Bible (Wycliffe)/3 Esdras

Chapter 1
And Josias made pask in Jerusalem to the Lord, and he offride pask the fourtenthe day of the monthe of the first monthe,

ordeynynge prestis bi her whiles of daies, clothid in stolis, or longe clothis, in the temple of the Lord.

And he seide to the dekens, the holy seruauntis of Israel, that thei schulden halewe hem self to the Lord, in settynge of the holy arke of the Lord in the hous, that kyng Salomon, the sone of Dauid, bildide;

It schal not be to you no more to take it upon schuldris; and now serueth to oure Lord, and do ye cure of that folk of Israel, of the part aftir townes,

and her lynagis, aftir the writyng of Dauid, kyng of Israel, and aftir the greet wirschipful doyng of Salomon, his sone, in al the temple, and aftir youre litil fadris part of princehood of hem, that stonden in the siyt of the bretheren of the sones of Israel.

Offre ye pask, and maketh redy the sacrifices to youre bretheren; and do ye aftir the heest of the Lord, that is youen to Moyses.

And Josias yaf to the folc that was founden there, scheep, of lombis, and of kides, and of sche geet, thritti thousynd; calues, thre thousynd.

Thes yiftis ben youen of the kingis owne thingis aftir the heest of the Lord to the peple, and to prestis, in to pask; scheep in noumbre two thousynd, and calues an hundrid.

And Jechonyas, and Semeias, and Nathanael, his brother, and Azabias, and Oziel, and Coroba, yauen in to pask, fyue thousynd scheep, and fyue hundrid calues.

And whanne thes thingis weren nobly don, the prestis and dekens stoden, hauynge therf looues bi lynages.

And aftir the partis of the princehood of fadris thei offriden to the Lord in the siyt of the peple, after tho thingis that ben writen in the book of Moyses.

And thei rostiden the pask with fijr, as it bihouyde; and thei soden oostis in sethinge vessels and in pottis, with wel willyng.

And thei brouyten it to alle that ther weren of the folk; and aftir thes thingis thei maden redy to hem self and to prestis.

Forsothe the prestis offriden ynner fatnesse, vnto the hour was endid; and dekens greythiden to hem self, and to her bretheren, and to the sones of Aaron.

And men sacrifiynge offriden her douytris, aftir the oordre and the heestis of Dauid; and Azaph, and Zacharie, and Jeddynus, that was of the king;

and the porters bi alle the yatis offriden, so that noon passide his yate. Forsothe her bretheren greythiden to hem.

And so tho thingis, that perteynyden to the sacrifice of the Lord, ben endid.

In that day thei diden pask, and offriden ostis upon the sacrifice of the Lord, aftir the heest of kyng Josie.

And the sones of Israel, that weren founden present, diden in that tyme pask, and the feest day of therf looues bi seuen daies.

And ther was not solempnyzed sich a paske in Israel, fro the tymes of Samuel, the prophet.

And alle the kyngis of Israel halewiden not sich a pask, as diden Josias, and the prestis, and dekens, and Jewis, and al Israel, that weren founden in the commemoracioun, or mynde making, at Jerusalem.

In the eiytenthe yer, Josie regnynge, this pask was halewid.

And the werkis of Josie ben maad riyt in the siyt of his Lord, in ful dredynge herte;

and tho thingis forsothe that weren aboute him ben writen, in the rathere tymes of hem that synnyden, and the whiche weren vnreligious ayen the Lord, bifore or more than al hethen folk, and the whiche synners souyten not the wordis of the Lord upon Israel.

And aftir al this deede of Josie, Pharao, king of Egipt, yede up, comynge to casten awey in Carcamys upon Eufraten; and Josias wente in to metyng to him.

And the king of Egipt sente to Josiam, seiynge, What is to me and to thee, kyng of Jude?

I am not sent of the Lord, upon Eufraten forsothe is my bataile; hastily therfor go doun.

And Josias was not turned ayen upon the chare, but he enforside him self to ouercome Pharao, not takinge hede to the word of the prophet, fro the mouth of the Lord;

but he sette to him bataile in the feeld of Mecedan; and princis camen doun to kyng Josiam.

And thanne the king seide to his children, or seruauntes, Moueth me awey fro the bataile; forsothe I am gretly maad sijk. And anoon his children moueden him awey fro the scheltrun.

And he stiede upon his secoundarie chare; and comynge to Jerusalem, he diede, and was biried in his fadris sepulcre.

And in al Jude thei biweiliden Josie, and thei that bifore seten with wyues, weiliden him vnto this day; and this is grauntid to be don euer more in al the kynrede of Israel.

Thes thingis forsothe ben writen in the book of stories of kyngis of Juda, and the glorie of Josie, and his vndirstonding in the lawe of God, bi alle dedes of the doyng of him; for euenly tho weren don of hym, and the whiche ben not writun in the book of kingis of Israel and of Juda.

And thei that weren of the kynrede token Jeconye, the sone of Josie, and setten him king for Josie, his fadir, whanne he was of thre and thritty yeer.

And he regnyde upon Israel thre monthis; and thanne the kyng of Egipt putte him awey, that he regnyde not in Jerusalem.

And he pilide the folk of an hundrid talentis of siluer, and of a talent of gold.

And the kyng of Egipt sette Joachim, his brother, kyng of Jude and of Jerusalem; and he bonde the maistir iuges of Joachim, and takynge Saracel, his brother, he brouyte him ayen to Egipt.

Joachim was of fyue and twenty yeer, whanne he regnyde in the loond of Juda and of Jerusalem; and he dide yuel thing in the siyt of the Lord.

Aftir this forsothe Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, stiede up, and byndynge Joachim in a strong boond, brouyte him in to Babiloyne;

and Nabugodonosor toke and brouyte the holy vessels of God, and sacride tho in his temple in Babiloyne.

Forsothe of his vnclennesse and his vnreligioustee it is writen in the book of the tymes of kyngis.

And Joachim, his sone, regnyde for him; whanne forsothe he was ordeyned king, he was of eiyte yeer.

Forsothe he regnyde thre monthis and ten daies in Jerusalem; and dide yuel in siyt of the Lord.

And aftir a yer Nabugodonosor sente, and brouyte him ouer in to Babiloyne, togidre with the sacrid vessels of the Lord.

And he sette Sedechie kyng of Juda and of Jerusalem, whanne he was of oon and twenti yeer.

Forsothe he regnyde elleuen yeer; and he dide yuel in siyt of the Lord, and was not adred of the wordis that ben seid of Jeremye, the prophet, fro the mouth of the Lord.

And he adiurid, or chargid bi ooth, of kyng Nabugodonosor, forsworn wente awey, and his noll made hard, he ouerpasside the laweful thingis of the Lord God of Israel.

And the duykis of the Lordis peple baren hem wickidly many thingis, and thei diden vnpitously ouer alle the wickidnessis of Gentiles; and thei defouliden the temple of the Lord, that was hooly in Jerusalem.

And God of her fadris sente bi his aungel to ayenclepe hem, for the whiche thing he sparide to hem, and to her tabernaclis.

Thei forsothe scornyden in her corners, and that dai that the Lord spake, thei weren bobbynge his prophetis.

The whiche Lord is stirid to wraththe upon his folk, for their irreligiositee. And the kyngis of Caldeis comaundiden, and stiyeden up,

thei slowen the younge men of hem with swerd, aboute the hooly temple of hem; and thei spariden not to yonge man, ne to maiden, ne to old man, and to ful woxen man;

but also alle thei ben taken in to the hondis of hem; and thei token alle the sacrid vessels of the Lord, and the kyngis coffres, and brouyten tho in to Babiloyne.

And thei brenden up the hous of the Lord, and destroieden the wallis of Jerusalem, and thei brenden his touris with fijr.

And thei wastiden alle the wurschipful thingis, and brouyten hem to nouyt; and thei brouyten the peple lefte of the swerd in to Babiloyne.

And thei weren his thrallis, vn to the tyme that Peersis regnyden, in the fulfillynge of the word of the Lord, in the mouth of Jeremye;

til that the loond wolde do benyngnely their sabotis, he sabatisede al the tyme of their forsakyng, in the appliynge of seuenti yer.

