Wycliffe (Early) [1850], THE HOLY BIBLE, CONTAINING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WITH THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS, IN THE EARLIEST ENGLISH VERSIONS MADE FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BY JOHN WYCLIFFE AND HIS FOLLOWERS: Edited by THE REV. JOSIAH FORSHALL, F.R.S. etc. Late Fellow of Exeter College, and SIR FREDERIC MADDEN, K.H. F.R.S. etc. Keeper of the MSS. in the British Museum (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD) [word count] [B02010].
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JUDITH.
[Prologue on the book of Judith.]
This book of Judith, the holi widewe, &yogh;yueth vs ensaumple to be of holi conuersacioun,
and to triste hoolliche in the help of Almy&yogh;ti God, as Judith dide, which
ouercam oonli bi the help of God the grete prince Olofernes, tristinge in the strengthe
of fleschli arm, and not in the help of God.
Prologus.
Anentus the Ebrues the boc of Judith is rad among thoo scriptures, whos autour is
vnknowen, whos autorite to be strengthid thoo thingus that in to strijf comen lasse
couenable is demed; ner the latere in Caldeis sermoun writen among the stories it
is countid. But for this boc Nycene synod in the noumbre of holi scripturis is rad
to han countid, I assentide to &yogh;oure asking, &yogh;he, to &yogh;oure stedefast asking; and the
occupaciouns leid aside, with whiche hugeli I was artid, to thys thing o litil waking
while I &yogh;af, more sence of sence than woord of woord translatende. Of manye bokis
the most vicious diuersete I kutte awei, onli thoo thingus that with parfit vnderstondinge
I my&yogh;te finde in Caldeis woordis, in Latin I expressede. Taketh Judith, widewe,
saumple of chastyte, and declareth in perpetewel wrshipeful tellingus with the preising
of victorie. This forsothe not oneli to wymmen, but also to men, wrthi to ben folewid
he &yogh;af, that, &yogh;eldere of hir chastite, such a vertue &yogh;af to hir, that the vnouercomen of
alle men she ouercam, and the vnouerpassable she ouerpassede.
An nother prolog of Judith.
Judith, widewe, the do&yogh;ter of Merari, of the linage of Symeon, ful miche gret in
glorie, and of men the parfitere; the whiche in figure of the churche girde of the
deuel in the hed, ne she dradde deth for the helthe of the puple, ne the kingus wodnesse
quakide; for whi the slepende prince she slo&yogh;, and, saued the chastite, to hir
citeseynus she bro&yogh;te a&yogh;een the principal victorie; forsothe she liuede an hundrid &yogh;er
and fiue, and is biried in the spelunke of hir husbonde Manasse, in Betulia.
Here endith the prolog of Judith, and now begynneth the book.
-- --
Here beginneth the bok of Judith.
CAP. I.
1 Arfaxath forsothe, king of Meedis,
hadde put vnder &yogh;oc manie Jentilis to
his empire; and he bilde vp a cite most
my&yogh;ti, that he clepede Egbatenys.
2 Of
square stones and hewen he made his
wallis, in hei&yogh;te of seuenti cubitus, and
in breede of thretti cubitus. His tourys
forsothe he sette in hei&yogh;te of an hundrid
cubitis.
3 Bi square forsothe of hem either
side was strecchid, in space of twenti feet;
and he putte his &yogh;atis in the hei&yogh;te of the
touris.
4 And he gloriede, as my&yogh;ti in
my&yogh;t of his ost, and in glorie of his
foure horsid carris.
5 The twelfthe &yogh;er
therfore of his regne, Nabugodonosor,
king of Assiries, that regnede in the
grete cite of Nynyue, fa&yogh;t a&yogh;en Arfaxath,
and waan hym in the grete feld,
6 that is
clepid Ragau, aboute Eufraten, and Tigre,
and Jodasan, in the feld of Erioth, king
of Elikis.
7 Thanne is enhauncid vp the
reume of Nabugodonosor, and his herte
is rerid; and he sente to alle, that dwelten
in Cicilie, and Damasch, and Lyban,
and to the Jentilis,
8 that ben in Carmel
and Cedar, and to the dwelleris in Galilee,
and in the grete feld of Esdrelon,
and to alle,
9 that weren in Samarie, and
be&yogh;onde Jordan flod, vnto Jerusalem; and
to al the lond of Jesse, to that me cometh
to the hillis of Ethiope.
10 To alle these
Nabugodonosor, king of Assiries, sente
messageres;
11 the whiche alle with o wil
withseiden, and thei senten hem a&yogh;een
voide, and with oute wrshipe casten
awei.
12 Thanne endeyned king Nabugodonosor
to al that lond, swor bi the
-- --
rewme and his trone, that he shulde defenden
hym fro alle thoo regiounus.
CAP. II.
1 The threttenthe &yogh;er of Nabugodonosor
king, the two and twentithe dai of the
firste moneth, ther is don a woord in
the hous off Nabugodonosor, king of Assiries,
that he shulde defenden hym.
