Jeremiah 8

1 In that tyme, seith the Lord, thei schulen caste out the boonys of the kingis of Juda, and the boonys of princes therof, and the boonys of prestis, and the boonys of profetis, and the boonys of hem that dwelliden in Jerusalem fro her sepulcris;

At that time, saith the Lord, they shall cast out the bones of the kings of Juda, and the bones of the princes thereof, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves.

2 and thei schulen leie abrood tho boonys to the sunne, and moone, and to al the knyythod of heuene, which thei louyden, and which thei seruyden, and aftir whiche thei yeden, and whiche thei souyten, and worschipiden; tho schulen not be gaderid, and schulen not be biried; tho schulen be in to a dunghil on the face of erthe.

And they shall spread them abroad to the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and adored: they shall not be gathered, and they shall not be buried: they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth.

3 And alle men schulen cheese deth more than lijf, whiche ben left of this worst kynrede, in alle places that ben left, to whiche places Y castide hem out, seith the Lord of oostis.

And death shall be chosen rather than life by all that shall remain of this wicked kindred in all places, which are left, to which I have cast them out, saith the Lord of hosts.

4 And thou schalt seie to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, Whether he that schal falle, schal not rise ayen? and whether he that is turned awei, schal not turne ayen?

And thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord: Shall not he that falleth, rise again? and he that is turned away, shall he not turn again?

5 Whi therfor is this puple in Jerusalem turned awei bi turnyng awei ful of strijf? Thei han take leesyng, and nolden turne ayen.

Why then is this people in Jerusalem turned away with a stubborn revolting? they have laid hold on lying, and have refused to return.

6 Y perseyuede, and herknede; no man spekith that that is good, noon is that doith penaunce for his synne, and seith, What haue Y do? Alle ben turnede togidere to her cours, as an hors goynge bi fersnesse to batel.

I attended, and hearkened; no man speaketh what is good, there is none that doth penance for his sin, saying: What have I done? They are all turned to their own course, as a horse rushing to the battle.

7 A kite in the eir knew his tyme; a turtle, and a swalewe, and a siconye, kepten the tyme of her comyng; but my puple knew not the doom of the Lord.

The kite in the air hath known her time: the turtle, and the swallow, and the stork have observed the time of their coming: but my people have not known the judgment of the Lord.

8 Hou seien ye, We ben wise men, and the lawe of the Lord is with vs? Verili the fals writyng of scribis wrouyte leesyng.

How do you say: We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Indeed the lying pen of the scribes hath wrought falsehood.

9 Wise men ben schent, ben maad aferd and takun. For thei castiden awei the word of the Lord, and no wisdom is in hem.

The wise men are confounded, they are dismayed, and taken: for they have cast away the word of the Lord, and there is no wisdom in them.

10 Therfor Y schal yyue the wymmen of hem to straungeris, and the feeldis of hem to alien eiris; for fro the leeste `til to the mooste alle suen aueryce, fro a profete `til to the preest alle maken leesyng;

Therefore I will give their women to strangers, their fields to others for an inheritance: because from the least even to the greatest all follow covetousness: from the prophet even to the priest, all deal deceitfully.

11 and thei heeliden the sorowe of the douytir of my puple to schenschipe, seiynge, Pees, pees, whanne no pees was.

And they healed the breach of the daughter of my people disgracefully, saying Peace, peace: when there was no peace.

12 Thei ben schent, for thei diden abhomynacioun; yhe, rather thei weren not schent bi schenschipe, and kouden not be aschamed. Therfor thei schulen falle among falleris, in the tyme of her visitacioun thei schulen falle, seith the Lord.

They are confounded, because they have committed abomination: yea rather they are not confounded with confusion, and they have not know how to blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall fall, saith the Lord.

13 I gaderynge schal gadere hem, seith the Lord; no grape is in the vynes, and figis ben not in the fige tre; a leef felle doun, and Y yaf to hem tho thingis that ben go out ouer.

Gathering I will gather them together, saith the Lord, there is no grape on the vines, and there are no figs on the fig tree, the leaf is fallen: and I have given them the things that are passed away.

14 Whi sitten we? come ye togidere, entre we in to a strong citee, and be we stille there; for oure Lord hath maad vs to be stille, and yaf to vs drynk the watir of galle; for we han synned to the Lord.

Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fenced city, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and hath given us water of gall to drink: for we have sinned against the Lord.

15 We abididen pees, and no good was; we abididen tyme of medicyn, and lo! drede is.

We looked for peace and no good came: for a time of healing, and behold fear.

16 Gnastyng of horsis therof is herd fro Dan; al the lond is moued of the vois of neiyngis of hise werriours; and thei camen, and deuouriden the lond, and the plente therof, the citee, and the dwelleris therof.

The snorting of his horse was heard from Dan, all the land was moved at the sound of the neighing of his warriors: and they came and devoured the land, and all that was in it: the city and its inhabitants.

17 For lo! Y schal sende to you the werste serpentis, to whiche is no charmyng; and thei schulen bite you, seith the Lord.

For behold I will send among you serpents, basilisks, against which there is no charm: and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.

18 My sorewe is on sorewe, myn herte is mourenynge in me.

My sorrow is above sorrow, my heart mourneth within me.

19 And lo! the vois of cry of the douyter of my puple cometh fro a fer lond. Whether the Lord is not in Sion, ethir the kyng therof is not therynne? Whi therfor stiriden thei me to wrathfulnesse bi her grauun ymagis, and bi alien vanytees?

Behold the voice of the daughter my people from a far country: Is not the Lord in Sion, or is not her king in her? why then have they provoked me to wrath with their idols, and strange vanities?

20 Heruest is passid, somer is endid; and we ben not sauyd.

The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 Y am turmentid, and sori on the sorewe of the douyter of my puple; astonying helde me.

For the affliction of the daughter of my people I am afflicted, and made sorrowful, astonishment hath taken hold on me.

22 Whether resyn is not in Galaad, ether a leche is not there? Whi therfor the wounde of the douytir of my puple is not heelid perfitli?

Is there no balm in Galaad? or is no physician there? Why then is not the wound of the daughter of my people closed?