Jonah · Chapter 1

[ edit] And þe word of þe Lord is maad to Jonas, ſone of Amaþy, ſayinge, Ryſe þou, and go in to Nynyuen, þe grete cytee, and preche þou þerynne, for þe malyce þerof ſtyeþ vp byfore me. And Jonas ros for to fleeȝ in to Tharſis, fro þe face of þe Lord. And he came doun to Joppe, and foonde a ſhip goynge in to Tharſis, and he ȝaue ſhiphijre to hem; and he wente doun in to it, for to go wiþ hem in to Tharſis, fro þe face of þe Lord. Forſoþe þe Lord ſente a grete wynde in þe ſe, and a grete tempeſt is maad in þe ſe, and þe ſhip was in peryl for to be broken. And ſhip men dredden, and men crieden to her god; and ſenten veſſels, þat weren in þe ſhip, in to þe ſe, þat it were maad liȝter of hem.

And Jonas wente doun to þe ynner þingis of þe ſhip, and ſlepte in a greuouſe ſleep. And þe gouernour cam to hym, and ſaide to hym, What art þou caſt doun in ſleep? ryſe þou, ynclepe þi God, ȝif per auenture God aȝein þenk of vs, and we periſhe not. And a man ſaide to his felaw, Cum ȝe, and ſende we lot, and wite we, whi þis yuel is to vs. And þei ſenten lottis, and lot felle on Jonas. And þei ſaiden to hym, Shewe þou to vs, for cauſe of what þing þis yuel is to vs; what is þi werk, whiche þi lond, and whiþer goſt þou, or of what peple art þou? And he ſaide to hem, Y am an Ebru, and Y dreede þe Lord God of heuen, þat made heuen and erþe.

And þe men dredden wiþ grete drede, and ſaiden to hym, What didiſt þou þis þing? forſoþe þe men knewen for he fleeȝ fro þe face of þe Lord, for Jonas had ſhewid to hem. And þei ſaiden to hym, What ſhuln we do to þee, and þe ſe ſhal ceeſe fro vs? for þe ſe wente, and wexe grete on hem. And he ſaide to hem, Take ȝe me, and ſende in to þe ſe, and þe ſe ſhal ceſe fro ȝou; forſoþe Y wote, for whi for me þis grete tempeſt is on ȝou. And men rowiden, for to turne aȝein to þe drye lond, and þei miȝten not, for þe ſe wente, and wexe grete on hem.

And þei crieden to þe Lord, and ſaiden, Lord, we biſechen, þat we periſhe not in þe ſoule of þis man, and þat þou ȝeue not on vs innocent blode; for þou, Lord, didiſt as þou woldiſt. And þei token Jonas, and ſenten in to þe ſe; and þe ſe ſtode of his buylyng. And þe men dredden þe Lord wiþ grete dreed, and offreden ooſtis to þe Lord, and vowiden avowis. And þe Lord made redy a grete fiſſhe, þat he ſhulde ſwelow Jonas; and Jonas was in wombe of þe fiſhe þree days and þree niȝtis.