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 hearing with a loud voice, and said, “Let the guards come up to the city, each with his weapon of destruction 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.

Then behold! Six men came from the pathway of the upper gate that faces north, each with his weapon of slaughter in his hand. There was a man in their midst dressed in linen with a scribe's equipment at his side. So 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.

Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherubim where it had been to the threshold of the house. He called to the man dressed in linen who had the scribe's equipment at 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.

Yahweh said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city—the midst of Jerusalem—and make a mark on the foreheads of those who groan and sigh about all the abominations being performed in the midst of the city.”

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.

Then he spoke to the others within my hearing, “Pass through the city after him and kill. Do not let your eyes have compassion, and do not spare

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.

either old man, young man, virgin, little children or women. Kill all of them! But do not approach anyone who has the mark on his head. Begin at my sanctuary!” So they began with the elders who were in front of 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 its courtyards with the dead. Proceed!” So they went out and attacked 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?

As they were attacking it, I found myself alone and I fell on my face and cried out and said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, will you destroy all the remnant of Israel in the outpouring 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.

He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood and the city full of perversions, since they say, 'Yahweh has forgotten the land,' and 'Yahweh 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.

So then, my eye will not look with compassion, and I will not spare them. I will instead bring it all on their heads.”

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 dressed in linen who had the scribe's equipment by his side came back. He reported and said, “I have done all that you have commanded.”