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Thes ben the wordis that Moises spak to al Yrael, biȝonde Jordan, in the wijld feeldi wildernes, aȝens the Reed See, bytwix Pharan and Tophel and Laban and Asseroth, where is mych thing of gold, bi enleuen days fro Oreb bi the wey of the hil of Seyr, vnto Cades Barne. The fourteenthe ȝeer, the enleuenth moneth, the first day of the moneth, Moyses spak to the sones of Yrael alle thingis that the Lord hadde comaundid to hym that he shulde seye to hem, after that he smoot Seon, the kyng of Amorreis, that dwellid in Esebon, and Og, the kyng of Basan, that dwellid in Asseroth and in Edray, biȝonde Jordan, in the loond of Moab. And Moyses biganne to opne the lawe, and seie, The Lord oure God hath spoke to vs in Oreb, seiynge, It suffisith to ȝow that in this hil ȝe han dwelt; turneth aȝen, and cometh to the hil of Amorreis, and to other that there ben next, feeldi, and hilli, and the more lower places aȝens the south; and to the loond biside the brenk of the see of Chananees, and of Libany, vnto the greet flood of Eufraten. Loo! he seith, I haue take it to ȝow; goo ȝe yn, and weelde ȝe it, vpon the which the Lord hath sworn to ȝoure fadres Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob, that he ȝyue it to hem, and to the seed of hem after hem. And I haue seid to ȝow in that tyme, I may not aloone susteyne ȝow, for the Lord ȝoure God hath multiplied ȝow, and ȝe ben many as the sterres of heuene; the Lord God of oure fadris adde to this noumbre many thowsandis, and blesse to ȝow, as he hath spokun. Y may not alone ȝoure nedis susteyn, and birthens, and stryues; ȝyue ȝe of ȝow wyse men, and herti, and whos conuersacioun be preued in ȝoure lynagis, that I putte hem to ȝow princes. Than ȝe answerden to me, A good thing it is that thou wolt doon. And I took of ȝoure lynagis wise men, and noble; and I haue ordeynd hem princes, and tribunes, and centuriouns, and quynquagenaryes, and denes, that techen ȝow alle thingis. And I haue comaundide to hem, seiynge, Here ȝe hem, and that is riȝtwiȝe demeth, whether he be cyteseyn, or pilgrime. Noon shal be distaunce of persones; so the litil ȝe shulen here as the more, ne ȝe shulen accept eny mannus persone, for the dome of God it is. And if eny thing hard to ȝow were seen, tellith to me, and I shal here. And I comaundide alle thingis that ȝe shulden doo. And goon forth fro Oreb, we passiden bi feerful deseert and moost wildernes, that ȝe han seen, bi the weye of the hil of Amorrei, as the Lord ȝoure God hath comaundide to ȝow. And whanne ȝe weren comen into Cades Barne, Y seide to ȝow, Ȝe ben comen to the hil of Amorrei, that the Lord oure God is to ȝyuynge to vs; looke the loond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee; and sty vp, and weelde it, as the Lord oure God hath spoken to thi fadris; nyl thow drede, ne eny thing be agast. And ȝe comen to me alle, and seiden, sende we men, that biholden the loond, and tellen to vs bi what weie we shulden stye vp, and to what cytees goon. And whanne to me the word pleside, Y sente of ȝow twelue men, eche by her lynagis. The whiche whanne thei weren goon, and hadden stied vp into the hillis, thei camen into the valeye of Clustre; and the loond biholdid, takynge of the fruytis of it, that thei myȝten shewe the plenteuouste, thei brouȝten to vs, and seiden, Good is the loond that the Lord oure God is to ȝyuynge to vs. And ȝe wolden not stye vp, but mysbileuynge to the word of the Lord oure God, ȝe grutchiden in ȝoure tabernaclis, and seiden, The Lord hatith vs, and therfore he hath ladde vs out of the loond of Egipte, that he take vs in the hoond of Amorrei, and doo awey. Whether shulen we stie vp? the messangeris han feerde oure hertis, seiynge, The moost multitude is, and in stature more shapplych than we; greet citees, and in to heuene wallid; the sones of Enachym we han seen there. And I seide to ȝow, Wole ȝe not be feryde, ne drede ȝe; the Lord God, that is oure ledere, for vs he shal fiȝte, as he hath doo in Egipte, alle men seynge. And in wildernes, ȝe han seen, the Lord thi God hath born thee, as a man is wonyd to bere a litil child, his sone, in alle weie bi the which ȝe han goo, to the tyme that ȝe comen to this place. And ȝit not thus forsothe ȝe leeueden to the Lord ȝoure God, that wente before ȝou in the weie, and hath set the place in the whiche ȝe shulden picche tentis, the nyȝt shewynge the weie to ȝow bi fier, and the dai bi piler of a clowde. And whanne the Lord hadde herde the voyce of ȝoure wordis, wrooth he swore, and seith, There shal not se eny man of the men of this worst generacioun the good loond, that vndur ooth Y haue bihoot to ȝoure fadris, saue Caleph, the sone of Jephone; he forsothe shal se it, and to hym I shal ȝyue the loond that he hath troden, and to his sones, for he hath folwid the Lord. Ne the indignacioun aȝen the puple is to be meruelid, sith to me forsothe the Lord wrooth for ȝow, seide, Ne thow shalt go in thidir, but Josue, the sone of Nun, thi seruaunt, he shal goo yn for thee; this enfourme thow, and strengthe, that he the loond bi lot dyuyde to Yrael. Ȝoure litil children, of the whiche ȝe han seid, that cheytif thei shulen be lad, and the sones that to day of good and yuel vnknown the distaunce, thei shulen goon yn; and to hem Y shal ȝyue the loond, and thei shulen weeld it. Ȝe forsothe turneth aȝen, and goth thens into wildernes, bi the weie of the Reed See. And ȝe answerden to me, We han synned to the Lord; we shulen stie vp, and fiȝten, as the Lord oure God hath comaundid. And whanne ȝe, tauȝt in armes, wolden goo into the hil, the Lord seith to me, sey thou to hem, Wole ȝe not stie vp, ne fiȝte; forsothe Y am not with ȝow, lest ȝe fallen before ȝoure enemyes. I spak, and ȝe herden not, but contrariynge to the heest of the Lord, and bolnynge bi pride, ȝe stieden vp into the hil. And so Amorre gon out, that dwelt in the hillis, and aȝen comynge pursuede vs, as been ben wont to be pursued, and slewen doun fro Seyr vnto Horma. And whanne turned aȝen ȝe wepten before the Lord, he herde ȝow not, ne to ȝour voys wolde assent; ȝe seeten therfor in Cades Barne myche tyme.
And goon forth thens, we comen into wildernes that ledith to the Reed See, as the Lord seide to me; and we enuyrounden the hil of Seyr long tyme. And the Lord seide to me, Suffice it to ȝow to goon about this hil; goo ȝe aȝens the north. And to the puple comaund, seiynge, Ȝe shulen passe bi the coostis of ȝoure britheren, the sones of Esau, that dwellen in Seyr, and thei shulen drede ȝow. Se ȝe therfor bisilych, that ȝe ben not meued aȝens hem; ne forsothe I shal ȝeue to ȝow of the loond of hem as myche as the stap of a foot may treede, for into the possessioun of Esau Y haue ȝyue the hil of Seyr. Meetis ȝe shulen bigge of hem for money, and eten; water bouȝt ȝe shulen drawe, and drynke. The Lord thi God hath blessid to thee in al the werk of thin hoondes; he hath knowun thi weie, what maner wise thow hast passid this greet wildernes, bi fourti ȝeer, the Lord thi God dwellynge with thee, and no thing failed to thee. And whanne we hadden passid bi oure britheren, the sones of Esau, that dwelliden in Seyr, bi the feeldi weie fro Elath, and fro Asiongaber, we camen to the weie that ledith into deseert of Moab. And the Lord seide to me, Fiȝt thow not aȝens Moabites, ne go thou in aȝens hem to bateyl; forsothe I shal not ȝyue to thee eny thing of the loond of hem, for to the sones of Loth Y haue take Ar into possessioun. Emyn weren the first dwellers of it, a greet puple, and a stroong, and so hiȝe, that of Enachym lynage as geauntis thei ben trowed, and weren lijk of the sones of Enachym; therfor Moabites clepen hem Emyn. In Seyr forsothe rather dwelten Horrey, the whiche put out and doon awei, the sones of Esau dwelliden, as Yrael dide in the loond of his possessioun, that the Lord ȝaf to hym. Thanne arysynge, that we myȝten passe the streem of Zareth, we camen to it. Forsothe the tyme, in the which we wenten fro Cades Barne vnto the passynge of the streem of Zareth, was of eiȝt and thretti ȝeer, to the tyme that al the congregacioun of men of bateyl weren wastid fro the tentis, as the Lord swore; whos hoond was aȝens hem, that thei dien fro the myddil of the tentis. Forsothe aftir that alle the fiȝters fellen, the Lord spak to me, seiynge, Thou shalt passe to day the coostis of Moab, the citee, Ar bi name; and comynge nyȝ into the side coostis of the sones of Amon, be war lest thow fiȝte aȝens hem, ne be thou meued to batayl; forsothe Y shal not ȝeue to thee of the loond of the sones of Amon, for to the sones of Loth I haue ȝeue it into possessioun. The loond of geauntis it is holdun, and in it sum tyme dwelten geauntis, whom the Ammonytes clepen Zoumym; myche puple, and greet, and of feyre lengthe, as Enachym, whom the Lord dide awey fro the face of hem, and made hem to dwelle for hem, as he dide to the sones of Esau, that dwellen in Seyr, doynge awey Horreis, and the loond of hem to hem takynge, the which thei weelden vnto the tyme that is nowe. Forsothe Eueos, that dwellen in Asserym vnto Gazam, men of Capadoce putten out; the whiche goon out fro Capadoce, diden hem awey, and dwelliden for hem. Ryse ȝe, and passith the streem of Arnon; loo! Y haue takun in thin hoond Seon, the kyng of Esebon, and Amorreis; and the loond of it bigynne to take possessioun, and doo aȝens hym batayle. To day Y shal bigynne to sende drede and thi feerde into puplis that dwellen vndur al heuen, that thi name herd, thei dreden, and bi maner of wymmen berynge child thei bigynnen to tremble, and with sorwe biholden. Y sente therfore messangeris fro the wildernes of Cademoch to Seon, the kyng of Esebon, bi pesible wordis, seiynge, We shulen passe bi thi loond, the comoun weye we shulen goo; we shulen not goo aside, ne to the ryȝt ne to the left. Lyuelodis bi prijs sel to vs, that we eeten; water for money ȝif, and so we shulen drynke. Oonlich is, that thow graunte to vs passyng forth, as the sones of Esau diden, that dwellen in Seyr, and Moabitis, that dwellen in Ar, to the tyme that we comen to Jordan, and passe to the loond that the Lord oure God is to ȝyuynge to vs. And Seon, the kyng of Esebon, wolde not ȝyue to vs passynge; for the Lord, thi God, inwardly hardide the spirite of hym, and aȝen festnede the herte of hym, that so he were take into thin hoondis, as now thow seest. And the Lord seide to me, Loo! Y haue begunne to take to thee Seon, and the loond of hym; bigynne to weelde it. And Seon goon out to mete with vs, with al his puple, to the batayle in Jasa. And the Lord oure God took hym to vs, and we han smyten hym, with his sones, and al his puple. And alle the cytees in that tyme we token, sleyn the dwellers of hem, men, and wymmen, and children; we laften not in hem eny thing, out take beestys that camen into the part of the praye takers, and spoylis of the citees whiche we token. Fro Aroer, that is vpon the brenke of the streem of Arnon, fro the wallid town that in the valeye is set, vnto Galaad, was no street or cytee, that oure hoondis askapide. Alle the Lord oure God took to vs; with oute the loond of the sones of Amon, to the which we comen not nyȝ, and alle that liggen to the streem of Jeboch, and the mounteyn citees, and alle the places fro the whiche the Lord oure God hath defendid vs.