2 And
he clepede to hym alle the more thur&yogh;
birthe, and alle the dukis, his fi&yogh;teres;
and he hadde with hem the priuyte of
his counseil.
3 And he seide his thenking
in hym to ben, that al the erthe he
shulde vnder &yogh;oke to his empire.
4 The
whiche sawe whan it pleside to alle men,
king Nabugodonosor clepede Olofernes,
prince of his chiualrie,
5 and seide to hym,
Go out a&yogh;en eche reume of the west, and
a&yogh;en hem nameli, that despiseden myn
empire.
6 And thi e&yogh;e spare not to any
reume, and alle strengthid cite thou shalt
vnder&yogh;oke to me.
7 Thanne Olofernes clepyde
dukis and the maister domys men
of the vertue of Assiries, and noumbrede
men in to the speding, as the king comaundede
to hym, an hundrid and twenti
thousend of fi&yogh;tende foot men, and horse
men and archeris twelf thousend.
8 And
al his ost redi he made to go before in
multitude of vnnoumbrable camailis, with
thoo that shulden suffisen plenteuousli
to the ostis, of oxen also droues, and
flockis of shep, of the whiche was no
noumbre.
9 Whete of al Cirie in his going
he ordeynede to be maad redi.
10 Myche
forsothe gold and siluer of the hous of
the king he toc ful myche.
11 And he wente
forth, he, and al the ost, with foure horsid
cartis, and horse men, and archeris, that
-- --
couereden the face of the erthe, as locustus.
12 And whan he hadde ouerpassid
the coostus of Assiries, he cam to the
grete hillis of Auge, that ben fro the lift
side of Cicilie; and he ste&yogh;ede vp alle the
castelis of hem, and weldede eche hold
strengthid.
13 Forsothe he brac out the
most riche cite Melothi, and spoilide alle
the sonus of Tarsis, and the sonus of Ismael,
that weren a&yogh;en the face of desert,
and at the south of the lond of Celeon.
14 And he passide ouer Eufraten, and cam
in to Mesopotanee, and brac alle the he&yogh;e
cites that weren there, fro the strem of
Mambre vn to it be ful come to the se.
15 And he ocupiede the termes of it fro
Cicilie vn to the coostus of Jafeth, that
ben to the south.
16 And he bro&yogh;te alle
the sonus of Madian, and spoilide alle the
richessis of hem; and alle with stondende
to hym he slo&yogh; in the mouth of the swerd.
17 And after these thingus he cam doun in
to the feldis of Damasch, in the da&yogh;es of
rep, and he brende vp alle the sowen
thingus, and alle trees and vynes he made
to ben hewen doun;
18 and the drede of
hym fel vp alle the dwelleris in the lond.
CAP. III.
1 Thanne thei senten ther legatus of alle
cites and prouyncis, the kingus and the
princis of Cirie, that is, of Mesopotanie,
and of Cirie Sobal, and of Libie, and of
Cicilie. The whiche comende to Olofernen,
seiden,
2 Cese thin indignacioun aboute
vs; betere forsothe it is that liuende wee
serue to Nabugodonosor, the grete king,
and soget wee be to thee, than diende
with oure deth wee vsself suffre the
harmys of oure seruyse.
3 Al oure cite,
-- --
al oure possessioun, alle hillis, and litle
hillis, and feldis, and droues of oxen, and
flockis of shep, and of she get, and of
hors, and of camailis, and alle oure facultees
and meynes in thi si&yogh;te ben;
4 alle
thingus ben vndir thi lawe.
5 Wee also
and oure sonus ben thy seruauns.
6 Cum
to vs a pesible lord, and vse oure seruyse,
as it pleseth to thee.
7 Thanne he
cam doun fro the hillis, with horsmen in
gret vertue, and weldede eche cite, and
alle men dwellende in the lond.
8 Of alle
forsothe cites he toc to hym helperis,
stronge men and chosen to bataile.
9 And
so myche drede to that prouynce fel in,
that of alle cites the dwelleris, princys
and wrshipeful men, togidre with the
puple wenten out in to meeting to hym
comende,
10 resceyuende hym with crounus
and laumpis, ledende dauncis in trumpis
and timbris.
11 And &yogh;it ner the latere
these thingus doende thei my&yogh;ten not
swagen the feerste of his brest;
12 for and
ther cites he destro&yogh;ede, and ther maumet
wodus he heew doun.
13 Forsothe king
Nabugodonosor hadde comaundid to hym,
that alle the goddis of the lond he shulde
outlawen, that is, that he god alone were
seid of these naciouns, that my&yogh;ten ben
vnder&yogh;okid bi the my&yogh;t of Olofernes.
14 Passende forsothe Cirie Sobal, and al Appanyam,
and al Mesopotanye, cam to Idumes
in the lond of Gabaa;
15 and he toc
the cites of hem, and sat there bi thretti
da&yogh;es, in whiche da&yogh;es he comaundede
to be gedered togidere al the ost of his
vertue.
