Joshua 23

1 A long time later, after the Lord had given peace to the Israelites from conflict with their enemies around them, Joshua, by now really old,

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 summoned all the Israelites—the elders, leaders, judges, and officials—and told them, “I'm old, getting on 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 You've seen everything the Lord your God has done to all the nations on your behalf—the Lord your God has been fighting for you.

and ye seen alle thingis whiche youre Lord God hath do to alle naciouns `bi cumpas, hou he fauyt for you.

4 I have allotted the land of the remaining nations for you to own, as well as the nations already conquered, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.

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 The Lord your God will make them retreat from you. He will drive them out before you and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised 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 Be sure to observe everything that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Don't stray from it, either to the left or to the right.

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 Don't associate with the nations that are left. Don't mention the names of their gods, and don't swear by them, worship them, or 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 Stay close to the Lord your God, as you have done up to now.

But cleue ye to youre Lord God, which thing ye han do `til in to this dai;

9 The Lord has driven out strong, powerful nations before you. No one has been able to stand up to you to this day.

and thanne the Lord God schal do awei in youre siyt grete folkis, and strongeste; and noon schal mow ayenstonde you.

10 Just one of you can chase away a thousand enemies, for the Lord your God is fighting for you, as he promised you.

Oon of you schal pursue a thousynde men of enemyes, for youre Lord God schal fiyte for you, as he bihiyte.

11 Take great care to love the Lord your God.

Be ye war bifore moost diligentli of this thing oneli, that ye loue youre Lord God.

12 For if you do turn from him, and adopt the ways of the nations that are left, if you intermarry with them, associating with one other,

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 you can be absolutely sure that the Lord your God will definitely not drive out these nations before you. On the contrary, they will be a trap and a snare to you, a whip on you back and thorns in your eyes until you die out completely from this good land 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 Now I am about to die, the fate of every living thing on the earth. Deep down you know that not a single one of the Lord's good promises has failed. Everything has come true. Not one has 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 But in the same way that you received all the good things that the Lord you God promised, the Lord will bring on you all the bad things he has threatened until you're completely wiped out from this good land the Lord your God 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 If you break the agreement the Lord your God made with you, and you go and worship other gods, bowing down before them, then the Lord will become angry with you, and you will be quickly wiped out from the good land he has given you.”

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.