem fro Lyban wode cedre beemes, and to make a nauee in to the haauen of Joppe, aftir the decree that was writen to hem fro Cyro, kyng of Persis. 56 And in the secounde yeer thei camen in to the temple of God, in to Jerusalem; the secunde monthe Sorobabel biganne, the sone of Salatiel, and Jesus, the sone of Josedech, and the bretheren of hem, and prestis, and Leuytis, and alle thei that camen fro the caitiftee in to Jerusalem; and founden the temple of God, 57 in the newe moone of the secunde monthe of the secunde yeer, whanne thei hadden come in to Judee and to Jerusalem; 58 and setten dekens fro the age of twenty yeer upon the werkis of the Lord. And Jesus stode, his sone, and his bretheren, alle the dekens togidre castynge, and executours, or folewers, of the lawe, and doynge werkis in the hous of the Lord. 59 And ther stoden prestis, hauynge stoles, or longe clothis, with trumpis, and Leuytis, the sones of Asaph, 60 hauynge cymbals, togidre preisyng the Lord, and blessynge him, aftir the maner of Dauid, kyng of Israel. 61 And thei sungen a song to the Lord, for his swetnesse and his worschip in to worldis, or euer, upon al Israel. 62 And al the peple sungen with trumpe, and crieden with gret vois, preisynge togidre the Lord, in the rerynge of the Lordus hous. 63 And ther camen many of the prestis, and of dekens, and of presidentis aftir tounnes, to the eldris that hadden seen the rather hous, 64 and at the bildyng up of this hous, with cry, and with greet weilyng; and many with trumpis, 65 and gret ioye, so that the peple herde not the trumpis, for the gret weilyng of the peple. Forsothe ther was a cumpeny syngynge wirschipfully in trumpe, so that it was herd a ferr. 66 And the enmyes herden the lynagis of Juda and of Beniamyn, and camen to wite, what was this vois of trumpis. 67 And thei knewen, that thei that weren of the caitiftee bildiden the temple to the Lord God of Israel. 68 And the enmyes comynge niy to Sorobabel, and to Jesu, and to the reeues of tounnes, thei seiden to hem, We schul bilde togidre with you. 69 In lijk maner forsothe we haue herd oure Lord, and we haue gon togidre from the daies of Asbasareth, kyng of Assiriens, that ouer passide fro hennes. 70 And Sorobabel, and Jesus, and the princis of the tounnus of Israel seiden to hem, 71 It longith not to us and to you togidere to bilde up the hous of oure God; forsothe we aloone shul bilde the hous of oure God, aftir tho thingis, that Cyrus, kyng of Persis, comaundide. 72 The Gentiles forsothe of the loond leuynge with hem that ben in Judee, and rerynge up the werk of bildyng, and bringynge forth bothe aspies and peple, thei forfendiden hem to bilden up; 73 and thei lettiden men, hauntynge the goynges to, that the bildyng shulde not be endid in al the tyme of the lijf of the kyng Ciry; and thei drowen along the makyng up bi two yeer, vnto the regne of Darij. CAP 6. 1 Forsothe in the secounde yeer of the rewme of Darij, Agge propheciede, and Zacharias, the sone of Addyn, a prophete, anentis Judee and in Jerusalem, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, upon hem. 2 Thanne stondynge Sorobabel, the sone of Salathiel, and Jesus, the sone of Josedech, thei bigunnen to bilde up the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem; 3 whanne ther weren niy to hem prophetis of the Lord, and helpiden hem. In that tyme came to hem Cysennes, the vndir litil kyng of Cirye and of Fenycis, and Satrabozanes, and her felawis. 4 And thei seiden to hem, Who comaundide to you, that ye bilden this hows, and this roof, and many othere thingis ye perfourmen? and who ben tho bilders, that bilden up thes thingis? 5 And the eldre men of Israel hadden grace of the Lord, whanne the visitacioun of hem was maad upon hem that weren of the caitifte; 6 and thei weren not lettid to bilden up, to the tyme that it were signified to Darij of alle thes thingis, and an answere were taken ayen. 7 This is the ensaumple of the lettre, that Cysennes, the vndir kyng of Cyrie and of Fenyces, and Satrobosanes, and her felawis, rewlers in Sirye and in Fenyce, senden to the king. To kyng Darye, gretyng. 8 Alle thingis be thei knowen to the lord the kyng; forsothe whanne we camen in to the regioun of Judee, and wenten in to Jerusalem, we founden men bildynge a greet hous of God, 9 and a temple of gret polishid stones, and of precious maters in the wallis; 10 and tho werkis besily in makynge, and to help, and to make welsum in the hondis of hem, and in al glorie, ful diligently to be perfourmyd. 11 Thanne we askiden the eldre men, seiynge, Who suffride you to bilde this hous, and to bilde thes werkis? 12 Therfor forsothe we askiden hem, that we myyten make knowen to thee the men, and the prouostis, or reuys; and we askiden hem the writyng of the names of the maistris of the werk. 13 And thei answeriden to vs, seiynge, We ben seruauntis of the Lord, that made bothe heuen and erthe; 14 and this hous was bild bifore thes many yeris of the kyng of Israel, that was greet, and a ful strong kyng, and it was destried ayen. 15 And for oure fadris terriden and synneden ayen God of Israel, he bitook hem in to the hondis of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, kyng of Caldeis; 16 and thei destrieden and brenden up this hous, and thei brouyten the peple maad thral in to Babiloyne. 17 In the first yeer regnynge Cyro, kyng of Babiloyne, kyng Cyrus wroot to bilden up this hous; 18 and tho hooly golden vessels and silueren, that Nabugodonosor had born awey fro the hous of God, that is in Jerusalem, and had sacrid hem in his temple, efte kyng Cyrus brouyte hem forth fro the temple that was in Babiloyn, and thei weren bitake to Sorobabel, and to Salmanasar, the vndir litil kyng. 19 And it was comaundid to hem, that thei offre thes vessels, and thei schulde ley hem up in the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and to bilde up that temple of God in that place. 20 Thanne Salmanasar vndirleide the foundementis of the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem; and fro thennes vn to now is a bildynge, and hath take no ful endyng. 21 Now thanne, O kyng! if it is demed of thee, that it be perfitly souyt in the kyngis libraries of kyng Cyry, that ben in Babiloyne; 22 and if it were founden in the counseil of kyng Ciry, the makyng of the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem, to be bigunnen, and if it schal be schewid of the lord oure kyng, write he to vs of thes thingis. 23 Thanne kyng Darie comaundid to ben ynwardly souyt in the libraries; and ther was founden in Egbathanys, a borouy town, that is in the myddil regioun, a place, in the whiche weren wreten thes thingis. 24 The firste yer regnynge Cyro kyng, Cyrus comaundide to bilden up the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem, where thei brenden with contynuel fijr; whos heiyt was maad of lx. cubitis, 25 and the brede of sixty cubitis, squarid with thre polischid stones, and with soler tree of the same regioun, and with o newe soler; and costis to be youen of the hous of king Cyrus; 26 and the holy vessels of the hous of the Lord, bothe golden and silueren, that Nabugodonosor bare awey, that tho be putt thidere in to the hous, that is in Jerusalem, where thei weren put. 27 And he comaundide Cysennem, the vndir litil kyng of Cyrie and Fenyce, and Satrabusanam, and his felawis, to do her bisynesse, and thei that weren in Sirie and Fenyce ordeyneden rewlers, that thei schulden absteyne them fro the same place. 28 And I also comaundide to make it up al, and I lokide forth, that thei help them that ben of the caitiftee of Jewis, vnto the tyme that the temple of the hous of the Lord be full endid; 29 and a quantitee to be youen diligently to these men of the traueile of the tributis of Sirye Choles and Fenyces, to the sacrifice of the Lord, to Sorobabel, the prefect, to bolis, and wetheris, and to lombis; 30 also forsothe bothe whete, and salt, wyn, and oile, bisily bi alle yeris, as the prestis, that ben in Jerusalem, ordeyneden to be fulfillid eche day, withoute ony delay; 31 also that ther be offrid offryngis of licours to the hiyest God, for the kyng, and for his children, and preie thei for the lijf of hem. 32 And be it denounsid, that who so euer ouer passen ony thing of these thingis that ben wreten, outher despisen, be ther taken a tree of her owne, and be thei hangid theron, and her goodes be ethchetid to the kyng. 33 Therfor also the Lord, whos name is ynwardly clepid there, outlawe he eche kyng and folk, that strecchen out her hoond to offende, or to yuele trete that hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem. 34 I, kyng Darie, haue maad a decree, to be don as moost diligently after thes thingis. CAP 7. 1 Thanne Cysennes, the litil vndir kyng of Choelem Cyrie and Fenycen, and Satrabusanes, and her felawis, obeisheden to these thingis, that weren demyd of kyng Darie, 2 and stoden ful diligently in to the hooly werkis, wirchinge togidre with the eldre men of Jewis, princis of Cirie. 