Jeremiah · Chapter 42

[ edit] And wenten nyȝ alle princes of fiȝteres, and Johanna, ſone of Carae, and Jeconye, þe ſone of Joſie, and þe toþer comun, fro litil vnto myche; and ſeiden to Jeremye, þe profete, Falle oure oriſoun in þi ſiȝt, and preȝe þou for vs to þe Lord þi God, for alle þeſe remnauns; for wee ben laft fewe of manye, as þin eȝen biholden vs; and telle to vs þe Lord þi God þe weie, bi whiche wee go, and þe wrd þat wee do. Seide forſoþe to þem Jeremye, þe profete, I haue herd; lo! Y preȝe to þe Lord oure God, after alle ȝoure wrdus; eche wrd, what euere he ſhal anſwere to me, Y ſhal ſhewe to ȝou, ne Y ſhal hile ȝou any þing.

And þei ſeiden to Jeremye, Be þe lord among vs witneſſe of treuþe and of feiþ; and if not after eche wrd in whiche ſhal ſende þee þi God to vs, ſo wee ſhal do, wheþer good or euel. To þe vois of þe Lord oure God, to whom wee ſende þee, wee ſhul obeſhe, þat wel be to vs, whan wee ſhul here þe vois of þe Lord oure God. Whan forſoþe fulfild weren ten daȝes, don is þe wrd of þe Lord to Jeremye. And he clepide Johannan, þe ſone of Carae, and alle þe princes of fiȝteres, þat weren wiþ hym, and al þe puple fro þe leſte to þe meſte; and ſeide to þem, Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord God of Irael, to whom ȝee han ſente me, þat Y ſhulde lei forþ ȝoure preieres in þe ſiȝt of hym.

If reſtende ȝee ſchulen abide in þis lond, I ſhal bilde ȝou vp, and not deſtroȝen; Y ſhal plaunte, and not pulle vp; now forſoþe Y am pleſid vpon þe euel þat Y dide to ȝou. Wileþ not drede fro þe face of þe king of Babiloyne, whom ȝee aferd dreden; wileþ not dreden hym, ſeiþ þe Lord, for wiþ ȝou Y am, þat Y make ȝou ſaf, and delyuere fro his hond. And Y ſhal ȝyue to ȝou mercies, and han reuþe of ȝou, and to dwelle ȝou Y ſhal make in ȝoure lond.

If forſoþe ȝee ſhul ſei, Wee ſhul not dwelle in þis lond, ne wee ſhul here þe vois of þe Lord oure God, ſeiende, Nai, but to þe lond of Egipt wee ſhul go, where wee ſhul not ſee bataile, and noiſe of trumpe wee ſhul not heren, and hunger wee ſhul not ſuffre, and þere wee ſhul dwelle; for þat now hereþ þe wrd of þe Lord, ȝee remnaunt of Juda. Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord of oſtus, God of Irael, If ȝee ſhul ſette ȝoure face, þat ȝee go in to Egipt, and ȝee ſhul gon in, þat þere ȝee dwelle, ſwerd þat ȝee drede ſhal þere take ȝou in þe lond of Egipt, and hunger for whiche ȝee be beſy ſhal cleue to ȝou in Egipt; and þere ȝee ſhul die.

And alle þe men þat ſetteden þer face, þat þey go in to Egipt, and dwelle þere, ſhul die wiþ ſwerd, and hunger, and peſtilence; no man of hem ſhal lefe, ne ſcape fro þe face of þe euel, þat I ſhal bringe to vp on hem. For þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord of oſtus, God of Irael, As ȝoten out is my woodneſſe and myn indignacioun vp on þe dwelleres of Jeruſalem, ſo ſhal be ȝoten out myn indignacioun vpon ȝou, whan ȝee ſhul go in to Egipt; and ȝee ſhul ben in to an oþ of riȝt, and in to ſtoneyng, and in to curſing, and in to repref; and ȝee ſhul no more ſee þis place.

Þe wrd of þe Lord vp on ȝou, ȝee remnauns of Juda; wileþ not go in to Egipt; witende ȝee ſhul wite, þat aȝenwitneſſid Y haue to ȝou þis day; for ȝee han diſceyued ȝoure ſoules, ȝee forſoþe han ſente me to þe Lord ȝoure God, ſeiende, Preȝe þou for vs to þe Lord oure God, and after alle þingis what euere ſhal ſei to þee þe Lord oure God, ſo tel to vs, and wee ſhul don. And Y haue told to ȝou to day, and ȝee han not herde þe vois of þe Lord oure God, vpon alle þingus for whiche he ſente me to ȝou. Now þerfore witende ȝee ſhul wite, for wiþ ſwerd, and hunger, and peſtilence ȝee ſhul die, in þe place to whiche ȝee wolde go in, þat ȝee dwelle þere.