And so turned we stieden vp bi the weye of Basan; and Og, the kyng of Basan, wente out into aȝencomynge to vs with his puple, to fiȝte in Edray. And the Lord seide to me, Ne drede thow hym, for in thin hoond he is taak, with al the puple, and his loond; and thow shalt doo to hym as thow didist to Seon, the kyng of Amorreis, that dwellid in Esebon. The Lord oure God took also thanne in oure hoondis Og, the kyng of Basan, and al the puple of hym; and we han smytun hym vnto the deeth, wastynge alle the cytees of hym o tyme; there was no wallid town that vs myȝte askape; sexti citees, al the regioun of Argob, of the kyngdom of Og in Basan. Alle the cytees weren strengthid with moost hiȝe wallis, ȝatis, and barris; with outen townes vnnoumbrable, that hadden no wallis. And we diden hem awey, as we diden to Seon, the kyng of Esebon, destruyinge al citee, and men, and wymmen, and litil children; beestis forsothe and spuyles of the cytees we han frodrawen. And we han take that tyme the loond fro the hoond of two kyngis of Amorreis, that weren biȝonde Jordan, fro the streem of Arnon vnto the hil of Hermon, that Sydonys Saryon clepen, and Amoreis Sanyr; alle the cytees that ben set in pleyn, and al the loond of Galaad, and Basan, vnto Sewa and Edrai, the citees of the kyngdom of Og, in Basan. Oonli forsothe Og, the kyng of Basan, left of the stok of geauntis; and the bedde of hym is shewid yren, that is in Rabath, of the sones of Amon, ten cubites hauynge of lengthe, and foure of brede, at the mesure of the cubite of mannus hoond. And the loond we weeldiden in that tyme, fro Aroer, that is vpon the brenk of the streem of Arnon, vnto the myddil part of the hil of Galaad; and the cytees of it Y haue ȝeuen to Ruben and Gad. Forsothe that other part of Galaad, and al Basan, of the kyngdom of Og, Y haue take to the half lynage of Manasse, al the regioun of Argob. Al Basan was clepid the loond of geauntis. Jayr, the sone of Manasse, weeldide al the regioun of Argob, vnto the teermes of Gessuri, and Machati; and he cleep Basan bi his name, Anothiayr, that is, the towns of Jayr, vnto the day that is nowe. Forsothe to Machir Y haue ȝeue Galaad; and to the lynage of Ruben and Gad Y haue ȝeue the loond of Galaad, vnto the streem of Arnon, half of the streem, and the nyȝ coostis vnto the streem of Jeboch, that is the teerme of the sones of Amon; and the pleyn of wildirnes, and Jordan, and teermes of Cenereth vnto the see of deseert, that is moost salt, to the rotis of the hil of Phasga, aȝens the eest. And Y haue comaundid to ȝow in that tyme, seyynge, The Lord oure God ȝyueth to ȝow this loond into herytage; fulspeed goo ȝe before ȝoure britheren, the sones of Yrael, alle the stronge men, with outen wyues and litil children and beestis. I haue knowun forsothe that ȝe han manye beestis, and in thes citees shulen abide, the whiche Y ȝaf to ȝow, to the tyme that the Lord ȝyue rest to ȝoure britheren, as he hath ȝyue to ȝow; and also that thei weelden the loond that he is to ȝyuynge to hem, biȝonde Jordan; thanne shal turne aȝen echon into his possessioun, that Y haue ȝeue to ȝow. To Josue forsothe in that tyme I haue comaundid, seiynge, Thin eyen han seen that the Lord oure God dide to thes two kyngis; so he shal do to al the rewmes, to the whiche thow art to passynge; ne drede thow hem; the Lord oure God shal fiȝt for us. And I preyede the Lord in that time, seiynge, Lord God, thow hast bigunne to shewe to thi seruaunt thi mochilnes, and moost strong hoond, ne forsothe there is another God or in heuene or in erthe, that may doo thi werkis, and be comparysound to thi strengthe. I shal passe therfor, and se this best loond biȝonde Jordan, and this noble hil and Liban. And the Lord was wrooth to me for ȝow, ne herde me, but seide to me, It sufficith to thee; namore spek thow of this thing to me. Sty vp to the cop of Phasge, and thin eyen turn about to the west, and north, south, and eest, and bihold; ne forsothe thow shalt passe this Jordan. Comaund to Josue, and strengthe hym, and comfort; for he shal goo before this puple, and dyuyde to hem the loond that thou art to seynge. And we dwelliden in the valeye, aȝens the mawmet temple of Phegor.
And nowe, Irael, here the heestis and domys, that Y teche thee; that doynge them thow lyue, and goynge yn thow weelde the loond that the Lord God of ȝoure fadres is to ȝeue to ȝow. Ȝe shulen not adde to the word that Y speke to ȝow, ne take awey from it; kepe ȝe the heestis of the Lord ȝoure God, the whiche Y comaunde to ȝow. Ȝoure eyen han seen alle thingis that the Lord dide aȝens Belphegor; what maner wise he hath brusid down al the heriers of it, fro the myddil of ȝou. Forsothe ȝe that cleuen to the Lord ȝoure God, lyuen alle, to the day that is nowe. Ȝe witen that I tauȝt ȝow heestis, and riȝtwisnesses, as hath comaundid to me the Lord my God; so ȝe shulen doo hem in the loond that ȝe ben to weeldynge, and kepe and fulfille in dede. Forsothe this is ȝoure wisdam, and vndirstondynge before the puplys, that thei alle, herynge thes heestis, seyn, Loo! a wise puple and an vndirstondynge! a greet folk of kynde! Ne there is other nation so greet, that hath goddis neiȝynge to hem, as oure God is nyȝ to alle oure holi preiers. What is forsothe other folk of kynde so noble, that hath ceremoyns, and ryȝtwis domys, and al the lawe, that I purpose to day before ȝoure eyen? Keep therfor thi silf, and thi soule bisilich; ne forȝeet thow the wordis that thin eyen han seen, and ne falle thei out of thin herte, alle the dayes of thi lijf. Thow shalt teche hem thi sones, and thi sone sones; the day the which thow stodist before the Lord thi God in Oreb, whanne to me spak the Lord, seiynge, Gedre to me the puple, that he here my wordis, and lerne to drede me al tyme that he lyueth in erthe, and teche he his sones. And ȝe neiȝeden to the root of the hyl, that brent vnto heuene; and there weren in it derknessis, and clowde, and mystynes. And the Lord spak to ȝow fro the myddil of the fier; the voyce of the wordis of hym ȝe herden, and the forme out ryȝt sawȝ ȝe not. And he shewide to ȝow his couenaunt, that he comaundide that ȝe shulden doo, and the ten wordis, that he wroot in the two stonen tablis. And to me he comaundide in that tyme, that I shulde teche ȝow cerymoyns, and domes, that ȝe owen to doo in the loond that ȝe ben to weelden. Kepe ȝe therfor bisiliche ȝoure soulis; ȝe han not seen eny lickenes, in the day that the Lord spak to ȝou in Oreb, fro the myddil of fier; lest perauenture disseyued ȝe maken to ȝow a graued liknes, other ymage of maal, or of femaal; liknes of alle beestis that ben vpon erthe, or of briddis vndur heuene fleynge, and of crepynge beestis that meuen in the erthe, other of fisshis that vndir the erthe dwellen in watrys; lest perauenture the eyen reryd to heuene, thou se the sunne, and the mone, and alle the sterris of heuene, and by errour disseyued thow honoure hem, and herye, the whiche of nouȝt maad the Lord thi God, into seruyce to al folk of kynde, that ben vndur heuene. Forsothe the Lord took ȝow, and ladde ȝow oute fro the yren forneys of Egipte, that he haue a puple bi herytage, as it is in the day that is nowe. And the Lord was wrooth aȝens me, for ȝoure wordis, and swore that I shulde not passe Jordan, ne goo into the best loond, that he is to ȝyuynge to ȝow. Loo! I dye in this erthe; I shal not passe Jordan; ȝe shulen passe, and weelde the noble loond. Be war, lest eny tyme thow forȝeete the couenaunt of the Lord thi God, that I made couenaunt with thee, and make to thee a graued liknes of hem that the Lord defendide to make. For the Lord thi God fier wastynge is; a God gelows. If ȝe geten sones, and sones sones, and dwelliden in the loond, and desseyued make to ȝow eny liknes, doynge yuel before the Lord ȝoure God, that ȝe terren hym to wraththe, witnesses Y inwardly clepe to day heuene and erthe, that soone ȝe ben to perishen fro the loond, that, Jordan ouerpassid, ȝe ben to weelden; ȝe shulen not dwelle in it long tyme, but the Lord ȝou shal doo awey, and scater into alle folkis of kynde, and ȝe shulen dwelle fewe in the naciouns, to whiche the Lord is to lede ȝou. And there ȝe shulen serue to goddis, the whiche bi hoond of men ben forgid of tree, and stoon, that seen not, ne heren, ne eten, ne smellen. And whanne thou sechist there the Lord thi God, thow shalt fynde hym; so neuerthelater that with al thin herte thow seche, and with al the tribulacioun of thi soule. After that thee han foundun alle thingis that ben before seid, forsothe the last tyme thow shalt turne aȝen to the Lord thi God, and thow shalt here the voyce of hym. For a mercyable God the Lord thi God is; he shal not leeue thee, ne vtterlich doo awey, ne he shal forȝete the couenaunt in the which he swore to thi fadris. Ask thow of the oold dayes that weren before thee, fro the daye that the Lord thi God fourmede man vpon erthe, fro the hiȝest of heuene vnto the hiȝest of it, if there is doon eny tyme siche a maner thing, or euer is knowun, that the puple herde the voyce of the God spekynge fro the myddil of fier, as thow herdist, and sawȝ; if God dide, that he ȝede in, and took to hym a folk of kynde fro the myddil of naciouns, bi temptaciouns, signes, and wondres, bi fiȝt, and strong hoond, and streiȝt out the arme, and orrible siȝtes, after alle thingis that dide for ȝow the Lord ȝoure God, in Egipte, seynge thin eyen; that thow knewe for the Lord he a God, and there is noon other but oon. Fro heuene he made thee to here his voyce, that he teche