3 And the hooly werkis ben maad welsum, as the prophetes Agge and Zacharie prophecieden. 4 And thei fulfilliden alle thingis, aftir the heest of the Lord God of Israel, and aftir the counseil of Cyri, and of Darij, and of Artaxersis, kyng of Persis. 5 And oure hous is endid, in the three and twentithe dai of the monthe of Marche, in the sixte yeer of kyng Darij. 6 And the sones of Israel, and the prestis, and dekens, and othere that weren of the caitiftee, the whiche ben sett to, diden aftir thoo thingis that ben writen in the book of Moyses. 7 And thei offreden in to the dedicatioun of the temple of the Lord, an hundrid bolis, two hundrid wetheris, foure hundrid lambren, 8 twelue kides, for the synnes of al Israel, after the noumbre of the xij. lynages of Israel. 9 And the prestis and dekens stoden, clothid with the stolis, bi her lynagis, upon the werkis of the Lord God of Israel, aftir the book of Moyses; and ther weren porters bi alle the yatis. 10 And the sones of Israel diden that pask, with hem that weren of the caitiftee, in the moone of the first monthe, the fourtenthe day, whanne the prestis and dekens ben halewid. 11 And alle the sones of caitiftee thei ben not halewid togidre, for alle the Leuytis ben halewid togidere. 12 And thei offreden pask to alle the sones of caitiftee, and to her bretheren, prestis, and to them selff. 13 And the sonus of Israel, the whiche weren of the caitiftee, alle thei that hadden left fro alle the cursidnessis of Gentiles, or hethen folk, of the eerthe, eeten, and souyten the Lord; 14 and thei halewiden the feest day of therff looues, seuene daies etynge in siyt of the Lord; 15 for he conuertide the counseil of the kyng of Assirijs in hem, to coumforte the hondis of hem to the werkis of the Lord God of Israel. 1 And aftir this, while Artaxerse, kyng of Persis, regnyde, ther wente to Esdras, a man that was the sone of Azarie, sone of Elchie, sone of Salome, sone of Sadduch, 2 sone of Achitob, sone of Amarie, sone of Aza, sone of Bocce, sone of Abisae, sone of Phynees, sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, the first preest. 3 This Esdras stiede up fro Babiloyne, whanne he was scribe, and witty in the lawe of Moyses, the whiche was youen of the Lord of Israel, to sey it and do it. 4 And the kyng yaaf to him glorie, that he hadde founden grace in al dignytee, and in desijr, in the siyt of him. 5 And ther stiede up with him in to Jerusalem of the sones of Israel, bothe prestis, and dekens, and holy syngers of the temple, and vsshers, and seruauntis of the temple. 6 In the seuenthe yeer regnynge Artaxerse, in the fifthe monthe, this is the seuenthe yeer of the rewme, goynge out forsothe fro Babiloyne in the newe moone of the fifte monthe, 7 thei camen to Jerusalem, aftir the heestis of him, whanne the prosperitee of the wey was grauntid to hem of that Lord. 8 In these thingis forsothe Esdras weldide greet discipline, lest he passide ony thing of tho thingis that weren of the lawe of the Lord, and of the heestis, and in techynge al Israel al riytwisnesse and doom. 9 Thei forsothe that writen the writyngis of kyng Artaxerses, comynge niy, token writen that, that came from kyng Artaxerses to Esdras, the prest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, the ensaumple of the whiche thing writen is sett next aftir. 10 Kyng Artaxerses to Esdre, the prest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, sendith gretyng. 11 More benygne I demynge also to benefetis, comaundide to hem that desiren of the folke of Jewis their owne thingis wilfully, and of the prestis, and of dekens, that ben in my rewme, to felawschipe with thee in to Jerusalem. 12 Thanne if ony coueiten to gon with thee, come thei togidre, and go thei forth, as it plesith to me, and to my seuene frendis counseilers; that thei visite tho thingis, 13 that ben don aftir Jude and Jerusalem, kepinge the lawe, as thou hast in the lawe of the Lord; 14 and bere thei yiftis to the Lord of Israel, whom I knew, and the frendis of Jerusalem, and al the gold and the siluer, that weren founde in the rewme of Babiloyne, be it born to the Lord in Jerusalem, 15 with that that is youen of thilke folk in the temple of the Lord, of hem that is in Jerusalem; that this gold be gederid and siluer, to bolis, and wetheris, and to lambis, and kides, and that to these ben couenable; that thei offren oostes to the Lord, 16 upon the auter of the Lord of hem, that is in Jerusalem. 17 And alle thingis what euer thou wilt do with thi bretheren, perfourme it with gold and siluer, for thi will, aftir the heest of the Lord thi God. 18 And the sacrid hooly vessels, the whiche weren youen to thee, to the werkis of the Lordis hous, 19 thi God, that is in Jerusalem, and othere thingis, what euere woln helpe to the werkis of the temple of thi God, thou schalt yiuen it of the kyngis tresorie, 20 whanne thou wilt maken the werk with thi bretheren, with gold and siluer; and parfourme thou al thing aftir the will of thi Lord. 21 And I, kyng Artaxerses, haue comaundid to kepers of the tresours of Cirye and of Fenyce, that what euer thingis Esdras, the preest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, wrijte fore, bisily be it youen to him, vn to an hundrid talentis of siluer, also and of gold; 22 and vnto an hundrid busshelis of whete, and an hundrid vessels of wyn, and othere thingis, what euer abounden, withoute taxynge. 23 Alle thingis be don to the hiest God, aftir the lawe of God, lest perauenture wraththe arijse up in the rewme of the kyng, and of his sone, and of the sones of him. 24 To you forsothe it was seid, that to alle the prestis, and dekens, and to holy syngers, and seruauntis of the temple, and to scribis of this temple, 25 no tribute, no ony oother forfendyng be born to hem, ne haue ther ony man power to ayen caste ony thing to hem. 26 Thou forsothe, Esdras, aftir the wisdom of God ordeyne domesmen and arbitrours, in al Cirye and Fenyce, and teche alle that knowen the lawe of thi God; 27 that hou fele euere passen the lawe, thei be besely punyshid, or bi deth, or bi tourment, or also bi multyng, or punysching, of money, or bi departyng awey. 28 And Esdras, the scribe, seide, Blessid be the Lord God of oure fadris, that yaaf this will in to the herte of the kyng, to clarifie his hous, that is in Jerusalem; 29 and hath wirschipid me in siyt of the kyng, and of hise counselours, and of hise frendis, and of hise purpred men. 30 And I am maad stidefast in inwitt, aftir the helpyng of the Lord oure God; and I gadride of Israel men, that thei schulden stie up togidre with me. 31 And these ben the prouostis, aftir their cuntrees, and porcionel princehedis of hem, that with me stieden up fro Babiloyne, in the rewme of Artaxerses. 32 Of the sones of Phares was Jersomus; of the sones of Cyemarith, Amenus; of the sones of Dauid, Accus, the sone of Cecelie; 33 of the sones of Phares, Zacharie, and with him ben turned ayen an hundrid men and fifty; 34 of the sonus of Ductor, Moabilonys, Zaraey, and with him two hundrid men and fifty; 35 of the sonus of Sacues, Jechonye, Thetheely, and with him two hundrid men and fifty; 36 of the sones of Salomosias, Gotholie, and with him seuenty men; 37 of the sones of Saphacye, Zarias, Mychely, and with him foure score men; 38 of the sones of Jobab, Dias, Jesely, and with him two hundrid men and twelue; 39 of the sones of Banye, Salymoth, the sone of Josaphie, and with him an hundrid men and sixty; 40 of the sones of Beer, Zacharie, Bebey, and with him two hundrid men and eiyte; 41 of the sones of Azachie, Channes, Acharie, and with him an hundrid men and ten; 42 of the sones of Adonycam, that ben the laste, and thes ben the names of hem, Elyphalam, the sone of Jebel, and Semeas, and with him seuenty men. 43 And I gedride hem to the flood, that is seid Thia and Methaty; there we weren thre daies, and I knewe hem. 44 And of the sones of prestis and of Leuytis I fonde not there. 45 And I sente to Eleazar, and to Eccelom, and Masman, and Malolan, and Enaathan, and Samea, and Joribum, Nathan, Ennagan, Zacharie, Mosollamym, the whiche weren leders and wise men. 46 And I seide to hem, that thei schulden come to Luddium, that was at the place of the tresorie. 47 And I sente to hem, that they schulden sey to Luddyum, and his bretheren, and to hem that weren in the tresorie, that thei schulden sende to vs hem that schulden vse presthod in the hous of the Lord oure God. 48 And thei brouyten to us, aftir the strong hoond of the Lord oure God, wise men of the sones of Mooly, sone of Leuy, sone of Israel, Sebebian, and sones, and bretheren, that weren eiytene; 49 Asbiam, and Ammum, of the sones of Chananey; and the sonus of hem weren twenti men. 50 And of hem that seruyden in the temple, the whiche Dauid and thei princis yauen, to the wirching to the Leuytis, to the temple, of men seruynge, two hundrid and twenty. The names of alle ben signyfied in scripturis. 