Ezekiel · Chapter 18

[ edit] And þe word of þe Lord is maad to me, ſeiynge, What is it, þat amonge ȝou ȝe turnen a parable in to þis prouerbe, in þe loond of Iſrael, ſeyynge, Þe fadris eeten a ſoure grape, and þe teeþ of ſones wexen on egge? Y lyue, ſeiþ þe Lord God, if þis parable ſhal be more to ȝou in to a prouerbe in Iſrael. Loo! alle ſoulis ben myne; as þe ſoule of þe fadir, ſo and þe ſoule of þe ſone is myne. Þe ſoule þat ſhal ſynne, þe ilk ſhal die.

And if a man ſhal be iuſt, and ſhal doo doom and riȝtwiſnes, he ſhal not ete in þe hillis, and ſhal not reyſe his eyen to þe ydolis of þe hows of Iſrael; and he ſhal not defoule þe wijf of his neiȝbour, and ſhal not go to a menſtruat womman, or in vnclene blood flowing; and he ſhal not make a man ſorewful, he ſhal ȝeelde þe wed to þe dettour, and he ſhal rauyſſhe no þing bi ſtrengþ, he ſhal ȝyue his breed to þe hungrynge, and he ſhal hille þe nakid wiþ cloþing; he ſhal not leene to vſure, and ſhal not take more; he ſhal turne awey his hoond fro wickidnes, and he ſhal doo verre dom bitwix man and man; and ſhal walke in my comaundementis, and ſhal kepe my domys, þat he doo treuþ; he þis is iuſt, in lijf he ſhal lyue, ſeiþ þe Lord God.

Þat if he ſhal gendre a ſone, þeef, ſhedynge out blood, and ſhal doo oon of þes, and ſoþeli not doynge alle þes, but etynge in mounteyns, and defoulynge þe wijf of his neiȝbour; makynge þe nedy and pore ſorewful, rauyſhynge raueyns, not ȝeeldynge wed, reiſynge his eyen to ydolis, doynge abomynacioun; ȝyuynge to vſure, and takynge more; wheþer he ſhal lyue? he ſhal not lyue; whanne he ſhal doo alle þes curſyd þingis, he ſhal die bi deeþ, þe blood of hym ſhal be in hym.

Þat if he ſhal gendre a ſone, whiche ſeynge alle þes ſynnes of his fader, which he haþ don, ſhal drede, and not doo liche þing to hem; ſhal not eete in hillis, and ſhal not reyſe his eyen to þe ydolis of þe hows of Iſrael; and ſhal not defoule þe wijf of his neiȝbour, and ſhal not make a man ſorewful, ſhal not wiþholde a wed, and ſhal not rauyſhe raueyne, ſhal ȝyue his breed to þe hungrynge, and ſhal hille þe nakid wiþ cloþing; ſhal turne awei his hoond fro wroong of þe pore man, ſhal not take vſure and ouere-aboundance, and ſhal doo my domys, ſhal walke in my preceptis; þis man ſhal not die in þe wickydnes of his fadir, but in lijf he ſhal lyue.

Þe fadir of hym, for he dide fals chalenge, and dide ſtrengþe, or violence, to his broþer, and wrouȝte yuel þing in þe mydil of his puple, loo! he is deed in his wickidnes. And ȝe ſeyn, Whi beriþ not þe ſone þe wickidnes of his fader? Þat is for to wite, for þe ſone wrouȝte doom and riȝtwiſnes, he kepte alle my preceptis, and dide hem, in lijf he ſhal lyue, ſeiþ þe Lord God. Þe ſoule þat ſhal ſynne, þe ilke ſhal die; þe ſone ſhal not bere þe wickidnes of þe fader, and þe fadir ſhal not bere þe wickidnes of þe ſone; þe riȝtwiſnes of þe iuſt man ſhal be vpon hym, and þe vnpitouſnes of þe vnpitous man ſhal be vpon hym.

Forſoþe if þe vnpitous man ſhal doo penaunce of alle his ſynnes whiche he haþ wrouȝte, and ſhal kepe alle myn heeſtis, and ſhal doo doom and riȝtwiſnes, in lijf he ſhal lyue, and he ſhal not die. I ſhal not haue mynde of alle þe wyckidneſſis whiche he wrouȝte; in his riȝtwiſneſſe whiche he wrouȝt, he ſhal lyue. Wheþer þe deeþ of þe vnpitous man is of my wil, ſeiþ þe Lord God, and not þat he be conuertid fro his weies, and lyue? Forſoþe if a iuſt man ſhal turne hym a wei fro his riȝtwiſnes, and ſhal doo wickidnes, after alle þe abomynaciouns whiche þe vnpytous man is wont for to worche, wheþer he ſhal lyue?

Alle his riȝtwiſneſſis whiche he dide, ſhulen not be recordid; in þe treſpaſſynge in which he treſpaſſide, and in þe ſynne in which he ſynnede, in hem he ſhal dye. And ȝe ſeiden, Þe weie of þe Lord is not euen. Þerfor here ȝe, hous of Iſrael, wheþer my weye is not euen, and not more ȝoure weies ben ſhrewid? Forſoþe whanne a iuſt man ſhal turne awei him fro his riȝtwiſnes, and ſhal do wickidnes, he ſhal die in hem, in þe vnriȝtwiſnes which he wrouȝt, he ſhal die. And whanne þe vnpitous man ſhal turne hym a wey fro his vnpite which he wrouȝte, and ſhal doo doom and riȝtwiſnes, he ſhal quykne his ſoule.

Forſoþe biholdynge and turnynge awei hym fro alle his wickidneſſis whiche he wrouȝte, he ſhal lyue in lijf, and ſhal not die. And þe ſones of Iſrael ſeyn, Þe weie of þe Lord is not euen. Wheþer my weies ben not euen, ȝe hous of Iſrael, and not more ȝoure weies ben ſhrewid? Þerfor I ſhal deme eche man after his weies, ȝe hous of Iſrael, ſeiþ þe Lord God. Be ȝe conuertid, and doo ȝe penaunce fro alle ȝour wyckidneſſis, and wickidnes ſhal not be to ȝou in to falling doun. Caſte ȝe awei fro ȝou alle ȝour treſpaſſyngis, in whiche ȝe han treſpaſſide, and make ȝe to ȝou a newe herte and a newe ſpirite, and whi ſhulen ȝe die, hous of Iſrael?

For I wole not þe deeþ of þe diynge, but þat he be conuertid and lyue, ſeiþ þe Lord God; turne ȝe aȝen, and lyue.