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 those who are in charge of 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.

Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand. One man in the middle of them was clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze 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.

The glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn 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.

The LORD said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within 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.

To the others he said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him, and strike. Do not let your eye spare, neither have 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, the virgin, little children and women; but do not come near any man on whom is the mark. 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.

He said to them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out, and struck 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?

While they were killing, and I was left, I fell on my face, and cried, and said, “Ah Lord GOD! Will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on 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 perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD 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.

As for me also, my eye will not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on 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.

Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, “I have done as you have commanded me.”