51 And I vowide there fastyng to yonge men, in the siyt of the Lord, that I schulde seche of hym a good wey to us, and to hem that weren with us, of sones, and bestis, for aspies. 52 Forsothe I schamyde to aske of the kyng foot men and hors men, in felauschipe of grace, of keping ayen oure aduersaries. 53 Forsothe we seiden to the kyng, For the vertue of the Lord schal be with hem, that inwardly sechen him in al effect. 54 And efte we preieden the Lord oure God, aftir thes thingis, whom also we hadden benyngly; and we ben maad hool to oure God. 55 And I departide of the prouostis of the folc, and of the prestis of the temple, xij men, and Sedebian, and Affamyan, and ten men with hem of her bretheren. 56 And I weiede to hem siluer and gold, and prestis vessels, of the hous of the Lord oure God, the whiche the kyng had youen, and his counseilers, and princis, and al Israel. 57 And whanne I hadde peisid it, I toke an hundrid talentis of siluer and fifty, and silueren vessels of an hundrid talentis, and of gold an hundrid talentis, 58 and of golden vessels seuen score, and twelue brasen vessels of good schynynge metal, yeldinge the liknesse of gold. 59 And I seide to hem, Bothe ye ben holy to the Lord, and the vessels ben holy, and the gold and the siluer is of the avowe to the Lord God of oure fadris. 60 Wake ye, and kepe it, til the tyme that ye take it of the prouostes of the peple, and of the prestis, and of the dekens, and of princis of the citees of Israel and Jerusalem, in the priuey chaumbre of the hous of oure God. 61 And thes prestis and dekens, that token gold and siluer, and vessels, that weren in Jerusalem, thei broyten thoo in to the temple of the Lord. 62 And we moeueden forth fro the flood of Thya, the twelfthe day of the firste monthe, til that we yeden in to Jerusalem. 63 And whanne the thrid day was don, the firthe day forsothe the peisid gold and siluer was bitaken in to the hous of the Lord oure God, to Marymoth, the sone of Jory, the prest; 64 and with him was Eleazar, the sone of Phynees; and ther weren with him Josabdus, the sone of Jesu, and Medias, and Banny, the sone of a deken; alle thingis at noumbre and weiyt. 65 And the weiyt of hem is writen in the same hour. 66 Thoo forsothe, that camen fro the caitifte, offriden sacrifice of the Lord of Israel, twelue bolis for alle Israel, foure score wetheris and sixe, 67 two and seuenty lambren, twelue geet for synne, and twelue kiyn for helthe; alle in to the sacrifice of the Lord. 68 And eft thei redden the hestis of the kyng to the kyngis dispensatours, and to the litle vndir kyngis of Choele, and of Cirye, and of Fenyce; and thei wirschipiden the folc and the temple of the Lord. 69 And aftir thes thingis weren endid, thei camen to me, seiynge, The kynrede of Israel, and the princis, and the prestis, 70 and Leuytis, and alien folkis, and naciouns of the lond, han not partid awey her vnclennessis fro the Chananeis, and Etheis, and fro Pheriseis, and Jebuseis, and fro the Moabitis, and Egipcians, and Ydumeis; 71 forsothe thei weren ioyned to the douytris of hem, bothe thei and their sones; and the hooly seed was mengid togidre with the hethene folk of the loond; and the prouostis and maistre iuges weren parceners of this wickidnesse, fro the bigynnyng of that rewme. 72 And anoon as I herde thes thingis, I kitte my clothis, and the halewid coote, and I taar the heris of myn hed, and the berd, and I sate serewynge, and drury. 73 And ther camen to me thanne as many as euer weren moued in the word of the Lord God of Israel, weilynge me upon this wickidnesse; and I saat serewful vnto the euentijd sacrifice. 74 And thanne I risynge fro fastyng, hauynge my clothis kitt, knelide myche, and strecchinge out myn hondis to the Lord, 75 I seide, Lord, I am confoundid, and I am adred bifore thi face. 76 Forsothe oure synnes ben multiplied upon oure hedis, and oure wickidnessis ben enhaunsid vnto heuen; 77 for fro the tyme of oure fadris we haue be in gret synne vnto this dai. 78 And for oure owne synnes, and for the synne of oure fadris we ben taken, with oure bretheren, and with oure prestis, and with kyngis of the loond, in to swerd, and caitiftee, and in to prey, with confusion, vnto the dai that is now. 79 And now hou myche is it, that the mercy of thee, Lord God, fallith to us; leue thou to us a roote and a name, in to the place of thin halewyng, 80 to vnkoueren oure yyuere of liyt in the hous of the Lord oure God, to yiue to us mete in the tyme of oure seruage. 81 And whanne we seruyden, we weren not forsaken of the Lord oure God; but he sette us in grace, puttynge to us kyngis of Persis to yiue us mete, 82 and to clarifie the temple of the Lord oure God, and to bilde the deseertis of Syon, and to yiue to us stablenesse in Judee and in Jerusalem. 83 And now, Lord, what sey we, hauynge thes thingis? We haue ouerpassid thin hestis, the whiche thou yiue in to the hondis of thi children, 84 prophetis, that seiden, Forsothe the lond, in whiche ye haue entrid, to welde the heritage of it, is a defoulid lond with the filthis of hethen men of the lond, and the vnclennessis of hem han fulfillid al it in his vnclennesse. 85 And now therfor ye schul not ioyne youre douytris to her sones, and her douytris ye schul not take to youre sones; 86 and ye schul not seche to haue pes with hem al tyme, that comynge aboue ye ete the beste thingis of the lond, and that ye dele the heritage to youre sones, for euere. 87 And thoo thingis that fallen to us, be thei alle don for oure schrewid werkis, and oure grete synnes. 88 And thou hast youen to us sich a roote, and eft we ben turned ayen to ouerpasse thi laweful thingis, that the vnclennessis of the hethen folc of this lond weren mengid. 89 Whether thou schalt not wraththen to us, to lese us, for til the roote be forsaken, and oure seed? 90 Lord God of Israel, thou art sothfast; forsothe the root is forsaken, vnto the day that is now. 91 Lo! now we ben in thi siyt in oure wickidnessis; forsothe it is not yitt to stonde bifore thee in thes thingis. 92 And whanne Esdras honouringe knowlechide, wepinge, he fel doun to the erthe bifore the temple, ther ben gederid bifore him a ful gret multitude of Jerusalem, men, and wymmen, and younge men, and younge wymmen; forsothe the wepynge was gret in that multitude. 93 And whanne Jechonyas, the sone of Jeely, of the sones of Israel, hadde cried, Esdras seide, We haue synned ayen the Lord, for that we haue sett with us in to matrimonye hethen wymmen, of the Gentiles of the lond. 94 And now who so euer is ouer al Israel in thes thingis, be ther to vs an ooth of the Lord, to putten awey alle oure wyues, that ben, with her sones, of the hethene folk; 95 as it is demed to thee of the grettere men, aftir the lawe of the Lord. Arijse now up, and schewe thi will; 96 forsothe to thee abijdith this nede, and we ben with thee; do manly. 97 And Esdras arisynge up, made the princis of prestes, and the dekens, and al Israel, to swere to do aftir alle thes thingis; and thei sworen. CAP 8. 1 And Esdras risynge up fro the fore porche of the temple, wente in to the celle of Jonathe, the sone of Nazaby. 2 And he herbowrewid there, tastide no bred, ne dronke watir, for the wickidnessis of the multitude. 3 And ther was maad a prechyng in al Judee and in Jerusalem, to alle that weren of the caitiftee gederid in Jerusalem, 4 Who so euer ayen comith not to the secounde or the thrid day, aftir the doom of the eldre men sittynge, his facultees schul be taken awey, and he be demed alien fro the multitude of the caitiftee. 5 And alle, that weren of the lynage of Judee and of Beniamyn, weren gedrid togidre, thre daies in Jerusalem; this is the nynthe monthe, the twentithe day of the monthe. 6 And al the multitude saat in the floor of the temple, tremblynge for wyntir thanne beynge. 7 And Esdras risynge up, seide to Israel, Ye han do wickidly, settynge to you in to matrimonye hethen wyues, that ye adde to the synnes of Israel. 8 And now yiue ye to the Lord God of oure fadris confessioun, and gret worthynesse; 9 and perfourme ye his will, and goth awey fro the hethene folc of the lond, and fro hethene wyues. 10 And al the multitude criede, and thei seiden with a gret voice, We schul do, as thou hast seid. 11 But for the multitude is gret, and the tyme is wyntir, and we mowen not stonde vnholpen, and this werk is not to us of oo day, ne of two; myche we haue synned in thes thingis; 12 therfor stonde the prouostis of the multitude, and alle that dwellen with us, and hou many euere han anentis hem hethen wijues; 13 and stonde thei nyy in the tyme that is take, prestis, and domesmen, til that thei lousen the wraththe of the Lord, of this nede. 14 Jonathas forsothe, the sone of Ezely, and Ozias, Thethan, token aftir thes thingis, and Bosoramus, and Leuys, and Satheus wrouyten togidre with hem. 15 And alle that weren of the caitiftee stoden there, aftir alle thes thingis. 