< Joshua 23 >

1 And it came to pass after many days after the Lord had given Israel rest from all his enemies round about, that Joshua was old and advanced in years.
Forsothe whanne myche tyme was passid after that the Lord had youe pees to Israel, for alle naciouns `in cumpas weren suget; and whanne Josue was thanne of long lijf, and `of ful eld age, Josue clepide al Israel,
2 And Joshua called together all the children of Israel, and their elders, and their chiefs, and their judges, and their officers; and said to them, I am old and advanced in years.
and the grettere men in birthe, and the princes, and dukis, and maistris, and seide to hem, Y `wexide elde, and Y am of grettere age;
3 And you have seen all that the Lord our God has done to all these nations before us; [for it] is the Lord your God who has fought for you.
and ye seen alle thingis whiche youre Lord God hath do to alle naciouns `bi cumpas, hou he fauyt for you.
4 See, that I have given to you these nations that are left to you by lots to your tribes, all the nations beginning at Jordan; and [some] I have destroyed; and the boundaries shall be at the great sea westward.
And now for he departide to you bi lot al the lond, fro the eest part of Jordan `til to the grete see, and many naciouns ben left yit,
5 And the Lord our God, he shall destroy them before us, until they utterly perish; and he shall send against them the wild beasts, until he shall have utterly destroyed them and their kings from before you; and you shall inherit their land, as the Lord our God said to you.
youre Lord God `schal distrie hem, and schal take awei fro youre face; and ye schulen welde the lond, as he bihiyte to you.
6 Do you therefore strive diligently to observe and do all things written in the book of the law of Moses, that you turn not to the right hand or to the left;
Oneli be ye coumfortid, and be ye bisy, that ye kepe alle thingis that ben writun in the book of Moises lawe, and bowe not awei fro tho, nether to the riyt side nether to the left side,
7 that you go not in amongst these nations that are left; and the names of their gods shall not be named amongst you, neither shall you serve them, neither shall you bow down to them.
lest aftir that ye han entrid to the hethene men, that schulen be among you, ye swere in the name of `the goddis of hem, and ye serue tho goddis, and worschipe hem.
8 But you shall cleave to the Lord our God, as you have done until this day.
But cleue ye to youre Lord God, which thing ye han do `til in to this dai;
9 And the Lord shall destroy them before you, [even] great and strong nations; and no one has stood before us until this day.
and thanne the Lord God schal do awei in youre siyt grete folkis, and strongeste; and noon schal mow ayenstonde you.
10 One of you has chased a thousand, for the Lord our God, he fought for you, as he said to us.
Oon of you schal pursue a thousynde men of enemyes, for youre Lord God schal fiyte for you, as he bihiyte.
11 And take you great heed to love the Lord our God.
Be ye war bifore moost diligentli of this thing oneli, that ye loue youre Lord God.
12 For if you shall turn aside and attach yourselves to these nations that are left with you, and make marriages with them, and become mingled with them and they with you,
That if ye wolen cleue to the errouris of these folkis that dwellen among you, and wolen medle mariagis with hem, and couple frenschipis,
13 know that the Lord will no more destroy these nations from before you; and they will be to you snares and stumbling blocks, and nails in your heels, and darts in your eyes, until you be destroyed from off this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.
wite ye riyt now, that `youre Lord God schal not do awei hem bifor youre face, but thei schulen be to you in to a dich, and a snare, and in to hirtyng of youre side, and in to stakis in youre iyen, til youre Lord God take awei you, and distrie fro this beste loond, which he yaf to you.
14 But I hasten to go the way [of death], as all that are upon the earth also [do]: and you know in your heart and in your soul, that not one word has fallen [to the ground] of all the words which the Lord our God has spoken respecting all that concerns us; there has not one of them failed.
Lo! Y entre to dai in to the weye of al erthe; and ye schulen knowe `with al soule, that of al wordis whiche the Lord bihiyte hym silf to yyue to you, not oon passide in veyn.
15 And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon us which the Lord God will bring upon you all the evil things, until he shall have destroyed you from off this good land, which the Lord has given you,
Therfor as he fillide in werk that, that he bihiyte, and alle thingis bifelden `bi prosperite, so he schal brynge on you whateuer thing of yuelis he manaasside, til he take awei you, and distrie fro this beste lond, which he yaf to you.
16 when you transgress the covenant of the Lord our God, which he has charged us, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them.
For ye braken the couenaunt of `youre Lord God, which he made with you, and serueden alien goddis, and worschipeden hem, sone and swiftli the strong veniaunce of the Lord schal rise `on to you; and ye schulen be takun awei fro this beste lond, which he yaf to you.

< Joshua 23 >