Genesis · Chapter 34

[ edit] Dyne, þe dowȝter of Lya, forſoþe was goon oute, þat ſhe myȝte ſe wymmen of þat regioun. Whom whanne hadde ſeen Sichym, þe ſone of Emor Euey, þe prince of þat loond, louede hir, and rauyſhide, and ſlepte wiþ hir, wiþ force oppreſſide a mayden. And þe ſoule of hym was glewid wiþ hir, and hir ſory he ſwagide wiþ ſoftneſſis. And he goynge to Emor, his fadir, Tak to me, he ſeiþ, þis damyſele to wijf. Þe which whanne Jacob hadde herd, abſent þe ſones, and in þe foode of þe beeſtis occupied, he heelde his pees, to þe tyme þei comen aȝen. Emor forſoþe, þe fader of Sichem, goon oute, þat he myȝte ſpeke to Jacob, loo! þe ſones of hym comen fro þe feelde.

And þe þing herd þat was fallun, þei weren ful wroþ, þerþurȝ þat a fowle þing he hadde wrouȝt in Iſrael, and þe dowȝter of Jacob defowlid, an vnleueful þing hadde fulfillid. And ſo Emor ſpeke to hem, Þe ſoule of my ſone Sichem haþ cleued to ȝoure dowȝter, ȝyueþ hir wijf to hym, and ioyne we togidere maryagis; ȝoure dowȝtres ȝif ȝe to vs, and oure dowȝtres taak ȝe, and dwel ȝe wiþ vs; þe loond is in ȝoure power, excerſiſe ȝe, chaffare ȝe, and haue ȝe it. But and Sichem to þe fader and to þe breþeren of hir ſeiþ, Fynde Y grace bifore ȝow, and what þing ȝe ordeyne Y ſhal ȝyue; eche ȝe dower, and aſke ȝe ȝiftis, gladly Y ſhal ȝyue þat ȝe aſken; oonly ȝyf ȝe to me þis dameſele to wijf.

Þe ſones of Jacob anſweriden to Sichem and to þe fader of hym in trechory, waxynge cruel for þe ſtupre of þe ſiſter, We mowen not doon þat ȝe aſken, ne ȝyue oure ſiſter to a man vncircumſidid, þe which is vnleful and wrongful anentis vs. But in þat we mowen ben togidere boundun, if ȝe wole be like vs, and al kynde of maal be circumſidid in ȝow, þanne we ſhulen ȝyue and take togidere oure dowȝtris and ȝouren; and we ſhulen dwelle wiþ ȝow, and we ſhulen be o peple. If forſoþe ȝe wolen not be circumſidid, we ſhulen take our dowȝtres, and goo awey.

Þe profre of hem pleſide to Emor and to Sichem, his ſone, ne þe ȝonglyng tariede, but anoon þat þat was aſkid he ſhulde fulfil; forſoþe he louede ful greetli þe damyſele, and he was noble in al þe hows of his fader. And þei goon yn þe ȝate of þe cite, ſpeken to þe puple, Þes men ben peſible, and wolen dwelle wiþ vs; chaffare þei in þe loond, and excerſiſe þei it, þe which large and broode nediþ tyliers; þe dowȝtris of hem we ſhulen take wyues, and oure we ſhulen ȝyue to hem.

O þing is þat puttiþ off ſo myche good; if we circumſiden oure males, folwynge þe ryte of þe folk, and þe ſubſtaunce of hem, and þe beeſtis, and al þat þei han ſhulen be ouren; oonli in þat aſſent we, þat dwellynge togidrys we maken o peple. And alle þei ben aſſentid, alle þe malis circumſidid. And loo! þe þridde day, whanne þe ſorwe of þe woundes is mooſt greuows, þe two ſones of Jacob, Symyon and Leuy, þe briþeren of Dyne, drawen to her ſwerdis, ben goon into þe cyte triſtiliche, and ſleyn alle þe males; Emor and Sichem togideres þei ſlewen, takynge Dyne, her ſiſter, fro þe hows of Sichem.

Þe which goon oute, þe toþer ſones of Jacob fellen vpon þe ſlayn men, and þei diſtruyden þe cyte, in to vengeaunce of þe ſtupre, þe ſheep of hem, droues, and aſſes, and alle þingis waſtynge, þat in þe howſis and in þe feeldis weren; þe litil children forſoþe, and þe wyues of hem þei ladden cheytiues. Þe whiche þingis ful doon hardilich, Jacob ſeyde to Symyon and Leuy, Ȝe han diſturbid me, and ȝe han maad me haatſum to Chananeis and Phareȝeis, þe dwellers of þis loond; we ben fewe, and þei gederyd to giderys ſhulen ſmyte me, and Y ſhall be doon awey and myn hows. Þei anſweriden, Wheþer as a ſtrumpet þei ſhulden myſuſe oure ſiſtre?