Chapter 2
Regnynge Cyro, kyng of Peersis, in the fulfillyng of the word of the Lord, in the mouth of Jeremye,

the Lord reiside up the spirit of Ciry, kyng of Persis; and he prechide in al his rewme togidre bi scripture, seiynge,

Thes thingis seith Cirus, kyng of Persis, The Lord of Israel, the hiye Lord, hath ordeyned me kyng to the world of erthis;

and he signyfiede to me to bilde to him an hous in Jerusalem, that is in Juda.

If ther is ony man of youre kynrede, his Lord stie up with him in to Jerusalem.

Therfor hou many euer dwellen in places aboute, helpe thei hem that dwellen in that place, in gold and siluer,

in yiftis, with hors, and bestis, and with othere thingis, the whiche aftir vowes ben leid up in to the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem.

And the stondynge princis of lynages of townes of Jude, of the lynage of Beniamyn, and prestis and dekens, whom the Lord stiride to wende up, and to bilde up the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem; and thei, that weren in the enuyroun, or in cumpas, of hem, schulden helpe in al siluer and gold of it,

and in bestis, and in many vowis; and many othere, of whom the witt is stirid, helpe thei also.

And kyng Cirus brouyte forth the sacrid vessels of the Lord, the whiche Nabugodonosor translatide fro Jerusalem, and sacride hem in his mawmett.

And Cirus, king of Persis, bryngynge hem forth, toke tho to Mitridate, that was upon the tresours of him.

Forsothe bi him thei ben taken to Salmanasar, gouernour of Jude.

Of thes thinges forsothe this is the noumbre; silueren halewid vessels of licours, two thousynd and foure hundrid; thritti silueren drinkynge vessels; thritty goldene violes; and two thousynd and foure hundrid silueren violes; and a thousynd othere vessels.

Forsothe alle the golden and silueren vessels weren foure thousynd and foure hundrid and eiyt and sixty.

And thei ben delyuered out to Salmanasar, togidere with hem, that weren comen in to Jerusalem of the caytiftee or thraldom of Babiloyne.

Forsothe in the tyme of Artaxerses, kyng of Persis, ther wreten to him, of thes that dwelliden in Judee and in Jerusalem, Balsamus, and Mitridatus, and Sabelius, and Ratymus, Baltheneus, and Samelius, the scribe, and othere dwellinge in Samarie, and in othere placis, thei writen this subiect lettre to the kyng Artaxersy.

Lord, thi children, Ratymus, and Sabelius, the scribe, and othere domes men of thi court, of thingis that fallen in Coelem Siriem, and Fenycen.

And now be it knowen to the lord the kyng, that Jewis, the whiche stieden up fro you to us, comynge in to Jerusalem, a citee of fleers awei, and a ful yuel citee, thei bilden up the ouenes of it, and thei setten the wallis, and reren the temple.

That if this citee and wallis weren maad up, thei shul not suffre to yelde tributis, but also thei shul ayenstonde to kyngis.

And for cause that that thing is done aboute the temple, to haue it riytly we haue demed to not despise that same thing,

but to make knowen to the lord kyng, that if it schal be seen plesyng to the king, be it souyt in the bookis of thi fadris;

and thou schalt fynde in remembrauncis writen of hem, and thou schalt knowe, that thilke citee was ayen flowun, and kyngis and citees smytinge togidre,

and Jewis fleynge ayen, and makinge bateilis in it alwey; for the whiche cause this citee was forsake.

Now therfor we maken knowen to the lord king, that if this citee were bild up, and the wallis of it weren arerid, ther schal be no comyng doun to thee in to Choelem Cyriem and Fenycen.

Thanne the kyng wroot ayen to Ratimym, that wroot tho thingis that bifellen, and to Bellumym, and to Sabellio, the scribe, and to othere ordeyned souereyns, and dwellinge in Cirye and in Fenyce, he wrot to hem thes thingis that ben sett vndir.

I haue rad the lettre, that thou sentist to me. Therfor I comaundide it to be souyt; and it was founden, that thilke citee was alwey withstondynge to kyngis,

and men ayen fugitijf, and makynge bateilis in it; and moost stronge kingis han ben lordschipinge in Jerusalem, and askinge tributis of Chole Cirie and Fenycem.

Now therfore I comaunde to forfende tho men to bilde up the citee, and to loke, that ony thing be not maad her aftir;

but that thei passe not in to ful myche, sith thei ben of malice, so that greuauncis be not brouyt ther to kinges.

Thanne aftir thes thingis weren rehersid, that weren writen of Artaxerses, the kyng, Rathinus, and Sabellius, the scribe, and thei that weren with hem ordeyned, ioynynge, hyingly camen in to Jerusalem, with horse men, and peple, and with cumpanye;

and thei bigunnen to forfende the buylders. And thei voididen thanne fro the bildyng of the temple, vnto the secounde yeer of the rewme of Darij, kyng of Persis.

Chapter 3
Kyng Darius made a gret soper to alle his seruauntis, and to alle the maister iuges of Medes and of Persis,

and to alle that wereden purpre, and to gouernours, and to counselers, and to prefectis vndir him, fro Ynde vn to Ethiope, to an hundrid and seuen and twenty prouyncis.

And whanne thei hadden eten and drunken, and weren fulfillid, thei turneden ayen. Thanne kyng Darius stiede vp in his litil bed place, and slepte, and was waken.

Thanne thilke thre younge men, kepers of the bodi, the whiche kepten the bodi of the kyng, seiden oon to an oother,

Sey we ech of us a word, that bifore passe in kunnyng; and whos euer word seme wiser than of an oother, kyng Darius schal yiue to him grete yiftis,

and to be kouered with purpre, and to drynke in gold, and to slepe upon gold; and he schal yiue him a golden chare, with the bridil, and a mytre of bijs, and a bie aboute the necke;

and he schal sitte in the secounde place fro Darius, for his wisdom; and he schal be clepid Daryus cosyn.

Thanne ech of hem thre writinge his word, seleden, and putten tho vndir the pelewe of kyng Daryus;

and seiden, Whanne the king hath risen, thei wil take to him her thingis writen, and what euer thing the kyng shall deme of thre, and the maistir iuges of Persis, forsothe the word of him is wiser than of the othere, to him schal be youen the victorie, as it is writen.

Oon wrot, Wyn is strong.

An oother wrot, The kyng is strenger.

The thridde wrot, Wymmen ben strengiste; treuthe ouercomith forsothe ouer alle thingis.

And whanne the kyng had resen up, thei token her thingis writen, and youen tho to him, and he radde.

And he sende and clepede alle the maistre iuges of Persis, and of the lond Medis, and the clothid men in purpre, and the rewlers of prouynces, and prefectis;

and thei seten in counsel, and the writingis weren red bifore hem.

And the kyng seide, Clepeth the younge men, and thei schul schewe her wordis. And thei weren clepid, and thei camen yn.

And Darius seide to hem, Schewe ye to us of thes thingis that ben writen. And the firste, that had seid of the strengthe of wyn, he biganne, and seide to hem, Men!

ful passynge strong is wyn; to alle men that drynken it it berith doun the mynde; also it makith the mynde veyn,

bothe of kyng and of the fadirles child; also of seruaunt and of fre men, of pore and of riche; and it turnith al the mynde in to sikirnesse,

and to gladnesse; and it remembrith not ony serewe and dette;

and it makith alle the entrailes honest; and it remembrith not kyng, ne maistir iuge; and alle thingis it makith speke bi talent;

and whanne thei han drunken, thei remembren not frendschip ne brotherhed, and not longe aftir thei taken swerdis;

and whanne thei han be drowned of wyn, and rijsen, thei han no mynde what thinges thei diden.

O men! whether wyn is not passyngly strong, that thus constreynith men to do? And this thing seid, he hilde his pes.

Chapter 4
And the nexte folewer biganne to sey, that seide of the strengthe of a kyng,

O men! whether men ben not passyngly stronge, the whiche holden loond and see, and alle thingis that ben in hem?

The kyng forsothe passith aboue alle thingis, and he hath lordschip of hem, and thei don al thing, what euer he wil sey to hem.

