Ezekiel 20

1 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.

In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.

2 And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

3 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,

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to inquire of Me? As surely as I live, I will not be consulted by you, declares the Lord GOD.

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

Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Confront them with the abominations of their fathers

5 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,

and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. With an uplifted hand I said to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.’

6 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.

On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.

7 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.

And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’

8 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.

But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

9 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.

But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

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

So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.

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

And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.

12 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.

I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

13 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;

Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.

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

But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

15 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.

Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands—

16 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.

because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.

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

Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.

18 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.

In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.

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

I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.

20 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.

Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’

21 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.

But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness.

22 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.

But I withheld My hand and acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

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

However, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

24 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.

For they did not practice My ordinances, but they rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, fixing their eyes on the idols of their fathers.

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

I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.

26 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.

And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.

27 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,

Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by their unfaithfulness against Me.

28 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.

When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.

29 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.

So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ (And to this day it is called Bamah.)

30 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,

Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations?

31 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;

When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!

32 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.

When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass.

33 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.

As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.

34 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.

With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered.

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

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

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

Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.

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

I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

38 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.

And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

39 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,

And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.

40 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.

For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.

41 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.

When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations.

42 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.

Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land that I swore to give your fathers.

43 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.

There you will remember your ways and all the deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you have done.

44 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.

Then you will know, O house of Israel, that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for the sake of My name and not according to your wicked ways and corrupt acts, declares the Lord GOD.”

45 And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

46 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.

“Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of the Negev.

47 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.

Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.

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

Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”

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

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”