-- --
CAP. IV.
1 Thanne herende the sonus of Irael
these thingus, that dwelten in the lond
of Juda, dredden gretli fro the face of
hym.
2 Drede also and orrour assailede
the wittus of hem, lest that he shulde do
to Jerusalem and to the temple of the
Lord, that he hadde do to othere cites
and to ther templis.
3 And thei senten
in to al Samarie, bi enuyroun vnto Jericho,
and thei ocupieden beforn alle the
coppis of hillis;
4 and with wallis thei
enuyrouneden ther tounus, and gedereden
whetis in to the befor greithing of fi&yogh;t.
5 The prest also Eliachym wrot to alle,
that weren aboute Esdrelon, that is a&yogh;en
the face of the grete feld biside Dotaym,
and to alle bi whom passing my&yogh;te be,
that thei welde the ste&yogh;ingus vp of hillis,
6
bi whiche weie my&yogh;te be to Jerusalem,
and there thei shulden kepe, where my&yogh;te
be streit weie betwen hillis.
7 And the
sonus of Irael diden after that Eleachym,
the prest of the Lord, hadde ordeined to
hem.
8 And al the puple criede to the
Lord with gret instaunce, and mekeden
ther soulis in fastingus, thei and ther
wymmen.
9 And the prestus clothiden
hemselue with heiris, and the &yogh;unge childer
threwen hemself doun befor the face
of the temple of the Lord, and the auter
of the Lord thei couereden with an heire.
10 And thei crieden to the Lord God of
Irael alle togidere, lest weren &yogh;yuen ther
childer in to prei, and ther wyues in to
deuyseoun, and ther cites in to destruccioun,
and the holi thingus of hem in to
pollucioun.
11 Thanne Eleachym, the grete
prest of the Lord, enuyrounede al Irael,
and spac to hem,
12 seiende, Witeth, for the
Lord hath herd oure pre&yogh;eeris, if dwellende
-- --
&yogh;ee abijde stille in fastingus and in
pre&yogh;eeris in the si&yogh;te of the Lord.
13 Beth
myndeful of Moises, the seruaunt of the
Lord, that cast doun Amalech trostende
in his vertue, and in his my&yogh;t, and
in his ost, and in his targetis, and in his
charis, and in his horsemen, not with
iryn fi&yogh;tende, but with holi pre&yogh;eeris
pre&yogh;ende;
14 so shul ben born doun alle
the enemys of Irael, if &yogh;ee stedefastli
abijden in this werk, that &yogh;ee han begunne.
15 Therfore at this exhortacioun of
hym thei, pre&yogh;ende the Lord, abiden stille
in the si&yogh;te of the Lord,
16 so that also
these, that brent sacrifises offriden to the
Lord, gird with heiris offriden sacrifise
to the Lord, and ther was askis vpon
the hed of hem.
17 And of al ther herte
alle pre&yogh;eden God, that he shulde visiten
his puple Irael.
CAP. V.
1 And it is told to Olofernes, prince of
the chiualrie of Assiries, that the sonus
of Irael maden hem redi to withstonden,
and that thei hadden closid the weies of
hillis.
2 And with ful myche wodnesse he
brende out in to gret wrathe; and he
clepide alle the princis of Moab, and dukis
of Amon,
3 and seide to hem, Seith to me,
who ben thise puple, that the hillis segen;
and what maner, and hou fele ben the
cites of hem; what also be the vertue of
hem, or what be the multitude of hem,
or who be the king of the chiualrie of
hem;
4 whi beforn alle, that dwellen in the
est, these dispisiden me, and wenten not
oute to meeten with vs, that thei shulden
taken vs with pes?
5 Thanne Achior, duke
of alle the sonus of Amon, answerende,
seith, If thou vouche saaf to here, my
-- --
lord, I shal sei the treuthe in thi si&yogh;t of
this puple that in the mountaynes dwellith,
and ther shal not go out a fals
woord of my mouth.
6 This puple is of
the progenye of Caldeis;
7 this first in
Mesopotanye dwelte; for thei wolde not
folewe the godis of ther fadris, that
weren in the lond of Caldeis.
8 And so
forsakende the cerimoynes of ther fadris,
that with the multitude of godis
weren,
9 o God of heuene thei herieden,
the whiche and comaundede to hem, that
thei shulden gon out thennus, and dwelle
in Carram. And whan hungir hadde ouercouered
al the lond, thei wenten doun
into Egipt, and there bi foure hundrid
&yogh;er so ben multiplied, that the ost of hem
my&yogh;te not ben noumbrid.
10 And whan the
king of Egipt hadde greued hem, and in
bildingus of his cites in clei and tijl
hadde vnder&yogh;okid hem, thei crieden to
ther God, and he smot al the lond of
Egipt with diuerse veniauncis.
