Ezra · Chapter 5

[ edit] And þer is maad a cri of þe puple and of þer wiues, a gret, aȝen Jewis, þer breþern. And þer weren þat ſeiden, Oure ſonus and oure doȝtris ben ful manye; take we for þe pris of hem whete, and ete we, and liue wee. And þer weren þat ſeiden, Oure feldis, and vines, and oure houſis lei wee to, and take wee whete in hunger. And oþere ſeiden, Borewe wee monei in to þe tributus of þe king, and ȝiue wee oure feldis, and oure vines.

And now as þe fleſh of oure breþern, ſo oure fleſh ben; and as þe ſonys of hem, ſo and oure ſonus; lo! we han vnder ȝokid our ſonus and oure doȝtris in to ſeruage, and of oure doȝtris ben þrallis, and we han not, wherof þei moun be boȝt; and our feldus, and oure vines oþer men welden. And I wraþide ful myche, whan I hadde herd þe cri of hem after þeſe woordys. And myn herte þoȝte wiþ me, and I blamede þe moſt wrſhipeful men and maiſter iugis; and ſeide to hem, Echone aſke ȝee not vſuris of ȝoure breþern.

And I gederede aȝen hem a gret conuocacioun, and ſeide to þem, Wee, as ȝee witen, han forboȝt oure breþern Jewis, þat weren ſold to þe Jentilis, after oure power; and ȝee þanne ſellen ȝoure breþern, and wee ſhul bien hem aȝeen. And þei heelden þer pes, ne founden not what þei ſhulden anſwern. And I ſeide to hem, Þis is no good þing, þat ȝee don; whi in þe drede of oure God ȝee gon not, leſt it be repreuid to vs of þe Jentilis, oure enemys?

And I and my breþern, and my childer, lenten to manye men monei and whete, ne wee aſkeden not aȝen þis in to comun; and oþer þing þat is aȝt to vs graunte wee. Ȝeldeþ to þem to dai þer feldis, and þer vines, þeir oliues, and þer houſis; but more and þe hundrid part of monee of whete, and of win, and oile, þat ȝee weren wont to aſken of hem, ȝiueþ for hem. And þei ſeiden, Wee ſhal ȝelden, and of hem noþing we ſechen; and þus wee ſhul do as þou ſpekiſt. And I clepide þe preſtis, and adiurede hem, þat þei ſhulde do aftir þat I hadde ſeid.

Ferþermor I ſhakide out my boſum, and ſeide, Þus God ſhake out eche man, þat fulfilliþ not þis woord of his hous, and of his trauailis; and be he ſhaken out, and maad voide. And al þe multitude ſeide, Amen; and preiſeden God. Þanne dide þe puple, as it was ſeid. Forſoþe fro þat dai þat þe king hadde comaunded to me, þat I were duke in þe lond of Juda, fro þe twentiþe ȝer vn to þe two and þrettiþe ȝer of king Artaxerſes, bi twelue ȝer, I and my breþern þe ȝeris frutus, þat weren due to dukis, wee eeten not. Forſoþe þe firſte dukis þat weren befor me greueden þe puple, and token of hem in bred, and win, and in mone, eche dai fourti ouncis; but and þe ſeruauns of hem preſſeden doun þe puple.

I forſoþe dide not ſo, for þe drede of God; but raþere in þe werk of þe wal bildede, and feeld I boȝte not, and alle my childer gedered weren to þe werc. Alſo Jewis and þe maiſter iugis of hem weren an hundrid men and fifti; and þoo þat camen to vs of þe Jentilis, þat ben in oure enuyroun, weren in my bord. Forſoþ þere was greiþid to me bi alle daȝis an oxe, ſixe choſen weþeris, out take volatilis, and betwe ten daȝes diuerſe wines; and oþere manye þingus I ȝaf; ferþermor and þe ȝeris frutis of my duchie I ſoȝte not; forſoþe þe puple gretli was pouereſht. My God, haue mynde of me in to goode, after alle þingis þat I haue do to þis puple.