Jeremiah 1
Jeremiah chapter 1 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 He kittide doun cedris, he took an hawthorn, and an ook, that stood among the trees of the forest; he plauntide a pyne apple tre, which he nurschide with reyn, 2 and it was maad in to fier to men. He took of tho, and was warmed, and he brente, and bakide looues; but of the residue he wrouyte a god, and worschipide it, and he made a grauun ymage, and he was bowid bifore that. 3 He brente the myddil therof with fier, and of the myddil therof he sethide fleischis, and eet; he sethide potage, and was fillid; and he was warmed, and he seide, Wel! 4 Y am warmed; Y siy fier. Forsothe the residue therof he made a god, and a grauun ymage to hym silf; he is bowide bifore that, and worschipith that, and bisechith, and seith, Delyuere thou me, for thou art my god. 5 Thei knewen not, nether vndurstoden, for thei han foryete, that her iye se not, and that thei vndurstonde not with her herte. 6 Thei bythenken not in her soule, nether thei knowen, nether thei feelen, that thei seie, Y brente the myddil therof in fier, and Y bakide looues on the coolis therof, and Y sethide fleischis, and eet; and of the residue therof schal Y make an idol? schal Y falle doun bifore the stok of a tree? 7 A part therof is aische; an vnwijs herte schal worschipe it, and he schal not delyuere his soule, nether he schal seie, A strong leesyng is in my riythond. 8 Thou, Jacob, and Israel, haue mynde of these thingis, for thou art my seruaunt; Y formyde thee, Israel, thou art my seruaunt; thou schalt not foryete me. 9 Y dide awei thi wickidnessis as a cloude, and thi synnes as a myist; turne thou ayen to me, for Y ayenbouyte thee. 10 Ye heuenes, herie, for the Lord hath do merci; the laste partis of erth, synge ye hertli song; hillis, sowne ye preisyng; the forest and ech tre therof, herie God; for the Lord ayenbouyte Jacob, and Israel schal haue glorie. 11 The Lord, thin ayenbiere, and thi fourmere fro the wombe, seith these thingis, Y am the Lord, makynge alle thingis, and Y aloone stretche forth heuenes, and stablische the erthe, and noon is with me; 12 and Y make voide the signes of false dyuynours, and Y turne in to woodnesse dyuynours, that dyuynen by sacrifices offrid to feendis; and Y turne wise men bacward, and Y make her science fonned. 13 And the Lord reisith the word of his seruaunt, and fillith the councel of hise messangeris; and Y seie, Jerusalem, thou schalt be enhabitid; and to the citees of Juda, Ye schulen be bildid, and Y schal reise the desertis therof; 14 and Y seie to the depthe, Be thou desolat, and Y shal make drie thi floodis; 15 and Y seie to Cirus, Thou art my scheepherde, and thou schalt fille al my wille; and Y seie to Jerusalem, Thou schalt be bildid; and to the temple, Thou schalt be foundid. 17 The Lord seith these thingis to my crist, Cirus, whos riythond Y took, that Y make suget folkis bifor his face, and turne the backis of kyngis; and Y schal opene yatis bifore hym, and yatis schulen not be closid. 18 Y schal go bifore thee, and Y schal make lowe the gloriouse men of erthe; Y schal al to-breke brasun yatis, and Y schal breke togidere irun barris. 19 And Y schal yyue hid tresours to thee, and the priuy thingis of priuytees, that thou wite, that Y am the Lord, that clepe thi name, God of Israel,