CAP. III.
1 Nabugodonosor, kyng, made a goldyne
ymage, in hei&yogh;te of sixty cubitis, in
breede of six cubitis; and sette it in the
feeld Duram, of the prouynce of Babiloyne.
2 And so Nabugodonosor sente for
to gedre satrapis, or wijse men, magistratis,
and iugis, and duykis, and tirauntis,
or strong men, and prefectis,
and alle the princes of cuntrees, that thei
shulden cum to gydre to `halewyng of
the ymage, whom the kyng Nabugodonosor
rayside vp.
3 Than satrapes weren
gedrid, magestratis, and iugis, and duykis,
and tirauntis, and the best men that
weren ordeyned in poweris, and alle
princis of cuntrees, that thei shulden cum
to gydre to halewyng of the ymage,
whom the kyng Nabugodonosor reyside
vp. Forsothe thei stoden in si&yogh;t of the
ymage, whiche kyng Nabugodonosor
hadde putt;
4 and a bedel criede mi&yogh;tily,
To &yogh;ou it is sayd, peplis, lynagis, and
langagis;
5 in the hour in whiche &yogh;e shuln
heere the sown of trumpe, and pipe, and
harpe, sambuke, sautrie, and symfonie,
and al kynde of musikis, &yogh;e fallynge wirshipe
the golden ymage, whom Nabugodonosor,
kyng, ordeynyde.
6 Sotheli &yogh;if eny
man not fallynge doun shal wirship, in
the same hour he shal be sent in to a fourneyse
of fijr brennynge.
7 Therfore after
these thingus, anoon as alle peplis harden
the sown of trumpe, pype, and harpe,
-- --
sambuke, and sautrie, synphonie, and al
kynde of musikis, fallynge alle peplis,
lynagis, and langagis, wirshipiden the
golden ymage, whom Nabugodonosor, the
kyng, ordeynede.
8 And anoon in that
tyme men Caldeis cummynge to, accusiden
Jewis,
9 and saiden to Nabugodonosor,
kyng, Kyng, in to with outen eende
lyue thou.
10 Thou, kyng, hast putte a
decree, or dome, that eche man that shal
heere the sown of trumpe, pype, and
harpe, sambuke, and sautre, and synfonye,
and al kynde of musykis, putte doun
hym self, and wirshipe the golden ymage;
11 forsothe &yogh;if eny man not fallynge doun
shal wirshipe, be he sent in to fourneyse
of brennynge fijr.
12 Therfore men Jewis
ben, whom thou hast ordeynyd vpon
werkis of the cuntree of Babyloyne, Sydrac,
Mysac, and Abdenago. These men,
kyng, dispisiden thi decree; thei honouren
not thi goddis, and thei worshipen
not the golden ymage, whom thou reysidist.
13 Thanne Nabugodonosor in woodnesse
and in wrath, comaundide, that Sydrac,
Mysac, and Abdenago shulden be
ledde to; whiche anoon ben ledde to in
si&yogh;t of the kyng.
14 And Nabugodonosor,
the kyng, pronounsynge saith to hem,
Verrely wher &yogh;e, Sydrac, Mysac, and
Abdenago, honouren not my goddis, and
wirshipen not the golden ymage, whom
Y reiside?
15 Now therfore be &yogh;e redy, in
what euer hour &yogh;e shuln heer sown of
trumpe, pype, harp, sambuke, sautrie, and
synfonye, and of al manere of musykis,
putte &yogh;e doun &yogh;ou, and wirshipe the
ymage that Y made; for &yogh;if &yogh;e shuln not
wirship, in the same houre &yogh;e shuln be
sent in to the fourneys of fijr brennynge;
and who is God, that shal delyuere &yogh;ou
of myn hond?
16 Sydrac, Mysac, and Abdenago
answerynge saiden to kyng Nabugodonosor,
It byhoueth not vs of this
thing for to answere to thee.
17 Loo! sothely
-- --
our God, whom we wirshipen, may
delyuere vs of the chymneye of brennynge
fijre, and of thin hondis delyuere,
thou kyng.