And if he sende hem to fiyters, thei gon, and destroyen hillis, and walles, and toures; thei ben sleyn,

and slen, and thei passen not the word of the kyng; for if thei ouercomen, thei bryngen to the king alle thingis, what euer thingis thei han spoiled euermore, and all othere thingis.

And hou fele euer beren not knyythod, ne fiyten, but eren the loond, eftsone whanne thei schul repe, thei bringen tributis to the king.

And he is oon aloone; and if he bidde to sle, thei sleen; and if he bidde hem to foryiue, thei foryiuen;

and if he sey hem to smyten, thei smyten; if he sey to outlawe, thei outlawen; if he bidde hem to bilden, thei bilden;

if he bidde to throwe doun, thei throwen adoun; if he bidde to plaunte, thei plaunten;

and alle folk and vertues obeishen to him; and ouer alle thes thingis he schal sitte, and drynke, and slepe.

Thes forsothe kepen him aboute, and moun not gon echoon, and do her owne werkis, but in his word men obeishen to him.

What maner wise passith not the kyng bifore oothere, that thus is loosid?

And he helde his pes. The thridde, that had seid of wymmen, and of treuthe; this is seid Sorobabel; he biganne to speke, O men!

the kyng is not greet, neither many othere men, ne wyn passith biforn; who is it thanne that hath lordschip of hem?

Whether not wymmen, that han goten kyngis, and al the peple, the whiche kingis han lordschip bothe of see and of loond, and of wymmen thei ben born?

And thei brouyten forth hem that plauntiden vynes, of the whiche wyn is maad.

And thei maken the stoles, or longe clothis, of alle men, and thei don glorie to men, and men moun not be seuered fro wymmen.

If thei gedere togidere gold and siluer, and al fair thing, and seen a womman in good aray, and in good fairnesse,

thei, forsakynge alle thes thingis, taken heede to here, and the mouth opened, thei biholden hir, and thei drawen more to hir than to gold and siluer, or ony precious thing.

A man schal forsake his fadir, that norishide him, and his owne loond, and to a womman he ioynith him togidre,

and with a womman he lyuith his lijf, and noither remembrith fadir, ne modir, ne the lond of his birthe.

And therfor it bihouith us to knowen, that wymmen han lordschip of us. Whether ye serewen not?

And also a man takith his swerd, and goth in the wey to don theftis, and man slauytris, and to seilen ouer the see, and ouer flodes;

and he seeth a lioun, and he goth in derkenessis; and whanne he hath don his thefte, and gijles, and raueynes, he bringith it to his leef.

And efte a man louith his wijf more than fadir or modir;

and many men ben maad woode for their wyues, and many ben maad thrallis for hem;

and many perischiden, and weren stranglid, and many han synned for wymmen.

And now leeueth me; forsothe a kyng is greet, and his power, for alle regiouns, or kingdoms aboute, ben aferd to touche him.

I sawye neuer the latter Apeemen, the douyter of Besacis, the wondirful man, the secoundarie wijf of the kyng, sittynge biside the kyng at the riyt side;

and takynge awey the diademe fro his heed, and puttynge it on hir self, and with the pawme of hir lift hoond she smote the kyng.

And ouer thes thingis, the mouth opened, he bihilde hir, and if sche lowye to him, he lowye, and if sche were wrooth to him, he glosith or plesith, vnto the tyme that he be recounsilid to grace.

O men! whi ben not wymmen strengist? Greet is the erthe, and heuen is hiy, that don thes thingis.

Thanne the kyng and the purpred men bihelden either in to oothere; and he biganne to speke of treuthe.

O men! wher wymmen ben not stronge? Greet is the eerthe, and heuen is hiy, and the cours of the sunne is swift; it is turned in the cumpas of heuen, and eft it renneth ayen in to the same place in a day.

Wher he is not a greet doer, that makith thes thingis? and treuthe greet, and strenger biforn alle thingis?

All erthe clepith inwardly trouthe, also it blessith heuene, and alle werkis ben moued and dreden it; and ther is no wickid thing with it.

Wickid kyng, and wickid wymmen, and alle the sones of men ben wickid, and ther is not treuthe in hem, and in her wickidnesse thei schul perische;

and treuthe dwellith, and wexith in to withouten ende, and it lyuith, and weldith, into worldus of worldis.

It is not anentis treuthe to outtake persoones, and differencis; but it doth tho thingis that ben riytful, to alle vnriytwise and yuel men; and alle men ben maad benyngne in his werkis.

And ther is not wickidnesse in his doom, but ther is strengthe, and rewme, and power, and magestee of alle duryngis aboue tyme.

Blessid be the God of treuthe! And thanne he lefte in spekynge. And alle the peplis crieden, and seiden, Greet is treuthe, and it passith bifore alle othere.

Thanne the kyng seide to him, Aske, if thou wilt, ony thing more ouer, than ther ben writen, and I schal yiue to thee, aftir that thou art founden wiser; and next to me thou schalt sitte, and thou schalt be clepid my cosyn.

Thanne seide he to the king, Be thou myndeful of the vowy, that thou vowidist, to bilden up Jerusalem, in the day in whiche thou toke the rewme; and to senden ayen alle the vessels,

that ben taken fro Jerusalem, the whiche Cyrus departide, whanne he slouy Babiloyne, and wolde sende ayen thoo thingis thidere.

And thou woldist bilde up the temple, that Ydumes brenden, for Judee is put out of her termes, or marchis, of the Caldeis.

And now, lord, this it is that I aske, and that I bidde; this is the mageste that I aske of thee, that thou do the vow that thou vowidist to the kyng of heuen, of thi mouth.

Thanne Darius, the kyng, risynge kisside him, and wroot epistlis to alle the dispensatours, and prefectis, and to men clothid in purpre, that thei schulden lede him forth, and hem that weren with him, alle wendynge up to bilde Jerusalem.

And to alle the prefectis that weren in Sirie, and Fenyce, and Liban, he wroot epistles, that thei schulden drawe cedre trees fro the hill Liban in to Jerusalem, that thei bilde up the citee with hem.

And he wroot to alle the Jewis, that steyden up fro the rewme in Judee, for fredam, that ony man of power, or maistir iuge, and prefect, schulden not come ouer to the yatis of hem,

and eche regioun, that thei hadden holde, to be fre fro hem; and that Ydumeis leue up the castels of Jewis, that thei withholden,

and to yiue yer bi yer twenty talentis, in to making of the temple, vnto the tyme that it be ful bildid;

and ech day to offre ostis upon the place of sacrid thingis, as thei ben comaundid; to offre, bi alle yeris, othere ten talentis; and to alle men,

that gon forth fro Babiloyne, to make the citee, as fredom were, bothe to hem, and to the sones of hem, and to the prestis that gon bifore.

Forsothe also he wroot the quantitee; and he comaundide the sacrid stole, or vestyment, to be youen, in whiche thei schulden serue;

and he wroot wagis to be youen to the dekens, vnto the day that the hous schulde be fully endid, and Jerusalem maad out; and he wrot to alle men kepinge the citee,

to yiue to the bilders lottis and wagis.

And he lefte hem alle the vessels, that Cirus had partid fro Babiloyn; and alle thingis, what euer Cyrus seide, he comaundide it to be don, and to be sent to Jerusalem.

And whanne that younge man had gon forth, reisynge his face toward Jerusalem, he blesside the kyng of heuen, and seide,

Of thee, Lord, is victorie, and of thee is wisdom, and clernesse, and I am thi seruaunt.

Thou art blessid, for thou hast youen to me wisdom, and I knowleche to thee, Lord of oure fadris.

And he toke the epistlis, or lettres, and wente forth in to Babiloyne; and he came, and tolde to alle his bretheren, that weren in Babyloyne.

And thei blessiden the God of her fadris, that yaf to hem foryiuenesse and refreschyng,

that thei schulden stye up, and bilde Jerusalem, and the temple, where his name is nemned in it; and thei ioyeden with musikis and with gladnesse seuen daies.

Chapter 5
Aftir thes thingis forsothe ther weren pryncis chosen of townus, that thei schulden wende up, bi housis, bi her lynagis, and the wyues of hem, and the sonus and douytris of hem, and seruauntis and hand maydens of hem, and her bestis.

