Ezra · Chapter 1

[ edit] The woordis of Neemye, ſone of Elchie. And it is do in þe moniþ of December, þe twentiþe ȝer, and I was in þe burȝ toun of Suſis; and þer cam to me Annam, oon of my breþern, he and þe men of Juda; and I aſkide hem of Jewis, þat abiden ſtille, and laften ouer of þe caitifte, and of Jeruſalem. And þei ſeiden to me, Þei þat abiden ſtille, and ben laft of þe caitifte þere in þe prouynce, ben in gret affliccioun, and in repref; and þe wal of Jeruſalem is ſcatered, and his ȝatis ben brend wiþ fijr.

And whan I hadde herd ſuch maner woordis, I ſat and wepte, and weilide manye daȝes, and faſtide, and preȝede befor þe face of God of heuene; and ſeide, I beſeche, Lord God of heuene, ſtrong, gret, and ferful, þat kepiſt couenaunt and merci wiþ hem, þat loouen þee, and kepen þi maundemens; be þi ere maad herknende, and þi eȝen opened, þat þou here þe oriſoun of þi ſeruaunt, in þe whiche I preyȝe befor þee to dai, nyȝt and dai, for þe ſonys of Irael, þi ſeruauns, and I knowleche for þe ſynnes of þe ſones of Irael, in þe whiche þei ſynneden to þee; and I and þe hous of my fader han ſynned; bi vanyte wee ben born doun, and wee han not kept þe heſte, and cerimoines, and domus, þat þou comaundedeſt to Moiſes, þi ſeruaunt.

Haue mynde of þe woord, þat þou comaundedeſt to þi ſeruaunt, ſeiende, Whan ȝee han treſpaſid, I ſhal ſcatere ȝou in to puplis; and if ȝee be turned aȝeen to me, þat ȝee kepe myn heſtus, and don hem, alſo if ȝee weren lad awei to þe endis of heuene, þennus I ſhal gadere ȝou togidere, and leden in to þe place, þat I ches, þat my name dwelle þere. And wee þi ſeruauns, and þi puple, whom þou haſt boȝt in þi grete ſtrengþe, and in þi ſtronge hond. I beſeche, Lord, be þin ere takende heede to þe oriſoun of þi ſeruaunt, and to þe oriſoun of þi ſeruauns, þat wiln dreden þi name; and dreſſe þi ſeruaunt to dai, and ȝif to hym merci befor þis man. I forſoþe was þe booteler of þe king.