11 And
whan Egipcyenus hadden cast hem out
fro hem, and veniaunce hadde cesid fro
hem, and eft thei wolden hem taken, and
to their seruise a&yogh;een clepen,
12 hem fleende,
God of heuene openede the se, so that on
either side the watris as wallis weren
maad sad, and thei drie foot the ground
of the se goende passeden ouer.
13 In the
whiche place whil the vnnoumbrable ost
of Egipcienus them shulde pursuen, so
with watris it is couered, that ther lafte
not ne oon, that the deede to after
comeres shulde telle.
14 Also, gon out the
Rede Se, thei wenten a&yogh;en the desertus of
the mountus of Sina, in the whiche neuere
man my&yogh;te dwellen, or sone of man
restide.
15 There bitter wellis ben maad
swete to them to drinke; and bi fourti &yogh;er
-- --
&yogh;eris frute fro heuene thei geeten.
16 Wher
euere thei wenten in, with oute bowe and
arwe, and with oute sheld and swerd
ther God fa&yogh;t for hem, and ouercam.
17 And ther was not that shulde asailen to
that puple, but whan it wente awei fro
the heriyng of the Lord his God.
18 As
ofte sithes forsothe biside hym ther God
an other thei herieden, thei ben &yogh;iuen in
to prei, and in to swerd, and in to repref.
19 As ofte sithes forsothe thei otho&yogh;ten
themself to han gon awey fro the heriyng
of ther God, God of heuene &yogh;af to hem
vertue of withstonding.
20 Ferthermore king
Cananee, and Jebusee, and Feresee, and
Ethee, and Euee, and Amorree, and alle
the my&yogh;ti men in Esebon thei threwe
doun, and the londis of hem, and the
citees of hem thei weldeden;
21 and vnto
the time that thei hadden synned in the
si&yogh;te of ther God, goodis weren with
hem, the God forsothe of hem hateth
wickenesse.
22 For and befor these &yogh;erys,
whan thei hadden gon awei fro the weie
that God hadde &yogh;iue to them, that thei
shulden gon in it, thei ben destro&yogh;id with
manye batailis of naciouns, and manye of
hem ben lad caitif in to a lond not theris.
23 Forsothe not &yogh;ore ago, turned a&yogh;een to
the Lord ther God, fro the scatering that
thei weren scaterid, thei ben gedered in
to oon; and thei ste&yogh;eden vp alle these
mounteynes, and eft welden Jerusalem,
wher ben the holi thingus of halewis.
24 Now thanne, my lord, enserche, if ther
is any wickednesse of hem in the si&yogh;te
of ther God, and ste&yogh;e wee vp to hem;
for takende he shal taken hem ther God
to thee, and vnder&yogh;okid shul ben vnder
the &yogh;oc of thi my&yogh;t.
25 If forsothe ther is
noon offencioun of this puple befor ther
-- --
God, wee shul not moun withstonde to
them; for ther God shal defende them,
and wee shul ben in to repref of al
erthe.
26 And it is do, whan Achior hadde
cesid to speken these woordis, alle the
grete men of Olofernes ben wrothe, and
tho&yogh;ten to slen hym, seiende, either to
other,
27 Who is he this that seith, the sonus
of Irael to moun withstonde to king Nabugodonosor
and to his ostus, men with
oute armys, and with oute vertue, and
with oute wisdam of the craft of fi&yogh;ting?
28 That thanne Achior knowe, for he bigileth
vs, ste&yogh;e wee vp in to the mountaines;
and whan the my&yogh;ti men of hem
weren taken, thanne with the same he
shal ben smyte thur&yogh; with swerd;
29 that
alle folc knowen, for Nabugodonosor is
god vpon erthe, and bisides hym ys not
an othir.
CAP. VI.
1 It is do forsothe, whan thei hadden
cesid to speken, Olofernes, endeyned
hugeli,
2 seide to Achior, For thou hast
profecied to vs, seiende, that the folc of
Irael was defendid of ther God, that I
shewe to thee, that ther is no god but
Nabugodonosor;
3 whan wee han smyte
them alle as o man, thanne and thiself
with hem with the swerd of Assiries
shalt dien, and al Irael with thee shal
dispershen in perdicioun;
4 and thou shalt
preue, for Nabugodonosor be lord of al
erthe; and thanne the swerd of my kny&yogh;thod
shal passe thur&yogh; thi sidis, and stikid
thou shalt fallen among the woundid men
of Irael, and thou shalt no mor take breth,
to the time that thou be put out of the
-- --
lond with hem.
5 But forsothe if thi profecie
soth thou weene, falle not doun
thi chere; and the palenesse that withholdeth
thi face, go awei fro thee, if
these my woordis thou weenest not to
moun be fulfild.
6 Forsothe that thou
knowe, for togidere with them that thou
shalt knowe bi experiense, lo! fro this
hour thou shalt be felashipid to the puple
of hem, and whan wrthi peynes of
my swerd thei han taken, thiself shalt
vnderlin to lic veniaunce.