16 And Esdras, prest, chees to him men, grete princis, of the fadris of hem, aftir the names; and thei seten togidre, in the newe moone of the tenthe monthe, to examyne this nede. 17 And it is determyned of the men, that hadden hethen wyues, vnto the newe mones of the firste monthe. 18 And ther ben founden mengid among of the prestis, that hadden hethen wiues; 19 of the sones of Jesu, the sone of Josedech, and of his bretheren, Maseas, and Eleeserus, and Joribus, and Joadeus. 20 And thei leiden her hoondis, that thei schuldn putte awey their wyues, and for to sacrifie a ram, in to preier for their ignoraunce. 21 And of the sones of Semmery, Masseas, and Esses, and Geley, Azarias; 22 and of the sonus of Phosore, Leomasias, Hismaenis, and Nathanae, Jussio, Jeddus, and Talsas. 23 And of the dekens, Josabdus, and Semeis, and Cholitus, and Calitas, and Phacceas, and Coluas, and Elionas. 24 And of the halewid syngers, Eliazub, Zacturus. 25 And of the vsschers, Salumus, and Thosbanes. 26 And of Israel, of the sones of Phorcosy, and Remyas, and Jeddias, and Melchias, and Mychelus, and Eleazarus, and Jemebias, and Bannas. 27 And of the sones of Jolamani, Anias, and Zacharias, Jerselus, and Jobdius, and Erymath, and Elias. 28 And of the sonus of Sachon, Eleadas, and Eleasumus, and Othias, and Jarymoth, and Zabdis, and Thebedias. 29 And of the sones of Bedo, Johannes, and Amanyas, and Zabdias, and Emetis. 30 And of the sonus of Banny, Olamus, and Mallucus, and Jeddeus, and Jazub, and Azabus, and Jerymoth. 31 And of the sones of Addyn, Naathus, and Moosias, and Calemus, and Raanas, and Baseas, Mathatias, and Bethsel, and Bonnus, and Manasses. 32 And of the sones of Myaie, Nenyas, and Apheas, and Melcheas, and Sameas, and Symon, Beniamyn, and Malchus, and Marias. 33 Of the sones of Azom, Cartaneus, Mathatias, and Bannus, and Eliphalath, and Manasses, and Semey. 34 Of the sones of Banny, Jeremias, and Moodias, and Abramus, and Johel, and Baneas, and Pelias, and Jonas, and Marymoth, and Eliazub, and Mathaneus, and Eleazis, and Ozias, and Dielus, and Samedius, and Zambris, and Josephus. 35 And of the sones of Nobey, Ydelus, and Mathatias, and Zaladus, and Setheda, Sedym, and Jessei, Baneas. 36 Alle these ioyneden to hem hethen wyues, and leften hem, with her sones. 37 And prestis, and dekens, and thei that weren of Israel, dwelliden in Jerusalem in an oo regioun, the newe moone of the seuenthe monthe; and the sones of Israel weren in their abidyngis. 38 And al the multitude gedride togidre in the floor, that is fro the eest of the halewid yate. 39 And thei seiden to Esdre, bisschop and reder, that he schulde brynge forth the lawe of Moises, that was youen of the Lord God of Israel. 40 And Esdras, the bisschop, brouyte forth the lawe to al the multitude of hem, fro man vn to womman, and to alle the prestis, to here the lawe, in the newe moone of the seuenthe monthe. 41 And he radde in the floor, that is bifore the hooly yate of the temple, fro the firste liyt of the daie vnto euyn, bifore men and wymmen; and alle thei yauen witt to the lawe. 42 And Esdras, the prest, and redere of the lawe, stood upon the treen chaier, that was maad therfore. 43 And ther stoden with him Mathatias, and Samus, and Ananyas, Azarias, Vrias, Ezechias, and Balsamus, at the riyt side; 44 and at the left side, Phaleleus, Mysael, Malachias, Abustas, Sabus, Nabadias, and Zacharias. 45 And Esdras took a book bifore al the multitude; forsothe he sate bifore in worschip, in the siyt of alle. 46 And whanne he hadde assoilid the lawe, alle thei stoden upright. And Esdras blesside the Lord God, alther hiyest God of Sabaoth, al myyti. 47 And al the peple answeride, Amen. And efte thei reisyden up her hondis, and fallynge doun vnto the erthe, thei honouriden the Lord. 48 And Esdras comaundide, that these schulden teche the lawe, Jesus, and Banaeus, and Sarabias, and Jadmus, and Accubus, and Sabatheus, and Calithes, and Azarias, and Joradus, and Ananyas, and Philas, dekens. 49 The whiche tauyten the lawe of the Lord, and in the multitude thei radden the lawe of the Lord; and eche bi him self, that vndirstoden the lesson, tolde it before hem. 50 And Atharathes seide to Esdre, the bisschop and redere, and to the Leuytis that tauyten the multitude, 51 seiynge, This day is hooly to the Lord. And alle thei wepten, whanne thei hadden herd the lawe. 52 And Esdras seide, Ye therfore, aftir ye ben gon atwynne, eteth alle moost fatte thingis, and drynketh alle mooste swete, and sende ye yiftis to hem that han not; 53 forsothe this day of the Lord is hooly; and be ye not sory, the Lord forsothe schal clarifie vs. 54 And the dekens denounciden, or schewiden, openly to alle men, seiynge, This day is hooly; wille ye not be sory. 55 And thanne alle thei wenten awey, to ete, and to drynke, and to haue plentee of mete, and to yiue yiftis to hem that han not, wheroff to ete plenteuously. Gretly forsothe thei ben enhaunsid in the wordis, with the whiche thei ben tauyt. 56 And alle thei weren gadrid in to Jerusalem, to make solempne the gladnesse, aftir the testament of the Lord God of Israel.

Tobit

CAP 1. 1 Tobie was of the lynage and citee of Neptalym, which is in the hiyere partis of Galilee, aboue Naason, bihynde the weie that ledith to the west, and hath in the lefte side the citee of Sapheth, 2 whanne he was takun in the daies of Salmanazar, kyng of Assiriens, netheles he set in caytifte, `ether takun prisoner, forsook not the weie of treuthe, 3 so that he departide ech dai alle thingis whiche he myyte haue, with caitif britheren that weren of his kyn. 4 And whanne he was yongere than alle in the lynage of Neptalym, netheles he dide no childische thing in werk. 5 Forsothe whanne alle Jewis yeden to the goldun calues, whiche Jeroboam, the kyng of Israel, made, this Tobie aloone fledde the cumpenyes of alle men; 6 and he yede to Jerusalem, to the temple of the Lord, and there he worschipide the Lord God of Israel; and he offride feithfuly alle hise firste fruytis, and hise tithis; 7 so that in the thridde yeer he mynystride al the tithe to conuersis and comlyngis. 8 The yonge man kepte these thingis, and thingis lijk these, bi the lawe of God of heuene. 9 Sotheli whanne he was maad a man, he took a wijf, Anne, of his lynage; and he gendride of hir a sone, and puttide his owne name to hym; 10 whom he tauyte fro yong childhed for to drede God, and for to absteyne fro al synne. 11 Therfor whanne bi caitifte he was comun, with his wijf and sone, in to the citee Nynyue, 12 with al his lynage, and alle men eeten of the meetis of hethene men, this Tobie kepte his soule, and was neuere defoulid in the metis of hem. 13 And for he was myndeful of the Lord in al his herte, God yaf grace to hym in the siyt of Salamanazar, the kyng; 14 and he yaf to Tobie power to go whidur euer he wolde, and he hadde fredom to do what euer thingis he wolde. 15 Therfor he yede bi alle men that weren in caitifte, and yaf to hem the heestis of helthe. 16 Sotheli whanne he was comyn in to Rages, a citee of Medeis, and hadde ten talentis of siluer, of these thingis bi whiche he was onourid of the kyng; 17 and siy Gabelus nedi, that was of his lynage, with myche cumpeny of his kyn, Tobie yaf to hym, vndur an obligacioun, the forseid weiyte of siluer. 18 Forsothe after myche tyme, aftir that Salamanazar, the kyng, was deed, whanne Senacherib, his sone, regnyde for hym, and hadde the sones of Israel hateful in his siyt, 19 Tobie yede ech dai bi al his kynrede, and coumfortide hem, and departide of hise catels to ech man, as he myyte; 20 he fedde hungri men, and yaf clothis to nakid men, and he `yaf bisili sepulture to deed men and slayn. 21 Sotheli whanne the kyng Senacherib turnede ayen, fleynge fro Judee the veniaunce that God `hadde do aboute hym for his blasfemye, and he was wrooth, and killide many of the sones of Israel, Tobie biriede `the bodies of hem. 22 And aftir that it was teld to the kyng, he comaundide Tobie to be slayn, and he took awei al his catel. 23 Sotheli Tobie fledde with his sone and with his wijf, and was hid nakid, for many men loueden hym. 24 Forsothe after fyue and fourti daies, the sones of the kyng kyilliden the kyng; and Tobie turnede ayen to his hows, 25 and al his catel was restorid to hym. CAP 2. 1 Forsothe aftir these thingis, whanne a feeste dai of the Lord was, and a good meete was maad in the hows of Tobie, he seide to his sone, 2 Go thou, and brynge sum men of oure lynage, `that dreden God, that thei ete with vs. 3 And whanne he was goon, he turnede ayen, and telde to hym, that oon of the sones of Israel lai stranglid in the street; and anoon `he skippide fro his sittyng place, and lefte the mete, and cam fastynge to the bodi; and he took it, 4 and bar to his hows pryuely, for to birie hym warli, whanne the sunne was go doun. 5 And whanne he hadde hid the bodi, he eet breed with morenyng and tremblyng, 6 and remembride that word, which the Lord seide bi Amos, the prophete, Youre feeste daies schulen be turned in to morenyng and `lamentacioun, ether weilyng. 