Deuteronomy · Chapter 24

[ edit] If man taak a wijf, and haue hyr, and fynde no grace before þe eyen of hir, for ſum filþed, he ſhal wryte a libel of forſakynge, and he ſhal ȝyue in þe hoond of hyr, and he ſhal leeue hir fro his hows. And whanne ſhe goon out anoþer houſboond takiþ, and he forſoþe hate hir, and ȝyue to hir a libel of forſakynge, and leeue fro his hows, oþer certeyn were deed, þe firſt houſboond ſhal not mowe taak her aȝen into wijf, for ſhe is polut, and is maad abomynable before þe Lord; leſt þow make to ſynne þi loond, þat þe Lord þi God to þee haþ taak to be weeldid.

Whanne a man haþ taak a wijf laate, he ſhal not goo forþ to bateyl, ne to hym eny þing of nede ſhal be ioyned opynlich, but he ſhal taak hede wiþ outen blame to his hows, þat o ȝeer he ioye wiþ his wijf. Þow ſhalt not taak in ſtedde of a wed þe neþermore and ouermore grynſtoon, for his lijf he putte to þee. If a man were taak biſili weytynge his broþer of þe ſones of Yrael, and he ſolde take þe prijs, he ſhal be ſlayn; and þow ſhalt do a wey yuel fro þe myddil of þee. Biſily kepe wel, leſt þow renne into plage of lepre, but þow ſhalt doon alle þingis þat þe preſtis of Leuyte kynde han tauȝt þee, aftir þat Y haue comaundid to hem, and fulfil biſily.

Haue ȝe mynde what þingis þe Lord ȝoure God dyde to Marye, in þe weye, whanne ȝe wenten out of Egipt. Whanne þow ſhalt aȝen aſke of þi neiȝbour eny þing þat he owiþ to þee, þow ſhalt not goon into þe hows of hym for to taak wed; but þow ſhalt ſtoond wiþ out, and he to þee ſhal brynge forþ þat he haþ. Forſoþe if he is pore, þe wed anentis þee ſhal not al nyȝt dwelle, but anoon þow ſhalt ȝeeld to hym before þe goynge down of þe ſunne, þat he, ſlepynge in his cloþinge, bleſſe to þee, and þow haue ryȝtwiſnes before þe Lord þi God.

Þou ſhalt not denye þe mede of þe nedi, and of þe pore þi broþer, or of comlynge þat dwelliþ wiþ þee in þi loond, and wiþ ynne þi ȝatis is; but þe ſame day þow ſhalt ȝeeld to hym þe prijs of his traueyl, before þe ſunne goynge down, for he is pore, and of it ſuſteyneþ his lijf; leſt he crye aȝens þee to þe Lord, and be rettid to þee into ſynne. Fadrys ſhulen not be ſlayn for þe ſones, ne ſones for þe fadris, but echon for his own ſynne ſhal dye. Þow ſhalt not peruert þe doom of þe comlyng, and faderles child; ne þow ſhalt taak awey in ſtede of a wed þe clooþ of þe widewe.

Haue mynde þat þow haſt ſerued in Egipt, and þe Lord þi God haþ delyuered þee þens; þerfor I comaunde to þee þat þow doo þis þing. Whanne þow repiſt corn in þi feeld, and a forȝetun handful þow leeueſt, þow ſhalt not turn aȝen for to taak it, but þe comlynge, and faderles child, and widewe þow ſhalt ſuffre to bere a wey, þat þe Lord þi God bleſſe to þee in al þe werk of þin hoondis. If þou gedreſt fruytis of olyues, what euere leeue in þe trees, þow ſhalt not turn aȝen for to gedre, but þow ſhalt leeue to þe comlynge, faderles child, and widewe.

If þou kuttiſt þi vyn from grapis to wyn, þou ſhalt not gedre þe leeuynge reyſens, but þei ſhulen falle into þe vſe of þe comlynge, faderles child, and widewe. Haue mynde þat þow ſeruediſt in Egipt, and þerfor Y comaunde to þee, þat þow doo þis þing.