7 Thanne Olofernes
comaundide to his seruauns, that
thei shulden taken Achior, and leden
hym in to Betulie, and taken hym in
the hond of the sonus of Irael.
8 And
the seruauns of Olofernes, takende hym,
wenten bi the wilde feldis, but whan
thei hadden ne&yogh;hed to the mounteynes,
wenten out a&yogh;en hem slingeres.
9 Thei
forsothe, turnende aside fro the side of
the hil, bounden Achior to a tree hondus
and feet, and so bounden of cordis thei
laften hym, and ben turned a&yogh;een to
ther lord.
10 But the sonus of Irael, comende
doun fro Betulie, camen to hym,
whom loosende thei ladden to Betulie,
and in to the myddel of the puple hym
settende askeden hym, what of thingus
it were, that hym bounde the Assiries
hadden laft.
11 In thoo da&yogh;es weren there
princis, Osias, the sone of Myca, of the
linage of Symeon, and Carmy, the whiche
and Gothonyel.
12 And so in the myddel
of the elders, and in the si&yogh;te of alle
men, Achior seide alle thingus, that he
askid of Olofernes hadde spoken, and
what maner the puple of Olofernes
wolde for this woord slen hym,
13 and what
maner he Olofernes wroth comaundede
hym to be take to the men of Irael for
-- --
this cause, that whil he shulde ouercome
the sonus of Irael, thanne and that Achior
he comaunde with dyuers tormentus to
dien, for that that he hadde seid, God of
heuene is the defendere of hem.
14 And
whan alle thingus Achior hadde expounded,
al the puple fel in to the face, honourende
the Lord; and with comun lamenting
and weping alle of o wil ther
pre&yogh;eeris to the Lord helden out,
15 seiende,
Lord God of heuene and of erthe, see the
pride of hem, and beholde to oure meknesse,
and to the face of thi halewis tac
heede, and shew&yogh; for thou forsakist not
that befor alle thingus taken trost of
thee, and principally takende trost of
hemself, and of ther vertue gloriende
thou meekist.
16 And so the weping endid,
and bi al the dai the orisoun of the puple
fulfild,
17 thei coumforteden Achior, seiende,
God of oure fadris, whos vertue
thou hast prechid, he &yogh;eldere to thee this
recompensacioun shal &yogh;iue, that thou rathere
see the deth of hem.
18 Whan forsothe
the Lord oure God shal &yogh;iue this
fredam to his seruauns, be and the Lord
with thee in the myddel of vs, that as it
shal plese to thee, so with alle thine thou
dwelle.
19 Thanne Osias, the counseil endid,
toc hym in to his hous, and made a gret
soper.
20 And, alle the prestus clepid togidere,
the fasting fulfild, thei eeten.
21 After
forsothe, al the puple clepid togidere, thur&yogh;
out al the ny&yogh;t withinne the chirche thei
pre&yogh;eden, askende helpe of the God of
Irael.
-- --
CAP. VII.
1 Olofernes forsothe that tother dai comaundide
to his ostus, that thei shulden
ste&yogh;e vp a&yogh;en Betulie.
2 Ther weren forsothe
footmen of fi&yogh;teres an hundrid and
twenti thousend, and horse men twelue
thousend, biside the redi cumpanyes of
thoo men, whom caitifte hadde ocupied,
and weren bro&yogh;t fro prouyncis and cites,
of alle &yogh;outhe.
3 Alle togidere maden themself
redi to the fi&yogh;t a&yogh;en the sones of Irael;
and thei camen bi the brinke of the hil
vnto the cop, that beholdeth Dotaym, fro
the place that is seid Belena vnto Selmon,
that is a&yogh;en Esdrelon.
4 The sones
forsothe of Irael, as thei se&yogh;en the multitude
of hem, thei threwen themself doun
vpon the erthe, puttende askis vpon ther
hedis, togidere of o wil pre&yogh;ende, that
God of Irael his merci shewe vp on his
puple.
5 And takende ther armys of bataile,
seten bi the placis that leden the
path of streit weie betwe the hilli placis,
and thei weren kepende them al dai and
ny&yogh;t.
6 But Olofernes, whil he goth aboute
bi cumpas, fond that a welle, that flowide
in to the watir condute of them, fro the
south partie out of the cite diuersli reulide,
and comaundede to ben hewe doun
the water cundute of hem.
7 Ner the
latere ther weren not fer from the wallis
wellis, of the whiche theefli thei weren
seen to drawe water, rathere to refreshen
than to drinken.
8 But the sonus of Amon
and of Moab wenten to Olofernes, seiende,
The sones of Irael not in spere and
arewe trosten, but the mountaynes defenden
hem, and strengthen hem the litle
-- --
hillis sett in a dich broken beforn.
