Ezekiel 20

1 On the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year, some of the elders of Israel came to ask advice from the Lord, and they sat down with me.

And it was doon in the seuenthe yeer, in the fyuethe monethe, in the tenthe dai of the monethe, men of the eldris of Israel camen to axe the Lord; and thei saten bifor me.

2 Then a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

3 “Son of man, tell these elders of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: Have you come to ask my advice? As I live, I'm not going to answer you, declares the Lord God.

and he seide, Sone of man, speke thou to the eldere men of Israel; and thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord God seith these thingis, Whether ye camen to axe me? Y lyue, for Y schal not answere to you, seith the Lord God. Sone of man,

4 Are you going to condemn them—will you do that, son of man? Remind them about the disgusting things their forefathers did,

if thou demest hem, if thou demest, schewe thou to hem the abhomynaciouns of her fadris.

5 and then tell them that this is what the Lord God says: At the time I chose Israel, I held up my hand and made a solemn promise to Jacob's descendants and revealed myself to them when they were in Egypt. I held up my hand and told them, ‘I am the Lord your God.’

And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord God seith these thingis, In the dai in which Y chees Israel, and reiside myn hond for the generacioun of the hous of Jacob, and Y apperide to hem in the lond of Egipt, and Y reiside myn hond for hem, and Y seide, Y am youre Lord God,

6 I promised them on that day to lead them out of Egypt and take them to a country that I had chosen for them, a land flowing with milk and honey—better than any other country.

in that dai Y reiside myn hond for hem, that Y schulde leede hem out of the lond of Egipt, in to the lond which Y hadde purueiede to hem, the lond flowynge with mylk and hony, which is noble among alle londis.

7 I told them: ‘All of you have to get rid of your disgusting pagan images. Don't make yourselves unclean by worshiping the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

And Y seide to hem, Ech man caste awei the offenciouns of hise iyen, and nyle ye be defoulid in the idols of Egipt; Y am youre Lord God.

8 But they rebelled against me and wouldn't do what I told them. None of them got rid of their disgusting pagan images, and they didn't give up worshiping the idols of Egypt. So I warned them that I would punish them in my anger there in Egypt.

And thei terriden me to wraththe, and nolden here me; ech man castide not awei the abhomynaciouns of hise iyen, nether thei forsoken the idols of Egipt.

9 But I did act so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations living near them who had seen me reveal myself to Israel by leading them out of Egypt.

And Y seide, that Y wold schede out myn indignacioun on hem, and fille my wraththe in hem, in the myddis of the lond of Egipt. And Y dide for my name, that it schulde not be defoulid bifore hethene men, in the myddis of whiche thei weren, and among whiche Y apperide to hem, that Y schulde lede hem out of the lond of Egipt.

10 So I led them out of Egypt and took them into the wilderness.

Therfor Y castide hem out of the lond of Egipt, and Y ledde hem out in to desert;

11 There I gave them my laws and explained to them my regulations so that those who kept them would live.

and Y yaf to hem my comaundementis, and Y schewide to hem my doomes, which a man schal do, and lyue in tho.

12 I also gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, so that they would acknowledge that I am the Lord who makes them holy.

Ferthermore and Y yaf to hem my sabatis, that it schulde be a sygne bitwixe me and hem, and that thei schulden wite, that Y am the Lord halewynge hem.

13 But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert, refusing to observe my laws and rejecting my regulations, even though they would have given them life. They violated my Sabbaths. So I warned them that I would punish them and wipe them out there in the desert.

And the hous of Israel terriden me to wraththe in desert; thei yeden not in my comaundementis, and thei castiden awei my domes, whiche a man that doith, schal lyue in tho; and thei defouliden greetli my sabatis. Therfor Y seide, that Y wolde schede out my strong veniaunce on hem in desert, and waste hem;

14 But I still acted for them so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations who had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

and Y dide for my name, lest it were defoulid bifor hethene men, fro whiche Y castide hem out in the siyt of tho.

15 So I held up my hand and vowed to them in the desert that I wouldn't take them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey—better than any other country—

Therfor Y reiside myn hond on hem in the desert, that Y brouyte not hem in to the lond which Y yaf to hem, the lond flowynge with mylk and hony, the beste of alle londis.

16 because they repeatedly rejected my regulations, refused to observe my laws, and violated my Sabbaths, and because they chose to continue worshiping idols.

For thei castiden awei my domes, and yeden not in my comaundementis, and thei defouliden my sabatis; for the herte of hem yede after idols.

17 Even so I was sorry for them and I didn't destroy them; I didn't wipe them out in the desert.

And myn iye sparide on hem, that Y killide not hem, nether Y wastide hem in the desert.