And kyng Darye sende togidre with hem a thousynd hors men, to the tyme that thei brouyte hem in to Jerusalem, with pees, and with musikis, and tymbres, and trumpis; and alle the britheren weren pleiynge.

And he made hem to stie up togidre with hem.

And thes ben the names of the men, that yeden up, bi her tounnes, in to lynagis, and in to part of the princehod of hem.

Prestis; the sones of Fynees, the sones of Aaron, Jesus, the sone of Josedech, Joachim, the sone of Sorobabel, sone of Salathiel, of the hous of Dauid, of the progenye of Phares, of the lynage forsothe of Juda,

that spac vndir Darij, king of Persis, merueylous doynge wordis, in the secounde yeer of his rewme, in Aprel, the firste monthe.

Forsothe thes it ben, that stieden up of Juda fro the caitiftee, or thraldom, of the transmygracioun, whom Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, translatide in to Babiloyne; and ech is turned ayen in to Jerusalem,

and in to alle the citees of Judee, ech in to his owne citee, that camen with Sorobabel, and with Jesu; Neemyas, Ariores, and Elymeo, Emmanyo, Mardocheo, Beelsuro, Methsatothor, Olioro, Eboma, oon of the princis of hem.

And the noumbre fro the Gentiles of hem, fro the prouostis, or reeuys, of hem; the sones of Phares, two thousynd an hundrid seuenty and two;

the sones of Ares, thre thousynd and fifty and seuen;

the sones of Phemo, an hundrid and two and fourty; the sones of Jesu and of Joabes, a thousynd thre hundrid and two;

the sones of Denny, two thousynd foure hundrid and seuenty; the sones of Choroba, two hundrid and fyue; the sones of Banycha, an hundrid and sixty and eiyte;

the sones of Bebeth, foure hundrid and thre; the sones of Arcad, foure hundrid and seuen and twenty;

the sones of Thau, seuen and thritty; the sonis of Zozaar, two thousynd sixty and seuen; the sones of Adymy, foure hundrid and oon and sixty;

the sones of Azeroectis, an hundrid and eiyte; the sonus of Ziazo and Zelas, an hundrid and seuene; the sones of Azoroch, foure hundrid and nyne and thritty;

the sones of Jebdarbone, an hundrid and two and thritty; the sones of Ananye, an hundrid and thritty;

the sones of Arsom; the sones of Marsar, foure hundrid and two and twenty; the sones of Saberus, nynty and fyue; the sones of Sophelemon, an hundrid and thre and twenty;

the sones of Nepobai, fyue and fifty; the sones of Ecbanatus, an hundrid and eiyt and fifty; the sones of Ebethamus, an hundrid and two and thritty;

the sones of Octatarpatros, the whiche weren clepid Enochadies and Modie, foure hundrid and two and twenti; thei that weren of Gramas and Gabia, an hundrid and oon and twenti; the whiche weren of Besellon and of Agie,

fyue and sixty; thei that weren of Bascharo, an hundrid and two and twenty; the whiche of Bethonobes, fyue and fifty;

the sones of Lippis, an hundrid and fyue and fifty; the sones of Jabomy, thre hundrid and seuen and fifty;

the sones of Sichem, thre hundrid and seuenty; the sones of Sanadon and of Chamus, thre hundrid and seuenty and eiyte;

the sones of Ericus, two thousynd an hundrid and fyue and fifty; the sones of Anaas, thre hundrid and seuenty.

Prestis; the sones of Jeddus, the sones of Enytem, the sones of Eliazib, thre hundrid and two and seuenty; the sones of Emmechus, two hundrid and two and fifty;

the sones of Sasurij, thre hundrid and seuen and fifty; the sones of Charee, two hundrid and seuen and twenty.

Dekens; the sonus of Jesu, in Caduel, and Banus, and Serebias, and Edias, foure and seuenty; al the noumbre fro the two and twenty yeer, thritti thousynd foure hundrid and two and sixty; sones,

and douytris, and wyues, al the noumbryng, sixty thousynd two hundrid and two and fourty.

The sones of prestis, that sungen in the temple; the sones of Asaph, an hundrid and eiyt and twenty.

Vschers forsothe; the sones of Esueum, the sones of Ather, the sones of Amon, the sones of Accuba Copa, the sones of Thoby, alle an hundrid and nyne and thritty.

Prestis, seruynge in the temple; sones of Sel, the sones of Gasipa, the sones of Tabloth, the sones of Carie, the sones of Su, the sones of Phellu, the sones of Labana, the sones of Acmathi, the sones of Accub, the sones of Vta, the sones of Cetha, the sones of Agab, the sones of Obay, the sones of Anan, the sones of Chayma, the sones of Jeddu,

the sones of An, the sones of Radyn, the sones of Desamyn, the sones of Nechoba, the sones of Caseba, the sones of Gase, the sones of Osyn, the sones of Phynoe, the sones of Atren, the sones of Bascem, the sones of Aziana, the sones of Manay, the sones of Naphisym, the sones of Accuphu, the sones of Agista, the sonus of Aria Phausym, the sones of Phasaluon, the sones of Meeda,

the sones of Phusia, the sones of Careth, the sones of Barthus, the sones of Caree, the sones of Thoesy, the sones of Nasith, the sones of Agisty, the sones of Pedon.

Salmon, the sones of hym, the sones of Asophoth, the sones of Pharida, the sones of Thely, the sones of Dedon, the sones of Gaddahel, the sones of Cephegy,

the sones of Aggya, the sones of Phacareth, the sones of Sabathan, the sones of Saroneth, the sones of Malcie, the sones of Ame, the sones of Saphuy, the sones of Addus, the sones of Suba, the sones of Eirra, the sones of Rabatis, the sones of Phasophat, the sonus of Malmon.

Alle thes weren in holy seruyng; and the children of Salmon weren foure hundrid foure score and two.

These ben the sones that yeden up to Athemel and Thersas; the princis of hem weren Carmellam and Careth; and thei myyten not telle out her citees,

and her progenyes, what manere thei ben; and of Israel, the sones of Dalarij, the sones of Tubam, the sones of Nechodaicy.

And of the prestis, that vsiden presthod, and weren founden; the sones of Obia, the sones of Achisos, the sones of Addyn, that token Vmyn wijf, of the douytris of Phargelen,

and thei ben clepid bi the name of hir; and of thes is souyt the genologie writen of the kynrede, and thei ben forfendid to vsen presthode.

And Neemye seide to hem, and Astaras, that thei take not part of the hooly thingis, til the tyme that ther arijse a tauyt bischop, in to schewyng and treuthe.

Al Israel forsothe was twelff thousynd, out take seruauntis and hand maidens, two and fourty thousynd thre hundrid and sixti.

The seruauntis of hand maidens weren seuen thousynd thre hundrid and seuen and thritty; syngers and singsters, two hundrid and fyue and sixty;

cameils, foure hundrid and fyue and thritty; horsis, seuen thousind sixe and thritti; mules, two hundrid thousynd and fyue and fourty; bestis vndir yok, fyue thousynd and fyue and twenty.

And of tho prouostis, or reeues, bi tounnes, while thei schulden come in to the temple of God, that was in Jerusalem, to ben avowid to rere up the temple in his place, aftir her vertue;

and the hooly tresorie to be youen in to the temple of werkis, weren elleuen thousynd besauntis, and an hundrid prestis stolis.

And ther dwelliden prestis, and dekens, and othere, that weren of the peple, in Jerusalem, and in the rewme; and the hooly syngers, and vsshers, and al Israel, in her regiouns.

While the seuenthe monthe yitt lastide, and whanne the sonus of Israel weren ech in his owne thingis, thei camen togidre of oon accord in to the porche, that was bifore the eest yate.

And while Jesus, the sone of Josedech, and his bretheren, prestis, stoden, and Sorobabel, the sone of Salatiel, and his bretheren, thei maden redy an auter, that thei wolden offre on it brent sacrifices,

aftir tho thingis that ben writen in the book of Moyses, the man of God.

And ther camen to hem of othere naciouns of the loond, and reriden the holy tresorie in his place, alle the folk of the lond; and thei offriden oostis, and brent sacrifises of the morutijd to the Lord.

