Zechariah · Chapter 11

[ edit] Liban, opne þi ȝatis, and fijr ſhal eete þi cedris. Ȝoule, þou beche, for þe cedre felle doun, for þe grete ben diſtruyed; ȝoule, ȝe ookis of Baſan, for þe ſtronge wijlde wod is kitt doun. Voice of ȝoulyng of ſheperdis, for þe grete doyng of hem is diſtruyed; voice of roryng of lyouns, for þe pride of Jordan is waaſtid. Þeſe þingus ſaiþ þe Lord my God, Feede þou beeſtis of ſlauȝter, whom þei þat weeldiden ſlewen; and ſorewiden not, and ſoulden hem, ſayinge, Bleſſid þe Lord, we ben maad riche. And þe ſheperdis of hem ſpariden not hem, and Y ſhal na more ſpare vpon men enabitinge þe erþe, ſaiþ þe Lord. Loo!

Y ſhal bytake men, eche in þe hond of his neiȝbore, and in þe hond of his kyng, and þei ſhuln falle to gydre in to erþe; and Y ſhal not delyuere of þe hond of hem, and Y ſhal feede þe beeſt of ſleaynge. For þis þing, ȝe pore men of þe floc, heeriþ. And Y toke to me two ȝerdis; oon Y clepide Fairneſſe, and þe toþer Y clepide Litil Coorde; and Y fedde þe floc. And Y kitte doun þre ſheperdis in oo moneþe, and my ſoule is drawen to gydre in hem; ſoþely and þe ſoule of hem variede, or chaungide, in me. And Y ſaide, Y ſhal not feede ȝou; þat þat dyeþ, dye; and þat þat is kitt doun, be it kitt doun; and þe toþer deuoure, eche þe fleſhe of his neiȝbore.

And Y toke my ȝerde, þat was clepid Fairneſſe, and Y kitte it doun, þat Y ſhulde make voide my couenaunt, þat Y ſmote wiþ alle peplis. And it is led forþ void in þat day; and þe pore of þe floc þat kepen to me, knewen þus, for it is þe word of þe Lord. And Y ſaide to hem, Ȝif it is good in ȝour eeȝen, brenge ȝe my meede; and ȝif nay, reſte ȝe. And þei weyȝiden my meede, þritti platis of ſyluer. And þe Lord ſaide to me, Caſte it awey to a feir maker of ymagis, þe pris, by whiche Y am preyſid of hem. And Y toke þe þritti platis of ſyluer, and Y keſte hem forþe in þe hous of þe Lord, to þe maker of ymagis.

And Y kitte doun my ſecounde ȝerde, þat was clepid Litil Coorde, þat Y ſhulde departe, or vnbynde, þe broþerhed bitwixe Juda and Yrael. And þe Lord ſaide to me, Ȝit take to þee veſſels of a foltiſhe ſheperd; for loo! Y ſhal reyſe a ſheperd in erþe, whiche ſhal not viſite forſaken þingus, he ſchal not ſeeke ſcatered þingis, and ſhal not heele þe broken to gydre, and ſhal not nuriſhe forþ þat þat ſtondiþ. And he ſhal eete fleſhis of þe fatt, and ſhal vnbynde þe clees of hem. A! ſheperd, and ydol, forſakynge þe floc; ſwerd on his arme, and on his riȝt eeȝe; þe arm of hym ſhal be dried wiþ dryeneſſe, and his riȝt eeȝe wexinge derk ſhal be maad derc.