Deuteronomy 24

1 If a man takith a wijf, and hath hir, and sche fyndith not grace bifor hise iyen for sum vilite, he schal write a `libel, ethir litil book, of forsakyng, and he schal yyue in `the hond of hir, and he schal delyuere hir fro his hows.

If a man takes a wife, and after they are married she is unpleasing to him because of some bad quality in her, let him give her a statement in writing and send her away from his house.

2 And whanne sche goith out, and weddith anothir hosebonde,

And when she has gone away from him, she may become another man's wife.

3 and he also hatith hir, and yyueth to hir a `litil booke of forsakyng, and delyuereth hir fro his hows, ethir certis he is deed,

And if the second husband has no love for her and, giving her a statement in writing, sends her away; or if death comes to the second husband to whom she was married;

4 the formere hosebonde schal not mow resseyue hir in to wijf, for sche is defoulid, and maad abhomynable bifore the Lord; lest thou make thi lond to do synne, which lond thi Lord God yaf to thee to welde.

Her first husband, who had sent her away, may not take her back after she has been wife to another; for that is disgusting to the Lord: and you are not to be a cause of sin in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage.

5 Whanne a man hath take late a wijf, he schal not go forth to batel, nethir ony thing of comyn nede schal be enioyned to hym, but he schal yyue tent with out blame to his hows, that he be glad in o yeer with his wijf.

A newly married man will not have to go out with the army or undertake any business, but may be free for one year, living in his house for the comfort of his wife.

6 Thou schalt not take in the stide of wed the lowere and the hiyere queerne stoon of thi brothir, for he puttide his lijf to thee.

No one is to take, on account of a debt, the stones with which grain is crushed: for in doing so he takes a man's living.

7 If a man is takun, `that is, conuyct in doom, bisili aspiynge to stele his brothir of the sones of Israel, and whanne he hath seeld hym, takith priys, he schal be slayn; and thou schalt do awey yuel fro the myddis of thee.

If a man takes by force one of his countrymen, the children of Israel, using him as his property or getting a price for him, that thief is to be put to death: so you are to put away evil from among you.

8 Kepe thou diligentli, lest thou renne in to the sijknesse of lepre, but thou schalt do what euer thingis the preestis of the kyn of Leuy techen thee, bi that that Y comaundide to hem, and `fille thou diligentli.

In connection with the leper's disease, take care to keep and do every detail of the teaching of the priests, the Levites: as I gave them orders, so you are to do.

9 Haue ye mynde what thingis youre Lord God dide to Marie, in the weie, whanne ye yede `out of Egipt.

Keep in mind what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way, when you came out of Egypt.

10 Whanne thou schalt axe of thi neiyebore ony thing which he owith to thee, thou schalt not entre in to his hows, that thou take awei a wed;

If you let your brother have the use of anything which is yours, do not go into his house and take anything of his as a sign of his debt;

11 but thou schalt stonde with out forth, and he schal brynge forth that that he hath.

But keep outside till he comes out and gives it to you.

12 Sotheli if he is pore, the wed schal not dwelle bi nyyt at thee,

If he is a poor man, do not keep his property all night;

13 but anoon thou schalt yelde to hym bifor the goyng doun of the sunne, that he slepe in his cloth, and blesse thee, and thou haue riytfulnesse bifor thi Lord God.

But be certain to give it back to him when the sun goes down, so that he may have his clothing for sleeping in, and will give you his blessing: and this will be put to your account as righteousness before the Lord your God.

14 Thou schalt not denye the hire of thi brother nedi and pore, ethir of the comelyng that dwellith with thee in thi lond, and is with ynne thi yatis;

Do not be hard on a servant who is poor and in need, if he is one of your countrymen or a man from another nation living with you in your land.

15 but in the same dai thou schalt yelde to hym the prijs of his trauel, bifor the goyng doun of the sunne, for he is pore, and susteyneth therof his lijf; lest he crye ayens thee to the Lord, and it be arettid to thee into synne.

Give him his payment day by day, not keeping it back over night; for he is poor and his living is dependent on it; and if his cry against you comes to the ears of the Lord, it will be judged as sin in you.

16 The fadris schulen not be slayn for the sones, nether the sones for the fadris, but ech man schal die for hys owne synne.

Fathers are not to be put to death for their children or children for their fathers: every man is to be put to death for the sin which he himself has done.

17 Thou schalt not `peruerte, ethir waiwardli turne, the doom of the comelyng, and of fadirles ethir modirles; nethir thou schalt take awei in the stide of wed the cloth of a widewe.

Be upright in judging the cause of the man from a strange country and of him who has no father; do not take a widow's clothing on account of a debt:

18 Haue thou mynde, that thou seruedist in Egipt, and thi Lord God delyuerede thee fro thennus; therfor Y comaunde to thee that thou do this thing.

But keep in mind that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God made you free: for this is why I give you orders to do this.

19 Whanne thou repist corn in the feeld, and foryetist, and leeuest a repe, thou schalt not turne ayen to take it, but thou schalt suffre that a comelyng, and fadirles, ethir modirles, and a widewe take awei, that thi Lord God blesse thee in al the werk of thin hondis.

When you get in the grain from your field, if some of the grain has been dropped by chance in the field, do not go back and get it, but let it be for the man from a strange land, the child without a father, and the widow: so that the blessing of the Lord your God may be on all the work of your hands.

20 If thou gaderist fruytis of olyues, what euer thing leeueth in trees, thou schalt not turne ayen to gadere, but thou schalt leeue to a comelyng, fadirles, ether modirles, and to a widewe.

When you are shaking the fruit from your olive-trees, do not go over the branches a second time: let some be for the man from a strange land, the child without a father, and the widow.

21 If thou gaderist grapis of the vyner, thou schalt not gadere raisyns that leeuen, but tho schulen falle in to the vsis of the comelyng, of the fadirles, ethir modirles, and of the wydewe.

When you are pulling the grapes from your vines, do not take up those which have been dropped; let them be for the man from a strange land, the child without a father, and the widow.

22 Haue thou mynde that also thou seruedist in Egipt, and therfor Y comaunde to thee, that thou do this thing.

Keep in mind that you were a servant in the land of Egypt: for this is why I give you orders to do this.