Joshua 23

1 Yahweh enabled the Israelis to live peacefully [for many years] with the people-groups that were around them.

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 Joshua was now very old. [One day] he summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the leaders of the clans, the judges, and [other] officials. He said to them, “I am now very old.

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 people have seen what Yahweh our God has done to help you defeat the people-groups [that lived in this land]. Yahweh our God 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 But do not forget that he has given to you all this land, from the Jordan [River in the east] to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, all this land that I have allotted to you.

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 Yahweh our God will compel the people who are still living there to leave. He will push them out as you advance. Then the land will be yours, as Yahweh has 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 that you obey all the laws that are in the book that Moses wrote. Do not disobey any part of it [IDM].

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 Do not associate with the people who live among us [who are not Israelis and who worship other gods]. Do not mention the names of their gods, and do not use the names of their gods when you promise to do something. Do not serve their gods or worship 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 You must continue to do what Yahweh our God wants us to do, as you have been doing.

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

9 “Yahweh has forced [many] very powerful people-groups to leave as you advanced. No people-group has been able to defeat you.

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

10 Each of you will be able to cause 1,000 of them to run away, because Yahweh your God will fight for you, just like he promised to do.

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

11 So be sure that you continue to love Yahweh our God.

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

12 “If you turn away from doing what Yahweh desires and you associate with the people who are not Israelis, and if you marry them,

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 then you can be sure that Yahweh our God will not help you to expel those people-groups from your land. They will be [like] traps [DOU, MET] [that will catch you]. They will be [like] whips [that strike] your backs, and like thorns [that will scratch] your eyes. As a result, none of you will be left in this good land that Yahweh our God is giving to 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 “It is almost time for me to die, like everyone does [EUP]. You know in your hearts [DOU] that Yahweh has done for you [LIT] everything that he promised to do.

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 He has given to you all the good things that he promised. In the same way, the other things that he promised, [things that are not good], will also happen. He said that if you do what is evil, he will get rid of you and send you away from this good land that he has given to 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 That will happen if you do not obey the commands that Yahweh our God told you to obey. If you serve other gods and worship them, Yahweh will become very angry with you. Very quickly [he will expel you from] this good land that he has given to you, [and] none of you will be left here.”

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.