Joshua · Chapter 23

[ edit] Ouerturned forſoþe myche tyme after þat þe Lord hadde ȝeue pees to Irael, ſugettid alle naciouns in enuyroun; and Joſue now of long lijf, and of ful old age, Joſue clepid al Yrael, and þe more þurȝ birþ, and princis, and dukys, and mayſtris, and ſeide to hem, I haue eeldid, and am of more goon forþ age; and ȝe biholden alle þingis þat þe Lord ȝoure God haþ doon to alle naciouns bi enuyroun, what maner wiſe for ȝou he haþ fouȝten. And nowe for he haþ dyuydid to ȝou bi lot al þe loond, fro þe eſt paart of Jordan vnto þe greet ſee, and manye ȝit naciouns ouerleeuen, þe Lord ȝoure God ſhal ſcater hem, and doo awey fro ȝoure face; and ȝe ſhulen weeld þe loond, as he haþ bihoot to ȝow.

Oonly takiþ comfort, and beþ biſy, þat ȝe kepen alle þingis þat ben writun in þe volym of þe lawe of Moyſes, and þat ȝe bowen not aſide fro hem, ne to þe riȝt ne to þe left, leſt after þat ȝe goon into þe gentylis, þat among ȝou ben to come, ȝe ſweren in þe name of þe goddis of hem, and ſerue to hem, and honoure hem. But cleue ȝe to þe Lord ȝoure God, þe which þing ȝe han doon vnto þis day; and þanne þe Lord God ſhal doo awey in ȝoure ſiȝt greet gentilis, and mooſt ſtronge; and no man ſhal wiþſtoond to ȝow. Oon of ȝou ſhal purſue a þouſand men of enemyes, for þe Lord ȝoure God for ȝou he ſhal fiȝt, as he haþ bihoot. Þis oonli mooſt biſily be ȝe war before, þat ȝe louen þe Lord ȝoure God.

And if þat ȝe wolen drawe to þe errours of þes gentilis þat among ȝou dwellen, and wiþ hem mengiþ maryagis, and frenſhips cowple, nowe þanne wite ȝe, þat þe Lord ȝoure God do hem not a wey bifore ȝoure face, but to ȝow þei ſhulen be in to a diche, and grene, and hurtynge of ȝoure ſide, and a ſtaak in ȝoure eyen, to þe tyme þat he doo ȝou a wey, and ſcater fro þis beſt loond, þat he haþ taak to ȝou. Loo! I to day goo into þe weie of al erþe; and wiþ al inwit ȝe ſhulen knowe, þat of alle þe wordis þe whiche þe Lord haþ bihoot hym ſelf to be to doo to ȝou, he haþ not paſſid biſide oon in veyn.

Þanne as he haþ fulfillid in dede þat he haþ bihoot, and welſumli alle þingis ben comen, ſo he ſhal brynge vpon ȝow what þing of yuels he haþ þrett, to þe tyme þat he do ȝow a wey, and ſcater fro þis beſt loond, þat he haþ taak to ȝou. Forþi þat ȝe han biſide paſſid þe couenaunt of þe Lord ȝoure God, þat he haþ couenauntid wiþ ȝow, and ȝe han ſerued to alien goddis, and honourde hem, ſoone and ſwiftli ſhal aryſe in ȝow þe woodnes of þe Lord; and ȝe ſhulen be takun a wey fro þis beſt loond, þat he haþ taak to ȝow.