The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And whanne thei hadden go, and hadden stied in to the hilli places, thei camen `til to the valei of Clustre; and whanne thei hadden biholde the lond,

thei token of the fruytis therof, to schewe the plentee, and brouyten `to vs, and seiden, The lond is good which oure Lord God schal yyue to vs.

And ye `nolden stie, but ye weren vnbileueful to the word of oure Lord God.

And ye grutchiden in youre tabernaclis, and ye seiden, The Lord hatith vs, and herfor he ledde vs out of the lond of Egipt, that he schulde bitake vs in the hond of Ammorey, and schulde do awei vs.

Whidur schulen we stie? the messangeris maden aferd oure herte, and seiden, A grettiste multitude is, and largere in stature than we; the citees ben greete, and wallid `til to the heuene; we sien there the sones of Enachym, that is, giauntis.

And Y seide to you, `Nyle ye drede `with ynne, nether `drede withoutforth; the Lord God hym silf,

which is youre ledere, schal fiyte for you, as he dide in Egipt, while alle men sien.

And ye sien in the wildirnesse, thi Lord God bar thee, as a man is wont to bere his litil sone, in al the weie bi which ye yeden til ye camen to this place.

And sotheli nether so ye bileueden to youre Lord God, that yede bifor you in the weie,

and mesuride the place in which ye ouyten to sette tentis, and schewide in nyyt the weie to you bi fier, and in dai bi a piler of cloude.

And whanne the Lord hadde herd the vois of youre wordis, he was wrooth,

and swoor, and seide, Noon of the men of this werste generacioun schal se the good lond, which Y bihiyte vndur an ooth to youre fadris,

outakun Caleph, the sone of Jephone; for he schal se it, and Y schal yyue to hym the lond on which he trad, and to hise sones, for he suede the Lord.

Nether the indignacioun ayens the puple is wondirful, sithen the Lord was wrooth also to me for you, and seide,

Nether thou schalt entre thidur, but Josue, the sone of Nun, thi mynystre, he schal entre for thee; excyte and strengthe thou him, and he schal departe the lond bi lot to Israel.

Youre litle children, of whiche ye seiden, that thei schulden be led prisoneris, and the sones that kunnen not to dai the diuersite of good and of yuel, thei schulen entre; and Y schal yyue to hem the lond, and thei schulen welde it.

Sotheli turne ye ayen, and go ye in to the wildirnesse, bi the weie of the Reed See.

And ye answeriden to me, We synneden to the Lord; we schulen stie, and we schulen fiyte, as oure Lord God comaundide. And whanne ye weren arayed with armeris, and yeden `into the hil, the Lord seide to me,

Seie thou to hem, `Nyle ye stye, nether fiyte ye, for Y am not with you, lest ye fallen bifor youre enemyes.

Y spak, and ye herden not; but ye `weren aduersaries to the comaundement of the Lord, and bolnden with prijde, and stieden in to the hil.

Therfor Ammorrey yede out, that dwellide in the hillis, and he cam ayens you, and pursuede you, as bees ben wont to pursue, and killide fro Seir til Horma. And whanne ye turneden ayen,

and wepten bifor the Lord, he herde not you, nether wolde asente to youre vois;

therfor ye saten in Cades Barne bi myche tyme.

And we yeden forth fro thennus, and camen in to the wildirnesse that ledith to the Reed See, as the Lord seide to me; and we cumpassiden the hil of Seir in long tyme.

And the Lord seide to me, It sufficith to you to cumpasse this hil;

go ye ayens the north.

And comaunde thou to the puple, and seie, Ye schulen passe bi the termes of youre britheren, the sones of Esau, that dwellen in Seir, and thei schulen drede you.

Therfor se ye diligentli, that ye be not moued ayens hem; for Y schal not yyue to you of the land `of hem as myche as the steppe of o foot may trede, for Y yaf the hil of Seir in to the possessioun of Esau.

Ye schulden bie of hem metis for money, and ye schulen ete; ye schulden drawe, and drynke watir bouyt.

Thi Lord God blesside thee in al the werk of thin hondis; he knewe thi weye, hou thou passidist this moste wildirnesse, bi fourti yeer; and thi Lord God dwellide with thee, and no thing failide to thee.

And whanne we hadden passid bi oure britheren, the sones of Esau, that dwelliden in Seir, bi the weie of the feeld of Elath, and of Asiongaber, we camen to the weie that ledith in to deseert of Moab.

And the Lord seide to me, Fiyte thou not ayens Moabitis, nether bigyn thou batel ayens hem, for Y schal not yyue to thee ony thing of the lond `of hem, for Y yaf Ar in to possessioun to `the sones of Loth.

Emyn, `that is, griseful men, weren first dwelleris therof, a greet puple, and strong, and so hiy, that thei weren bileued as giantis,

of the generacioun of Enachym, and thei weren lijk the sones of Enachym; forsothe Moabitis clepen hem Emyn.

Forsothe Horreis dwelliden bifore in Seir, and whanne thei weren put out, and weren doon awey, `the sones of Esau dwelliden there, as Israel dide in the lond of his possessioun, which the Lord yaf to hym.