18 I told their children in the desert: ‘Don't do what your fathers told you to do. Don't follow their practices. Don't make yourselves unclean by worshiping their idols.

Forsothe Y seide to the sones of hem in wildirnesse, Nyle ye go in the comaundementis of youre fadris, nether kepe ye the domes of hem, nethir be ye defoulid in the idols of hem.

19 I am the Lord your God. Do what I tell you to do. Follow my regulations and make sure to practice them.

Y am youre Lord God, go ye in my comaundementis, and kepe ye my domes, and do ye tho.

20 Keep my Sabbaths holy so they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may acknowledge that I am the Lord your God.’

And halowe ye my sabatis, that it be a signe bitwixe me and you, and that it be knowun, that Y am youre Lord God.

21 But their children also rebelled against me. They didn't follow my laws and didn't keep my regulations, even though they would have given them life. They violated my Sabbaths. So I warned them that I would punish them in my anger there in the desert.

And the sones terriden me to wraththe, and yeden not in my comaundementis, and kepten not my domes, that thei diden tho, whiche whanne a man hath do, he schal lyue in tho, and thei defouliden my sabatis. And Y manaasside to hem, that Y wolde schede out my stronge veniaunce on hem, and fille my wraththe in hem in the desert.

22 But I held back and did what I did so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations who had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

But Y turnede awei myn hond, and Y dide this for my name, that it were not defoulid bifore hethene men, fro whiche Y castide hem out bifore the iyen of tho.

23 However, I held up my hand and vowed to them in the desert that I was going to scatter them among the various countries of different nations.

Eft Y reiside myn hond ayens hem in wildirnesse, that Y schulde scatere hem in to naciouns, and wyndewe hem in to londis;

24 For they didn't keep my regulations, instead they rejected my laws and violated my Sabbaths, always looking to worship their fathers' idols.

for that that thei hadden not do my domes, and hadden repreuyd my comaundementis, and hadden defoulid my sabatis, and her iyen hadden be after the idols of her fadris.

25 I also let them follow the regulations they wanted that weren't good; laws that wouldn't help them live.

Therfor and Y yaf to hem comaundementis not good, and domes in whiche thei schulen not lyue.

26 I let them make themselves unclean by their offerings to idols, including their firstborn sons. I allowed this to happen so that they would be so appalled that they would acknowledge that I am the Lord.

And Y defoulide hem in her yiftis, whanne thei offriden to me for her trespassis al thing that openeth the wombe; and thei schulen wite, that Y am the Lord.

27 So, son of man, tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: You're acting in exactly the same way your forefathers insulted me by being unfaithful to me.

Wherfor speke thou, sone of man, to the hous of Israel, and thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord God seith these thingis, Yit and in this youre fadris blasfemyden me, whanne thei dispisynge hadden forsake me,

28 After I led them into the land that I had promised to give them, on any high hill or under any leafy tree they saw there they offered their pagan sacrifices and presented offerings to idols that made me angry, burning their sweet-smelling incense and pouring out their drink offerings.

and Y hadde brouyte hem in to the lond on which Y reiside myn hond, that Y schulde yiue to hem, thei siyen ech hiy litil hil, and ech tree ful of boowis, and thei offriden there her sacrifices, and thei yauen there her offryngis, in to terring to wraththe; and thei settiden there the odour of her swetnesse, and thei offriden her moiste sacrifices.

29 So I asked them: ‘What's this high place you're going to?’ (Even today it's still called Bamah.)

And Y seide to hem, What is the hiy thing, to whiche ye entren? And the name therof is clepid Hiy Thing til to this dai.

30 Therefore tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: Are you going to make yourselves unclean like your forefathers, turning yourselves into prostitutes, acting the way they did with the same disgusting practices?

Therfor seie thou to the hous of Israel, The Lord God seith these thingis, Certis ye ben defoulid in the weie of youre fadris, and ye don fornycacioun aftir the offendingis of hem,

31 When you present your offerings to idols and sacrifice your children in the fire, you continue to make yourselves unclean with all your idols right up until now. So should I give you advice when you ask me, people of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I'm not going to answer you!

and in the offryng of youre yiftis, whanne ye leden ouer youre sones bi fier, ye ben defoulid in alle youre idols til to dai, and schal Y answere to you, the hous of Israel? Y lyue, seith the Lord God, for Y schal not answere to you;

32 When you say to yourselves, ‘Let's be like the other nations, like people in other countries who worship idols made of wood and stone,’ what you're thinking is never going to happen.

nether the thouyte of youre soul schal be don, that seien, We schulen be as hethene men, and as naciouns of erthe, that we worschipe trees and stoonys.

