James · Chapter 5

[ edit] Do now, ȝe riche men, wepe ȝe, ȝoulynge in ȝoure wrecchidneſſis þat ſhulen come to ȝou. Ȝoure richeſſes ben maad rotun, and ȝoure cloþes ben eten of mouȝtis. Ȝoure gold and ſiluer haþ ruſtid, and ruſt of hem ſhal be to ȝou in to witneſſing, and ſhal ete ȝoure fleſches, as fijr. Ȝe han treſſourid to ȝou wraþ in þe laſte dayes. Lo! þe hijre of ȝoure werkmen, þat repiden ȝoure cuntrees, þat is fraudid of ȝou, crieþ; and þe cry of hem entride in to þe erys of þe Lord of hooſtis. Ȝe han ete on þe erþe, and in ȝoure leccheries ȝe han nurchid ȝoure hertes. In þe dai of ſleynge ȝe ledden to, and ſlewen þe iuſt man, and he aȝenſtode not ȝou.

Þerfore, briþeren, be ȝe pacient, til to þe comyng of þe Lord. Lo! an erþe tilyer abijdiþ precious fruyt of þe erþe, paciently ſuffringe, til he receyue tymeful and lateful. And be ȝe pacient, and conferme ȝe ȝoure hertes, for þe comyng of þe Lord ſhal neiȝe. Briþeren, nyle ȝe be ſoreweful ech in to oþer, þat ȝe be not demed. Lo! þe iuſtiſe ſtondiþ niȝ bifore þe ȝat. Briþeren, take ȝe enſaumple of yuel goyng out, and of long abijdinge of trauele, and pacience, þe prophetes, þat ſpaken to ȝou in þe name of þe Lord. Lo! we bleſſen hem þat ſuffreden. Ȝe herden þe ſuffring, or pacience, of Job, and ȝe ſiȝen þe ende of þe Lord, for þe Lord is merciful, and doynge mercy.

Bifore alle þingis, my briþeren, nyle ȝe ſwere, neþer bi heuene, ne bi erþe, neþir bi what euere oþer ooþ. Forſoþe be ȝoure word, Is, is, Nay, nay, þat ȝe falle not vndir doom. Soþeli ony of ȝou is ſoruful, or heuy, preye he wiþ euene inwit, and ſeie he pſalme. Ony of ȝou is ſijke, lede he in preſtis of þe chirche, and preye þei on him, anoyntinge wiþ oyle in þe name of þe Lord; and þe preier of feiþ ſhal ſaue þe ſijke, and þe Lord ſhal diſcharge, or make hym liȝt; and if he be in ſynnes, þei ſhulen be forȝiue to him. Þerfore knowleche ȝe oon to an oþere ȝoure ſynnes, and preye ȝe for ech oþere, þat ȝe be ſaued. Forſoþe þe contynuel preyer of a iuſt man is miche worþ.

Helye was a man lijk to vs paſſible, or able for to ſuffre, and in preyer he preyede, þat it ſhulde not reyne on þe erþe, and it reynede not þre ȝeeres and ſixe moneþes. And eftſoone he preyede, and heuen ȝaf reyn, and þe erþe ȝaf his fruyt. Briþeren, forſoþe if ony of ȝou ſhal erre fro treuþe, and ony ſhal conuerte hym, he owiþ for to wite, for he þat ſhal make a ſynner for to be turned fro þe errour of his weie, ſhal ſaue þe ſoule of hym fro deeþ, and coueriþ þe multitude of ſynnys. Here endiþ þe piſtlis of James, and now bigynneþ þe fyrſt piſtle of ſeynt Petre apoſtle.