thee; and in the loond he hath shewid to thee his moost fier, and thow hast herde the wordis of hym fro the myddil of fier; for he hath loued thi fadres, and chosun the seed of hem after hem. And he ladde out thee, goynge before in his greet vertue, fro Egipte, that he doo awey moost naciouns, and the strengere, in thin entree, and in lede thee, and ȝeue to thee the loond of hem into possessioun, as thow biholdist in the day that is now. Know thow therfor to day, and thenk in thin herte, that the Lord he is a God in heuene aboue, and in erthe benethe, and there is noon other. Kepe thow the heestis of hym, and maundements, that I comaunde to thee, that wel it be to thee, and thi sones after thee, and dwelle thow myche tyme vpon the erthe, that the Lord thi God is to ȝyue to thee. Thanne Moyses seuerde thre citees, biȝonde Jordan, at the est plage, that to hem fleeȝ the which sleeth a neiȝbour, not wilnynge, ne were enemy before oon and other day, and to oon of these citees myȝte ascape; Bosor, in wildernesse, that is set in the wijlde feeldi loond, of the lynage of Ruben; and Ramoth, in Galaad, that is in the lynage of Gad; and Golan, in Basan, that is in the lynage of Manasse. This is the lawe that Moyses purposide before the sones of Yrael, and these the witnessyngis, and cerymoyns, that he spak to the sones of Yrael, whanne thei wenten out of Egipte, ouer Jordan, in the valey aȝens the mawmet temple of Phegor, in the loond of Seon, kyng of Amorrei, that dwellid in Esebon, whom smoot Moyses. Forsothe the sones of Irael goon out of Egipte, weeldiden the loond of hym, and the loond of Og, kyng of Basan, of the two kyngis of Amorreis, that weren biȝonde Jordan, at the rysynge of the sunne; fro Aroer, that is set vpon the brenk of the streme of Arnon, vnto the hil of Seon, that is in Hermon; al the pleyn biȝonde the Jordan, to the eest plage, vnto the see of widernes, and into the rotis of the hil of Phasga.
And Moyses clepide al Yrael, and seide to hym, Here, Yrael, cerymoyns, and domys, that I speke in ȝoure eris to day; lerne ȝe hem, and fulfillith in dede. The Lord oure God hath couenauntid with vs a boond of pees in Oreb; not with oure fadres he made couenaunt, but with vs, that nowe ben, and lyuen. Face to face he hath spoke to vs in the hil, fro the myddil of fier. I felawe and meene was bitwix God and ȝow in that tyme, that I tolde to ȝow the wordis of hym; forsothe ȝe dreden the fier, and ȝe stieden not into the hil. And he seith, I the Lord thi God, that haue ladde thee out of the loond of Egipte, fro the hows of seruage. Thow shalt not haue alyen goddis in my siȝt. Thow shalt not make to thee grauen thing, ne liknes of alle thingis that in heuen ben aboue, and that in erthe bynethe, and that dwellen in watres vndur erthe; thow shalt not honoure hem, ne herye; forsothe I am the Lord thi God, a ielouse God, ȝeeldynge wickidnes of fadres into sones, into the thridde and the ferthe generacioun to hem that hatiden me, and doynge mercy into many thowsandes to hem that louen me, and kepen myn heestes. Thow shalt not mystaak the name of the Lord thi God idillich, for he shal not be vnpunyshid, that vpon veyn thing the name of hym takith. Kepith the day of the saboth, that thow halwe it, as the Lord thi God hath comaundid to thee. Six dayes thow shalt worche, and doo alle thi werkis; the seuenthe day is of the saboth, that is the rest of the Lord thi God. Thow shalt not doo in it eny thing of werke, thow, and thi sone, and dowȝter, seruaunt, and handmayden, and oxe, and asse, and al thi beest, and pilgryme that is with ynne thi ȝatis; that thi seruaunt and handmayde resten, and as thow. Haue mynde, that and thi self seruede in Egipte, and the Lord thi God ladde thee out thens in a stronge hoond, and in an arme streiȝt out; therfore he hath comaundid to thee, that thow kepe wel the day of the saboth. Honour thi fader and thi moder, as the Lord thi God hath comaundid to thee, that longe tyme thow lyue, and wel be to thee in the loond that the Lord thi God is to ȝyuynge to thee. Thow shalt not slee. And thow shalt do no leccherye. And thow shalt doo no theft. Thou shalt not speke aȝens thi neiȝbore fals witnes. Thow shalt not coueyte the wijf of thi neiȝbour, ne hows, ne feelde, ne seruaunt, ne handmayde, ne oxe, ne asse, and alle thingis that of hym ben. Thes wordes the Lord spak to al oure multitude, in the hil, of the myddel of fier and clowde and derknesse, with a greet voyce, no thinge addinge more ouer; and he wroot hem in two stonen tablis, that he took to me. Ȝe forsothe, after that ȝe herden a voice fro the myddel of derknessis, and that ȝe seen the hil to brenne, ȝe comen to me alle the princes of the lynages, and the more thurȝ birthe, and seiden, Loo! the Lord oure God hath shewid to vs maieste, and his mychylnesse; the voyce of hym we han herd fro the myddil of the fier, and we han preued to day that thurȝ God spekynge with man a man lyueth. Whi thanne shulen we die, and shal deuowre vs this moost fier? Forsothe if we heren more the voice of the Lord oure God, we shulen die. What is al flesh, that he here the voice of God lyuynge, that fro the myddil of fier spekith, as we han herd, and myȝten lyue? Thow more goo niȝ, and here alle thingis that the Lord oure God shal seye to thee; and thow shalt speke to vs, and we herynge shal doon hem. The which thing whanne the Lord hadde herd, seith to me, I haue herd the voys of the wordes of this puple, that thei han spokun to thee; wel alle thingis thei han spokun. Who ȝyueth hem siche thouȝt to haue, that thei dreden me, and kepen alle my maundementis in al tyme, that wel it be to hem, and to the sones of hem, into with outen ende? Go, and sey to hem, Turneth aȝen into ȝoure tentis. Forsothe thow stoond here with me, and I shal speke to thee al the maundementis, and ceremoyns, and domes, that thow shalt teche hem, that thei doon hem in the loond that Y shal ȝeue to hem into possessioun. Kepe ȝe therfore, and doth hem, the whiche the Lord God hath comaundid to ȝow; ȝe shulen not bowe aside, ne to the ryȝt, ne to the left, but bi the weie that the Lord ȝoure God hath comaundid, ȝe shulen goo, that ȝe lyuen, and wel be to ȝow, and ȝoure daies ben drawun along in the loond of ȝoure possessyoun.
These ben the heestis, and cerymoyns, and domes, that the Lord oure God comaundide that Y shulde teche ȝow, and ȝe doon hem in the loond to the which to be weeldid ȝe passen forthe; that thow drede the Lord thi God, and kepe alle the maundementis, and heestis of hym, that I comaunde to thee, and to thi sones, and to thi sones sones, alle the dais of thi lijf, that thi days ben drawen along. Here, Yrael, and keep wel, that thow doo that the Lord hath comaundid to thee, and wel be to thee, and thow be multiplied forthermore, as the Lord God of thi fadres hath behoot, to ȝyue to thee the loond flowynge mylk and hony. Here, Yrael, the Lord thi God o God is. Thow shalt loue the Lord thi God of al thin herte, and of al thi soule, and of alle thi strengthis. And thes wordis that I comaunde to thee to day, shulen be in thin herte; and thow shalt telle hem to thi sones, and deuowtly thenk, syttinge in thin howse, and goynge in the weie, and slepynge, and arysynge. And thow shalt bynd hem as a tokne in thin hoond; and thei shulen be before thin eyen, and not be meued; and thow shalt write hem in the thresfold and dores of thin hows. And whanne the Lord thi God hath lad thee into the loond, for the which he swore to thi fadrys Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob, and ȝeueth to thee greet and best citees, that thow hast not bilde, howses ful of alle ritchesses, that thow hast not made out, and cysterns, that thow hast not doluen, vyyn places, and olyue places, that thow hast not plantid, and eetist, and were fulfillid, be war bisily that thow forȝete not the Lord, that hath lad thee out of the loond of Egipte, fro the hows of seruage. The Lord thi God thow shalt drede, and to hym oonli thou shalt serue, and bi the name of hym thow shalt swere. Ȝe shulen not go aftir alyen goddis, of alle gentilis that about ȝow ben; for a gelouse God the Lord thi God, in the myddil of thee, lest eny tyme the woodnes of the Lord thi God wraththe aȝens thee, and doo thee awey fro the vttermoost of the erthe. Thow shalt not tempte the Lord thi God, as thow hast temptid in the place of temptynge. Keep the heestis of the Lord thi God, and witnessyngis, and cerymoyns, that he comaundid to thee; and do that is plesaunt and good in the siȝt of the Lord, that it wel be to thee, and thow goon yn weelde the best loond, of the which the Lord hath swore to thi fadres, that he shal do awey alle thin enemyes bifore thee, as he hath spokun. And whanne thi sone askith thee to morwe, seiynge, What to hem self wolen thes witnessyngis, and cerymoyns, and domes, that the Lord oure God hath comaundid to vs? thow shalt seie to hym, Thrallis of Pharao we weren in Egipte, and the Lord ladde vs out of Egipte, in a strong hoond; and hath doo signes, and greet wondris, and moost yuel in Egipte, aȝens Pharao, and alle the seruauntis of hym, in ȝoure siȝt. And he ladde ȝow out thens, that vs lad ynne, he ȝyue the loond, vp the which he hath swore to oure fadres. And the Lord hath comaundid to vs, that we doon alle thes lawful thinges, and drede the Lord oure God, that it wel be to vs alle the dayes of oure lijf, as it is to day. And he shal be merciable of vs, if we doon and kepen alle the heestes of hym, bifore the Lord oure God, as he hath comaundyd to vs.
