Deuteronomy · Chapter 25

[ edit] If þere were a cauſe bitwex eny men, and han aſkid iugis, whom þei biholden to be ryȝtwyſe, to hym þe palme of riȝtwiſnes þei ſhulen ȝyue, whom wickid, þei ſhulen condempne of wickidnes. Forſoþe if hym þat haþ ſynned þei ſeen worþi, þei ſhulen þrow doun wiþ ſcourgis, and before hem þei ſhulen make to be betun; for þe meſure of ſynne ſhal be and þe maner of ſcourgyngis, ſo oonlich, þat þe fourtiþ noumbre þei ouer paſſe not, leſt foulich rent before þin eyen þi broþer go awey. Þow ſhalt not bynde þe mouþ of þe oxe tredinge þi fruytis in þe flore.

Whanne breþeren dwellen togidre, and oon of hem wiþ outen free children were deed, þe wijf of þe deed ſhal not wedde to anoþer, but ſhal taak hir his broþer, and he ſhal arere þe ſeed of his broþer. And þe fyrſt goten ſone of hyr he ſhal clepe bi þe name of hym, þat þe name of hym be not doon a wey fro Yrael. Forſoþe if he wol not taak þe wijf of his broþer, þat to hym bi þe lawe is owid, þe womman ſhal goo to þe ȝate of þe cyte; and ſhe ſhal aſke þe more men þurȝ birþ, and ſhal ſeye, Þe broþer of my man wol not arere ſeed of his broþer in Yrael, ne me into wedlok taak. And anoon þei ſhulen maak hym to be clepid, and þei ſhulen aſke.

If he anſwere, I wol not taak hir to wijf; þe womman ſhal come nyȝ to hym, before þe aldre men, and ſhe ſhal taak þe ſho of his foot, and ſpit in his face, and ſeye, Þus it ſhal be doo to a man, þat wol not bilde vp þe hows of his broþer; and ſhal be clepid þe name of hym in Yrael, Þe hows of þe vnſhod. If þere han two men bytwix hem ſelf chidynge, and oon aȝens þat oþer bigynneþ to iangle, and wilnynge þe wijf of þat oþer to delyuer hir man fro þe hoond of þe ſtrenger, and haþ put þe hoond, and takun þe ſhamfaſt membris of hym, þow ſhalt kut of þe hoond of hir, ne be bowid on hyr wiþ eny mercy.

Þow ſhalt not haue in ſak dyuerſe weiȝtis, more and laſſe, ne þere ſhal be in þin hows a buſſhel more and laſſe. Weiȝt þow ſhalt haue iuſt and verrey, and euen buſſhel and verrey ſhal be to þee, þat myche tyme þou lyue vpon erþe þat þe Lord þi God ſhal ȝyue to þee. Þe Lord forſoþe ſhal wlaat hym þat doþ þes þingis, and wiþſtoondiþ alle vnriȝtwiſneſſes. Haue mynde what þingis dide to þee Amalech in þe weye, whanne þow wentiſt out of Egipt; what maner wiſe he aȝen cam to þee, and þe eendis of þi felawſhip, þat wery abeden, ſlewȝ, whanne þow were defoulid wiþ hungre and traueil, and dredde not God.

Þerfor whanne þe Lord þi God haþ ȝyue to þee reſt, and maad ſugettis alle naciouns bi enuyroun, in þe loond þat he haþ bihoot to þee, þow ſhalt doo a wey his name vndre heuene; be war leſt þow forȝete.