Lamentations 3

¹ Forsothe Jeremye cam to Godolie, sone of Aicham, in to Masphat, and dwellide with hym, in the myddis of the puple that was left in the lond. ² And whanne alle princes of the oost hadden herd, that weren scatered bi cuntreis, thei and the felowis of hem, that the kyng of Babiloyne hadde maad Godolie souereyn of the lond, the sone of Aicham, and that he hadde bitake to Godolie men, and wymmen, and litle children, and of pore men of the lond, that weren not translatid in to Babiloyne, ³ thei camen to Godolie in Masphat; and Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, and Johannan, the sone of Caree, and Jonathan, and Sareas, the sone of Tenoemeth, and the sones of Offi, that weren of Nethophati, and Jeconye, the sone of Machati; bothe thei and her men camen to Godolie. ⁴ And Godolie, sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan, swoor to hem, and to the felowis of hem, and seide, Nyle ye drede to serue Caldeis; but dwelle ye in the lond, and serue ye the kyng of Babiloyne, and it schal be wel to you. ⁵ Lo! Y dwelle in Mesphath, for to answere to the comaundement of Caldeis, that ben sent to vs; forsothe gadere ye vyndage, and ripe corn, and oile, and kepe ye in youre vessels, and dwelle ye in youre citees whiche ye holden. ⁶ But also alle the Jewis, that weren in Moab, and in the oostis of Amon, and in Ydumee, and in alle the cuntreis, whanne it is herd, that the kyng of Babiloyne hadde youe residues, ether remenauntis, in Judee, and that he hadde maad souereyn on hem Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan, ⁷ sotheli alle Jewis turneden ayen fro alle places, to whiche thei hadden fled; and thei camen in to the lond of Juda, to Godolie in Masphat, and gaderiden wyn and ripe corn ful myche. ⁸ Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of the oost, that weren scaterid in the cuntreis, camen to Godolie in Masphath, ⁹ and seiden to hym, Wite thou, that Bahalis, kyng of the sones of Amon, hath sent Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, to smyte thi lijf. And Godolie, the sone of Aicham, bileuyde not to hem. ¹⁰ Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, seide to Godolie asidis half in Masphath, and spak, Y schal go, and sle Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, while no man knowith, lest he sle thi lijf, and alle the Jewis ben scatered, that ben gaderid to thee, and the remenauntis of Juda schulen perische. ¹¹ And Godolie, the sone of Aicham, seide to Johannan, the sone of Caree, Nyle thou do this word, for thou spekist fals of Ismael. ¹³ And it was don in the seuenthe monethe, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, sone of Elisama, of the kingis seed, and the principal men of the kyng, and ten men with hym, camen to Godolie, the sone of Aicham, in Masphath; and thei eeten there looues togidere in Masphath. ¹⁴ Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, and the ten men that weren with hym, risiden vp, and killiden bi swerd Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan; and thei killiden hym, whom the kyng of Babiloyne hadde maad souereyn of the lond. ¹⁵ Also Ismael killide alle the Jewis, that weren with Godolie in Masphath, and the Caldeis, that weren foundun there, and the men werriours. ¹⁶ Forsothe in the secounde dai, aftir that he hadde slayn Godolie, while no man wiste yit, ¹⁷ foure scoor men with schauen beerdis, and to-rent clothis, and pale men, camen fro Sichem, and fro Silo, and fro Samarie; and thei hadden yiftis and encense in the hond, for to offre in the hous of the Lord. ¹⁸ Therfor Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, yede out of Masphath in to the metyng of hem; and he yede goynge and wepynge. Sotheli whanne he hadde met hem, he seide to hem, Come ye to Godolie, the sone of Aicham; ¹⁹ and whanne thei weren comun to the myddis of the citee, Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, killide hem aboute the myddis of the lake, he and the men that weren with hym killiden hem. 20 But ten men weren foundun among hem, that seiden to Ismael, Nyle thou sle vs, for we han tresour of wheete, and of barli, and of oile, and of hony, in the feeld. And he ceesside, and killide not hem with her britheren. 