18 For &yogh;if he wole not, be it
knowen to thee, kyng, for we honoure not
thi goddis, and we wirshipen not the
golden ymage, whom thou hast reyside.
19 Thanne Nabugodonosor was fulfillid with
wodenesse, and the biholdynge of his face
is chaungid vpon Sydrac, Mysac, and
Abdenago. And he bad, that the fourneyse
shulde be sette on fijre seuen fold,
hatter than it was wont for to be tendid.
20 And he badde the strongist men of his oost,
that the feet bounden of Sydrac, Mysac,
and Abdenago, thei shulden sende hem
in to the fourneyse of brennynge fijre.
21 And anoon the ilk men bounden, with
armes, and cappis, and shoon, and clothis,
weren sente in to mydil of the fourneys
of brennynge fijre;
22 for whi the comaundyng
of the kyng constreynide. Forsothe
the fourneys was tendid ful miche;
forsothe flawme of the fijre slew&yogh; tho
men, that senten Sydrac, Mysac, and Abdenago
in to the fourneyse.
23 Forsothe
these three men, Sydrac, Mysac, and Abdenago,
fellen doun bounden in mydil of
the chymney of brennynge fijre.
These thingis that suen, I foond not
in Ebrew bookis.
24 And thei walkiden in mydil of the
flawme, heryinge God, and blessynge to
the Lord.
25 Forsothe Azarie stondynge
preyede thus; and opnyng his mouth in
mydil of the fijre,
26 saith, Blessid art thou,
Lord God of our fadris, and heryful, or
worthi to be preyside, and thi name glorious
in to worldis;
27 for thou art iust in
alle thingus whiche thou didist to vs, and
alle thi werkis trewe, and thi wayes ri&yogh;t,
and alle thi domes verrey.
28 Forsothe thou
-- --
hast don verrey domes, after alle thingus
that thou leddist in vpon vs, and vpon the
holy citee of our fadris, Jerusalem; for in
trewthe and dome thou leddist yn alle
these thingus for oure synnes.
29 Sothely
we synnyden, and diden wickidly, goynge
awey fro thee, and trespassiden in
alle thingus,
30 and herden not thin heestis,
nether kepten, nether diden as thou comaundidist
to vs, that it were wele to vs.
31 Therfore alle thingus that thou leddist yn
vpon vs, and alle thingus that thou didist
to vs,
32 in verre dome thou hast don; and
thou hast bitaken vs in the hondis of
enmys, wickid and warst trespassours,
and to the vniust kyng, and warst ouer
al erthe.
33 And now we mown not opne
the mouthe; we ben maad confusioun
and shenship to thi seruauntis, and to
these that wirshipen thee.
34 We preyen,
bitake not vs in to with outen eende, for
thi name, and distruye not thi testament,
nether do awey thi mercye fro vs,
35 for
Abram, thi derworthe, and Ysaac, thi
seruaunt, and Yrael, or Jacob, thin holy;
to whiche thou spake,
36 bihetynge that thou
shuldist multiplie the seede of hem as
sterris of heuen, and as grauel that is in
the brynke of the see.
37 For, Lord, we
ben maad litil, more than alle hethen men,
and we ben meeke, or lowe, in eche lond
this day, for oure synnes.
38 And ther is
not in this tyme prince, and duyke, and
prophete, nether brent sacrifice, nether
sacrifice, nether offring, nether encense,
ne place of primissis byfor thee,
39 that
we mown fynde thi mercye; bot in contrite
soule, or ynwitt, and in spirit of
mekenesse be we resceyuyd.
40 As in brend
sacrifice of wetheris and boolis, and as in
thousandis of fat lambren, so oure sacrifice
be maad to day in thi si&yogh;t, that it
plese to thee; for confusioun, or shame,
is not to men tristinge in thee.
41 And now
we suen thee in al herte, and dreeden
thee, and seeken thi face.