7 Sotheli whanne the sunne was go doun, Tobie yede, and biriede hym. 8 Forsothe alle hise neiyboris blameden hym, and seiden, Now for the cause of this thing thou were comaundid to be slayn, and vnnethis thou ascapidist the comaundement of deeth, and eft `biriest thou deed men? 9 But Tobie dredde more God than the kyng, and took awei the bodies of slayn men, and hidde in his hows, and biriede tho in the myddil of nyytis. 10 Sotheli it bifelde, that in sum day he was maad wery of biriyng; and he cam hoom, and leide hym silf bisidis a wal, and slepte; 11 and while he slepte, hoote ordures `fellen doun fro the nest of swalewis on hise iyen; and he was maad blynd. 12 Forsothe herfor the Lord suffride this temptacioun bifalle to hym, that the saumple of his pacience, `as also of seynt Job, schulde be youun to `after comeris. 13 For whi whanne he dredde God euere fro his yong childhed, and kepte hise comaundementis, he was not sory ayens God, for the sikenesse of blyndnesse cam to hym; 14 but he dwellide vnmouable in the drede of God, and dide thankyngis to God in alle the dais of his lijf. 15 For whi as kyngis vpbreididen seynt Job, so it bifelde to this Tobie, hise eldris and kynesmen scorneden his lijf, 16 and seiden, Where is thin hope, for which thou didist almes dedis and biriyngis? 17 Sotheli Tobie blamyde hem, and seide, 18 Nyle ye speke so, for we ben the sones of hooli men, and we abiden that lijf, which God schal yyue to hem that chaungen neuere her feith fro hym. 19 Forsothe Anne, his wijf, yede ech dai to the `werk of weuyng, and brouyte lyuelode, which sche myyte gete of the trauel of hir hondis. 20 Wherof it `was doon, that sche took a kide of geet, and brouyte hoom. 21 And whanne hir hosebonde hadde herd the vois of this kide bletynge, he seide, Se ye, lest perauenture it be of thefte, but `yelde ye it to `hise lordis; for it is not leueful `to vs, ethir to ete ether to touche ony thing of thefte. 22 At these thingis his wijf was wrooth, and answeride, Opynli thin hope is maad veyn, and thin almes dedis apperiden now. 23 And bi these and `othere siche wordis sche seide schenschip to hym. CAP 3. 1 Thanne Tobie inwardli sorewide, and bigan to preye with teeris, and seide, Lord, 2 thou art iust, and alle thi domes ben iust, and alle thi weies ben mercy, and treuthe, and doom. 3 And now, Lord, haue thou mynde of me, and take thou not veniaunce of my synnes, nether haue thou mynde of my trespassis, ethir of my fadris. 4 For we `obeieden not to `thi comaundementis, and we ben takun in to rifelyng, and in to caitifte, and in to deth, and in to `a fable, and in to schenschip to alle naciouns, among whiche thou hast scaterid vs. 5 And now, Lord, thi domes ben grete; for we han not do aftir `thi comaundementis, and we han not go clenli bifor thee. 6 And now, Lord, bi thi wille do thou merci with me, and comaunde thou my spirit to be resseyued in pees; for it spedith more to me to die than to lyue. 7 And so it bifelde in the same dai, that Sare, the douyter of Raguel, was in Rages, a citee of Medeis, and sche herd schenschip of oon of the handmaidis of hir fadir; 8 for sche was youun to seuene hosebondis, and a feend, Asmodeus bi name, killide hem, anoon as thei hadden entrid to hir. 9 Therfor whanne sche blamyde `the damysele for her gilt, the damisele answeride to hir, and seide, Thou sleeresse of thin hosebondis, se we `no more a sone ether a douyter of thee `on erthe; 10 whether also thou wolt sle me, as also thou hast slayn seuene men? At this vois sche yede in to the hiyere closet of hir hows, and thre daies and thre nyytis sche eet not, nether drank; 11 but sche contynuede in preier with teeris, and bisouyte God, that he schulde delyuere hir fro this schenschip. 12 Forsothe it was doon in the thridde dai, while sche hadde fillid the preier, 13 sche blesside the Lord, and seide, God of oure fadris, thi name is blessid, which whanne thou hast be wrooth, schalt do merci, and in tyme of tribulacioun foryyuest synnes to hem, that inwardli clepen thee. 14 Lord, to thee Y turne togidere my face; to thee `Y reise `myn iyen. 15 Lord, Y axe, that thou assoile me fro the boond of this schenschip, ether certis that thou take me awei fro aboue the erthe. 16 Lord, thou wost, that Y neuere coueitide man, and Y haue kept my soule cleene fro al coueitise. 17 Y medlide me neuere with pleieris, nether Y yaf me parcener with hem that goon in vnstablenesse. 18 But Y consentide to take an hosebonde with thi drede, not with my lust. 19 And ether Y was vnworthi to hem, ether thei perauenture weren not worthi to me; for in hap thou hast kept me to another hosebonde. 20 For thi councel is not in the power of man. 21 Forsothe ech that worschipith thee hath this for a certeyn, that if his lijf is in preuyng, he schal be corowned; sotheli if he is in tribulacioun, he schal be delyuerid; and if he is in chastisyng, it schal be leueful to come to thi merci. 22 For thou delitist not in oure lossis; for after tempest thou makist pesible, and after morenyng and wepyng thou bryngist yn ful ioye. 23 God of Israel, thi name be blessid `in to worldis, that is, til in to withouten ende. 24 In that tyme the preieris of bothe weren herd in the siyt of glorie of hiyeste God; and Raphael, 25 the hooli aungel of the Lord, was sent for to heele hem bothe, whose preyeris weren rehersid in o tyme in the siyt of the Lord. CAP 4. 1 Therfor whanne Tobie gesside his preier to be herd, that he myyte die, he clepide Tobie, 2 his sone, to hym silf, and seide to hym, My sone, here thou the wordis of my mouth, and bilde thou tho as foundementis in thin herte. 3 Whanne God hath take my soule, byrie thou my bodi; and `thou schal haue onour to thi modir in alle the daies of hir lijf; 4 for thou owist to be myndeful, what perels and how grete sche suffride for thee in hir wombe. 5 Forsothe whanne also sche hath fillid the tyme of hir lijf, thou schalt birie hir bisidis me. 6 Sotheli in alle the daies of thi lijf haue thou God in mynde, and be thou war, lest ony tyme thou consente to synne, and forsake the heestis of oure God. 7 Of thi catel do thou almes, and nyle thou turne awei thi face fro ony pore man; for so it schal be doon, that the face of the Lord be not turned awei fro thee. 8 As thou maist, so be thou merciful. 9 If thou hast myche, yyue thou plenteuousli; if thou hast a litil, also be thou bisi to departe wilfuli a litil. 10 For thou tresorist to thee a good meede in the dai of nede; 11 for whi almes delyuereth fro al synne and fro deeth, and schal not suffre the soule to go in to derknessis. 12 Almes schal be grete trist bifor the hiyeste God to alle men doynge it. 13 Sone, take heede to thi silf, and fle fro al fornicacioun, and, `outakun thi wijf, suffre thou neuere to know synne. 14 Suffre thou neuere pride to haue lordschip in thi wit, nether in thi word; for al `los, ether dampnacioun, took biginnyng in that pride. 15 Who euere worchith ony thing to thee, yelde thou anoon his mede, and outirli the hire of `thin hirid man dwelle not at thee. 16 That that thou hatist to be doon to thee of another man, se thou, lest ony tyme thou do to another man. 17 Ete thi breed with hungri men and nedi, and with thi clothis hile thou nakid men. 18 Ordeyne thi breed and thi wiyn on the sepulture of a iust man, and nyle thou ete and drynke therof with synneris. 19 Euere seke thou perfitli a counsel of a wijs man. 20 Al tyme blesse thou God, and axe thou of hym, that he dresse thi weies, and alle thi counsels dwelle in hym. 21 Also, my sone, Y schewe to thee, that the while thou were yit a litil child, Y yaf ten talentis of siluer to Gabelus, in Rages, a citee of Medeis; and Y haue his obligacioun anentis me; 22 and therfor perfitli enquere thou, hou thou schalt come to hym, and resseyue of hym the forseid weiyte of siluer, and restore to hym his obligacioun. 23 My sone, nyle thou drede; forsothe we leden a pore lijf, but we schulen haue many goodis, if we dreden God, and goen awei fro al synne, and doen wel. CAP 5. 1 Thanne Tobie answeride to his fadir, and seide, Fadir, Y schal do alle thingis, which euer thou comaundidist to me; 2 but Y noot, hou Y schal gete this money; he knowith not me, and Y knowe not him; what tokyn schal Y yyue to hym? but nether Y knew ony tyme the weie, bi which me goith thidur. 3 Thanne his fadir answerid to hym, and seide, Sotheli Y haue this obligacioun at me, which the while thou schewist to him, he schal restore anoon the monei. 4 But go now, and enquere to thee sum feithful man, that schal go with thee for his hire saf, `the while Y lyue yit, that thou resseyue that monei. 