33 As I live, declares the Lord God, I will rule you with all my strength and power, and in my anger.

Y lyue, seith the Lord God, for in strong hond, and in arm stretchid forth, and in strong veniaunce sched out, I schal regne on you.

34 With all my strength and power, and in my anger, I will lead you out from among the nations and gather you from the countries where you were scattered.

And Y schal lede out you fro puplis, and Y schal gadere you fro londis, in whiche ye ben scaterid; in strong hond, and in arm stretchid forth, and in strong veniaunce sched out Y schal regne on you.

35 I will bring you before me for judgment face to face in the desert of the nations.

And Y schal bringe you in to desert of puplis, and Y schal be demed there with you face to face.

36 In the same way I judged your forefathers in the Egyptian desert after I'd led them out of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Lord God.

As Y stryuede in doom ayens youre fadris in the desert of the lond of Egipt, so Y schal deme you, seith the Lord;

37 I will decide about you as you pass under the rod and see if you kept our solemn agreement.

and Y schal make you suget to my septre, and Y schal bringe in you in the boondis of pees.

38 I will get rid of those of you who rebel against me, those who sin against me. I will lead them out of the country where they're currently living, but they won't enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

And Y schal chese of you trespassouris, and wickid men; and Y schal leede hem out of the lond of her dwelling, and thei schulen not entre in to the lond of Israel; and ye schulen wite, that Y am the Lord.

39 This is what the Lord God says to you, you people of Israel: All of you, go ahead and worship your idols. But after that if you don't listen to me you won't continue to disgrace me with your pagan offerings and idols.

And ye, the hous of Israel, the Lord God seith these thingis, Go ye ech man aftir youre idols, and serue ye tho. That and if ye heren not me in this, and defoulen more myn hooli name in youre yiftis,

40 For there on my holy mountain, Israel's high mountain, declares the Lord God, every single person in the whole country of Israel will worship me. That's where I'll accept them and will ask for your offerings and your best gifts, together with all your holy sacrifices.

and in youre idols, in myn hooli hil, in the hiy hil of Israel, seith the Lord God, ye schulen be punyschid greuousliere. There al the hous of Israel schal serue me, sotheli alle men in the lond, in which thei schulen plese me; and there Y schal seke youre firste fruytis, and the bigynnyng of youre tithis in alle youre halewyngis.

41 When I bring you back from the nations and gather you from countries where you were scattered, I will accept you as a suitable offering to me. I will reveal my holiness through you so the nations can see.

Y schal resseiue you in to odour of swetnesse, whanne Y schal leede you out of puplis, and schal gadere you fro londis, in whiche ye weren scaterid; and Y schal be halewid in you bifor the iyen of naciouns.

42 Then you will acknowledge that I am the Lord when I bring you back to the country of Israel, the land that I promised to give your forefathers.

And ye schulen wite, that Y am the Lord, whanne Y schal bringe you in to the lond of Israel, in to the lond for which Y reiside myn hond, that Y schulde yyue it to youre fadris.

43 That's where you will remember your bad ways and everything you've done to make yourselves unclean, and you will hate yourselves for the evil things you did.

And ye schulen haue mynde there on youre weies, and on alle youre grete trespassis, bi whiche ye ben defoulid in tho; and ye schulen displese you in youre siyt, in alle youre malices whiche ye diden.

44 Then you people of Israel will acknowledge that I am the Lord, because I have treated you well because of who I am, and not because of your evil ways and terrible things you've done, declares the Lord God.”

And ye schulen wite, that Y am the Lord, whanne Y schal do wel to you for my name; not bi youre yuel weies, nether bi youre worste trespassis, ye hous of Israel, seith the Lord God.

45 Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

46 “Son of man, face towards the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest of the Negev.

and he seide, Thou, sone of man, sette thi face ayens the weie of the south, and droppe thou to the south, and profesie thou to the forest of the myddai feeld.

47 Tell the forest of the Negev: Listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: I am going to set you on fire, and it will burn up all your trees, both those that are living and those that are dead. The blaze won't be put out, and everything from the north to the south will be burned.

And thou schalt seie to the myddai forest, Here thou the word of the Lord. The Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal kyndle a fier in thee, and Y schal brenne in thee ech green tre, and ech drie tre; the flawme of brennyng schal not be quenchid, and ech face schal be brent ther ynne, fro the south til to the north.

48 Then everyone will recognize that it was me, the Lord, who started the fire, and it won't be put out.”

And ech man schal se, that Y the Lord haue kyndlid it, and it schal not be quenchid.

49 But then I said, “Oh no, Lord God! People already say, ‘He's just telling stories!’”

And Y seide, A! A! A! Lord God, thei seien of me, Whethir this man spekith not bi parablis?