Therfor we riseden, that we schulden passe the stronde of Zared, and camen to it.

Sotheli the tyme in whiche we yeden fro Cades Barne `til to the passynge of the stronde of Zared, was of eiyte and thretti yeer, til al the generacioun of `men fiyteris was wastid fro `the castels, as the Lord hadde swore; whos hond was ayens hem,

that thei schulden perische fro the myddis of `the castels.

Forsothe after that alle the fiyteris felden doun,

the Lord spak to me, and seide,

Thou schalt passe to dai the termes of Moab,

the cytee, Ar bi name, and thou schalt neiy in the nyy coost of the sones of Amon; be thou war that thou fiyte not ayens hem, nether be moued to batel; for Y schal not yyue to thee of the lond of the sones of Amon, for Y yaf it to the `sones of Loth in to possessioun.

It is arettid the lond of giauntis, and giauntis enhabitiden therynne sumtyme, whiche giauntis Amonytis clepen Zonym;

a myche puple and greet, and of noble lengthe, as Enachym, whiche the Lord dide awey fro the face of hem,

and made hem to dwelle for `tho giauntis, as he dide to the sones of Esau, that dwellen in Seire, `and dide awai Horreis, and yaf to hem the lond `of Horreis, which `the sones of Esau welden `til in to present tyme.

Also men of Capadocie puttiden out Eueys, that dwelliden in Asseryn, `til to Gaza; which yeden out fro Capadocie, and diden awey Eueis, and dwelliden for hem.

Rise ye, and `passe ye the stronde of Arnon; lo! Y haue bitake in `thin hond Seon, king of Esebon, of Amorreis; and his lond bigynne thou `to welde, and smyte thou batel ayens him.

To dai Y schal bigynne to sende thi drede and strengthe in to puplis that dwellen vndir al heuene, that whanne thi name is herd, thei drede, and tremble bi the maner of wymmen trauelynge of child, and `be holdun with sorewe.

Therfor Y sente messangeris fro the wildirnesse of Cademoch to Seon, kyng of Esebon; and Y seide with pesible wordis,

We schulen passe thorou thi lond, we schulen go in the comyn weie; we schulen not bowe nether to the riyt side, nether to the left side.

Sille thow metis `to vs for prijs, that we ete; yif thow watir for money, and so we schulen drynke. Oneli it is that thou graunte passage to vs,

as the sones of Esau diden, that dwellen in Seir, and as Moabitis diden, that dwellen in Ar, til we comen to Jordan, and passen to the lond which oure Lord God schal yyue to vs.

And Seon, kyng of Esebon, nolde yyue passage `to vs; for thi Lord God made hard his spirit, and made sad in yuel `the herte of hym, that he schulde be bitakun in to thin hondis, as thou seest now.

And the Lord seide to me, Lo, Y bigan to bitake to thee Seon, and his lond; bigynne thou to welde it.

And Seon yede out ayens vs with al his puple to batel in Jasa.

And oure Lord God bitook hym to vs, and we han smyte hym with hise sones, and al his puple.

And we token in that tyme alle the citees, whanne the dwelleris of tho citees, men, and wymmen, and children weren slayn; we leften not in hem ony thing,

outakun beestis that camen in to the part of men takynge prey, and outakun spuylis of the cytees whiche we tokun.

Fro Aroer, which is on the brenke of the stronde of Arnon, fro the toun which is set in the valey, `til to Galaad, no town was ether citee, that ascapide oure hondis.

Oure Lord God bitook alle to vs; outakun the lond of the sones of Amon, to which lond we neiyiden not, and outakun alle thingis that liggen to the stronde of Jeboth, and outakun the citees of the munteyns, and alle places fro whiche oure Lord God forbeed vs.

And so we turneden, and stieden bi the weie of Basan; and Og, the kyng of Basan, yede out ayens vs with his puple, to fiyte in Edrai.

And the Lord seide to me, Drede thou not hym, for he is bitakun in thin hond, with al his puple, and his lond; and thou schalt do to hym, as thou didist to Seon, kyng of Ammoreis, that dwellide in Esebon.

Therfor oure Lord God bitook in oure hondis also Og, kyng of Basan, and al his puple; and we han smyte hym `til to deeth,

and wastiden alle the citees `of him in o tyme; no town was that ascapide vs; `we destrieden sixti citees, al the cuntrei of Argob, of the rewme of Og in Basan.

Alle the citees weren strengthid with hiyest wallis, and with yatis and barris; with out townes vnnoumbrable, that hadden not wallis.

And we diden awey thilke men, as we diden to Seon, kyng of Esebon; and we losten ech citee, and men, and wymmen, and litle children;

forsothe we token bi prey beestis, and the spuylis of citees.

And we token in that tyme the lond fro the hond of twey kyngis of Ammorreis, that weren biyonde Jordan, fro the stronde of Arnon `til to the hil of Hermon,

`which hil Sidonyes clepen Sarion, and Ammorreis clepen Sanyr.