And thei diden the feest of tabernaclis, and a solempne dai, as it is writen in the lawe, and sacrifises ech day, as it bihouyde.

And aftir thes thinges thei ordeyneden offryngis, and oostis of sabotis, and of newe mones, and of alle solempne daies halewid.

And hou many euere vowiden to the Lord, fro the tyme of the newe moone of the seuenthe monthe, thei token oostis to offren to God; and the temple of the Lord was not yitt bildid up.

And thei yauen money to masouns, and to wriytis, and drynkis and metis with ioye.

And thei yauen carris to Sydonyes and to Tyres, that thei schulden carie ouer to hem fro Lyban wode cedre beemes, and to make a nauee in to the haauen of Joppe, aftir the decree that was writen to hem fro Cyro, kyng of Persis.

And in the secounde yeer thei camen in to the temple of God, in to Jerusalem; the secunde monthe Sorobabel biganne, the sone of Salatiel, and Jesus, the sone of Josedech, and the bretheren of hem, and prestis, and Leuytis, and alle thei that camen fro the caitiftee in to Jerusalem; and founden the temple of God,

in the newe moone of the secunde monthe of the secunde yeer, whanne thei hadden come in to Judee and to Jerusalem;

and setten dekens fro the age of twenty yeer upon the werkis of the Lord. And Jesus stode, his sone, and his bretheren, alle the dekens togidre castynge, and executours, or folewers, of the lawe, and doynge werkis in the hous of the Lord.

And ther stoden prestis, hauynge stoles, or longe clothis, with trumpis, and Leuytis, the sones of Asaph,

hauynge cymbals, togidre preisyng the Lord, and blessynge him, aftir the maner of Dauid, kyng of Israel.

And thei sungen a song to the Lord, for his swetnesse and his worschip in to worldis, or euer, upon al Israel.

And al the peple sungen with trumpe, and crieden with gret vois, preisynge togidre the Lord, in the rerynge of the Lordus hous.

And ther camen many of the prestis, and of dekens, and of presidentis aftir tounnes, to the eldris that hadden seen the rather hous,

and at the bildyng up of this hous, with cry, and with greet weilyng; and many with trumpis,

and gret ioye, so that the peple herde not the trumpis, for the gret weilyng of the peple. Forsothe ther was a cumpeny syngynge wirschipfully in trumpe, so that it was herd a ferr.

And the enmyes herden the lynagis of Juda and of Beniamyn, and camen to wite, what was this vois of trumpis.

And thei knewen, that thei that weren of the caitiftee bildiden the temple to the Lord God of Israel.

And the enmyes comynge niy to Sorobabel, and to Jesu, and to the reeues of tounnes, thei seiden to hem, We schul bilde togidre with you.

In lijk maner forsothe we haue herd oure Lord, and we haue gon togidre from the daies of Asbasareth, kyng of Assiriens, that ouer passide fro hennes.

And Sorobabel, and Jesus, and the princis of the tounnus of Israel seiden to hem,

It longith not to us and to you togidere to bilde up the hous of oure God; forsothe we aloone shul bilde the hous of oure God, aftir tho thingis, that Cyrus, kyng of Persis, comaundide.

The Gentiles forsothe of the loond leuynge with hem that ben in Judee, and rerynge up the werk of bildyng, and bringynge forth bothe aspies and peple, thei forfendiden hem to bilden up;

and thei lettiden men, hauntynge the goynges to, that the bildyng shulde not be endid in al the tyme of the lijf of the kyng Ciry; and thei drowen along the makyng up bi two yeer, vnto the regne of Darij.

Chapter 6
Forsothe in the secounde yeer of the rewme of Darij, Agge propheciede, and Zacharias, the sone of Addyn, a prophete, anentis Judee and in Jerusalem, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, upon hem.

Thanne stondynge Sorobabel, the sone of Salathiel, and Jesus, the sone of Josedech, thei bigunnen to bilde up the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem;

whanne ther weren niy to hem prophetis of the Lord, and helpiden hem. In that tyme came to hem Cysennes, the vndir litil kyng of Cirye and of Fenycis, and Satrabozanes, and her felawis.

And thei seiden to hem, Who comaundide to you, that ye bilden this hows, and this roof, and many othere thingis ye perfourmen? and who ben tho bilders, that bilden up thes thingis?

And the eldre men of Israel hadden grace of the Lord, whanne the visitacioun of hem was maad upon hem that weren of the caitifte;

and thei weren not lettid to bilden up, to the tyme that it were signified to Darij of alle thes thingis, and an answere were taken ayen.

This is the ensaumple of the lettre, that Cysennes, the vndir kyng of Cyrie and of Fenyces, and Satrobosanes, and her felawis, rewlers in Sirye and in Fenyce, senden to the king. To kyng Darye, gretyng.

Alle thingis be thei knowen to the lord the kyng; forsothe whanne we camen in to the regioun of Judee, and wenten in to Jerusalem, we founden men bildynge a greet hous of God,

and a temple of gret polishid stones, and of precious maters in the wallis;

and tho werkis besily in makynge, and to help, and to make welsum in the hondis of hem, and in al glorie, ful diligently to be perfourmyd.

Thanne we askiden the eldre men, seiynge, Who suffride you to bilde this hous, and to bilde thes werkis?

Therfor forsothe we askiden hem, that we myyten make knowen to thee the men, and the prouostis, or reuys; and we askiden hem the writyng of the names of the maistris of the werk.

And thei answeriden to vs, seiynge, We ben seruauntis of the Lord, that made bothe heuen and erthe;

and this hous was bild bifore thes many yeris of the kyng of Israel, that was greet, and a ful strong kyng, and it was destried ayen.

And for oure fadris terriden and synneden ayen God of Israel, he bitook hem in to the hondis of Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, kyng of Caldeis;

and thei destrieden and brenden up this hous, and thei brouyten the peple maad thral in to Babiloyne.

In the first yeer regnynge Cyro, kyng of Babiloyne, kyng Cyrus wroot to bilden up this hous;

and tho hooly golden vessels and silueren, that Nabugodonosor had born awey fro the hous of God, that is in Jerusalem, and had sacrid hem in his temple, efte kyng Cyrus brouyte hem forth fro the temple that was in Babiloyn, and thei weren bitake to Sorobabel, and to Salmanasar, the vndir litil kyng.

And it was comaundid to hem, that thei offre thes vessels, and thei schulde ley hem up in the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and to bilde up that temple of God in that place.

Thanne Salmanasar vndirleide the foundementis of the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem; and fro thennes vn to now is a bildynge, and hath take no ful endyng.

Now thanne, O kyng! if it is demed of thee, that it be perfitly souyt in the kyngis libraries of kyng Cyry, that ben in Babiloyne;

and if it were founden in the counseil of kyng Ciry, the makyng of the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem, to be bigunnen, and if it schal be schewid of the lord oure kyng, write he to vs of thes thingis.

Thanne kyng Darie comaundid to ben ynwardly souyt in the libraries; and ther was founden in Egbathanys, a borouy town, that is in the myddil regioun, a place, in the whiche weren wreten thes thingis.

The firste yer regnynge Cyro kyng, Cyrus comaundide to bilden up the hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem, where thei brenden with contynuel fijr; whos heiyt was maad of lx. cubitis,

and the brede of sixty cubitis, squarid with thre polischid stones, and with soler tree of the same regioun, and with o newe soler; and costis to be youen of the hous of king Cyrus;

and the holy vessels of the hous of the Lord, bothe golden and silueren, that Nabugodonosor bare awey, that tho be putt thidere in to the hous, that is in Jerusalem, where thei weren put.

And he comaundide Cysennem, the vndir litil kyng of Cyrie and Fenyce, and Satrabusanam, and his felawis, to do her bisynesse, and thei that weren in Sirie and Fenyce ordeyneden rewlers, that thei schulden absteyne them fro the same place.