Whanne the Lord thi God hath lad thee into the loond, the which to weelde thow shalt goo yn, and doth awey many gentilis before thee, Ethee, and Gergese, and Amorre, Chananee, Pherese, Euee, and Gebuse; seuen folkis, of myche more noumbre than thow art, and stronger than thow; and the Lord God take hem to thee, and thow shalt smyte hem vnto the deth, thow shalt not maak with hem couenaunt of pees, ne haue mercy of hem, ne felawship with hem mariagis; thi douȝter thow shalt not ȝeue to his sone, ne his douȝter thow shalt take to thi sone; for she shal lede aside thi sone, that he folwe not me, and that more he serue to alyen goddis; and the woodenes of the Lord shal wraththe, and soone do thee awey. But rather thes thingis ȝe shulen doo to hem; the auters of hem vndurturneth, and brekith togidres the ymagis, and the mawmet wodis hewith down, and the grauen thingis brenneth. For an holy puple thou art to the Lord thi God; the Lord thi God hath chosen thee, that thow be to hym a special puple, fro al the puples that ben vpon erthe. Not for al the gentilis in noumbre ȝe vencusiden, the Lord is ioyned to ȝow, and hath chosun ȝow, whanne ȝe ben fewer than alle the puples; but for the Lord hath loued ȝow, and hath kept the testament that he hath sworn to ȝour fadres; and he hath lad ȝow out in a strong hoond, and hath raunsomyd fro the hows of seruage, and fro the hows of Pharao, the kyng of Egipte. And thow shalt wyte, for the Lord thi God he is a strong God, and a feithful, kepynge couenaunt and mercy to thilk that louen hym, and to hem that kepen his heestis, into thowsande generaciouns; and ȝeeldynge anoon to hem that haten hym, so that he scater hem, and ferther differre not; anoon ȝeldynge to hem that thei deseruen. Kepe therfore the heestis, and cerymoyns, and domes, that I comaunde to thee to day, that thow doo. If after that thow herist thes domes, kepist hem, and doost, the Lord thi God shal kepe couenaunt to thee, and mercy, that he swore to thi fadres. And he shal loue thee, and multiplie, and he shal blesse to the fruyt of thi wombe, and to the fruyt of thi loond, and to thi whete, and to thi vyndage, oyle, and droues, flockis of thi sheep, vpon the loond for the which he hath swore to thi fadris, that he ȝeue it to thee. Blissid thow shalt be among alle puples; there shal not be anentis thee bareyn of either kynde, as wel in men, as in thi flockis. The Lord shall doo awey fro thee al sorwe; and the worst infirmytees of Egipte, that thow hast knowun, he shal not put in to thee, but to al thin enemyes. And thow shalt deuowr alle the puples, the whiche the Lord thi God is to ȝyue to thee; thin eye shal not spare to hem, ne serue to the goddis of hem, lest thei ben into dounfallynge of thee. If thow seist in thin herte, Mo ben thes folk than Y, what maner wise shal I mowe doo awey hem? wol thow not drede, but recorde that the Lord thi God hath doo to Pharao, and to alle the Egipciens, moost veniaunces, that thin eyen han seen, and toknes, and wondres, and a strong hoond, and a strauȝt out arme, that the Lord thi God out lede thee; so thow shalt doo to alle puples the which thow dredist. Forthermore and horsefleȝis the Lord thi God shal sende to hem, to the tyme that he doo awey alle, and scater, that fleen thee, and ben hid mowen thei not. Thou shalt not drede hem, for the Lord thi God is in the myddil of thee, the greet God, and feerful. He shal waste thes naciouns in thi siȝt, litilmele and bi partees; thow shalt not mowe doo hem awey togidre, lest perauenture be multiplied aȝens thee the beestys of the erthe; and the Lord thi God shal ȝeue hem in thi siȝt, and sle hem, to the tyme that fulli thei ben doon aweie. And he shal take the kyngis of hem into thin hoondes, and thow shalt scater the names of hem vndur heuene; no man shal mowe withstoonde to thee, to the tyme that thow al to-trede hem. The grauen thingis of hem with fier thow shalt brenne; thow shalt not coueyt siluer and gold, of the whiche thei ben maad, ne thow shalt take of hem to thee eny thing, ne offend thow for hem, for abhomynacioun it is of the Lord thi God. Ne brynge thow yn eny thing of the mawmet into thin hows, lest thow be maad accursid, as and it is; as stynk thow shalt looth, and as filthhed and horthe of abbomynacioun thow shalt haue, for cursid it is.
Al maundement that I comaunde to thee to day be war bisili that thow doo, that ȝe mowen lyue, and that ȝe ben multiplied, and goon yn, ȝe weelden the loond, for the which the Lord hath sworn to ȝoure fadres. And thow shalt recorde of al the weie, bi the which the Lord thi God hath lad thee fourti wintir, bi deseert, that he traueyle thee, and tempte; and weren knowun that in thin inwitte weren styryd, whether thow woldist kepe the heestis of hym, or noo. He trauelde thee with scarsenes, and ȝaf to thee meet manna, the which vnknewe thow, and thi fadres, that he shewe to thee, that not in oonly breed lyueth man, but in eche word of God, that goth out of the mouth of the Lord. Thi clothinge, with the which thow were couerd, for eelde faylide not, and thi foot was not vndur bryssed, loo! the fourtith ȝeer is; that thow aȝen thenke in thin herte, for as a man techith his sone, so the Lord thi God tauȝte thee, that thow kepe the heestis of the Lord thi God, and goo in the weies of hym, and drede hym. Forsothe the Lord thi God shal lede thee into a good lond, the lond of ryuers, and of watrys, and of welles, in whos feeldis and hillis breken out gedrynges of flodes; the loond of whete, and of barly, and of vynes, in the which figis, and poomgernettis, and olyues growen; the loond of oyle and of hony; where with out eny scarsenes thow shalt eete thi breed, and thow shal ful vse the plente of alle thinges; whos stones ben yren, and of the hillis of it ben doluen metallys of brasse; that whanne thow eetist, and were fulfillid, thow blesse to the Lord thi God for the best loond that he hath ȝeue to thee. Kepe wel, and bewarre, lest eny tyme thow forȝete the Lord thi God, and mysleue the heestis of hym, and domes, and cerymoyns, that Y comaunde to thee to day; lest after that thow etist, and were fillid, feyr howses bildist, and dwellidist in hem, and hast droues of oxen, and flockis of sheep, and plente of siluer, and of gold, and of alle thinges, thin herte be reryd, and haue no mynde of the Lord thi God, that hath lad thee out of the loond of Egipte, and of the hows of seruage, and thi leder was in greet wildernes, and feerful, in the which was serpent thurȝ blast brennynge, and scorpioun, and dipsas, that is, an eddre that whom he bitith, he maketh thurȝ threste die, and noon algatis watris; the which ladde out ryueres of the moost hard stoon, and fedde thee with manna in wildernes, the which knewen not thi fadres. And after that he trauelde thee, and strengthide, at the eende he hadde mercy of thee, lest thow seidist in thin herte, My strengthe, and myȝt of myn hoond alle thes thingis to me han ȝeuen. But record thow of the Lord thi God, that he strengthes hath ȝeue to thee, that he fulfille his couenaunt, vp the which he hath sworne to thi fadris, as the present day shewith. If forsothe forȝeten of the Lord thi God, folwedist alien goddis, and herye hem, and honoure, loo! now Y before seye to thee, that vtterly thow shalt perishe; as the gentilis, that the Lord dyde awey in thin entre, so and ȝe shulen perishe, if inobeishaunt ȝe shulen be to the voys of the Lord ȝoure God.