5 Thanne Tobie yede out, and foond a yong oon stondynge, `schynynge, and gird, and as redi to go; 6 and he wiste not, that it was the angel of God. And he grette the yong oon, and seide, Of whennus han we thee, goode yonge man? 7 And he answeride, Of the sones of Israel. And Tobie seide to hym, Knowist thou the weie, that ledith in to the cuntrei of Medeis? 8 To whom he answeride, Y knowe, and Y haue go ofte alle the weies therof, and Y haue dwellid at Gabelus, youre brother, that dwellith in Rages, a citee of Medeis, which is set in `the hil of Echbathanis. 9 To whom Tobie seide, Y biseche, abide thou me, til Y telle these thingis to my fader. 10 Thanne Tobie entride, and telde alle these thingis to his fader; on which thingis the fader wondride, and preiede, that he wolde entre to him. 11 Therfor he entride, and grette Tobie, and seide, Ioie be euere to thee! 12 And Tobie seide, What maner ioie schal be to me, that sitte in derknessis, and se not `the liyt of heuene? 13 To whom the yong oon seide, Be thou of strong wit; it is in the nexte that thou be heelid of God. 14 Therfor Tobie seide to hym, Whether thou maist lede my sone to Gabelus in to Rages, the citee of Medeis, and whanne thou comest ayen, Y schal restore thi mede to thee? 15 And the aungel seide to hym, Y schal lede, and bringe ayen him hool to thee. 16 To whom Tobie answeride, Y preie thee, schewe to me, of what hows, ether of what lynage thou art? 17 To whom Raphael, the aungel, seide, Axist thou the kyn of the hirid man, ethir the hirid man hym silf, that schal go with thi sone? 18 But lest perauenture Y make thee douteful, Y am Azarie, the sone of grete Ananye. 19 And Tobie answeride, Thou art of greet kyn; but Y axe, that thou be not wrooth, that Y wolde knowe thi kyn. 20 Forsothe the aungel seide to hym, Y schal lede thi sone hool, and Y schal bring ayen to thee `thi sone hool. 21 Sotheli Tobie answeride, and seide, Wel `go ye, and the Lord be in youre weie, and his aungel go with you. 22 Thanne whanne alle thingis weren redi, that schulden be borun in the weie, Tobie made `farewel to his fadir and his modir; and `bothe yeden togidere. 23 And whanne thei weren goon forth, his modir bigan to wepe, and to seie, Thou hast take the staf of oure eelde, and hast sent awey fro vs; 24 `Y wolde thilke monei were neuere, `for which thou sentist him; 25 oure pouert sufficide to vs, that we schulden arette this richessis, that we sien oure sone. 26 And Tobie seide to hir, `Nyle thou wepe; oure sone schal come saaf, and he schal turne ayen saaf to vs, and thin iyen schulen se hym. 27 For Y bileue, that the good aungel of God goith with him, and he schal dispose wel alle thingis, that ben doon aboute hym, so that he turne ayen with ioie to vs. 28 At this vois his moder ceesside to wepe, and was stille. CAP 6. 1 Forsothe Tobie yede forth, and `a dogge suede hym, and he dwellide in the firste dwellyng bisidis the flood of Tigrys. 2 And he `yede out to waische hise feet; and lo! a greet fisch yede out to deuoure hym. 3 Which fisch Tobie dredde, and criede with greet vois, and seide, Sire, he assailith me. 4 And the aungel seide to hym, Take `thou his gile, `ether iowe, and drawe hym to thee. And whanne he hadde do this thing, he drow it in to the drie place, and it bigan to spraule bifor hise feet. 5 Thanne the aungel seide to hym, Drawe out the entrails of this fisch, and kepe to thee his herte and galle and mawe; for these thingis ben nedeful to medicyns profitabli. 6 And whanne he hadde do this thing, he rostide `hise fleischis, and thei token `with hem in the weie; thei saltiden othere thingis, that schulde suffice to hem in the weie, til thei camen in to Rages, the citee of Medeis. 7 Thanne Tobie axide the aungel, and seide to hym, Azarie, brother, Y biseche thee, that thou seie to me, what remedie these thingis schulen haue, whiche thou comaundidist to be kept of the fisch. 8 And the aungel answeride, and seide to hym, If thou puttist a lytil part of his herte on the coolis, the smoke therof dryueth awei al the kynde of feendis, ethir fro man ether fro womman, so that it neiye no more to hem. 9 And the galle is myche worth to anoynte iyen, in whiche is a web, and tho schulen be heelid. 10 And Tobie seide to him, Where wolt thou, that we dwelle? 11 And the aungel answeride, and seide, Here is a man, Raguel bi name, a nyy man of thi lynage, and he hath a douytir, Sare bi name; but nether he hath male nethir ony other femal, outakun hir. 12 Al his catel is due to thee; and it bihoueth thee haue hir to wijf. 13 Therfor axe thou hir of hir fadir; and he schal yyue `hir a wijf to thee. 14 Thanne Tobie answeride, and seide, Y haue herd, that sche was youun to seuene hosebondis, and thei ben deed; but also Y herde this, that a fend killide hem. 15 Therfor Y dredde, lest perauenture also these thingis bifalle to me; and sithen Y am oon aloone to my fadir and modir, Y putte doun `with sorewe her eelde to hellis. 16 Thanne the aungel Raphael seide to hym, Here thou me, and Y schal schewe to thee, `whiche it ben, ouer whiche the fend hath maistrie; ouer hem, 17 that taken so weddyngys, that thei close out God fro hem and fro her mynde; `the fend hath power ouer hem, that yyuen so tent to her letcherie, as an hors and mule doon, `that han noon vndurstondyng. 18 But whanne thou hast take hir, entre thou in to the bed, and bi thre daies be thou continent `fro hir, and to noon other thing thou schalt yyue tent with hir, no but to preieris. 19 Forsothe in that firste niyt, whanne the mawe of the fisch is brent, the fend schal be dryuun awei. 20 Sotheli in the secounde nyyt thou schalt be resseyued in the couplyng of hooli patriarkis. 21 Forsothe in the thridde nyyt thou schalt gete blessyng, that hoole sones be gendrid of you. 22 But whanne the thridde niyt is passid, thou schalt take the virgyn with the drede of the Lord, and thou schalt be led more bi the loue of children than of lust, that in the seed of Abraham thou gete blessyng in sones. CAP 7. 1 `Forsothe thei entriden to Raguel; and Raguel resseyuede hem with ioie. 2 And Raguel bihelde Tobie, and seide to Anne, his wijf, This yong man is ful lijk my sister sone. 3 And whanne he hadde seid these thingis, he seide, Of whennus ben ye, yonge men, oure britheren? And thei seiden, We ben of the lynage of Neptalym, of the caitifte of Nynyue. 4 And Raguel seide to hem, Knowen ye Tobi, my brother? Whiche answeriden, We knowen him. 5 And `whanne he spak manye good thingis of Tobie, the aungel seide to Raguel, Tobie, of whom thou axist, is the fadir of this man. 6 Thanne Raguel bowede doun hym silf, and with teeris he kisside Tobie, and he wepte on his necke, 7 and seide, My sone, blessyng be to thee; for thou art the sone of a good and `a ful noble man. 8 And Anne, `his wijf, and Sare, `the douytir of hem, wepten. 9 Forsothe after that thei hadden spoke, Raguel comaundide a wethir to be slayn, and a feeste to be maad redi. And whanne he excitide hem to sitte doun to mete, Tobie seide, 10 Y schal not ete, nethir drynke here to dai, no but thou conferme first myn axyng, and biheete to yyue to me Sare, thi douyter. 11 And whanne this word was herd, Raguel dredde, witynge what bifelde to tho seuene men; and he bigan for to drede, lest perauenture it schulde bifalle in lijk maner to this Tobie. And whanne he doutide, and yaf noon answere to the axere, 12 the aungel seide to hym, Nyle thou drede to yyue hir to this man; for thi douyter `is due wiyf to this man dredynge God; therfor another man myyte not haue hir. 13 Thanne Raguel seide, Y doute not, that God hath resseyued my preieris and teeris in his siyt. 14 And Y bileue, that herfor the Lord made you come to me, that also this womman schulde be ioyned to her kynrede bi the lawe of Moises; and now nyle thou bere doute, that Y schal yyue hir to thee. 15 And he took the riyt hond of his douyter, and yaf to the riyt hond of Tobie, and seide, God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, be with you, and he ioyne you togidere, and `he fille his blessyng in you. 16 And whanne a chartere `was takun, thei maden `writyng togidere of the mariage. 17 And aftir these thingis thei eten, and blessiden God. 18 And Raguel clepide to hym Anne, his wijf, and comaundide hir to make redi another bed. 19 And sche ledde Sare, hir douytir, in to it, and sche wepte; and Anne seide to hir, My douyter, be thou of strong wit; the Lord of heuene yyue to thee ioie, for the anoie that thou suffridist. CAP 8. 1 Forsothe aftir that thei hadden soupid, thei brouyten in the yong man to hir. 2 Therfor Tobie bithouyte of the wordis of the aungel, and `brouyte forth of his scrippe a part of the mawe, and puttide it on quike coolis. 3 Thanne Raphael, the aungel, took the fend, and boond hym in the desert of hiyere Egipte. 