< Ezekiel 9 >

1 And he criede in myn eeris with greet vois, and seide, The visityngis of the citee han neiyed, and ech man hath in his hond an instrument of sleyng.
Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye those who have charge over the city to draw near, each man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
2 And lo! sixe men camen fro the weie of the hiyere yate, that biholdith to the north, and the instrument of deth of ech man was in his hond; also o man in the myddis of hem was clothid with lynnun clothis, and a pennere of a writere at hise reynes; and thei entriden, and stoden bisidis the brasun auter.
And, behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, each man with his slaughter weapon in his hand, and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer's case by his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.
3 And the glorie of the Lord of Israel was takun vp fro cherub, which glorie was on it, to the threisfold of the hous; and the Lord clepide the man that was clothid with lynun clothis, and hadde a pennere of a writere in hise leendis.
And the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, upon which it was, to the threshold of the house, and he called to the man clothed in linen who had the writer's case by his side.
4 And the Lord seide to hym, Passe thou bi the myddis of the citee, in the myddis of Jerusalem, and marke thou Thau on the forhedis of men weilynge and sorewynge on alle abhomynaciouns that ben doon in the myddis therof.
And Jehovah said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and who cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of it.
5 And he seide to hem in myn heryng, Go ye thorouy the citee, and sue ye hym, and smytte ye; youre iye spare not, nether do ye merci.
And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite. Let not your eye spare, nor have ye pity.
6 Sle ye til to deth, an eld man, a yong man, and a virgyn, a litil child, and wymmen; but sle ye not ony man, on whom ye seen Thau; and bigynne ye at my seyntuarie. Therfore thei bigunnen at the eldere men, that weren bifore the face of the hous.
Kill utterly the old man, the young man, and the virgin, and little sons, and women, but come not near any man upon whom is the mark. And begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men who were before the house.
7 And he seide to hem, Defoule ye the hous, and fille ye the hallis with slayn men; go ye out. And thei yeden out, and killiden hem that weren in the citee.
And he said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go ye forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city.
8 And lo! whanne the sleyng was fillid, Y was left. And Y felle doun on my face, and Y criede, and seide, Alas! alas! alas! Lord God, therfor whether thou schalt leese alle remenauntis of Israel, and schalt schede out thi stronge veniaunce on Jerusalem?
And it came to pass, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah lord Jehovah! Will thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy wrath upon Jerusalem?
9 And he seide to me, The wickidnesse of the hous of Israel and of Juda is ful greet, and the lond is fillid of bloodis, and the citee is fillid with turnyng awei; for thei seiden, The Lord hath forsake the lond, and the Lord seeth not.
Then he said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness. For they say, Jehovah has forsaken the land, and Jehovah does not see.
10 Therfor and myn iye schal not spare, nether Y schal do merci; Y schal yelde the weie of hem on the heed of hem.
And as for me also, my eye shall not spare, nor will I have pity, but I will bring their way upon their head.
11 And lo! the man that was clothid in lynun clothis, that hadde a pennere in his bak, answeride a word, and seide, Y haue do, as thou comaundidist to me.
And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the writing case by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou have commanded me.

< Ezekiel 9 >