9 Thanne
that with oute going to fi&yogh;t thou mowe
ouercome them, put keperis of wellis, that
thei drawe not of hem; and with oute
swerd thou shalt slen hem, or certis
weried thei shuln take ther cite, the
whiche thei weenen in the hillis to moun
not ben ouercome.
10 And these woordis
pleseden beforn Olofernes, and beforn alle
his cruel kny&yogh;tus; and he sette bi enuyroun
hundredis bi alle the wellis.
11 And
whan this warde bi twenti da&yogh;is was ful
ended, faileden the cisternes and the gederingis
of watris to alle the dwelleris in
Betulie, so that ther was not with inne
the cite, wher of thei my&yogh;ten han ynow&yogh;
or for o dai, for at mesure watir was &yogh;iue
to the puplis eche dai.
12 Thanne to Osias
alle men and wymmen, and &yogh;unge men,
and litle childer, gadered togidere, alle
togidere with o vois seiden,
13 The Lord
deme betwen vs and thee, for thou hast
don in to vs euelys, not willende to speken
pesibli with the Assiries, and for that
God hath sold vs in the hondis of hem.
14 And therfore ther is not that helpeth,
whan wee ben throwe doun befor the
e&yogh;en of hem in thrist, and in gret perdicioun.
15 And now gedereth alle men, that
ben in this citee, that wilfulli wee of al
the puple taken vs to Olofernes.
16 Betere
it is that caitif wee blisse God liuende,
than wee die, and be repref to alle flesh,
whan wee seen oure wiues and oure childer
dien beforn oure e&yogh;en.
17 Wee taken
to witnesse to dai heuene and erthe, and
God of oure fadris, that doth veniaunce
on vs after oure synnes, that now &yogh;ee
take the cite in the hond of the chiualrie
of Olofernes, that oure ende be short in
the mouth of swerd, that lengere is maad
-- --
in dro&yogh;te of thrist.
18 And whan these
thingis thei hadden seid, weping and
gret &yogh;elling is maad in a gret chirche of
alle men, and bi manye houris with o
vois thei crieden to the Lord, seiende,
Wee han synned with oure fadris,
19 vnri&yogh;twisli
wee han don, wickednesse wee
han maad.
20 For thou art piteuous, haue
merci on vs, and in thi scourge venge
oure wickednessis; and wile thou not
taken men knoulechende thee to the puple
that knowith not thee,
21 that thei sei
not among Jentilis, Where is the God of
hem?
22 And whan, trauailid with these
cries and these wepingis, thei weren
weri,
23 Osias risende, the teris inshed,
seide, Euene inwit beth, brethern, and
these fiue da&yogh;es bijde wee of the Lord
mercy;
24 parauenture forsothe his indignacioun
he shal putten awei, and &yogh;iue
glorie to his name.
25 If forsothe, fiue da&yogh;es
passid ouer, helpe cometh not, wee shul
do these woordis that &yogh;ee han spoken.
CAP. VIII.
1 And it is do, whan these woordis hadde
herd Judit, widewe, that was the do&yogh;ter
of Merari, sone of Idor, sone of Joseph,
sone of Ozie, sone of Elai, sone of Jamnor,
sone of Jedeon, sone of Rafoni, sone
of Achitob, sone of Melchie, sone of Euam,
sone of Mathanye, sone of Salathiel, sone
of Symeon, sone of Ruben.
2 And hir husbonde
was Manasses, that diede in the
da&yogh;es of barli rip;
3 forsothe he stod ouer
the men bindende sheues in the feld,
and ther cam hete vp on his hed, and
he diede in Betulie his cite, and is biried
there with his fadris.
4 Forsothe Judit
was the laft widue of hym now thre &yogh;er
and sixe monethis.
5 And in the ouere
partis of hir hous she made to hir a
-- --
priue bed place, in whiche with hir
hand wymmen closid she dwelte;
6 and,
hauende vp on hir lendis an heire, fastide
alle the da&yogh;es of hir lif, saue sabatis, and
newe mones, and the festis of the hous
of Irael.
7 Forsothe she was with fair beholding
ful myche, to whom hir husbonde
hadde laft myche richesse, and plenteuous
meyne, and possessiouns ful with droues
of oxen, and flockis of shep.
8 And this
was in alle thingus most famous; for she
dradde God gretli, ne ther was that shulde
speken of hir euel woord.
9 And so this
whan she hadde herd, for Osias hadde
behoten, that, the fifte dai passid ouer, he
shulde take the cite, she sente to the
prestis of Cambre and of Carmy.
10 And
thei camen to hir; and she seide to them,
What is this woord, in the whiche Osias
consentide that he take the cite to Assiries,
if with inne fiue da&yogh;es ther come
not helpe to vs?
11 And who ben &yogh;ee that
tempten the Lord?
12 This woord is not
that stire mercy; but rathere that rere
wrathe, and teende woodnesse.
13 &YOGH;ee han
sett a time of mercy doing of the Lord,
and in &yogh;oure dom &yogh;ee han ordeyned a dai
to hym.