Here, Yrael; thow shalt to day gon ouer Jordan, that thow weelde moost naciouns, and strenger than thow; greet cytees, and into heuene wallid; a greet puple, and an hieȝe; the sones of Enachym, the whiche thi self hast seen, and herd, to the whiche no man may aȝen withstoond. Thanne to day thow shalt wite, that the Lord thi God he shal go before thee; fier deuowrynge and wastynge, the which brisse hem down, and doo awey, and scatre before thi face swiftly, as he hath spokun to thee. Ne sey thow in thin herte, whanne the Lord thi God hath doo hem awey in thi siȝt, For my riȝtwisnes the Lord hath lad me in, that this loond I weelde; sith for her wickidnesses thes naciouns ben doon awey. Forsothe ne for thi riȝtwisnesses, and euennesse of thin herte thow shalt goon yn, that thow weelde the loondes of hem; but for thei diden vnpitownes, the comynge yn, ben doon awey, and that the Lord fulfille his word that vnder ooth he hath bihoot to thi fadres Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob. Wite thow then, that not for thi riȝtwisnesse the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee this best loond into possessioun, sith thow art a puple of moost hard nolle. Haue mynde, and forȝete thow not what maner wise to wraththe thow terredist the Lord thi God in wildernes; fro that day that thow wentist out of Egipte vnto this place, euere more aȝens the Lord thou striuedist. For and in Oreb thow terredist hym, and wrooth he wolde doo thee awey, whanne I stiede into the hil, that I took two stonen tablis, tablis of couenaunt, the Lord couenauntide with ȝou, and I abood in the hil fourti days and nyȝt, breed not etynge, and water not drynkynge. And the Lord ȝaf to me two stonen tablis, either wrytun with the fyngre of God, and conteynynge alle the wordis that to ȝow he spak in the hil, fro the myddil of fier, whanne al the companye of the puple was gedrid. And whanne fourti days weren passed, and so feele nyȝt, the Lord ȝaf to me two stonen tablis, tablis of boond of pees; and he seide to me, Ryse, and go hens anoon, for thi puple, that thow hast lad out of Egipte, han forsake swiftli the weie that thou hast shewid to hem, and han maad to hem self a ȝoten calf. And eft the Lord seide to me, I biholde, that this puple is of hard nolle; suffre me, that I trede hym doun, and doo awey the name of hym vndur heuene; and Y shal set thee vpon folk that is more and strenger than this. And whanne I shulde deschalt scende fro the hil brennynge, and two tablis of the boond of pees I heelde with either hoond, and sawȝ ȝow to haue synned to the Lord ȝoure God, and haue maad to ȝow a ȝoten calf, and han forsake swiftly the wey of hym, that he shewide to ȝow, I threwe afer the tablis fro myn hoondis, and breek hem in ȝoure siȝt. And I felle down before the Lord as before, fourti days and fourti nyȝt, breed not etynge, and water not drynkynge, for alle ȝoure synnes that ȝe diden aȝens the Lord, and hym to wraththe han terred; forsothe I dredde the indignacioun and the wraththe of hym, in which aȝens ȝow styryd, wold doo ȝow a wey. And the Lord herde me also this while. Forsothe aȝens Aaron hugeli wrooth, he wolde hym trede, and for hym lijk maner Y preiede. Forsothe ȝoure synne that ȝe diden, that is, the calf, takynge Y brent with fier, and in gobetis brekynge, and vtterly into powdre doynge, Y threwe ferre into the streem that descendide fro the hil. In the brennynge forsothe, and in the temptynge, and in the Sepulcres of Lust, ȝe terreden the Lord; and whanne Y sente ȝow fro Cades Barne, seiynge, Stye ȝe vp, and weelde ȝe the loond that I haue ȝeue to ȝow, and ȝe han dispisid the maundement of the Lord ȝoure God, and han not leued to hym, ne his voyce heren ȝe wolden; but euer more ȝe weren rebel, fro the day that I biganne to knowe ȝow. And Y leye before the Lord fourti days and fourti nyȝtis, in the whiche hym mekely Y preyede, that he ne shulde do ȝou awey, as he thratte. And preiynge I seide, Lord God, ne scater thow thi puple, and thin herytage, that thow hast bouȝt in thi mychilnes, the which thow hast lad out of Egipte in a strong hoond. Record of thi seruauntis, Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob; ne bihold thow the hardnes of this puple, and vnpitowsnes, and synne, lest perauenture the dwellers of the loond, of the which thow hast lad vs out, seyn, The Lord myȝte not lede hem into the loond that he bihiȝte hem, and hatide hem; therfor he hath lad out, that he sle hem in wildernes, that ben thi puple, and thin herytage, the which thow hast lad out in thi greet strengthe, and in thi streiȝt out arme.
In that tyme the Lord seide to me, Plaan to thee two stonen tables, as the rather weren; and sty vp to me into the hil. And thow shalt make a treen ark, and I shal write in the tablis wordes that weren in hem the whiche before thou breeke; and thow shalt putt hem into the ark. I made therfor the ark of trees of Sechym; and whanne I hadde planed two stonen tablis, at the lyknes of the rather, I stide vp into the hil, hauynge hem in hoondes. And he wroot in the tables, after that that he hadde wryten before ten wordes, that the Lord spak to vs in the hil, fro the myddil of fier, whanne the puple was gedryd, and hath ȝeue hem to me. And turned aȝen fro the hil, Y dessendid, and putte the tables into the ark that I made, the whiche ȝit hidir to there ben, as the Lord hath comaundid to me. Forsothe the sones of Yrael meeueden tentis fro Beroth, of the sones of Jachan, in Mosera, where Aaron is deed, and biryed, for whom his sone Eleazar bere the office of preest. Thens thei camen in Galaad; fro the which place goon forth, thei settiden tentis in Gethabatha, in the loond of watris and of stremes. That tyme I seuerde the lynage of Leuy, that he bere the ark of the boond of pees of the Lord, and stoond before hym in seruyce, and blesse in the name of hym, into the present day. Wherfor Leuy hadde no part ne possessioun with his britheren, for he the Lord is the possessioun of hym, as the Lord thi God hath bihoot to hym. I forsothe stood in the hil, as bifore, fourti dais and fourti nyȝt, and the Lord herde me in this while, and wold not lese thee. And he seide to me, Go, and weend before the puple, that he goo yn, and weelde the loond that I haue sworn to the fadres of hem, that I shulde take to hem. And nowe, Yrael, what thing the Lord thi God askith of thee, but that thow drede the Lord thi God, and goo in the weies of hym, and loue hym, and serue to the Lord thi God in al thin herte, and in al thi soule; and kepe the heestis of the Lord thi God, and the cerymouns of hym, that I to day comaunde to thee, that wel it be to thee. Loo! of the Lord thi God is heuene, and heuene of heuene, erthe, and alle thingis that in it ben; and neuerthelater to thi faders ioyned is the Lord, and he louede hem, and hath chosen the seed of hem, after hem, that is, ȝow, fro alle gentils, as to day is preued. Kutte ȝe about therfore the vttermore part of ȝoure herte, and ȝoure nolle forthermore harde ȝe not. For the Lord oure God he is God of goddis, and Lord of lordyngis; a greet God, and myȝti, and dreedful, that persoone taketh not, ne ȝiftis. He doth doom to the faderles child, and to widewe, and loueth the pilgrime, and ȝyueth to hym lyuelod, and clothinge. And ȝe therfore loueth pilgrimys, for and ȝe ȝoure self weren pilgrimys in the loond of Egipt. The Lord thi God thow shalt drede, and to hym thow shalt serue, and to hym thow shalt drawe to, and swere in the name of hym. He is thi preysynge, and thi God, that hath do to thee thes greet thingis, and feerful, that thin eyen han seen. In seuenti soules thi fadres dessendeden into Egipte, and loo! now the Lord thi God hath multiplied thee as sterres of heuene.
Loue also the Lord thi God, and kepe wel the heestis of hym, and cerymoyns, domes, and maundementis, al tyme. Knowe ȝe to day that ȝoure sones vnknowen, that han not seen the disciplyne of the Lord ȝoure God, the greet thingis of hym, and strong hoond, and strauȝt arme, toknes and werkis, that he dide in the myddil of Egipte to Pharao the kynge, and to al his loond, and to al the oost of Egipciens, and to hors and charys; what maner wise couerden hem watris of the Reed See, whanne thei pursueden ȝow, and the Lord dide hem awey vnto the day that is now; and to ȝow what thingis he hath doo in wildernes, to the tyme that ȝe camen to this place; and to Dathan and Abyron, the sones of Eliab, that was the sone of Ruben, whom the erthe, his mouth opned, sowpide awey, with howses and tabernaclis, and al the substaunce of hem that thei hadden, in the myddil of Yrael. Ȝoure eyen sawȝen alle the greet werkis of the Lord, the whiche he dide, that ȝe kepen alle the maundementis of hym, the whiche I to day comaunde to ȝow, and mowen goo yn, and weelde the loond, to the which ȝe shulen goon yn, and myche tyme lyue in it, that vndur ooth the Lord hath bihoot to ȝoure fadres, and to the seed of hem, mylk and hony flowynge. Forsothe the loond, to the which to be weeldid thow shalt goon yn, is not as the loond of Egipte, of the which thow wentist out, where the seed throwun in maner of gardyns moystynge watrys ben lad; but it is hilli, and feeldi, abidynge fro heuene reynes, that the Lord thi God euermore visitith, and the eyen of hym in it ben, fro the bigynnynge of the ȝeer vnto the eend of it. If thanne ȝe obeshen to myn heestis that I to day comaunde to ȝou, that ȝe louen the Lord ȝoure God, and serue to hym in al ȝoure herte, and in al ȝoure soule; he shal ȝyue to ȝoure loond reyn tymeli and laate, that ȝe gederen to gider whete, and wyn, and oyle, haye of the feeldes to beestis to ben fed, and that ȝe eten and ben fulfillid. Be ȝe war, lest perauenture ȝoure herte be disseyued, and ȝe goon a wey fro the Lord, and seruen to alyen goddes, and honoure hem; and the Lord wrooth cloose heuenes, and reynes comen not down, ne the erthe ȝyue his buriownynge, and ȝe perishen swiftli fro the best loond that the Lord is to ȝeuynge to ȝow. Putte ȝe thes my wordis in the hertis, and in ȝoure inwittis, and honge ȝe hem vp for a tokne in hoondis, and among ȝoure eyen sette ȝe. Teche ȝe ȝoure sones, that hem thei deuowtli thenken, whanne thow sittist in thin hows, and gost in the weye, and lyist, and arysist. Thow shalt wryte hem vpon the postis and ȝatis of thin hows, that thi days and of thi sones be multiplied in the loond that the Lord swore to thi fadris, that he shulde ȝyue to hem, as long as heuene stoont a boue to erthe. Forsothe if ȝe kepen the heestis that I comaunde to ȝow, and doon hem, that ȝe louen the Lord ȝoure God, and goon in alle the weyes of hym, drawynge to hym, the Lord Almyȝti shal scater alle thes gentilis bifore ȝoure face, and ȝe shulen weelde hem that ben more and strenger than ȝe. Eche place that ȝoure foot tredith, shal be ȝour; fro deseert, and fro Libane, and the greet flood of Effrate vnto the west see, shulen ben ȝoure termes. No man shal stoond aȝens ȝow; ȝoure dreed and feerd shulen ȝyue the Lord ȝoure God vpon al the loond that ȝe ben to trede, as he hath spoke to ȝow. Loo! I purpose in ȝoure siȝt to day blessynge and cursynge; blessynge, if ȝe obeishen to the heestis of the Lord ȝour God, that to day I comaunde to ȝow; cursynge, if ȝe heren not the maundementis of the Lord ȝoure God, but gon awey fro the weie that Y now shewe to ȝow, and gon after alien goddis that ȝe knowen not. Forsothe whanne the Lord thi God ledith thee into the loond, to the which to be had thow goost, thow shalt putte blessynge vpon the hil of Garisym, cursynge vpon the hil Hebal, that ben biȝonde Jordan, after the weye that turneth to the sunne goynge down, in the loond of Chananey, that dwellith in the wilde feeldes aȝens Galgalam, that is biside the valey strecchynge and entrynge aferre. Forsothe ȝe shulen passe Jordan, that ȝee weelden the loond that the Lord ȝoure God is to ȝyue to ȝow, and ȝe han and weelde it. Se ȝe therfore that ȝe fulfillen the cerymoyns and domes, that I to day shal putte in ȝoure siȝt.