And I also comaundide to make it up al, and I lokide forth, that thei help them that ben of the caitiftee of Jewis, vnto the tyme that the temple of the hous of the Lord be full endid;

and a quantitee to be youen diligently to these men of the traueile of the tributis of Sirye Choles and Fenyces, to the sacrifice of the Lord, to Sorobabel, the prefect, to bolis, and wetheris, and to lombis;

also forsothe bothe whete, and salt, wyn, and oile, bisily bi alle yeris, as the prestis, that ben in Jerusalem, ordeyneden to be fulfillid eche day, withoute ony delay;

also that ther be offrid offryngis of licours to the hiyest God, for the kyng, and for his children, and preie thei for the lijf of hem.

And be it denounsid, that who so euer ouer passen ony thing of these thingis that ben wreten, outher despisen, be ther taken a tree of her owne, and be thei hangid theron, and her goodes be ethchetid to the kyng.

Therfor also the Lord, whos name is ynwardly clepid there, outlawe he eche kyng and folk, that strecchen out her hoond to offende, or to yuele trete that hous of the Lord, that is in Jerusalem.

I, kyng Darie, haue maad a decree, to be don as moost diligently after thes thingis.

Chapter 7
Thanne Cysennes, the litil vndir kyng of Choelem Cyrie and Fenycen, and Satrabusanes, and her felawis, obeisheden to these thingis, that weren demyd of kyng Darie,

and stoden ful diligently in to the hooly werkis, wirchinge togidre with the eldre men of Jewis, princis of Cirie.

And the hooly werkis ben maad welsum, as the prophetes Agge and Zacharie prophecieden.

And thei fulfilliden alle thingis, aftir the heest of the Lord God of Israel, and aftir the counseil of Cyri, and of Darij, and of Artaxersis, kyng of Persis.

And oure hous is endid, in the three and twentithe dai of the monthe of Marche, in the sixte yeer of kyng Darij.

And the sones of Israel, and the prestis, and dekens, and othere that weren of the caitiftee, the whiche ben sett to, diden aftir thoo thingis that ben writen in the book of Moyses.

And thei offreden in to the dedicatioun of the temple of the Lord, an hundrid bolis, two hundrid wetheris, foure hundrid lambren,

twelue kides, for the synnes of al Israel, after the noumbre of the xij. lynages of Israel.

And the prestis and dekens stoden, clothid with the stolis, bi her lynagis, upon the werkis of the Lord God of Israel, aftir the book of Moyses; and ther weren porters bi alle the yatis.

And the sones of Israel diden that pask, with hem that weren of the caitiftee, in the moone of the first monthe, the fourtenthe day, whanne the prestis and dekens ben halewid.

And alle the sones of caitiftee thei ben not halewid togidre, for alle the Leuytis ben halewid togidere.

And thei offreden pask to alle the sones of caitiftee, and to her bretheren, prestis, and to them selff.

And the sonus of Israel, the whiche weren of the caitiftee, alle thei that hadden left fro alle the cursidnessis of Gentiles, or hethen folk, of the eerthe, eeten, and souyten the Lord;

and thei halewiden the feest day of therff looues, seuene daies etynge in siyt of the Lord;

for he conuertide the counseil of the kyng of Assirijs in hem, to coumforte the hondis of hem to the werkis of the Lord God of Israel.

Chapter 8
And aftir this, while Artaxerse, kyng of Persis, regnyde, ther wente to Esdras, a man that was the sone of Azarie, sone of Elchie, sone of Salome, sone of Sadduch,

sone of Achitob, sone of Amarie, sone of Aza, sone of Bocce, sone of Abisae, sone of Phynees, sone of Eleazar, sone of Aaron, the first preest.

This Esdras stiede up fro Babiloyne, whanne he was scribe, and witty in the lawe of Moyses, the whiche was youen of the Lord of Israel, to sey it and do it.

And the kyng yaaf to him glorie, that he hadde founden grace in al dignytee, and in desijr, in the siyt of him.

And ther stiede up with him in to Jerusalem of the sones of Israel, bothe prestis, and dekens, and holy syngers of the temple, and vsshers, and seruauntis of the temple.

In the seuenthe yeer regnynge Artaxerse, in the fifthe monthe, this is the seuenthe yeer of the rewme, goynge out forsothe fro Babiloyne in the newe moone of the fifte monthe,

thei camen to Jerusalem, aftir the heestis of him, whanne the prosperitee of the wey was grauntid to hem of that Lord.

In these thingis forsothe Esdras weldide greet discipline, lest he passide ony thing of tho thingis that weren of the lawe of the Lord, and of the heestis, and in techynge al Israel al riytwisnesse and doom.

Thei forsothe that writen the writyngis of kyng Artaxerses, comynge niy, token writen that, that came from kyng Artaxerses to Esdras, the prest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, the ensaumple of the whiche thing writen is sett next aftir.

Kyng Artaxerses to Esdre, the prest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, sendith gretyng.

More benygne I demynge also to benefetis, comaundide to hem that desiren of the folke of Jewis their owne thingis wilfully, and of the prestis, and of dekens, that ben in my rewme, to felawschipe with thee in to Jerusalem.

Thanne if ony coueiten to gon with thee, come thei togidre, and go thei forth, as it plesith to me, and to my seuene frendis counseilers; that thei visite tho thingis,

that ben don aftir Jude and Jerusalem, kepinge the lawe, as thou hast in the lawe of the Lord;

and bere thei yiftis to the Lord of Israel, whom I knew, and the frendis of Jerusalem, and al the gold and the siluer, that weren founde in the rewme of Babiloyne, be it born to the Lord in Jerusalem,

with that that is youen of thilke folk in the temple of the Lord, of hem that is in Jerusalem; that this gold be gederid and siluer, to bolis, and wetheris, and to lambis, and kides, and that to these ben couenable; that thei offren oostes to the Lord,

upon the auter of the Lord of hem, that is in Jerusalem.

And alle thingis what euer thou wilt do with thi bretheren, perfourme it with gold and siluer, for thi will, aftir the heest of the Lord thi God.

And the sacrid hooly vessels, the whiche weren youen to thee, to the werkis of the Lordis hous,

thi God, that is in Jerusalem, and othere thingis, what euere woln helpe to the werkis of the temple of thi God, thou schalt yiuen it of the kyngis tresorie,

whanne thou wilt maken the werk with thi bretheren, with gold and siluer; and parfourme thou al thing aftir the will of thi Lord.

And I, kyng Artaxerses, haue comaundid to kepers of the tresours of Cirye and of Fenyce, that what euer thingis Esdras, the preest, and redere of the lawe of the Lord, wrijte fore, bisily be it youen to him, vn to an hundrid talentis of siluer, also and of gold;

and vnto an hundrid busshelis of whete, and an hundrid vessels of wyn, and othere thingis, what euer abounden, withoute taxynge.

Alle thingis be don to the hiest God, aftir the lawe of God, lest perauenture wraththe arijse up in the rewme of the kyng, and of his sone, and of the sones of him.

To you forsothe it was seid, that to alle the prestis, and dekens, and to holy syngers, and seruauntis of the temple, and to scribis of this temple,

no tribute, no ony oother forfendyng be born to hem, ne haue ther ony man power to ayen caste ony thing to hem.

Thou forsothe, Esdras, aftir the wisdom of God ordeyne domesmen and arbitrours, in al Cirye and Fenyce, and teche alle that knowen the lawe of thi God;

that hou fele euere passen the lawe, thei be besely punyshid, or bi deth, or bi tourment, or also bi multyng, or punysching, of money, or bi departyng awey.

And Esdras, the scribe, seide, Blessid be the Lord God of oure fadris, that yaaf this will in to the herte of the kyng, to clarifie his hous, that is in Jerusalem;

and hath wirschipid me in siyt of the kyng, and of hise counselours, and of hise frendis, and of hise purpred men.

And I am maad stidefast in inwitt, aftir the helpyng of the Lord oure God; and I gadride of Israel men, that thei schulden stie up togidre with me.

And these ben the prouostis, aftir their cuntrees, and porcionel princehedis of hem, that with me stieden up fro Babiloyne, in the rewme of Artaxerses.

