Malachi · Chapter 2

[ edit] And now, O! preſtis, to ȝou þis maundement, ȝif ȝe woln heere. And ȝif ȝe woln not putte on þe herte, þat ȝe ȝeue glorie to my name, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis, Y ſhal ſende in ȝou nedyneſſe, and Y ſhal curſe to ȝour bleſſyngis; and Y ſhal curſe hem, for ȝe han not putte on þe herte. Loo! Y ſhal caſte to ȝou arme, and Y ſhal ſcatere on ȝour cheere þe dritt of ȝoure ſolempnytees, and it ſhal take ȝou wiþ it. And ȝe ſhuln wite, for Y ſente to ȝou þis maundement, þat my couenaunt were wiþ Leuy, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis. My couenaunt was wiþ hym of lijf and pees; and Y ȝaue to hym a dreed, and he dredde me, and he dredde of þe face of my name.

Þe lawe of trewþe was in his mouþ, and wickidneſſe is not founden in his lippis; in pees and in equitee he walkide wiþ me, and many men he turnyde awey fro wickidneſſe. Forſoþe lippis of þe preſt kepen ſcience, or kunnyng, and þei ſhuln ſeeke aȝein þe lawe of þe mouþ of hem, for he is an aungel of þe Lord of ooſtis. Forſoþe ȝe wenten awey fro þe weye, and ſclaundren ful many men in þe lawe; ȝe maden voide þe couenaunt of Leuy, þeſe þingus ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis. For whiche þing and Y ȝaue ȝou worþi to be diſpiſid, and meeke, or lowe, to alle peplis, as ȝe kepten not my wayes, and token folc in þe lawe. Wher not oo fadir of alle ȝou? wher oo God made ȝou not of nouȝt?

Whi þerfore ech of ȝou diſpiſiþ his broþer, defoulynge þe couenaunt of ȝour faders? Judas treſpaſide, and abomynacioun is maad in Yrael, and in Jeruſalem; for Judas defoulide þe halewing of þe Lord, whiche he louyde, and aliens hadden þe douȝter of þe Lord. Þe Lord ſhal diſtruye þe man þat dide þis þinge, þe mayſtir and diſciple, of tabernaclis of Jacob, and þe offryng a ȝift to þe Lord of ooſtis. And eftſoone ȝe diden þis þing; ȝe hilliden wiþ teris þe auter of þe Lord, wiþ weepyng and mournyng, ſo þat Y biholde namore to ſacrifice, neþer reſceyue eny þing pleſaunt of ȝour hond. And ȝe ſaiden, For what cauſe?

For þe Lord witneſſide bitwixe þee and þe wijf of þi pubertee, þat is, tyme of mariage, whiche þou diſpiſidiſt, and þis þi parcener, and wijf of þi couenaunt. Wher oon dide not, and þe reſidue of his ſpirit is? and what ſeekiþ oon, no bot þe ſeed of God? Þerfore kepe ȝe ȝoure ſpirit, and nyl þou diſpiſe þe wijf of þi ȝongþe; whanne þou ſhalt haue hir in hate, leue þou hir, ſaiþ þe Lord God of Yrael. Forſoþe wickidneſſe keuere þe cloſyng of hir, ſaiþ þe Lord of ooſtis; kepe ȝe ȝoure ſpirit, and nyl ȝe diſpiſe. Ȝe maden þe Lord for to traueile in ȝour wordis, and ȝe ſaiden, Wheryn made we hym for to traueile?

In þat þat ȝe ſayen, Eche man þat doþ yuel, is good in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord, and ſiche pleſen to hym; or certis wher is God of dom?