We tooken alle the citees that weren set in the pleyn, and al the lond of Galaad, and of Basan, `til to Selcha and Edray, citees of the rewme of Og, in Basan.

For Og aloone, kyng of Basan, was left of the generacioun of giauntis; and his yrun bed is schewid, which is in Rabath, of the sones of Amon, and hath nyne cubitis of lengthe, and foure cubitis of breede, at the mesure of a cubit of mannus hond.

And we weldiden in that tyme the lond, fro Aroer, which is on the `brynke of the stronde of Arnon, `til to the myddil paart of the hil of Galaad; and Y yaf the citees `of hym to Ruben and Gad.

Forsothe Y yaf the tother part of Galaad, and al Basan, of the rewme of Og, to the half lynage of Manasses, and al the cuntrei of Argob. Al Basan was clepid the lond of giauntis.

Jair, `sone of Manasses, weldide al the cuntrey of Argob, `til to the lond of Gesuri and of Machati; and he clepide bi his name Basan Anothiair, that is, the townes of Jair, til in to present dai.

Also Y yaf Galaad to Machir; and to the lynagis of Ruben and of Gad Y yaf the lond of Galaad, `til to the strond of Arnon, the myddil of the stronde,

and of the endis `til to the stronde of Jeboth, which is the terme of `the sones of Amon.

And Y yaf the pleyn of the wildernesse `til to Jordan, and the termes of Cenereth `til to the see of deseert, which see is moost salt, at the rotis of the hil of Phasga, ayens the eest.

And Y comaundide to you in that tyme, and seide, Youre Lord God yyueth to you this lond in to erytage;

alle ye stronge men, without wyues and litle children and beestis, be maad redi, and `go ye bifor youre brithren, the sones of Israel. For Y knowe that ye han many beestis, and tho schulen dwelle in citees whiche Y yaf to you,

til the Lord yyue reste to youre brithren, as he yaf to you, and til thei also welden the lond `which the Lord schal yyue to hem biyonde Jordan; thanne ech man schal turne ayen in to his possessioun which Y yaf to you.

Also Y comaundid to Josue in that tyme, and seide, Thin iyen sien what thingis youre Lord God dide to these twei kyngis; so he schal do to alle rewmes, to whiche thou schalt go; drede thou not hem.

And Y preiede the Lord in that tyme,

and seide, Lord God, thou hast bigunne to schewe to thi seruaunt thi greetnesse, and strongeste hond,

for noon other God is ether in heuene, ether in erthe, that mai do thi werkis, and may be comparisound to thi strengthe.

Therfor Y schal passe, and schal se this beeste lond biyende Jordan, and this noble hil and Liban.

And the Lord was wrooth to me for you, nethir he herde me, but seide to me, It suffisith to thee; speke thou no more of this thing to me.

`Stye thou in to the hiynesse of Phasga, and caste aboute thin iyen to the west, and north, and south, and eest, and biholde, for thou schalt not passe this Jordan.

Comaunde thou to Josue, and strengthe thou and coumforte hym; for he schal go bifore this puple, and he schal departe to hem the lond, which thou schalt se.

And we dwelliden in the valey ayens the temple of Phegor.

And now, thou Israel, here the comaundementis and domes whiche Y teche thee, that thou do tho, and lyue, and that thow entre and welde the lond which the Lord God of youre fadris schal yyue to you.

Ye schulen not adde to the word which Y speke to you, nether ye schulen take awei `fro it; kepe ye the comaundementis of youre Lord God, which Y comaunde to you.

Youre iyen sien alle thingis whiche the Lord dide ayens Belphegor; how he alto brak alle the worschiperis `of hym fro the myddis of you.

Forsothe ye that cleuen to youre Lord God lyuen alle `til in to present day.

Ye witen that Y tauyte you the comaundementis and riytfulnessis, as my Lord God comaundide to me; so ye schulen do tho in the lond whiche ye schulen welde,

and ye schulen kepe, and schulen fille in werk. For this is youre wisdom and vndurstondyng bifor puplis, that alle men here these comaundementis, and seie, Lo! a wise puple and vnderstondynge! a greet folk!

Noon other nacioun is so greet, `not in noumbre ether in bodili quantite, but in dignite, that hath Goddis neiyynge to it silf, as oure God is redi to alle oure bisechyngis.

For whi what other folk is so noble, that it hath cerymonyes and iust domes, and al the lawe which Y schal `sette forth to dai bifor youre iyen?

Therfor kepe thi silf, and thi soule bisili; foryete thou not the wordis whiche thin iyen sien, and falle tho not doun fro thin herte, in alle the daies of thi lijf. Thou schalt teche tho thi sones and thi sones sones.

Telle thou the day in which thou stodist bifor thi Lord God in Oreb, whanne the Lord spak to me, and seide, Gadere thou the puple to me, that it here my wordis, and lerne for to drede me in al tyme in which it lyueth in erthe, and teche hise sones.

And ye neiyiden to the `roote of the hille, that brente `til to heuene; and derknessis, and cloude, and myist weren therynne.