14 But for the Lord is pacient, in
this synne othinke wee, and his for&yogh;iuenesse
with teres aske wee;
15 ne forsothe as
a man so God shal threten, ne as the
sone of man to wrathe he shal ben enflaumed.
16 And therfore meke wee to hym
oure soulis, and in contrit spirit and
mekid serue wee to hym;
17 and sei wee
wepende to the Lord, that aftir his wil
so he do with vs his mercy; and as oure
herte is disturbid in the pride of hem,
so also of oure mecnesse wee glorien.
18 For
wee han not folewid the synnes of oure
fadris, that forsoken ther God, and
honoureden alien godis;
19 for the whiche
hidous gilte thei ben &yogh;iuen in to swerd,
-- --
and in to rauein, and in to confusioun to
ther enemys; wee forsothe other God
knowen not saue hym.
20 Abijde wee meke
the coumforting of hym, and he shal
sechen out oure blod fro the tormentingis
of oure enemys; and he shal meken
alle Jentilis, who so euere rijsen a&yogh;en
vs; and he shal make them with oute
wrshipe, the Lord oure God.
21 And now,
brethern, for &yogh;ee that ben prestis in the
puple of God, of &yogh;ou hangeth the lif of
hem at &yogh;oure speche, rereth vp the hertis
of hem, that myndeful &yogh;ee be, for &yogh;oure
fadris ben temptid, for thei shulden be
preued, if verreli thei herieden ther
God.
22 Myndeful owen thei to ben, what
maner oure fader Abraham is temptid,
and, bi manye tribulaciouns preuyd, the
frend of God is maad.
23 So Isaac, so Jacob,
so Moises, and alle that pleseden to
the Lord, bi manye tribulaciouns passeden
feithful.
24 Thei forsothe that temptaciouns
resseyueden not with the drede
of God, and bro&yogh;ten forth ther vnpacience,
and the repref of ther grucching
a&yogh;en the Lord,
25 ben exilid of the exilere,
and of serpentis pershiden.
26 And wee
thanne venge we not vsself for these
thingus that wee suffren;
27 but, wijtende
to oure synnes these same lasse tormentis
to ben, the scourgis of the Lord, as seruauns
of the Lord that ben chastisid, to
amendement, and not to han come to
oure perdicioun, wee leeuen.
28 And Osias
and the prestis seiden to hir, Alle thingus,
that thou hast spoke, ben sothe, and ther
is not in thi woordis any repreuyng.
29 Now thanne prei thou for vs, for thou
art an holi womman, and dredende God.
30 And Judit seide to them, As that, that
I my&yogh;te speken, &yogh;ee knowen to ben of
God,
31 so that I purposide to do, preueth,
-- --
if it is of God; and pre&yogh;eth, that God
stedefast make my counseil.
32 &YOGH;ee shul
stonden at the &yogh;ate this ny&yogh;t, and I shal
gon out with my fre handmaiden; and
pre&yogh;eth, that, as &yogh;ee han seid, the Lord
in fiue da&yogh;es beholde his puple Irael.
33 &YOGH;ou
forsothe I wile, that &yogh;ee serche my deede,
and vnto the time that I bringe a&yogh;een
woord to &yogh;ou, noon other thing be don,
but orisoun for me to the Lord oure God.
34 And Osias, the prince of Jude, seide to
hir, Go in pes, and the Lord be with
thee in the veniynge of oure enemys.
And, turnende a&yogh;een, thei wenten awei.
CAP. IX.
1 The whiche goende awei, Judit wente
in to hir oratorie, and, clothende hir with
an heire, putte askes vp on hir hed;
and, throwende hirself doun to the Lord,
criede to the Lord,
2 seiende, Lord God of
my fader Symeon, that &yogh;eue to hym a
swerd in to defending of alienes, that
weren defouleris in ther defouling, and
nakeden the hipe of the maiden in to
confusioun;
3 and thou &yogh;eue the wymmen
of hem in to prei, the do&yogh;tris of hem in
to caitifte, and al the prei in to deuisioun
to thi seruauns, that looueden thi
looue; help, I beseche, Lord, to me
widewe.
4 Thou forsothe didist rathere
thingis, and thoo after thoo thou tho&yogh;tist,
and this deede is, that thi self woldist.
5 Alle forsothe thi weies ben maad redi,
and thi domes in thi prouidence thou
hast put.
6 Beholde the tentis of Assiries
now, as thanne the tentis of Egipcienus
thou vouchedest saf to beholde, whan after
thi seruauns thei runnen armed, trostende
in ther foure horsid cartis, and in
ther horsing, and in the multitude of
fi&yogh;teres.
7 But thou beheelde vp on the
-- --
tentis of hem, and dercnesses ouertrauaileden
hem;
8 the se heeld the feet of
hem, and watris couereden hem.
