Joshua · Chapter 1

[ edit] And it is doon after þe deþ of Moyſes, þe ſeruaunt of þe Lord, þat þe Lord ſpak to Joſue, þe ſone of Nun, þe ſeruaunt of Moyſes, and ſeide to hym, Moyſes, my ſeruaunt, is deed; riſe, and paſſe ouer þis Jordan, þow, and al þe puple wiþ þee, into þe loond þat Y ſhal ȝyue to þe ſones of Yrael. Eche place þat þe ſtap of ȝoure foot ſhal treed, to ȝow Y ſhal taak, as Y ſpak to Moyſes, fro deſeert and Libane and vnto þe greet flood of Effrates; al þe loond of Eþeus, vnto þe greet ſee aȝens þe ſunne goynge doun, ſhal be ȝoure teerme. Noon ſhal mowe to ȝow to aȝenſtoond alle þe dais of þi lijf; as Y was wiþ Moyſes, ſo Y ſhal be wiþ þee; Y ſhal not leeue, ne forſaak þee.

Tak coumfort, and be ſtrong; forſoþe þow ſhalt dyuyde bi lot to þis puple þe loond, for þe which Y haue ſwore to þi faders, þat Y take it to hem. Take coumfort þerfor, and be ful ſtrong, þat þow keep, and doo al þe lawe, þat Moyſes, my ſeruaunt, haþ comaundid to þee; ne bowe þow aſide fro it to þe ryȝt or to þe left, þat þow vnderſtoond alle þingis þat þow doſt. Þe volym of þis law goo not awey fro þi mouþ, but þow ſhalt deuowtly þink in it days and nyȝtis, þat þow kepe and do alle þingis þat ben wryten in it; þanne þow ſhalt make redi þi weie, and vnderſtoond it.

I comaunde to þee; tak coumfort, and be ſtrong; wole þow not drede, and wole þow not be feerd; for wiþ þee is þe Lord þi God in alle þingis, to what euere þingis þow ſhalt goo. And Joſue comaundide to þe pryncis of þe puple, ſeiynge, Goo ȝe bi þe myddil of þe tentis; and comaunde ȝe to þe puple, and ſeye ȝe, Make ȝe redi to ȝou meetis, for after þe þridde day ȝe ſhulen paſſe ouer Jordan, and goo into þe loond to be weeldid, þat þe Lord ȝoure God is to ȝyue to ȝow.

Forſoþe to Rubenytis, and Gaddytis, and to þe half lynage of Manaſſe he ſeiþ, Haue mynde of þe word þat comaundide to ȝow Moiſes, þe ſeruaunt of þe Lord, ſeiynge, Þe Lord ȝoure God haþ ȝyue to ȝow reſt and al þe loond; ȝoure wyues and ȝoure children and beeſtis ſhulen dwelle in þe loond þat Moyſes haþ taak to ȝow biȝonde Jordan; ȝe forſoþe paſſiþ armed before ȝoure breþeren, alle þe ſtronge men in hoond; and fiȝte ȝe for hem, to þe tyme þat þe Lord ȝyue reſt to ȝoure briþeren, as and to ȝow he haþ ȝeue; and þat þei forſoþe weelden þe loond þat þe Lord ȝoure God is to ȝyue to hem; and ſo ȝe ſhulen turn aȝen into þe loond of ȝoure poſſeſſyoun, and ȝe ſhulen dwelle in it, þat to ȝow haþ ȝeuen Moiſes, þe ſeruaunt of þe Lord, biȝond Jordan, aȝens þe riſynge of þe ſunne.

And þei anſwerden to Joſue, and ſeiden, Alle þingis þat þow haſt comaundid to vs we ſhulen doo, and whidir euer þow ſeendiſt, we ſhulen goo; as we han obeiſhid in alle þingis to Moiſes, ſo and we ſhulen obeyſhe to þee; oneli þe Lord þi God be wiþ þee, as he was wiþ Moyſes. Who aȝen ſeiþ to þi mouþ, and obeiſhiþ not to alle þe wordis, þe whiche þow haſt comaundid to hym, dye he; þou oonly tak coumfort, and do manlych.