21 Forsothe the lake in to which Ismael castide forth alle the careyns of men, whiche he killide for Godolie, is thilke lake, which kyng Asa made for Baasa, the kyng of Israel; Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fillide that lake with slayn men. 22 And Ismael ledde prisoneris alle the remenauntis of the puple, that weren in Mesphath, the douytris of the kyng, and al the puple that dwelliden in Masphath, whiche Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, hadde bitakun to kepyng to Godolie, the sone of Aicham. And Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, took hem, and yede to passe ouer to the sones of Amon. 23 Forsothe Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, herden al the yuel, which Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde do. 24 And whanne thei hadden take alle men, thei yeden forth to fiyte ayens Ismael, the sone of Nathanye; and thei foundun hym at the many watris, that ben in Gabaon. 25 And whanne al the puple, that was with Ismael, hadden seyn Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriouris, that weren with hym, thei weren glad. 26 And al the puple, whom Ismael hadde take in Masphath, turnede ayen; and it turnede ayen, and yede to Johannan, the sone of Caree. 27 Forsothe Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, fledde with eiyte men fro the face of Johannan, and yede to the sones of Amon. 28 Therfor Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, that weren with hym, token alle the remenauntis of the comyn puple, whiche thei brouyten ayen fro Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, that weren of Masphat, aftir that he killide Godolie, the sone of Aicham; he took strong men to batel, and wymmen, and children, and geldyngis, whiche he hadde brouyt ayen fro Gabaon. 29 And thei yeden, and saten beynge pilgryms in Canaan, which is bisidis Bethleem, that thei schulden go, and entre in to Egipt fro the face of Caldeis; 30 for thei dredden thilke Caldeis, for Ismael, the sone of Nathanye, hadde slayn Godolie, the sone of Aicham, whom the kyng Nabugodonosor hadde maad souereyn in the lond of Juda. 32 And alle the princes of werriours neiyiden, and Johannan, the sone of Caree, and Jeconye, the sone of Josie, and the residue comyn puple, fro a litil man til to a greet man. ³³ And thei seiden to Jeremye, the profete, Oure preier falle in thi siyt, and preie thou for vs to thi Lord God, for alle these remenauntis; for we ben left a fewe of manye, as thin iyen biholden vs; and thi Lord God telle to vs the weie, ³⁴ bi which we schulen go, and the word which we schulen do. ³⁵ Forsothe Jeremye, the profete, seide to hem, Y haue herd; lo! Y preye to oure Lord God, bi youre wordis; Y schal schewe to you ech word, what euere word the Lord schal answere to me, nether Y schal hide ony thing fro you. ³⁶ And thei seiden to Jeremye, The Lord be witnesse of treuthe and of feith bitwixe vs; if not bi ech word, in which thi Lord God schal sende thee to vs, so we schulen do, whether it be good ether yuel. ³⁷ We schulen obeie to the vois of oure Lord God, to whom we senden thee, that it be wel to vs, whanne we han herd the vois of oure Lord God. ³⁸ Forsothe whanne ten daies weren fillid, the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye. ³⁹ And he clepide Johannan, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, that weren with hym, and al the puple fro the leste til to the mooste; and he seide to hem, 40 The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, to whom ye senten me, that Y schulde mekeli sette forth youre preyeris in his siyt. 41 If ye resten, and dwellen in this lond, Y schal bilde you, and Y schal not distrie; Y schal plaunte, and Y schal not drawe out; for now Y am plesid on the yuel which Y dide to you. 42 Nyle ye drede of the face of the kyng of Babiloyne, whom ye that ben ferdful, dreden; nyle ye drede hym, seith the Lord, for Y am with you, to make you saaf, and to delyuere fro his hond. ⁴³ And Y schal yyue mercies to you, and Y schal haue merci on you, and Y schal make you dwelle in youre lond. ⁴⁴ Forsothe if ye seien, We schulen not dwelle