9 So,
Lord, and these be maad, that trosten in
ther multitude; and in ther charis, and
in wepnys, and in ther arewis, and in
speris glorien;
10 and thei knowen not, for
thou thi self art oure God, that to-tredest
batailis fro the bigynnyng, and Lord
name is to thee.
11 Rere vp thin arm as
fro the begynnyng, and hurtle the vertue
of hem in thi vertue; falle the vertue of
hem in thi wrathe, that behoten themself
to defoule thin holi thingus, and to
polluten the tabernacle of thi name, and
to throwe doun with swerd the horne of
thin auter.
12 Do, Lord, that the pride of
hem be cut awei with ther owne swerd;
13 be he taken with the grane of his e&yogh;en
in me; and thou shalt smyten hym of
the lippis of my charite.
14 &YOGH;if to me in
wil stedefastnesse, that I dispise hym
and his vertue, and I turne hym vp so
doun.
15 Forsothe he shal be the memorial
of thi name, whan the hondis of a womman
han throwen hym doun.
16 Forsothe,
Lord, not in multitude is thi vertue, ne
in strengthys of hors thi wil; ne proude
men pleseden to thee fro the begynnyng,
but of meke men and of buxum euermor
to thee pleside the pre&yogh;eere.
17 God
of heuenes, makere of watris, and Lord
of eche creature, here me wrecche pre&yogh;ende
and of thi merci principali takende
trost.
18 Haue mynde, Lord, of thi testament,
and &yogh;if woord in my mouth, and
strengthe the counseil in myn herte, that
thin hous in thin halewinge abijde stille;
and alle Jentilis knowen,
19 for thou art
God, and ther is noon other biside thee.
-- --
CAP. X.
1 It is do forsothe, whan she hadde cesid
to crien to the Lord, she ros fro the place,
in whiche she lai throwe doun to the
Lord.
2 And she clepide hir fre maiden,
and cam doun in to hir hous; she dide
awei fro hir the heire, and clothide hyrself
out of the clothing of hir widewehed.
3 And she wesh hir bodi, and oyntide hirself
with the beste myrre, and she platte
the her of hir hed, and putte a mytre
vp on hir hed, and she clothide hir with
the clothis of hir jolite, and clothide hirself
ga&yogh;e shon to hir feet; and she toc
armes onournemens, and lilies, and ere
ringus, and finger ringys, and with alle
hir onournemens she onournede hir.
4 To whom also the Lord &yogh;af bri&yogh;tnesse,
for al this composicioun not of lust, but
of vertue heeng; and therfore the Lord
made more this fairnesse in to hir, that
she aperede to the e&yogh;en of alle men with
fairnesse vncomparable.
5 And so she putte
on to hir fre maiden a botel of wijn, and
`a vessel of oile, and potage, and dried
figes, and loues, and chese, and wente
forth.
6 And whan thei weren come to
the &yogh;ate of the cite, thei founden Osiam
abidende, and the prestis of the cite.
7 The
whiche whan thei hadden seen hir, stone&yogh;ende
merueileden ful miche the fairnesse
of hir.
8 No thing ner the latere askende
hir laften to passen, seiende, God of oure
fadris &yogh;iue to thee grace, and al the
counseil of thin herte with his vertue
strengthe, and glorie vp on thee Jerusalem,
and be thi name in the noumbre
-- --
of seintus and of ri&yogh;twis men.
9 And these,
that ther weren, alle with o vois seiden,
Be it do! be it do!
10 Thanne Judit pre&yogh;ende
the Lord, passede thur&yogh; the &yogh;atis,
she and hir fre maiden.
11 It is do forsothe,
whan she cam doun the hil aboute spring
of the dai, a&yogh;en camen to hir the aspies
of the Assiries, and heelden hir, seiende,
Whennes comest thou, or whider gost
thou?
12 The whiche answerde, A do&yogh;ter I
am of Ebrues, and therfore I flei&yogh; fro the
face of hem, for to comen I knew, that
thei shul ben to &yogh;ou in to prei taking,
for thi that despisende &yogh;ou wolden not
freeli taken themself, that thei shulden
finde mercy in &yogh;oure si&yogh;te.
13 For this
cause I tho&yogh;te with myself, seiende, I
shal go to the face off Olofernes prince,
that I shewe to hym the priuites of hem,
and I shal shewe to hym, bi what entre
he mai wynne hem, so that ther falle
not oon man of his ost.
14 And whan thoo
men hadden herd hir woordis, thei beheelden
hir face, and she was in ther
e&yogh;en stoneyng, for thei merueileden ful
myche the fairnesse of hir.
15 And thei
seiden to hir, Thou hast kept thi lif, for
thi that such a counseil thou hast founde,
that thou come doun to oure lord.
16 This
forsothe wite thou, that, whan thou stondist
in his si&yogh;te, he shal wel do to thee,
and thou shalt be most acceptid in his
herte. And thei ladden hir to the tabernacle
of Olofernes, and shewiden hir.
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