42 Confounde
-- --
thou not vs, but do with vs vp thi
myldenesse, and vp the mykilnesse of
thi mercy.
43 And deliuere vs in thi merueylis,
and &yogh;eue glorie to thi name, Lord;
and confoundid be alle,
44 that shewen to
thi seruauntis yuel thingis; be thei confoundid
in al thi power, and the strengthe
of hem be broken to gydre;
45 and thei
shuln wite, for thou art the Lord God
aloone, and glorious vpon the roundenesse
of erthes.
46 And thei ceesiden not,
the ministris of the kyng, that sente hem,
for to tende the fourneis with napte,
herdis of hemp, or flaxe, and pitche,
and kittyngus of vynes.
47 And the flawme
was held out ouer the fourneys by nyne
and fourti cubitis,
48 and brake out, and
brent whom of Caldeis it fonde bysidis
the fourneis.
49 Forsothe an aungel of the
Lord cam doun with Azarie and his felawis,
in to the fourneys, and smote ouere
the flawme of fijre of the fourneis;
50 and
maade the mydil of the fourneis as wynde
of dewe blowinge; and the fijre touchide
not hem on al manere, nether made sorewfull,
nether brou&yogh;te yn eny thing of
heuynesse.
51 Thanne these three as of oo
mouthe heryeden God, and glorifieden,
and blessiden God in the fourneys, sayinge,
Blessid art thou,
52 Lord God of oure
fadris, and worthi to be heryed, and glorious,
and aboue enhaunsid in to worldis;
and blessid the name of thi glorie, the
whiche is holy, and worthi to be heried,
and aboue reisid in alle worldis.
53 Blessid
art thou in the holy temple of thi glorie,
and thou aboue preiseful, and glorious in
to worldis.
54 Blessid art thou in the trone
of thi rewme, and aboue preyseful, and
aboue reysid in to worldis.
55 Blessid art
thou, that biholdist depnessis, and sittist
vpon cherubyn, and preysful, and aboue
reysid in to worldis.
56 Blessid art thou
in the firmament of heuen, and preysful,
and glorious in to worldis.
57 Blesse &yogh;e,
alle the werkis of the Lord, `to the
-- --
Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue enhaunse &yogh;e
hym in to worldis.
58 Blesse &yogh;e, aungels
of the Lord, to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and
aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
59 Blesse
&yogh;e, heuens, to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and
aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
60 Blesse
&yogh;e, alle watris that ben vp on heuens, to
the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e
hym in to worldis.
61 Alle vertues of the
Lord, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e,
and aboue reyse &yogh;e him into worldis.
62 Sunne and moone, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord;
preise &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e him in to
worldis.
63 Sterris of heuene, blesse &yogh;e to
the Lord; preise &yogh;e, and aboue reise &yogh;e
him in to worldis.
64 Reyn and dew, blesse
&yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse
&yogh;e him into worldis.
65 Ech spirit of God,
blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and
aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
66 Fijre
and heete, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse
&yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
67 Colde and sumer, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord;
preyse &yogh;ee, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to
worldis.
68 Dewis and whijt frost, blesse
&yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue
reyse &yogh;e him in to worldis.
69 Byndynge
frost and colde, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord;
preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to
worldis.
70 Yss and snowes, blesse &yogh;e to
the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e
hym into worldis.
71 Ny&yogh;tis and days,
blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and
aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
72 Li&yogh;t
and derknesses, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord;
preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to
worldis.
73 Leitis and cloudis, blesse &yogh;e to
the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e
hym into worldis.
74 Blesse the erthe the
Lord; preyse it, and aboue reyse hym
in to worldis.
75 Mounteyns and smale
hillis, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e,
and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
76 Alle buriownynge thingus in erthe, blesse
&yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue
reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
77 Wellis, blesse
-- --
&yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue
reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
78 Sees and
floodes, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e,
and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
79 Whallis, and alle thingis that ben moued
in watris, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse
&yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
80 Alle foulis of heuen, blesse &yogh;e to the
Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym
in to worldis.