Thes ben the heestes and domes, that ȝe owen to doon in the loond that the Lord God is to ȝyue to thee, that thow weelde it, alle dayes in the whiche vpon the erthe thow shalt goon. Turne ȝe doun alle places in the whiche the gentilis that ȝe ben to weelde, heried her goddis, vpon hiȝe mounteyns, and hillis, and vndir al thik braunchid tree. Scatre ȝe the auters of hem, and brekith togidre the ymagis; the mawmet wodes brenneth with fier, and the mawmettis destruy ȝe; scatre ȝe the names of hem fro the places. Ȝe shulen not doo so to the Lord ȝoure God; but to the place that the Lord ȝoure God chesith of alle ȝoure lynages, that he putte his name there, and dwelle in it; ȝe shulen come, and offre in that place brent sacrificis, and ȝoure slayn offryngis, and dymes, and first fruytis of ȝoure hoondis, and auowis and ȝiftis, the first goten of oxen, and of sheep. And ȝe shulen eete there in the siȝt of the Lord ȝoure God; and ȝe shulen glade in alle thingis, to which putten hoond, ȝe and ȝoure howses, in the whiche the Lord ȝoure God blesse to ȝou. Ȝe shulen not doo there that we doon here to day, eche that to hym self semeth riȝt. Forsothe ne vnto the tyme that is nowe ȝe comen to rest and to the possessioun, that the Lord God is to ȝeue to ȝow. Ȝe shulen passe Jordan, and dwelle in the loond that the Lord ȝoure God is to ȝyue to ȝow, that ȝe resten fro alle enemyes bi enuyroun, and dwellen with outen eny drede. In the place that the Lord ȝour God chesith, that his name be in it. Thidre alle thingis that Y comaunde ȝe shulen bere, brent sacrifices, and oostis, and dymes, and first fruytis of ȝoure hoondes, and what euer thing cheefe is in ȝiftis, that ȝe han vowid to the Lord. There ȝe shulen eete before the Lord ȝoure God, ȝe, and sones, and ȝoure douȝtres, men seruauntis, and wymmen seruauntis, and Leuytis, that in ȝoure cytees dwellen; forsothe ne thei han other part and possessioun among ȝow. Be war that thou offre not thi brent sacrifices in alle places that thou shalt se, but in it that the Lord shal chese in oon of thi lynagis thow shalt offre oostis, and doo alle thingis that Y comaunde to thee. Forsothe if thow wolt eete, and thee the etynge of flesh delyte, sle, and eete after the blessynge of the Lord thi God, that he hath ȝeue to thee in thy cytees, other vnclene it were, that is, wemmed and feble, other cleene, that is, hool and withouten wemme, that is leueful to ben offrid, and as capret and hert thow shalt eete; with outen etynge oonli of the blood, that vpon the erthe as water thow shalt heeld out. Thow shalt not mowe eete in thy burghtownes dimes of whete, of wyn, and of thin oyle, the first geten of droues, and beestis, and alle thingis that thow auowist, and wilfulli wolt offre, and the first fruytis of thin hoondes; but bifore the Lord thi God thow shalt ete hem, in the place that the Lord thi God chesith, thow, and thi sone, and thi douȝter, knaue seruaunt, and meyde seruaunt, and the Leuyte that dwellith in thi citees; and thow shalt glade, and be fulfild before the Lord thi God, in alle thingis to the which thou strecchist thin hoond. Be war that thow forsake not the Leuyte in al tyme, in the which thow dwellist in erthe. Whanne the Lord thi God shal large thi termes, as he hath spoke to thee, and thow wolt ete flesh, that thi soule desireth, forsothe the place that the Lord thi God chesith, that his name be there, if it were ferre, thow shalt slee of the droues, and of thi beestis, the whiche thow hast, as he hath comaundid to thee; and thow shalt eete in thi burȝtouns, as it plesith to thee. As is etun a capret and an hert, so thow shalt eete hem; and cleene and unclene in comun shulen be ete. That oonli shun, lest thow eete blood; forsothe blood of hem is for the soule, and therfore thow shalt not eete a soule with flesh, but as water thow shalt heeld vpon erthe, that wel it be to thee, and to thi sones after thee, whanne thow dost that plesith in the siȝt of the Lord. And that thow auowist and halowist to the Lord, thow shalt take, and come to the place that the Lord chesith, and offre thin offryngis, flesh and blood, vpon the auter of the Lord thi God; the blood of the oostis thou shalt heelde in the auter, and flesh thi silf shalt eete. Kepe wel and here alle thingis that I comaunde to thee, that it wel be to thee, and to thi sones after thee, into with outen eende, whanne thow dost that is good and plesaunt in the siȝt of the Lord thi God. Whanne the Lord thi God scaterreth before thi face the gentilis, to the whiche to be weeldid thou shalt goon yn, and weelde hem, and dwelle in the loond of hem, be war that thow folwe not hem, after that the comynge yn thei weren vnder turned, and seche the cerymoyns of hem, seiynge, As these gentils heryden her goddis, so and Y shal hery. Thow shalt not do lijk maner to the Lord thi God; forsothe alle abhomynaciouns that the Lord contrarieth thei han doon to her goddis, offrynge sones, and dowȝtris, and brennynge with the fier. What I comaunde to thee, that thow oonly do to the Lord, ne adde thow eny thing, ne lasse.
If there rise in the myddil of thee a prophete, othere eny man seith hym silf to haue seen a sweuen, and he seith before a tokne and wondre, and comith that he spak, and seith to thee, Goo we, and folwe we alien goddis, that thow vnknowist, and serue we to hem, thow shalt not here the wordis of this prophete and dremer; for the Lord ȝoure God temptith ȝow, that it be maad opyn whether ȝe louen hym or not, in al ȝoure herte, and in al ȝoure soule. The Lord ȝoure God folowe ȝe, and hym drede ȝe; the heestis of hym kepith, and herith the voyce of hym; to hym ȝe shulen serue, and to hym ȝe shulen drawe to. Forsothe that prophete or feyner of sweuens shal be slayn; for he hath spoken that he turne ȝow awey fro the Lord ȝoure God, that hath lad ȝow out of the loond of Egipte, and hath raunsomed ȝow fro the hows of seruage, that he make thee to erre fro the weye that the Lord thi God hath comaundid to thee; and thow shalt doo awey yuel fro the myddil of thee. If thi brother, the sone of thi moder, wol meue thee, or thi sone, or thi douȝter, other wijf that is in thi bosome, other freende that thow louest as thi soule, pryueli seiynge, Goo we, and serue we to alien goddis, the whiche vnknowist thow, and thi fadres, of alle gentilis in enuyrown, that biside or ferre ben, fro the bigynnynge vnto endynge of the loond, assent thou not to hym, ne hyre, ne spare to hym thin eye, that thow haue mercy, and hide hym, but anoon thow shalt sle hym. Be first thin hoond vpon hym, and after thee al the puple put on hoond. He shal be clepid the throwun down with stonus; for he wold drawe thee awey fro the Lord thi God, that ladde thee out of the loond of Egipte, fro the hows of seruage, that al Irael herynge drede, and no more do eny thing lijk of this thing. If thow here in oon of thi citees, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee to dwelle, sum men seiynge, The sones of Belial ben goon out fro the myddil of thee, and han take awey the dwellers of thi citee, and seiden, Goo we, and serue we to alyen goddis, the whiche ȝe knowen not, seche wisely and bisily, the sooth of the thing ful lokid; if thow fynde it to be certeyn that is seid, and this abomynacioun in dede fulfillid, anoon thou shalt smyte the dwellers of that citee in the mouth of the swerd, and do it awey, and alle thingis that in it ben, vnto the beestis. And what euere thing were of purtenaunce, thow shalt gedre in the myddil of the stretis of it, and with that citee thow shalt brenne vp, so that alle thingis thow waaste to the Lord thi God, and there be an euere lastynge sepulcre; it shal be bild no more. And there shal not cleue of that cursid heed eny thing in thin hoond, that the Lord turne awey fro the wraththe of his wodenes, and haue mercy of thee, and multiplye thee, as he swore to thi faders. Whanne thow herist the voyce of the Lord thi God, thow shalt kepe alle the heestis of hym that I comaunde to thee to day, that thow doo that is plesaunt in the siȝt of the Lord thi God.
