Isaiah · Chapter 38

[ edit] In þo daȝes ſicnede Ezechie vnto þe deþ; and wente in to hym Iſaie, þe ſoun of Amos, þe profete, and ſeide to hym, Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord, Diſpoſe to þin houſe, for die ſhalt þou, and not lyuen. And Ezechie turnede his face to þe wal, and honourede þe Lord, and ſeide, I ynwardli preȝe, Lord; haue mynde, I beſeche, what maner I ȝide bifor þee in treuþe, and in parfit herte, and þat is good in þin eȝen, I dide. And Ezechie wepte wiþ gret weping. And don is þe wrd of þe Lord to Iſaie, ſeiende, Go, and ſei to Ezechye, Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord God of Dauid, þi fader, I haue herd þin oriſoun, and ſeen þi teres. Lo!

I ſhal ley to vp on þi daȝes fiftene ȝer; and fro þe hond of þe king of Aſſiries I ſhal delyuere þee and þis cite, and I ſhal defenden it. Þis forſoþe to þee ſhal ben a tocne fro þe Lord, for þe Lord ſhal do þis wrd þat he ſpac. Loo! I ſhal make to turne aȝeen þe ſhadewe of lynes, bi þe whiche it hadde go doun in þe oriloge of Acaþ, in þe ſunne, bacward by ten lynes. And þe ſunne is turned aȝeen bi ten lynes, bi þe grees þat it hadde go doun. Þe ſcripture of Ezechie, king of Juda, whan he hadde be ſyc, and hadde couered of his ſycneſſe. I ſeide, in þe myddel of my daȝes I ſhal go to þe ȝates of helle.

I ſoȝte þe reſidue of my ȝeres; I ſeide, I ſhal not ſee þe Lord God in þe lond of lyueres; I ſhal not biholde a man more ouer, and a dwellere of reſte. My ieneracioun is taken awei, and al folden vp fro me, as a tabernacle of ſhepherdes. Kut of is as of a weuere my lif; whil ȝit I weuede, he under kutte me. Fro erli vnto euen þou ſhalt ende me; I hopede vnto þe moru; as a leoun, ſo he to-broſede alle my bones. Fro erli vn to euen þou ſhalt ende me; as þe brid of a ſwalewe, ſo I ſhal crien; ſweteli I ſhal þenke as a culuer. Al to-feblid ben myn eȝen, biholdende vp in heiȝte. Lord, fors I ſuffre, anſwere þou for me; what ſhal I ſey, or what ſhal anſwere to me, whan I myſelf haue do?

I ſhal eft þenke to þee alle my ȝeres, in þe bitterneſſe of my ſoule. Lord, if þus it is lyued, and in ſuche þingus þe lif of my ſpirit, þou ſhalt chaſtiſe me, and quykene me; lo! in pes my bitterneſſe moſt bitter. Þou forſoþe haſt deliuered out my ſoule, þat it ſhulde not perſhe; þou haſt þrowe aferr bihinde þi bac alle my ſynnus. For helle ſhal not knouleche to þee, nor deþ ſhal preiſe þee; and þei ſhul not abyden þi treuþe, þat gon doun in to þe lake. Lyuende, lyuende, he ſhal knouleche to þee, as and I to dai; þe fader to þe ſonus knowe ſhal make þi treuþe. Lord, mac me ſaf, and oure ſalmes wee ſhal ſinge alle þe daȝes of oure lif in þe hous of þe Lord.

And Iſaie comaundide, þat þei ſhulden taken an hep of fyges, and þei ſhulde make an enplaſtre vp on þe wounde; and he ſhulde ben hoel. And Ezechye ſeide, What ſhal be þe tocne, for I ſhal ſteȝe vp in to þe hous of þe Lord?