in this lond, nether we schulen here the vois of oure Lord God, and seie, ⁴⁵ Nai, but we schulen go to the lond of Egipt, where we schulen not se batel, and schulen not here the noise of trumpe, and we schulen not suffre hungur, and there we schulen dwelle; ⁴⁶ for this thing, ye remenauntis of Juda, here now the word of the Lord. The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, If ye setten youre face, for to entre in to Egipt, and if ye entren, ⁴⁷ to dwelle there, the swerd whiche ye dreden schal take you there in the lond of Egipt, and the hungur for which ye ben angwischid schal cleue to you in Egipt; and there ye schulen die. ⁴⁸ And alle the men that settiden her face, to entre in to Egipt, and to dwelle there, schulen die bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence; no man of hem schal dwelle stille, nether schal aschape fro the face of yuel, which Y schal brynge on hem. ⁴⁹ For why the Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, As my strong veniaunce and myn indignacioun is wellid togidere on the dwelleris of Jerusalem, so myn indignacioun schal be wellid togidere on you, whanne ye han entrid in to Egipt; and ye schulen be in to sweryng, and in to wondring, and in to cursyng, and in to schenschipe; and ye schulen no more se this place. ⁵⁰ The word of the Lord is on you, ye remenauntis of Juda; nyle ye entre in to Egipt; ye witinge schulen wite, that Y haue witnessid to you to dai; ⁵¹ for ye han disseyued youre soulis, for ye senten me to youre Lord God, and seiden, Preye thou for vs to oure Lord God, and bi alle thingis what euer thingis oure Lord schal seie to thee, so telle thou to vs, and we schulen do. ⁵² And Y telde to you to dai, and ye herden not the vois of youre Lord God, on alle thingis for whiche he sente me to you. ⁵³ Now therfor ye witynge schulen wite, for ye schulen die bi swerd, and hungur, and pestilence, in the place to which ye wolden entre, to dwelle there. ⁵⁵ Forsothe it was don, whanne Jeremye spekinge to the puple hadde fillid alle the wordis of the Lord God of hem, for whiche the Lord God of hem sente hym to hem, alle these wordis, ⁵⁶ Azarie, the sone of Josie, seide, and Johanna, the sone of Caree, and alle proude men, seiynge to Jeremye, Thou spekist a leesyng; oure Lord God sente not thee, and seide, Entre ye not in to Egipt, to dwelle there; ⁵⁷ but Baruc, the sone of Nerie, stirith thee ayens vs, that he bitake vs in the hondis of Caldeis, that he sle vs, and make to be led ouer in to Babiloyne. ⁵⁸ And Johanna, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, and al the puple, herden not the vois of the Lord, that thei dwellen in the lond of Juda. ⁵⁹ But Johanna, the sone of Caree, and alle the princes of werriours, token alle of the remenauntis of Juda, that turneden ayen fro alle folkis, to whiche thei weren scatered bifore, that thei schulden dwelle in the lond of Juda; ⁶⁰ thei token men, and wymmen, and litle children, and the douytris of the kyng, and ech persoone, whom Nabusardan, the prince of chyualrie, hadde left with Godolie, the sone of Aicham, sone of Saphan. And thei token Jeremye, the profete, and Baruc, the sone of Nerie, ⁶¹ and thei entriden in to the lond of Egipt; for thei obeieden not to the vois of the Lord, and thei camen `til to Taphnys. ⁶² And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye in Taphnys, ⁶³ and seide, Take in thin hond grete stoonys, and hide thou tho in a denne, which is vndur the wal of tiil stoon, in the yate of the hous of Farao, in Taphnys, while alle Jewis seen. ⁶⁴ And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal sende, and Y schal take Nabugodonosor, my seruaunt, the kyng of Babiloyne; and Y schal sette his trone on these stoonys, whiche Y hidde; and he schal sette his seete on tho stoonys. ⁶⁵ And he schal come, and smyte the lond of Egipt, whiche in deth in to deth, and whiche in caitiftee in to caitiftee, and whiche in swerd in to swerd. ⁶⁶ And he schal kindle fier in the templis of goddis of Egipt, and he schal brenne tho templis, and schal lede hem prisoneris; and the lond of Egipt schal be wlappid, as a scheepherd is wlappid in his mentil; and he schal go out fro thennus in pees.