4 Thanne Tobie monestide the virgyn, and seide to hir, Sare, rise vp, and preye we God to dai, and to morewe, and `the secounde morewe; for in these thre nyytis we ben ioyned to God; sotheli whanne the thridde nyyt is passid, we schulen be in oure mariage; 5 for we ben the children of hooli men, and we moun not so be ioyned togidere as also hethene men, that knowen not God. 6 Sotheli thei risiden togidere, and bothe preyeden togidere bisili, that helthe schulde be youun to hem. 7 And Tobie seide, Lord God of oure fadris, heuenes, and londis, and the see, and wellis, and floodis, and ech creature of thin, which is in tho, blesse thee; thou madist Adam of the sliym of erthe, 8 and yauest to hym an help, Eue. 9 And now, Lord, thou woost, that Y take my sistir not for cause of letcherie, but for loue aloone of eeris, in whiche thi name be blessid in to worldis of worldis. 10 Therfor Sare seide, Lord, haue thou mercy on vs, haue thou merci on vs, and waxe we bothe eelde togidere hoole. 11 And it was doon aboute the `cockis crowyng, Raguel made hise seruauntis to be clepid, and thei yeden with hym to digge a sepulcre. 12 For he dredde, lest it bifelde in lijk maner to hym, that bifelde also to `seuene othere men, that entriden to hir. 13 And whanne thei hadden maad redi a pit, Raguel yede ayen to his wijf, and seide to hir, 14 Sende oon of thin handmaydis, and se sche, whether `he is deed, that Y byrie hym, bifor that the liyt come. 15 And sche sente oon of hir handmaidis, which entride in to the closet, and foond hem saaf and sounde, slepynge togidir with hem silf. 16 And sche turnede ayen, and teld good massage. And thei blessiden the Lord, that is, Raguel and Anne, 17 his wijf, and seiden, Lord God of Israel, we blessen thee, for it `bifelde not to vs, as we gessiden; 18 for thou hast do thi merci with vs, and hast schit out fro vs the enemy pursuynge vs. 19 Sotheli thou hast do merci `to tweyne aloone. My Lord, make thou hem to blesse thee fulliere, and for to offre to thee the sacrifice of thi preisyng, and of her helthe, that the vnyuersite of folkis knowe, that thou art God aloone in al erthe. 20 And anoon Raguel comaundide hise seruauntis to fille the pit, which thei hadden maad, bifor that the liyt cam. 21 `Forsothe he seide to his wijf, that sche schulde araie a feeste, and make redi alle thingis, that weren nedeful to men makynge iournei. 22 Also he made to be slayn twei fatte kien, and foure wetheris, and metis to be maad redi to alle hise neiyboris, and alle hise frendis. 23 And Raguel made Tobie to swere, that he schulde `dwelle twei woukis at Raguel. 24 Sotheli of alle thingis, whiche Raguel hadde in possessioun, he yaf the half part to Tobie; and he made this scripture, that the half part, that was left, schulde come to the lordschip of Tobie aftir the deeth of hem. CAP 9. 1 Thanne Tobie clepide to hym the aungel, whom sotheli he gesside a man. And Tobie seide to hym, Azarie, brother, Y axe, that thou herkne my wordis. 2 Thouy Y bitake my silf seruaunt to thee, Y schal not be euene worthi to thi puruyaunce. 3 Netheles Y biseche thee, that thou take to thee beestis, ethir seruyces, and go thou to Gabelus `in to Rages, a citee of Medeis, and yelde to hym his obligacioun; and take of hym the money, and preie hym to come to my weddyngis. 4 For thou woost, that my fadir noumbrith the daies, and yf Y tarie o dai more, his soule schal be maad sorie. 5 And certis thou seest, hou Raguel hath chargid me, whos chargyng Y mai not dispise. 6 Thanne Raphael took foure of the seruauntis of Raguel, and twei camels, and yede in to Rages, a citee of Medeis, and he foond Gabelus, and yaf to hym his obligacioun, and resseyuede of hym al the monei; 7 and he schewide to hym of Tobie, the sone of Tobie, alle thingis that weren doon. And he made Gabelus come with hym to the weddyngis. 8 And whanne he entride in to the hows of Raguel, he foond Tobie sittynge at the mete; and `he skippide vp, and thei kissiden hem silf togidere. 9 And Gabelus wepte, and blesside God, and seide, The Lord God of Israel blesse thee, for thou art the sone of a ful good man, and iust, and dredynge God, and doynge almesdedis; 10 and blessing be seid on thi wijf, and on youre fadris and modris, 11 and se ye youre sones, and the sones of youre sones, til in to the thridde and the fourthe generacioun; and youre seed be blessid of God of Israel, that regneth in `to the worldis of worldis. 12 And whanne alle men hadden seid Amen, thei yeden to `the feeste; but also thei vsiden the feeste of weddyngis with the drede of the Lord. CAP 10. 1 Sotheli whanne Tobie made tariyngis for `the cause of weddyngis, `Tobie his fadir was angwisched, seiynge, Gessist thou, whi my sone tarieth, ethir whi he is `witholdun there? 2 Gessist thou, whether Gabelus is deed, and no man yeldith to hym the monei? 3 `Forsothe he bigan to be `sorie ful myche, and Anne, his wijf, with hym; and bothe bigunnen to wepe togidere, for her sone turnede not ayen to hem `in the dai set. 4 Therfor his modir wepte with teeris withouten remedie, and seide, Alas to me! my sone, whi senten we thee a pilgrimage, the liyt of oure iyen, the staf of oure eelde, the solace of oure lijf, the hope of oure eiris? 5 We hadden alle thingis togidere in thee oon, and ouyte not leete thee go fro vs. 6 To whom Tobie seide, Be stille, and nyle thou be troblid; oure sone is hool; thilke man is feithful ynow, with whom we senten hym. 7 Forsothe sche myyte not be coumfortid in ony maner, but ech dai sche `skippide forthe, and lokide aboute, and cumpasside alle the weies, bi whiche the hope of `comyng ayen was seyn, to se hym comynge afer, if it myyte be doon. 8 And sotheli Raguel seide to `the hosebonde of his douytir, Dwelle thou here, and Y schal sende a messanger of helthe `of thee to Tobie, thi fadir. 9 To whom Tobie seide, Y knowe, that my fadir and my modir rekynen now the daies, and her spirit is turmentid in hem. 10 And whanne Raguel preiede Tobie with many wordis, and he `nolde here Raguel bi ony resoun, Raguel bitook to hym Sare, and half `the part of al his catel, in children and damysels, in the scheep and camels, and in kiyn, and in myche monei; and he delyueride fro hym silf Tobie saaf and ioiynge, 11 and seide, The hooli aungel of the Lord be in youre weie, and brynge you sounde, and fynde ye alle thingis riytfuli aboute youre fadir and modir, 12 and myn iyen se youre sones, bifor that Y die. And the fadir and modir token `her douyter, and kissiden hir, 13 and leeten hir go, and monestiden hir to onour the fader and modir of hir hosebonde, to loue the hosebonde, to reule the meynee, to gouerne the hows, and to schewe hir self vnrepreuable. CAP 11. 1 And whanne `thei turneden ayen, thei camen to Carram, which is in the myddil of the weie ayens Nynyue, `in the eleuenthe dai. 2 And the aungel seide, Tobie brother, thou woost, hou thou leftist thi fadir. 3 Therfor if it plesith thee, go we bifore; and the meineis, with thi wijf togidere and with the beestis, sue oure weie with soft goynge. 4 And whanne this pleside, that thei schulden go, Raphael seide to Tobie, Take with thee of the galle of the fisch, for it schal be nedeful. Therfor Tobie took of that galle, and thei yeden forth. 5 Forsothe Anne sat bisidis the weie ech dai in the cop of the hil, fro whennus sche myyte biholde fro afer. 6 And while sche bihelde fro the same place the comyng of hym, sche siy a fer, and knew anoon hir sone comynge; and sche ran, and telde to hir hosebonde, and seide, Lo! thi sone cometh. 7 And Raphael seide to Tobie, And whanne thou hast entrid in to thin hows, anoon worschipe `thi Lord God, and do thou thankyngis to hym, and neiye to thi fadir, and kisse hym. 8 And anoon anoynte on hise iyen of this galle of the fisch, which galle thou berist with thee; for `whi wite thou, that anoon hise iyen schulen be openyd, and `thi fadir schal se the liyt of heuene, and he schal be ioiful in thi siyt. 9 Thanne the dogge `ran bifore, `that was togidere in the weie, and made ioie with the faunyng of his tail, as a messanger comynge. 10 And his blynde fadir roos vp, and bigan to renne, hirtynge `in the feet, and whanne he hadde youe hond to a child, he ran ayens his sone. 11 And he resseyuede and kisside hym, `with his wijf, and bothe bigunnen to wepe for ioie. 12 And whanne thei hadden worschipid God, and hadden do thankyngis, thei saten togidere. 13 Thanne Tobie took of the galle of the fisch, and anoyntide the iyen of his fadir. 14 And he abood as half an our almest, and the web, as the litil skyn of an ey, bigan to go out of hise iyen. 15 Which web Tobie took, and drow fro hise iyen, and anoon he resseyuede siyt. 16 And thei glorifieden God, that is, he, and his wijf, and alle that knewen hym. 17 And Tobie seide, Lord God of Israel, Y blesse thee, for thou hast chastisid me, and thou hast saued me; and lo! Y se Tobie, my sone. 18 Also Sare, the wijf of his sone, entride aftir seuene daies, and alle the meynees, and the beestis hoole, and camels, and miche monei of the wijf, but also the money which `he hadde resseyued of Gabelus. 