Sones be ȝe of the Lord ȝour God; ȝe shulen not kut, ne make ballidnes, vpon the deed, for a puple holi thow art to the Lord thi God, and thee hath chosun that thow be to hym into a special puple, of alle gentilis that ben vpon erthe. Ne eete ȝe thingis that ben vnclene. This is the beest that ȝe owen to eete; oxe, and sheep, and she geet, hert, capret, bugle, tragelaphum, that is, a beest in part lijk an hert, and in part lijk a goot, phigarg, origen, camelion, that is, a beest lijk a camele in the heed, in the bodi to a paard, and in the nek to an horse, in the feet to a bugle, and pardelun, that is, a litil pard. Al beest that in two partis deuydith the clee, and chewith code, ȝe shulen eete. And of thes that chewen code, and dyuyden not clee, thes ȝe shulen not eete; chameyl, haare, yrchun, for thei chowen code, and deuyden not the clee, thei shulen be vnclene to ȝow; a suwe forsothe, for she deuydith the clee, and chewith no code, she shal be vnclene; the flesh of hem ȝe shulen not ete, and the careyns ȝe shulen not towche. Thes thingis ȝe shulen eete, of alle thingis that dwellen in watris; tho that han fynnys and scalis eete ȝe; tho that with outen fynnys and scales ben, eete ȝe not, for thei ben vnclene. Alle clene briddis eete ȝe; vnclene eete ȝe not, that is, egle, and griffun, and a merliȝon, and yron, that is, a whyte foul, lasse than a grijp, and of his kynde, and gryip, and kyte, aftir his kynde, and al thing of crowe kynde, and ostrich, and nyȝt foul, and a koote, and an hawke, after his kynde, a gerfawkon, and a swan, and an ybyn, that is a foule of Nyle flood, that puttynge his bille into his ers, purgith hym self, and a dyuedap, a pellican, and a nyȝt crowe, a cormeraunt, and a iay, eche in his kynde, and a lapwynk, and a reremos. And al that crepith, and hath fynnes, shal be vnclene, and not ben eten. Alle that is clene, eete ȝe; al that is faln with deeth, eete ȝe not of it. To the pilgryme that is with ynne the ȝatis ȝif that he eete, or sel to hym, for thow art an hooli puple of the Lord thi God. Thow shalt not seethe the kidde in the mylk of his moder. The tenthe paart thow shalt seuer fro alle the fruytis that growen in thi lond, bi eche ȝeer; and thow shalt eete in the siȝt of the Lord thi God, in the place that he chees, that in it the name of hym be inwardli clepid, the dyme of thi whete, of wyn, and oyle; and the first gotun of droues, and of thi sheep thow shalt offre, that thow lerne to drede the Lord thi God, in al tyme. Forsothe whanne lenger were the weye, and the place that the Lord thi God chees, and hath blessid to thee, ne thow mayst not to hym alle thes thingis brynge, thow shalt selle alle, and into priys turne, and thow shalt bere in thin hoond, and go to the place that the Lord thi God chesith; and thow shalt bigge of the same money what euere thing to the plese, other of droues, or of sheep; forsothe wyn, and sidre, and al that desyrith thi soule; and thow shalt eete before the Lord thi God, and shal eete, thow, and thin hows, and the Leuyte that is with ynne thi ȝatis; be war that thow forsake not him, for he hath noon other paart in thi possessioun. The thridde ȝeer thow shalt seuer an other dyme of alle thingis that growen to thee that tyme, and put vp with ynne the ȝatis. And the Leuyte shal come, that hath noon other paart ne possessioun with thee, and the pilgryme, and faderles child, and wedowe, that with ynne thi ȝatis ben; and thei shulen eete, and be fulfillid, that the Lord thi God blesse to thee, in alle the werkis of thin hoondes that thou shalt doo.
The seuenthe ȝeer thow shalt doo remyssyoun, that in this ordre shal be halowid. To whom is owed eny thing, of freend, or neiȝbore, and his brother, he shal not mowe aȝen aske it, for ȝeer of remyssioun of the Lord it is. Of pilgrime and comlyng thow shalt aske; thow shalt not haue power of aȝen askynge the citeseyn and nyȝ kyn; and algatis nedi and begger there shal not be among ȝow, that the Lord thi God blesse to thee, in the loond that the Lord is to take to thee in to possessioun. If neuerthelater thou here the voyce of the Lord thi God, and kepist alle thingis that he comaundith, and that I to day comaunde to thee, he shal blesse to thee, as he hath bihoot. Thow shalt leen vndur wed to many folk of kynde, and thi silf shalt borowe of no man; thow shalt haue lordship vpon manye naciouns, and no man shal haue lordship vpon thee. If oon of thi bretheren, that dwellith with ynne the ȝatis of thi citee, in the loond that the Lord thi God is to ȝyue to thee, to pouerte come, thow shalt not aȝen hard thin herte, ne withdrawe the hoond, but opyn it to the pore, and thow shalt ȝyue loon that thow seest hym to nede. Be war lest perauenture vndur crepe to thee a wickid thouȝt, and seye in thin herte, The seuenthe ȝeer of remyssioun neiȝeth; and thow turne awey thin eyen fro thi pore brother, not wilnynge to leene hym, that he askith to borwe; lest he crye aȝens thee to the Lord, and it be maad to thee into synne. But thow shalt ȝyue to hym, and thow shalt not doo eny thing fellich in his nedis to be releued, that the Lord thi God blesse to thee in al tyme, and in alle thingis to whiche thow puttist hoond. There shulen not faile pore men in the loond of thi dwellynge; therfor I comaunde to thee that thow opyn the hoond to thi nedi brother, and pore, that in the loond dwellith with thee. Whanne to thee were sold thin Ebrewe brother, or Ebrewe womman, and sixe ȝeer serue to thee, in the seuenthe ȝeer thou shalt leeue hym free. And whom with freedam thow ȝyuest, thou shalt not suffre to goon awey voyd; but thow shalt ȝyue weyfode of the flockis, and of the flore, and of thi presse, in the which the Lord thi God hath blessid to thee. And haue mynde that thi self seruedist in the loond of Egipte, and the Lord thi God hath delyuered thee, and therfor I now comaunde to thee. Forsothe if he seith, Y wole not goo out, for thi that he loueth thee, and thin hows, and wel felith hym silf to be anentis thee, thow shalt take a nal, and thril his eer in the ȝate of thin hows, and serue he to thee into with outen eende; and to the thral womman lijk maner thou shalt doo. Thow shalt not take awey fro hem thin eyen, whanne thow leeuest hem fre, for after the mede of the hired man bi sixe ȝeer he seruede to thee; that the Lord thi God blesse to thee, in alle the werkis that thow doost. Of thi first goten, that ben born in droues, and thi sheep, and what euere thing is of maal kynde, thow shalt halwe to the Lord thi God. Thou shalt not worche in the first goten of oxe, ne thou shalt shere the first goten of sheep. In the siȝt of the Lord thi God thow shalt eete hem bi eche ȝeer, in the place that the Lord hath chosen, thou, and thin hows. Forsothe if it haue wemme, or were crokid, or blynde, or in eny part defourme, or feble, it shalt not be offerd to the Lord thi God; but with ynne the ȝatis of thi cytee thow shalt eete it, as wel clene as vnclene, lijk maner thei shulen eete hem, as capret and hert. This onely thow shalt kepe wel, that the blood of hem thou eete not, but held thou out into the erthe as water.
Kepe wel the monthe of the newe fruytis, and of the first veer tyme, that thou doo pask to the Lord thi God; for in this monthe the Lord thi God ladde thee out of Egipt bi nyȝt. And thou shalt offre paske to the Lord thi God, of sheep, or of oxen, in the place that the Lord thi God chees, that the name of hym dwelle there. Thou shalt not eete in it sowred breed; seuen days thou shalt eete with outen sourdowȝ, breed of greet traueyle, for in inward drede thou wentist out of Egipt, for thou shuldist haue mynde of the day of thi goynge out of Egipt, alle the days of thi lijf. There shal not apere sowred breed seuen days in alle thi teermys, and there shal not leeue of the flesh of it that is offerd the euen, in the first day the morwen. Thou shalt not mowe offre paske in eche of thes thi citees that the Lord thi God is to ȝyue to thee, but in the place that the Lord thi God chesith, that the name of hym dwelle there; thou shalt offre paske the euen, at the sunne goynge down, whanne thow wentist out of Egipt. Thou shalt make it ynowȝ, and eete, in the place that the Lord thi God chesith, and erly rysyng thow shalt goo into thi tabernaclis. Sexe dayes thou shalt eete theerf looues; and in the seuenthe day, for it is the quylet of the Lord thi God, thou shalt not doo werk. Seuen wekis thou shalt noumbre to thee, fro that day that thou puttist thi kuttynge yren into the corn; and thou shalt halwe the feest day of the seuen wekes to the Lord thi God, a wilful offrynge of thin hoond, that thow shalt offre after the blessynge of the Lord thi God. And thou shalt eete before the Lord thi God, thou, and thi sone, and thi douȝtre, and thi seruaunt, and thin handmayde, and Leuyte that is with ynne thi ȝatis, and comlynge, and faderles child, and wydowe, that dwellen with ȝow, in place that the Lord thi God chesith, that his name dwelle there. And thou shalt record for seruaunt thou were in Egipt, and kepen and doon that ben comaundid. And the solempte of the tabernaclis thou shalt halwe, bi seuen days, whanne thou hast gedrid of the flore, and of the presse thi fruytis; and shalt eete in thi feest day, thou, and thi sone, and thi douȝter, and thi seruaunt, and handmayd, Leuyte also and comlynge, and faderlesse child, and widew, that ben with ynne thi ȝatis. Seuen days to the Lord thi God feestis thou shalt halowe, in the places that the Lord chesith; and the Lord thi God shal blesse to thee, in alle thi fruytis, and in al werk of thin hoondis, and thou shalt be in gladnes. Thre sithes in the ȝeer shal apere eche thi maal child in the siȝt of the Lord thi God, in the place that he chesith, in the solempnyte of therf looues, and the solempnyte of wekis, and in the solempnyte of tabernaclis. He shal not apere before the Lord voyd; but echon shal offre, after that he hath, after the blessynge of the Lord his God, that he ȝyueth to hym. Domesmen and maystris thow shalt ordeyn in alle thi ȝatis, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, bi alle thi lynagis, that thei demen the puple bi riȝt doom, ne into another paart declinen. Thou shalt not accept persone, ne ȝiftis, for ȝiftis blynden eyen of wise men, and chaungen wordis of riȝtwis men. Riȝtwisly that is riȝt thou shalt pursue, that thou lyue, and weeld the loond, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee. Thou shalt not plaunt a mawmet wode, and al tree biside the auter of the Lord thi God; ne thou shalt make to thee and ordeyn ymage; the whiche thingis hatith the Lord thi God.