Of the sones of Phares was Jersomus; of the sones of Cyemarith, Amenus; of the sones of Dauid, Accus, the sone of Cecelie;

of the sones of Phares, Zacharie, and with him ben turned ayen an hundrid men and fifty;

of the sonus of Ductor, Moabilonys, Zaraey, and with him two hundrid men and fifty;

of the sonus of Sacues, Jechonye, Thetheely, and with him two hundrid men and fifty;

of the sones of Salomosias, Gotholie, and with him seuenty men;

of the sones of Saphacye, Zarias, Mychely, and with him foure score men;

of the sones of Jobab, Dias, Jesely, and with him two hundrid men and twelue;

of the sones of Banye, Salymoth, the sone of Josaphie, and with him an hundrid men and sixty;

of the sones of Beer, Zacharie, Bebey, and with him two hundrid men and eiyte;

of the sones of Azachie, Channes, Acharie, and with him an hundrid men and ten;

of the sones of Adonycam, that ben the laste, and thes ben the names of hem, Elyphalam, the sone of Jebel, and Semeas, and with him seuenty men.

And I gedride hem to the flood, that is seid Thia and Methaty; there we weren thre daies, and I knewe hem.

And of the sones of prestis and of Leuytis I fonde not there.

And I sente to Eleazar, and to Eccelom, and Masman, and Malolan, and Enaathan, and Samea, and Joribum, Nathan, Ennagan, Zacharie, Mosollamym, the whiche weren leders and wise men.

And I seide to hem, that thei schulden come to Luddium, that was at the place of the tresorie.

And I sente to hem, that they schulden sey to Luddyum, and his bretheren, and to hem that weren in the tresorie, that thei schulden sende to vs hem that schulden vse presthod in the hous of the Lord oure God.

And thei brouyten to us, aftir the strong hoond of the Lord oure God, wise men of the sones of Mooly, sone of Leuy, sone of Israel, Sebebian, and sones, and bretheren, that weren eiytene;

Asbiam, and Ammum, of the sones of Chananey; and the sonus of hem weren twenti men.

And of hem that seruyden in the temple, the whiche Dauid and thei princis yauen, to the wirching to the Leuytis, to the temple, of men seruynge, two hundrid and twenty. The names of alle ben signyfied in scripturis.

And I vowide there fastyng to yonge men, in the siyt of the Lord, that I schulde seche of hym a good wey to us, and to hem that weren with us, of sones, and bestis, for aspies.

Forsothe I schamyde to aske of the kyng foot men and hors men, in felauschipe of grace, of keping ayen oure aduersaries.

Forsothe we seiden to the kyng, For the vertue of the Lord schal be with hem, that inwardly sechen him in al effect.

And efte we preieden the Lord oure God, aftir thes thingis, whom also we hadden benyngly; and we ben maad hool to oure God.

And I departide of the prouostis of the folc, and of the prestis of the temple, xij men, and Sedebian, and Affamyan, and ten men with hem of her bretheren.

And I weiede to hem siluer and gold, and prestis vessels, of the hous of the Lord oure God, the whiche the kyng had youen, and his counseilers, and princis, and al Israel.

And whanne I hadde peisid it, I toke an hundrid talentis of siluer and fifty, and silueren vessels of an hundrid talentis, and of gold an hundrid talentis,

and of golden vessels seuen score, and twelue brasen vessels of good schynynge metal, yeldinge the liknesse of gold.

And I seide to hem, Bothe ye ben holy to the Lord, and the vessels ben holy, and the gold and the siluer is of the avowe to the Lord God of oure fadris.

Wake ye, and kepe it, til the tyme that ye take it of the prouostes of the peple, and of the prestis, and of the dekens, and of princis of the citees of Israel and Jerusalem, in the priuey chaumbre of the hous of oure God.

And thes prestis and dekens, that token gold and siluer, and vessels, that weren in Jerusalem, thei broyten thoo in to the temple of the Lord.

And we moeueden forth fro the flood of Thya, the twelfthe day of the firste monthe, til that we yeden in to Jerusalem.

And whanne the thrid day was don, the firthe day forsothe the peisid gold and siluer was bitaken in to the hous of the Lord oure God, to Marymoth, the sone of Jory, the prest;

and with him was Eleazar, the sone of Phynees; and ther weren with him Josabdus, the sone of Jesu, and Medias, and Banny, the sone of a deken; alle thingis at noumbre and weiyt.

And the weiyt of hem is writen in the same hour.

Thoo forsothe, that camen fro the caitifte, offriden sacrifice of the Lord of Israel, twelue bolis for alle Israel, foure score wetheris and sixe,

two and seuenty lambren, twelue geet for synne, and twelue kiyn for helthe; alle in to the sacrifice of the Lord.

And eft thei redden the hestis of the kyng to the kyngis dispensatours, and to the litle vndir kyngis of Choele, and of Cirye, and of Fenyce; and thei wirschipiden the folc and the temple of the Lord.

And aftir thes thingis weren endid, thei camen to me, seiynge, The kynrede of Israel, and the princis, and the prestis,

and Leuytis, and alien folkis, and naciouns of the lond, han not partid awey her vnclennessis fro the Chananeis, and Etheis, and fro Pheriseis, and Jebuseis, and fro the Moabitis, and Egipcians, and Ydumeis;

forsothe thei weren ioyned to the douytris of hem, bothe thei and their sones; and the hooly seed was mengid togidre with the hethene folk of the loond; and the prouostis and maistre iuges weren parceners of this wickidnesse, fro the bigynnyng of that rewme.

And anoon as I herde thes thingis, I kitte my clothis, and the halewid coote, and I taar the heris of myn hed, and the berd, and I sate serewynge, and drury.

And ther camen to me thanne as many as euer weren moued in the word of the Lord God of Israel, weilynge me upon this wickidnesse; and I saat serewful vnto the euentijd sacrifice.

And thanne I risynge fro fastyng, hauynge my clothis kitt, knelide myche, and strecchinge out myn hondis to the Lord,

I seide, Lord, I am confoundid, and I am adred bifore thi face.

Forsothe oure synnes ben multiplied upon oure hedis, and oure wickidnessis ben enhaunsid vnto heuen;

for fro the tyme of oure fadris we haue be in gret synne vnto this dai.

And for oure owne synnes, and for the synne of oure fadris we ben taken, with oure bretheren, and with oure prestis, and with kyngis of the loond, in to swerd, and caitiftee, and in to prey, with confusion, vnto the dai that is now.

And now hou myche is it, that the mercy of thee, Lord God, fallith to us; leue thou to us a roote and a name, in to the place of thin halewyng,

to vnkoueren oure yyuere of liyt in the hous of the Lord oure God, to yiue to us mete in the tyme of oure seruage.

And whanne we seruyden, we weren not forsaken of the Lord oure God; but he sette us in grace, puttynge to us kyngis of Persis to yiue us mete,

and to clarifie the temple of the Lord oure God, and to bilde the deseertis of Syon, and to yiue to us stablenesse in Judee and in Jerusalem.

And now, Lord, what sey we, hauynge thes thingis? We haue ouerpassid thin hestis, the whiche thou yiue in to the hondis of thi children,

prophetis, that seiden, Forsothe the lond, in whiche ye haue entrid, to welde the heritage of it, is a defoulid lond with the filthis of hethen men of the lond, and the vnclennessis of hem han fulfillid al it in his vnclennesse.

And now therfor ye schul not ioyne youre douytris to her sones, and her douytris ye schul not take to youre sones;

and ye schul not seche to haue pes with hem al tyme, that comynge aboue ye ete the beste thingis of the lond, and that ye dele the heritage to youre sones, for euere.

And thoo thingis that fallen to us, be thei alle don for oure schrewid werkis, and oure grete synnes.

And thou hast youen to us sich a roote, and eft we ben turned ayen to ouerpasse thi laweful thingis, that the vnclennessis of the hethen folc of this lond weren mengid.

Whether thou schalt not wraththen to us, to lese us, for til the roote be forsaken, and oure seed?

Lord God of Israel, thou art sothfast; forsothe the root is forsaken, vnto the day that is now.

Lo! now we ben in thi siyt in oure wickidnessis; forsothe it is not yitt to stonde bifore thee in thes thingis.

And whanne Esdras honouringe knowlechide, wepinge, he fel doun to the erthe bifore the temple, ther ben gederid bifore him a ful gret multitude of Jerusalem, men, and wymmen, and younge men, and younge wymmen; forsothe the wepynge was gret in that multitude.

