Joshua 23

1 Forsothe whanne myche tyme was passid after that the Lord had youe pees to Israel, for alle naciouns `in cumpas weren suget; and whanne Josue was thanne of long lijf, and `of ful eld age, Josue clepide al Israel,

And a long season after that the Lord had giuen rest vnto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Ioshua was olde, and stricken in age,

2 and the grettere men in birthe, and the princes, and dukis, and maistris, and seide to hem, Y `wexide elde, and Y am of grettere age;

Then Ioshua called all Israel, and their Elders, and their heads, and their iudges, and their officers, and said vnto them, I am old, and stricken in age.

3 and ye seen alle thingis whiche youre Lord God hath do to alle naciouns `bi cumpas, hou he fauyt for you.

Also ye haue seene all that the Lord your God hath done vnto al these nations before you, howe the Lord your God him selfe hath fought for you.

4 And now for he departide to you bi lot al the lond, fro the eest part of Jordan `til to the grete see, and many naciouns ben left yit,

Beholde, I haue deuided vnto you by lot these nations that remaine, to be an inheritance according to your tribes, from Iorden, with all the nations that I haue destroyed, euen vnto the great Sea Westward.

5 youre Lord God `schal distrie hem, and schal take awei fro youre face; and ye schulen welde the lond, as he bihiyte to you.

And the Lord your God shall expell them before you, and cast them out of your sight, and ye shall possesse their land, as the Lord your God hath said vnto you.

6 Oneli be ye coumfortid, and be ye bisy, that ye kepe alle thingis that ben writun in the book of Moises lawe, and bowe not awei fro tho, nether to the riyt side nether to the left side,

Be ye therefore of a valiant courage, to obserue and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moses, that ye turne not therefrom to the right hand nor to the left,

7 lest aftir that ye han entrid to the hethene men, that schulen be among you, ye swere in the name of `the goddis of hem, and ye serue tho goddis, and worschipe hem.

Neither companie with these nations: that is, with them which are left with you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to sweare by them, neither serue them nor bowe vnto them:

8 But cleue ye to youre Lord God, which thing ye han do `til in to this dai;

But sticke fast vnto the Lord your God, as ye haue done vnto this day.

9 and thanne the Lord God schal do awei in youre siyt grete folkis, and strongeste; and noon schal mow ayenstonde you.

For ye Lord hath cast out before you great nations and mightie, and no man hath stand before your face hitherto.

10 Oon of you schal pursue a thousynde men of enemyes, for youre Lord God schal fiyte for you, as he bihiyte.

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

11 Be ye war bifore moost diligentli of this thing oneli, that ye loue youre Lord God.

Take good heede therefore vnto your selues, that ye loue the Lord your God.

12 That if ye wolen cleue to the errouris of these folkis that dwellen among you, and wolen medle mariagis with hem, and couple frenschipis,

Els, if ye goe backe, and cleaue vnto the rest of these nations: that is, of them that remaine with you, and shall make marriages with them, and goe vnto them, and they to you,

13 wite ye riyt now, that `youre Lord God schal not do awei hem bifor youre face, but thei schulen be to you in to a dich, and a snare, and in to hirtyng of youre side, and in to stakis in youre iyen, til youre Lord God take awei you, and distrie fro this beste loond, which he yaf to you.

Knowe ye for certaine, that the Lord your God will cast out no more of these nations from before you: but they shall be a snare and destruction vnto you, and a whip on your sides, and thornes in your eyes, vntill ye perish out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

14 Lo! Y entre to dai in to the weye of al erthe; and ye schulen knowe `with al soule, that of al wordis whiche the Lord bihiyte hym silf to yyue to you, not oon passide in veyn.

And beholde, this day do I enter into the way of all ye world, and ye know in al your heartes and in all your soules, that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you, but all are come to passe vnto you: nothing hath failed thereof.

15 Therfor as he fillide in werk that, that he bihiyte, and alle thingis bifelden `bi prosperite, so he schal brynge on you whateuer thing of yuelis he manaasside, til he take awei you, and distrie fro this beste lond, which he yaf to you.

Therefore as all good things are come vpon you, which the Lord your God promised you, so shall the Lord bring vpon you euery euill thing, vntill he haue destroyed you out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

16 For ye braken the couenaunt of `youre Lord God, which he made with you, and serueden alien goddis, and worschipeden hem, sone and swiftli the strong veniaunce of the Lord schal rise `on to you; and ye schulen be takun awei fro this beste lond, which he yaf to you.

When ye shall transgresse the couenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and shall goe and serue other gods, and bowe your selues to them, then shall the wrath of the Lord waxe hote against you, and ye shall perish quickely out of the good lande which he hath giuen you.