Malachi · Chapter 1

[ edit] The charge of word of þe Lord to Yrael, in þe hond of Malachie, prophete. Y louyde ȝou, ſaiþ þe Lord, and ȝee ſaiden, In what þing louydiſt þou vs? Wher Eſau was not þe broþer of Jacob, ſaiþ þe Lord, and Y louyde Jacob, forſoþe Y hadde Eſau in hate? And Y haue putte Seir his hillis in to wildreneſſe, and his eritage in to dragouns of deſert. Þat ȝif Ydume ſhal ſay, We be diſtruyed, but we turnynge aȝein ſhuln beelde, whiche þingus ben diſtruyed; þeſe þingus ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis, Þeſe ſhuln beelde, and Y ſhal diſtruye; and þei ſhuln be cleepid termes of wickedneſſe, and a peple to whom þe Lord is wroþ, til vnto wiþouten eende.

And ȝour eeȝen ſhuln ſee, and ȝee ſhuln ſaye, Magnyfied be þe Lord on þe terme of Yrael. Þe ſone honoureþ þe fadir, and þe ſeruaunt ſhal drede his lord; þerfore ȝif Y am fadir, wher is myn honour? and ȝif Y am lord, wher is my dreed? ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis. O! preſtis, to ȝou þat diſpiſen my name; and ȝe ſaiden, Wher yn haue we diſpiſid þi name? Ȝe offren on myn auter defoulid, or vnclene, breed, and ȝe ſayn, Wherynne han we defoulide þee? In þat þing þat ȝe ſayn, Þe bord of þe Lord is diſpiſid. Ȝif ȝe offren a blynd þing for to be offrid, wher it is not yuel? And ȝif ȝe offren a crokid and ſeek, wher it is not yuel?

Offre it to þi duyk, ȝif it ſhal pleſe to hym, or ȝif he ſhal reſceyue þi face, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis. And nowe biſeeche þe cheere of þe Lord, þat he haue mercy on ȝou; forſoþe of ȝour hond þis þing is don, ȝif eny manere he reſceyue ȝour faces, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis. Who is in ȝou þat cloſiþ doris, and brenneþ myn auter of his own wille, or freeli? Wille is not to me in ȝou, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtus; and Y ſhal not reſceyue a ȝift of ȝour hond. Forſoþe fro ryſyng of þe ſunne vn to goyng doun, my name is grete in heyþen men; and in eche place a cleene offryng is halewid, and offrid to my name; for my name is grete in heiþen men, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis.

And ȝe han defoulid it in þat þat ȝe ſayn, Þe bord of þe Lord is defoulid, and þat þat is putt on is contemptible, or worþi for to be diſpiſid, wiþ þe fijr þat deuouriþ it. And ȝe ſaiden, Loo! of traueil; and ȝe han blowe it awey, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis. And ȝe brouȝten yn of raueins a krokid þing, and ſeeke, and brouȝten yn a ȝift; wher Y ſhal reſceyue it of ȝour hond? ſaiþ þe Lord. Curſid þe gylful, þat haþ in his floc a male beeſt, and he makynge a vowe offriþ a feble to þe Lord; for I a grete kyng, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtus, and my name orrible in folkis.