19 And he telde to his fadir and modir alle the benefices of God, whiche he hadde do aboute hym bi the man, that hadde led hym. 20 And Achior and Nabath, the `sistir sones of Tobie, camen ioiful to Tobie, and thankiden hym of alle the `goodis, whiche God hadde schewid aboute hym. 21 And bi seuene daies thei eeten, and ioyden with greet ioye. CAP 12. 1 Thanne Tobie clepide to hym his sone, and seide to hym, What moun we yyue to this hooli man, that cam with thee? 2 Tobie answeride, and seide to his fadir, Fadir, what meede schulen we yyue to hym, ether what mai be worthi to hise benefices? 3 He ledde, and `brouyte me hool ayen; he resseyuede of Gabelus the monei; he made me to haue a wijf, and he droof awei the feend fro hir; he made ioie to hir fadir and moder; he delyuerede `my silf fro the deuouryng of a fisch; and he made thee to se the liyt of heuene; and we ben fillid with alle goodis bi hym; what thing worthi to these thingis moun we yyue to hym? 4 But, fadir, Y axe thee, that thou preie hym, if perauenture he schal vouche saaf to take to hym the half of alle thingis, what euer thingis ben brouyt. 5 And the fadir and the sone clepiden hym, and token hym asidis half, and bigunnen to preie, that he wolde vouche saaf to haue acceptable the half part of alle thingis, whiche thei hadden brouyt. 6 Thanne he seide to hem priueli, Blesse ye God of heuene, and knouleche ye to hym bifor alle men lyuynge, for he hath do his merci with you. 7 For it is good to hide the priuyte of a kyng; but it is worschipful to schewe and knowleche the werkis of God. 8 Preier is good with fastyng, and almes, more than to hide tresouris of gold; 9 for whi almes delyuereth fro deth, and thilke almes it is that purgith synnes, and makith to fynde euerlastynge lijf. 10 Forsothe thei that doon synne and wickidnesse, ben enemyes of her soule. 11 Therfor Y schewe trewthe to you, and Y schal not hide fro you a pryuy word. 12 Whane thou preyedist with teeris, and biryedist deed men, and `forsokist the meete, and hiddist deed men bi dai in thin hows, and biriedist `in the nyyt, Y offride thi preier to the Lord. 13 And for thou were acceptable to God, it was nedeful that temptacioun schulde preue thee. 14 And now the Lord sente me `for to cure thee, and to delyuere Sare, the wijf of thi sone, fro the fend. 15 For Y am Raphael, the aungel, oon of the seuene that ben present bifor the Lord. 16 And whanne thei hadden herd this, thei weren disturblid, and felden tremblynge on her face. 17 And the aungel seide to hem, Pees be to you, nyle ye drede; 18 for whanne Y was with you, Y was bi Goddis wille. Blesse ye hym, and synge ye to hym. 19 Sotheli Y semyde to ete and drynke with you; but Y vse vnuysible meete, and drynk that mai not be seyn of men. 20 Therfor it is tyme, that Y turne ayen to hym, that sente me; but blesse ye God, and telle ye out alle hise merueils; blesse ye hym, and synge ye to hym. 21 And whanne he hadde seide these thingis, he was takun awei fro her siyt; and thei myyten no more se hym. 22 Thanne thei felden doun `bi thre ouris on the face, and blessiden God; and thei risynge vp telden alle hise merueils. CAP 13. 1 Forsothe the eldere Tobie openyde his mouth, and blesside God, and seide, Lord, thou art greet with outen ende, and thi rewme is in to `alle worldis; 2 for thou betist, and makist saaf; thou ledist doun to hellis, and `ledist ayen; and noon is that ascapith thin hoond. 3 Sones of Israel, knowleche ye to the Lord, and herye ye hym in the siyt of hethene men; 4 for herfor he scateride you among hethene men, that knowen not God, that ye telle out his merueils, and make hem to wite, that noon othere God is almyyti outakun hym. 5 He chastiside vs for oure wickidnessis; and he schal saue vs for his mercy. 6 Therfor biholde ye, what thingis he hath do with you, and knouleche ye to hym with drede and tremblyng; and enhaunse ye the kyng of worldis in youre werkis. 7 Forsothe Y in the lond of my caitifte schal knouleche to hym; for he schewide his maieste on a synful folc. 8 Therfor, synneris, be ye conuertid, and do ye riytfulnesse bifor God, and bileue ye, that he schal do his merci with you. 9 Sotheli Y and my soule schulen be glad in hym. 10 Alle chosun of the Lord, blesse ye hym; make ye the daies of gladnesse, and knouleche ye to hym. 11 Jerusalem, the citee of God, the Lord hath chastisid thee for the werkis of thin hondis. 12 Knouleche thou to God in thi goodis, and blesse thou God of worldis, that he bilde ayen in thee his tabernacle, and ayen clepe to thee alle thi prisoneris; and that thou haue ioie in to alle worldis of worldis. 13 Thou schalt schyne with briyt liyt, and alle the coostis of erthe schulen worschipe thee. 14 Naciouns schulen come fro fer to thee, and thei schulen brynge yiftis, and schulen worschipe the Lord in thee, and thei schulen haue thi lond in to halewyng; 15 for thei schulen `clepe in thee the grete name. 16 And thei schulen be cursid, that dispisen thee, and thei schulen be dampned, that blasfemen thee; and thei schulen be blessid, that bilden thee. 17 Forsothe thou schalt be glad in thi sones, for alle schulen be blessid, and schulen be gaderid togidere to the Lord. 18 Blessid ben alle that louen thee, and that han ioie on thi pees. 19 My soule, blesse thou the Lord, for `oure Lord God hath delyuered Jerusalem, his citee, fro alle tribulaciouns therof. 20 Y schal be blessid, if the relikis of my seed schulen be to se the clerenesse of Jerusalem. 21 The yatis of Jerusalem schulen be bildid of saphire and smaragde, and of preciouse stoon; al the cumpas of wallis therof schal be of white and clene stoon. 22 Alle the stretis therof schulen be strewid; and alleluya, `that is, the heriyng of God, schal be sungun bi the stretis therof. 23 Blessid be the Lord, that enhaunside it, that his rewme be on it in to worldis of worldis. Amen. CAP 14. 1 And the wordis of Tobie [Note: Tobie The preisable knowleching of Tobie, and his profecie of heuenli Jerusalem. ] weren endid; and aftir that he was liytned, he lyuede two and fourti yeer, and siy the sones of hise sones sones. 2 For whanne an hundrid yeer and tweyn weren fillid, he was biried worschipfuli in Nynyue. 3 `For he of sixe and fifti yeer loste the liyt of iyen; sotheli he sixti yeer eeld resseyuede `that liyt. 4 Forsothe the residue of his lijf was in ioie, and he yede in pees with good encresyng of Goddis drede. 5 Forsothe in the our of his deeth he clepide to hym Tobie, his sone, and seuene yonge sones of hym, hise sones sones, 6 and seide to hem, The perischyng of Nynyue schal be niy, for the word of God schal not falle doun [Note: sum is profesie of manaas, and this is chaungid, as the meritis of men chaungen; and in this maner Jonas profeciede the distriyng of Nynyue, but for thei diden penaunce, this peyne was delayed; and whanne thei turneden ayen to her synnes, God yaf ful doom of distriynge of Nynyue bi profesie of predestynacioun ether of ful doom, as it is in Goddis knowyng, and this profesie ether doom is neuere chaungid. ]; and youre britheren, that ben scaterid fro the lond of Israel, schulen turne ayen to it. 7 Sotheli al deseert lond therof schal be fillid, and the hows of God, which is brent ther ynne, schal be bildid ayen, and alle that dreden God schulen turne ayen thidur. 8 And hethene men schulen forsake her idols [Note: this profesie was fillid in part, whanne the Jewis turneden ayen fro Babiloyne; but more perfitly it was fillid in the tyme of Crist and hise apostlis, whanne hethen men forsoken her idols, and camen to cristen feith, and serueden Crist truly, King of Israel. ], and schulen come to Jerusalem, and schulen `enhabite it. 9 And alle the kyngis of erthe schulen haue ioie ther ynne, and schulen worschipe the kyng of Israel. 10 Therfor, my sones, here ye youre fadir; serue ye the Lord in drede and treuthe; and enquere ye to do tho thingis that ben plesaunt to hym. 11 And comaunde ye youre sones to do riytfulnessis and almesdedis; that thei be myndeful of God, and blesse God in al tyme, in treuthe and in al her vertu. 12 Now therfor, my sones, here ye me, and nyle ye dwelle here, but in what euer dai ye han biried youre modir biside me in o sepulcre, fro that dai dresse ye youre steppis, that ye go out fro hennus; 13 for Y se that the wickidnesse therof schal `yyue an ende therto. 14 Forsothe it was doon aftir the deeth of his modir, Tobie yede awei fro Nynyue, with his wijf, and sones, and with the sones of sones, and turnede ayen to the fadir and modir of his wijf. 15 And he foond hem sounde in good eelde. And he dide the cure of hem, and he closide her iyen; and he took al the erytage of the hows of Raguel, and he siy the fyuethe generacioun, the sones of hise sones. 16 And whanne nynti yeer and nyne weren fillid in the drede of the Lord, thei birieden hym with ioie. 17 Forsothe al his kynrede, and al his generacioun, dwellide perfitli in good lijf, and in hooli conuersacioun, so that thei weren acceptable bothe to God and to men, and to alle enhabitynge the erthe.

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