And whanne Jechonyas, the sone of Jeely, of the sones of Israel, hadde cried, Esdras seide, We haue synned ayen the Lord, for that we haue sett with us in to matrimonye hethen wymmen, of the Gentiles of the lond.

And now who so euer is ouer al Israel in thes thingis, be ther to vs an ooth of the Lord, to putten awey alle oure wyues, that ben, with her sones, of the hethene folk;

as it is demed to thee of the grettere men, aftir the lawe of the Lord. Arijse now up, and schewe thi will;

forsothe to thee abijdith this nede, and we ben with thee; do manly.

And Esdras arisynge up, made the princis of prestes, and the dekens, and al Israel, to swere to do aftir alle thes thingis; and thei sworen.

Chapter 9
And Esdras risynge up fro the fore porche of the temple, wente in to the celle of Jonathe, the sone of Nazaby.

And he herbowrewid there, tastide no bred, ne dronke watir, for the wickidnessis of the multitude.

And ther was maad a prechyng in al Judee and in Jerusalem, to alle that weren of the caitiftee gederid in Jerusalem,

Who so euer ayen comith not to the secounde or the thrid day, aftir the doom of the eldre men sittynge, his facultees schul be taken awey, and he be demed alien fro the multitude of the caitiftee.

And alle, that weren of the lynage of Judee and of Beniamyn, weren gedrid togidre, thre daies in Jerusalem; this is the nynthe monthe, the twentithe day of the monthe.

And al the multitude saat in the floor of the temple, tremblynge for wyntir thanne beynge.

And Esdras risynge up, seide to Israel, Ye han do wickidly, settynge to you in to matrimonye hethen wyues, that ye adde to the synnes of Israel.

And now yiue ye to the Lord God of oure fadris confessioun, and gret worthynesse;

and perfourme ye his will, and goth awey fro the hethene folc of the lond, and fro hethene wyues.

And al the multitude criede, and thei seiden with a gret voice, We schul do, as thou hast seid.

But for the multitude is gret, and the tyme is wyntir, and we mowen not stonde vnholpen, and this werk is not to us of oo day, ne of two; myche we haue synned in thes thingis;

therfor stonde the prouostis of the multitude, and alle that dwellen with us, and hou many euere han anentis hem hethen wijues;

and stonde thei nyy in the tyme that is take, prestis, and domesmen, til that thei lousen the wraththe of the Lord, of this nede.

Jonathas forsothe, the sone of Ezely, and Ozias, Thethan, token aftir thes thingis, and Bosoramus, and Leuys, and Satheus wrouyten togidre with hem.

And alle that weren of the caitiftee stoden there, aftir alle thes thingis.

And Esdras, prest, chees to him men, grete princis, of the fadris of hem, aftir the names; and thei seten togidre, in the newe moone of the tenthe monthe, to examyne this nede.

And it is determyned of the men, that hadden hethen wyues, vnto the newe mones of the firste monthe.

And ther ben founden mengid among of the prestis, that hadden hethen wiues;

of the sones of Jesu, the sone of Josedech, and of his bretheren, Maseas, and Eleeserus, and Joribus, and Joadeus.

And thei leiden her hoondis, that thei schuldn putte awey their wyues, and for to sacrifie a ram, in to preier for their ignoraunce.

And of the sones of Semmery, Masseas, and Esses, and Geley, Azarias;

and of the sonus of Phosore, Leomasias, Hismaenis, and Nathanae, Jussio, Jeddus, and Talsas.

And of the dekens, Josabdus, and Semeis, and Cholitus, and Calitas, and Phacceas, and Coluas, and Elionas.

And of the halewid syngers, Eliazub, Zacturus.

And of the vsschers, Salumus, and Thosbanes.

And of Israel, of the sones of Phorcosy, and Remyas, and Jeddias, and Melchias, and Mychelus, and Eleazarus, and Jemebias, and Bannas.

And of the sones of Jolamani, Anias, and Zacharias, Jerselus, and Jobdius, and Erymath, and Elias.

And of the sonus of Sachon, Eleadas, and Eleasumus, and Othias, and Jarymoth, and Zabdis, and Thebedias.

And of the sones of Bedo, Johannes, and Amanyas, and Zabdias, and Emetis.

And of the sonus of Banny, Olamus, and Mallucus, and Jeddeus, and Jazub, and Azabus, and Jerymoth.

And of the sones of Addyn, Naathus, and Moosias, and Calemus, and Raanas, and Baseas, Mathatias, and Bethsel, and Bonnus, and Manasses.

And of the sones of Myaie, Nenyas, and Apheas, and Melcheas, and Sameas, and Symon, Beniamyn, and Malchus, and Marias.

Of the sones of Azom, Cartaneus, Mathatias, and Bannus, and Eliphalath, and Manasses, and Semey.

Of the sones of Banny, Jeremias, and Moodias, and Abramus, and Johel, and Baneas, and Pelias, and Jonas, and Marymoth, and Eliazub, and Mathaneus, and Eleazis, and Ozias, and Dielus, and Samedius, and Zambris, and Josephus.

And of the sones of Nobey, Ydelus, and Mathatias, and Zaladus, and Setheda, Sedym, and Jessei, Baneas.

Alle these ioyneden to hem hethen wyues, and leften hem, with her sones.

And prestis, and dekens, and thei that weren of Israel, dwelliden in Jerusalem in an oo regioun, the newe moone of the seuenthe monthe; and the sones of Israel weren in their abidyngis.

And al the multitude gedride togidre in the floor, that is fro the eest of the halewid yate.

And thei seiden to Esdre, bisschop and reder, that he schulde brynge forth the lawe of Moises, that was youen of the Lord God of Israel.

And Esdras, the bisschop, brouyte forth the lawe to al the multitude of hem, fro man vn to womman, and to alle the prestis, to here the lawe, in the newe moone of the seuenthe monthe.

And he radde in the floor, that is bifore the hooly yate of the temple, fro the firste liyt of the daie vnto euyn, bifore men and wymmen; and alle thei yauen witt to the lawe.

And Esdras, the prest, and redere of the lawe, stood upon the treen chaier, that was maad therfore.

And ther stoden with him Mathatias, and Samus, and Ananyas, Azarias, Vrias, Ezechias, and Balsamus, at the riyt side;

and at the left side, Phaleleus, Mysael, Malachias, Abustas, Sabus, Nabadias, and Zacharias.

And Esdras took a book bifore al the multitude; forsothe he sate bifore in worschip, in the siyt of alle.

And whanne he hadde assoilid the lawe, alle thei stoden upright. And Esdras blesside the Lord God, alther hiyest God of Sabaoth, al myyti.

And al the peple answeride, Amen. And efte thei reisyden up her hondis, and fallynge doun vnto the erthe, thei honouriden the Lord.

And Esdras comaundide, that these schulden teche the lawe, Jesus, and Banaeus, and Sarabias, and Jadmus, and Accubus, and Sabatheus, and Calithes, and Azarias, and Joradus, and Ananyas, and Philas, dekens.

The whiche tauyten the lawe of the Lord, and in the multitude thei radden the lawe of the Lord; and eche bi him self, that vndirstoden the lesson, tolde it before hem.

And Atharathes seide to Esdre, the bisschop and redere, and to the Leuytis that tauyten the multitude,

seiynge, This day is hooly to the Lord. And alle thei wepten, whanne thei hadden herd the lawe.

And Esdras seide, Ye therfore, aftir ye ben gon atwynne, eteth alle moost fatte thingis, and drynketh alle mooste swete, and sende ye yiftis to hem that han not;

forsothe this day of the Lord is hooly; and be ye not sory, the Lord forsothe schal clarifie vs.

And the dekens denounciden, or schewiden, openly to alle men, seiynge, This day is hooly; wille ye not be sory.

And thanne alle thei wenten awey, to ete, and to drynke, and to haue plentee of mete, and to yiue yiftis to hem that han not, wheroff to ete plenteuously. Gretly forsothe thei ben enhaunsid in the wordis, with the whiche thei ben tauyt.

And alle thei weren gadrid in to Jerusalem, to make solempne the gladnesse, aftir the testament of the Lord God of Israel.