Judith 7

¹ Therfor thei forsoken the cerymonyes of her fadris, that weren with the multitude of goddis, ² and worschipiden o God of heuene, which also comaundide to hem to go out fro thennus, and to dwelle in Carram. And whanne hungur hadde hilid al the lond, thei yeden doun in to Egipt, and there thei weren so multiplied bi foure hundrid yeer, that the oost of hem myyte not be noumbrid. ³ And whanne the kyng of Egipt hadde greuyd hem, and hadde maad hem sugetis in the bildyngis of hise citees in cley and tijl stoon, thei crieden to her God, and he smoot al the lond of Egipt with dyuerse veniaunces. ⁴ And whanne Egipcians hadden castid out hem fro hem silf, and the veniaunce hadde ceessid fro hem, and efte wolden take hem, and ayen clepe to her seruyce, 5 God of heuene openyde the see to these men fleynge, so that on this side and that side the watris weren maad sad as wallis, and these men with dry foot passiden in walkynge bi the depthe of the see. ⁶ In which place the while vnnoumbrable oost of Egipcians pursuede hem, it was so kyueryd with watris, that there dwellide not nameli oon, that schulde telle the dede to aftir comeris. ⁷ Also thei yeden out of the Reed See, and ocupieden the desertis of the hil Sina, in whiche neuere man myyte dwelle, nethir the sone of man restyde. 8 There bittir wellis weren maad swete to hem for to drynke; and bi fourti yeer thei gaten lyuelode fro heuene. 9 Where euere thei entriden, her God fauyt for hem, and ouer cam with out bouwe and arowe, and without scheld and swerd. 10 And noon was that castide doun this puple, no but whanne it yede awey fro the worschipyng of her Lord God. ¹¹ Sotheli as ofte euere as thei worschipiden an other outakun thilke her God, thei weren youun in to preye, and in to swerd, and in to schenschip. ¹² But as ofte euere as thei repentiden that thei hadden go awei fro the worschipyng of her God, God of heuene yaf to hem vertue to ayenstonde. ¹³ Forsothe thei castiden doun the kyng Cananei, and Jebusei, and Pheresei, and Ethei, and Euey, and Ammorrei, and alle the myyti men of Esebon, and thei hadden in possessioun the londis of hem, and the citees of hem; ¹⁴ and til that thei hadden synned in the siyt of her God, good thingis weren with hem, for the God of hem hatith wickidnesse. ¹⁵ For whi and bifor these yeeris, whanne thei hadden go awei fro the weie which God hadde youe to hem, that thei schulden go ther ynne, thei weren distried of naciouns bi many batels, and ful many of hem weren led prisoneris in to a lond not hern. ¹⁶ Forsothe a while agoon thei turneden ayen to her Lord God, and weren gaderid togidere fro the scateryng, in which thei weren scaterid; and thei stieden in to alle these hilli places, and eft thei han Jerusalem in possessioun, where the hooli of hooli thingis ben. 17 Now therfor, my lord, enquere thou perfitli, if ony wickidnesse of hem is in the siyt of her God, and stie we to hem; for her God bitakynge schal bitake hem to thee, and thei schulen be maad suget vndur the yok of thi myyt. 18 Trewli if noon offense of this puple is bifor her God, we moun not ayenstonde hem; for the God of hem schal defende hem, and we schulen be in to schenschip to al erthe. 19 And it was doon, whanne Achior hadde ceessid to speke these wordis, alle the grete men of Holofernes weren wrothe, and thei thouyten to sle hym, 20 and seiden togidere, Who is this that seith, that the sones of Israel, men with outen armure, and with out vertu, and with out kunnyng of the craft of fiytynge, moun ayenstonde kyng Nabugodonosor and hise oostis? 21 Therfor that Achior knowe, that he disseyueth vs, stie we in to the hilli places; and whanne the myyti men of hem ben takun, thanne he schal be persid with swerd with the same men; 22 that ech folk knowe, that Nabugodonosor is god of erthe, and outakun hym noon other is. 24 Forsothe it was doon, whanne thei hadden ceessid to speke, Holofernes hadde dedeyn gretli, 25 and seide to Achior, For thou propheciedist to vs, and seidist, that the folk of Israel is defendid of her God, that Y schewe to thee, that no god is no but Nabugodonosor; 26 whanne we han slayn hem alle as o man, thanne also thou schalt perische with hem bi the swerd of Assiriens, and al Israel schal perische dyuerseli with thee in perdicioun; and thou schalt preue, ²⁷ that Nabugodonosor is lord of al erthe; and thanne the swerd of my chyualrie schal passe thorouy thi sidis, and thou schalt be persid, and schalt falle among the woundid men of Israel, and thou schalt no more brethe ayen, til thou be distried with hem. ²⁸ But certis if thou gessist thi profecie sothe, thi cheer falle not doun; and the palenesse that hath gete thi face, go awey fro thee, if thou gessist that these my wordis moun not `be fillid. ²⁹ But that thou knowe, that thou schalt feele this thing togidere with hem, lo! fro this our thou schalt be felouschipid to the puple of hem, that whanne thei han take worthi peynes of my swerd, thou be suget to lijk veniaunce. ³⁰ Thanne Olofernes comaundide hise seruauntis to take Achior, and to lede hym in to Bethulia, and to bitake hym in to the hondis of the sones of Israel. ³¹ And the seruauntis of Olofernes token him, and yeden forth bi the feeldi places, but whanne thei hadden neiyid to the hilli places, slingeris yeden out ayens hem. ³² Sotheli thei turneden awei fro the side of the hil, and bounden Achior to a tre bi hondis and feet, and so thei leften hym boundun with withthis, and turneden ayen to her lord.