81 Alle beestis and etable,
or litil, beestis, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord;
preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to
worldis.
82 Sonys of men, blesse &yogh;e to the
Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym
into worldis.
83 Blesse Yrael the Lord;
preyse it, and aboue reyse him in to
worldis.
84 Prestis of the Lord, blesse &yogh;e
to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse
&yogh;e hym in to worldis.
85 Seruauntis of the
Lord, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e,
and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym in to worldis.
86 Spirits and soulis of iust men, blesse &yogh;e
to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse
&yogh;e hym into worldis.
87 Holi and meeke in
herte, blesse &yogh;e to the Lord; preyse &yogh;e,
and aboue reyse &yogh;e hym into worldis.
88 Ananyas, Azarias, Mysael, blesse &yogh;e to
the Lord; preyse &yogh;e, and aboue reyse &yogh;e
hym in to worldis. Whiche delyuerede vs
fro helle, and made saaf fro the hond of
deth, and delyuerede fro the mydil of the
brennynge flawme, and rauyshide vs out
of the mydil of the fyre.
89 Knowleche &yogh;e
to the Lord, for he is good; for in to the
world the mercye of hym.
90 Alle religious,
blesse &yogh;e to the Lord, God of goddis;
preyse &yogh;e, and knowleche &yogh;e to hym, for
in to alle worldis the mercye of hym.
Hiderto is not had in Ebrue, and
what thingus we han putte, ben translatid
of the makyng of Teodosion.
91 Thanne kyng Nabugodonosor wondride
myche, and rose hastiliche, and
saith to his best men, Wher we senten
-- --
not three men bounden to gidre in to
mydil of fyre? Whiche answeringe to
the kyng saiden, Verrely, kyng.
92 Thanne
the king answerde, and saith, Loo! I see
foure men vnbounden, and walkynge in
mydil of the fyre, and no thing of corrupcioun
is in hem; and the fourme of
the fourthe lijc to the sone of God.
93 Thanne Nabugodonosor, kyng, came to
the dore of the fourneys of brennynge
fyr, and saith, Sydrac, Mysac, and Abdenago,
saruauntis of hee&yogh; lyuyng God,
go &yogh;e out, and cume &yogh;e. And anoon Sydrac,
Mysac, and Abdenago, wenten out
of the mydil of fyr.
94 And satrapis gedrid,
and magestratis, and domysmen, and
mi&yogh;ty men of the kyng, biheelden thoo
men, for fijre hadde no thing of power in
the bodys of hem, and an heer of hir hed
was not brent to; also the breechis of
hem weren not chaungid, and the sauer
of fijr passide not by hem.
95 And Nabugodonosor
brestinge out saith, Blessid `is
God of hem, that is to saye, of Sydrac,
Mysac, and Abdenago, whiche sente his
aungel, and delyuerde his seruauntis that
byleeuyden in to hym, and chaungiden
the word of the kyng, and &yogh;auen her
bodies, lest thei seruyden, and lest thei
wirshipiden euery god, outake her God
aloone.
96 Therfore of me this decree, or
dome, is putt, that eche peple, and langagis,
and lynagis, who euere shal speke
blasfeme a&yogh;einus God of Sydrac, Mysac,
and Abdenago, perishe, and his hous be
waastid; forsothe ther is non other God,
that may thus saue.
97 Thanne the kyng
auaunside Sydrac, Mysac, and Abdenago,
in the prouynce of Babyloyne; and in
to eche lond he sente a pistle, conteenynge
these woordis.
98 Nabugodonosor, kyng, to
alle peplis, folkis, and langagis, that
dwellen in al erthe, pees be multiplied
to &yogh;ou.
99 Hee&yogh; God made at me signis
and wondirful thingus; therfore it pleside
to me for to preche the sygnys of hym,
100
-- --
for thei ben greet, and his wondirful
thingis, for thei stronge; and his rewme
euerlastinge rewme, and his power in to
generacioun and generacioun.
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].
