Jeremiah · Chapter 8

[ edit] In þat tyme, ſeiþ þe Lord, þei ſhul caſte out þe bonus of þe king of Juda, and þe bones of his princes, and þe bones of preſtus, and þe bones of profetes, and þe bones of hem þat dwelliden Jeruſalem fro þer ſepulcris; and ſprede þem abrod to þe ſunne, and þe moone, and al þe knyȝþed of heuene, whiche þei loueden, and to whom þei ſerueden, and after whiche þei ȝiden, and whiche þei ſoȝten, and honoureden; þei ſhul not be gedered, and not biried; in to a dunghil vp on þe face of erþe þei ſhul be. And þei ſhul cheſen more deþ þan lif, alle þat reſidue ſhul be of þis werſte kinrede, in alle places þat ben laft, to whiche I þreȝ hem doun, ſeiþ þe Lord of oſtis.

And þou ſhalt ſey to þem, Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord, Wheþer he þat ſhal falle, ſhal not riſen aȝeen? and he þat is turned awei, ſhal not be turned aȝeen? Whi þanne turned awei is þis puple in to Jeruſalem wiþ ſtriuous turnyng awei? Þei caȝten leſing, and wolden not turne aȝeen. Y tooc heed, and herknede; no man þat good is ſpekeþ, no man is þat do penaunce vp on his ſynne, ſeiende, What haue Y do? Alle ben turned to þer cours, as an hors in bure goende to bataile. Þe kite in heuene kneȝ his tyme; þe turtir, and þe ſwalewe, and þe ſomer foul þat is clepid cyconye, kepten þe time of þer comyng; my puple forſoþe kneȝ not þe dom of þe Lord.

Hou ſey ȝee, Wiſe men wee ben, and þe lawe of þe Lord is wiþ vs? Verely leſing wroȝte þe lyende poyntil of þe ſcribis. Confoundid ben þe wiſe men, gaſt and caȝt þei ben. Þe wrd forſoþe of þe Lord þei caſten aferr, and no wiſdam is in hem. Þerfore Y ſhal ȝiue þer wymmen to ſtraungeres, and þer feeldis to alien eires; for fro þe leſte vnto þe moſte auarice alle folewen, fro þe profete vnto þe preſt alle don leſing; and heleden þe tobroſing of þe doȝter of my puple to ſhenſhipe, ſeiende, Pes, pes, whan þer was not pes. Confoundid þei ben, for abhomynacioun þei diden; but myche more by confuſioun þei ben not confoundid, and ſhamen þei kouþen not.

Þerfor þei ſhul falle among men fallende, in tyme of þer viſitacioun þei ſhul falle togidere, ſeiþ þe Lord. Gederende Y ſhal gedere þem togidere, ſeiþ þe Lord; þer is not grape in þe vynes, and þer ben not fyges in þe fige ȝerd; þe lef flowede doun, and I ȝaf to þem þe þingus þat ben go biſidis. Whi ſitte wee? comeþ togidere, go wee in to þe ſtrengþid cite, and holde wee oure pes þere; for our Lord haþ maad vs to be ſtille, and drinke ȝaf to vs watir of galle; wee han ſynned forſoþe to þe Lord. Wee han abide pes, and þer was not good; tyme of leching, and lo! dred.

Fro Dan is herd þe fneſting of his hors; fro þe vois of his neiȝende fiȝteres toſtirid is alle þe lond; and þei camen, and deuoureden þe lond, and his plente, þe chef cite, and his dwelleres. For lo! I ſhal ſende to ȝou werſt edderes, to whiche is not enchaunting; and þei ſhul bite ȝou, ſeiþ þe Lord. My ſorewe vp on ſorewe, in me myn herte mournende. And lo! þe vois of þe cry of þe doȝter of my puple fro a ferr lond. Wheþer þe Lord is not in Sion, or his king is not in it? Why þanne me to wraþe þei ſtereden in þer grauen þingus, and in alyene vanytes? Ryp paſſede, endid is ſomer; and wee ben not ſaf.

Vp on þe to-treding of þe doȝtir of my puple Y am to-treden, and ſorewid; ſtoneyng wiþheeld me. Wheþer gumme is not in Galaad, or a leche is not þere? Whi þanne þe hid wounde of þe doȝter of my puple is not al helid?