Thow shalt not offre to the Lord thi God ox, and sheep, in whom is wemme, or eny thing of vice, for abhomynacioun it is to the Lord thi God. And whanne weren founden anentis thee, with ynne oon of thi ȝatis, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, man or womman, that doth yuel in siȝt of the Lord thi God, and ouerpasse the couenaunt of hym, that thei goon, and seruen to alien goddis, and honoure hem, the sunne, and the mone, and al the knyȝthod of heuen, the whiche thingis I comaunde not; and this were told to thee, and herynge thou enserchist bisilich, and fyndist it to be sooth, and abhomynacioun is doon in Yrael; thou shalt lede out the man and womman, that the moost yuel thing han doon, to the ȝatis of thi cytee, and with stonus thei shulen be throwen doun. In mouthe of two or three witnessis, shal perish he, that shal be slayn; no man be slayn, oon aȝens hym seiynge witnesse. The hoond of the witnessis first shal slee hym, and the hoond of that other puple last shal be put to, that thou doo a wey yuel fro the myddil of thee. If hard and dowtous anentis thee doom to be thow biholdist, bitwix blood and blood, cause and cause, lepre and not lepre, and of the domes men with ynne thi ȝatis thou seest the wordis to be varied; aryse, and sty vp to the place, that the Lord thi God hath chosun; and thow shalt come to the preestis of Leuyte kynde, and to the domysman that were that tyme; and thow shalt aske of hem, the whiche shulen shewe to thee the trewth of the dom. And thow shalt doo what euere thing thei seyn, that ben before to the place that the Lord hath chosun, and teche thee after the lawe of hym; thou shalt folowe the sentence of hem; thou shalt not bowe aside, to the riȝt or to the left. Who forsothe wexith prowd, not wilnynge to obeishe to the maundement of the preest, that that tyme serueth to the Lord thi God, and to the doom of the domysman, shal die that man; and thow shalt doo a wey yuel fro the myddil of Irael; and al the puple herynge shal drede, that no man therafter inwardli boln with prijd. And whanne thow shalt goo ynto the loond, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, and weeldist it, and dwellist yn it, and seist, Y shal set vp on me a kyng, as han alle naciouns bi enuyroun; hym thow shalt set, whom the Lord thi God chesith of the noumbre of thi bretheren. Thow shalt not mowe of other folk a man kyng make, that be not thi brother. And whanne he were ordeyned, he shal not multiplye to hym horses, ne lede aȝen puple into Egipt, bi noumbre of horsynge arered, namelich sith the Lord hath comaundid to ȝow, that no more bi the same weie ȝe turnen aȝen. He shal not haue many wyues, that mysdrawen the soule of hym, ne of siluer ne of gold greet birthens. And after that he sittith in the dygnyte of his rewme, he shal discriue to hym a declaracioun of this lawe in a volym, takynge a saumpler of the preestis of Leuyte lynage; and he shal haue it with hym, and he shal rede it alle the dais of his lijf, that he knowe to drede the Lord his God, and to kepe the wordis and cerymoyns of hym, that in the lawe ben comaundid; ne be areryd the herte of hym into prijd vpon his bretheren, ne bowe he aside in to the riȝt paart or left, that long tyme regne he, and his sones vpon Yrael.
Preestis and Leuytes, and alle that ben of the same lynage, shulen not haue part and herytage with that other puple of Yrael, for the sacrifices of the Lord, and offryngis of hym thei shulen eete; and noon other thing thei shulen take of the possessioun of her bretheren; forsothe the Lord he is the herytage of hem, as he hath spoke to hem. This shal be the doom of preestis of the puple, and of hem that offren slayn offryngis; whether oxe, or sheep thei offren, thei shulen ȝyue to the preest the shuldre, and the litil woombe, the first fruytis of whete, of wyn, and of oile, and a paart of wollis of sherynge of sheep. Forsothe hym the Lord thi God hath chosun, of alle thi lynages, that he stoonde and serue to the name of the Lord, he and his sones, into with outen ende. If a Leuyte goo out fro oon of his citees of al Yrael, in the which he dwellith, and desyrynge a place that the Lord chesith, wol come he shal serue in the name of the Lord his God, as alle his britheren Leuytis, that shulen stoonde that tyme before the Lord. That same paart of meetis he shal take, the which and other; out take that, that in his cytee of the fadre successyoun is owed to hym. Whanne thow goost into the loond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, be war that lest thow wol folowe the abhomynaciouns of thilk gentils; ne be foundun in thee that go aboute his sone, or his douȝter, ledynge bi the fier, other that askith dyuynours, that he kepe sweuens and dyuynyngis; ne be ther cleper of deuels, ne enchaunter, ne counseil rerers of deed men, ne dyuynours, and seche of the deed the treuth. Forsothe alle thes thingis the Lord wlatith, and for thes maner hidows synnes he shal doo hem awey in thin entre. Thow shal be parfite and with outen wemme, with the Lord thi God. Thes gentils, whos loond ȝe shulen weeld, brydd coniurers and dyuynours heren; forsothe thow of the Lord thi God otherweys art enfourmyd. A prophete of thi folk and of thi britheren as me, the Lord thi God shal arere to thee, hym thow shalt here; as thow hast askid of the Lord thi God, in Oreb, whanne the company was gedryd, and thow seydest, I shal here namore the voyce of the Lord my God, and this moost fier Y shal se namore, lest Y dye. And the Lord seide to me, Wel alle thingis thei han spoken. A prophet Y shal rere to hem, fro the myddil of her britheren, lijk thee; and I shal put my wordis in the mouth of hym, and he shal speek to hem alle thingis that Y comaunde to hym. Forsothe who the wordis of hym that spekith in my name, wol not here, Y veniesour shal be. Forsothe a prophete that thurȝ prijd bi shrewid, wil speke in my name thingis that Y comaundid not hym for to seye, other of name of alyen goddis, he shal be slayn. And if bi stille thouȝt thow answerst, What maner may I vndurstonde the word, that the Lord hath not spokun? this tokne thow shalt haue, That in the name of the Lord thilk prophete seith bifore, and cometh not, that the Lord hath not spokun, but bi bolnynge of his inwit the prophet hath feyned, and therfor thow shalt not drede hym.
Whanne the Lord thi God shal scatre the gentilis, whos loond he is to take to thee, and thow weeldist it, and dwellist in the citees of it, and in the howses; thre citees thow shalt seuer to thee in the myddil of the loond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee into possessioun. Thow shalt bisily make redi a weye, and dyuyde in thre partis euenlich al the prouynce of thi loond, that he that for manslauȝter is flowun, haue fro nyȝ whedir he may scaap. This shal be lawe of the mansleer fleynge, whos lijf is to be kept. He that smytith his neiȝbore vnwitynge, and that ȝisterday or the thridde day hens, noon aȝens hym to haue had haat is preued, but to haue goo aweye with hym symplich into the wode to trees to be kit, and in the hewynge of the trees the axe fleeth the hoond, and the yren, slipt of fro the haft, smytith his freend, and sleeth; this to oon of the forseid citees shal fleeȝ, and lyue; lest perauenture the next of kyn of hym, whos blood is shed, thurȝ sorwe styryd pursue, and take hym, if lenger the weie were, and smyte the soule of hym that is not gilty of deeth; for noon aȝens hym that is slayn haat to haue hadde before is shewid. Therfor Y comaunde to thee, that thre citees of euen space bitwixe hem self thow deuyde. Forsothe whanne the Lord thi God hath largid thi teermys, as he swore to thi fadres, and hath ȝyue to thee al the loond, that to hem he bihiȝt; if neuerthelater thow kepist the heestis of hym, and dost that to day I comaunde to thee, that thow loue the Lord thi God, and goo in his weyes al tyme, thow shalt adde to thee three other citees, and of the three cytese aboue seide the noumbre thow shalt dowble, that giltles blood be not shed in the myddil of the loond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee to be weldid, lest thou be of blood gilti. Forsothe if eny hauynge his neiȝbour to haat, weitid to the lijf of hym, and rysynge smyte hym, and were deed, and fleeth to oon of the aboue seid citees, the aldren of that citee shulen seende, and taken hym fro the place of his out fleynge; and thei shulen take into the hoond of the neiȝbour of hym, whos blood is shed, and he shal die, ne thow shalt haue mercy of hym; and thow shalt doo awey gilti blood fro Yrael, that wel it be to thee. Thow shalt not take, and ouerbere the teermes of thi neiȝbour, the whiche han maad rather men in thi possessioun, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, in the loond that thow takist to be weldid. O witnes shal not stoond aȝens eny man, what euere thing it were of synne, or of greet trespas; but in mouth of two or of three witnessis shal stoonde ech word. If there stoonde a witnes lyȝer aȝens man, accusynge hym of trespas, thei shulen stoond bothe, of whom is the cause, before the Lord, in the siȝt of preestis, and domysmen, that weren in thilk days. And whanne moost bisily enseerchynge thei fynden the fals witnes to haue seide aȝens his brothir leesynge, ȝeelde thei to hym, as he thouȝte to doo to his brother; and thou shalt doo awey yuel fro the myddil of thee, that othere men herynge, han drede, and be not hardy to doo siche thingis. Thow shalt not haue mercy of hym, but lijf for lijf, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hoond for hoond, foot for foot thow shalt axe.
If thow gost out to batail aȝens thin enemyes, and seest rydinge, and charys, and more multitude of the aduersarye oost than thow hast, thow shalt not drede hem; for the Lord thi God is with thee, that hath lad thee out of the loond of Egipt. And neyȝinge now batayl, the preest shal stoond bifore the poynt, and thus he shal spek to the puple, Here, Yrael, ȝe to day aȝens ȝoure enemyes doon fiȝt; drede not ȝoure herte, wol ȝe not be feerd; wole ȝe not ȝyue sted, ne drede ȝe hem; for the Lord ȝoure God is in the myddil of ȝow, and for ȝow aȝens the aduersaryes shal fiȝt, that he delyuer ȝow fro perel. The leders forsothe bi alle companyes, herynge the oost, shal crye, Who is the man that hath bild a newe hows, and hath not parformed it? goo he, and turne he aȝen into his hows, lest perauenture he dye in the bateyl, and another parfourme it. Who is that man that hath plauntid a vyn, and ȝit not hath maad it comoun, and of the which it is leeueful to alle men to eete? go he, and turn he aȝen into his hows, lest perauenture he dye in bateil, and another man his office vse. Who is a man that hath spousid a wijf, and hath not taak hir? goo he, and turn he aȝen into his hows, lest perauenture he dye in bateil, and another man take hir. Thes thingis seid, thei shulen adde other thinges, and spek to the puple, Who is a man dreedful, and with feerd herte? goo he, and turn aȝen into his hows, lest he make to drede the hertis of his britheren, and as he by dreed is gast. And whanne the duykis of the oost ben stil, and the eende of spekynge han doon, echon his companyes shal make redi to fiȝtynge. If eny tyme thow comest nyȝ to a citee to be ouercomen, first thow shalt offre to it pees. If he resseyue, and open to thee the ȝatis, al the puple that is in it shal be saued, and shal serue to thee vndur tribute. Forsothe if thei wolen not make couenaunt of pees, and bigynnen aȝens thee batayl, thow shalt fiȝt aȝens it. And whanne the Lord thi God hath take it to thee in thin hoond, thow shalt smyit al that is in it of maal kynde in mouth of the swerd, with outen wymmen, and litil children, and beestis, and other that ben in the cytee. Al the praye thow shalt dyuyde to the oost, and thou shalt eete of the spuyles of thin enemyes, that the Lord thi God hath ȝeue to thee. Thus thow shalt doo to alle cytees, that fro thee ben ful fer, and ben not of thes cytees that thow art to take into possessyoun. Forsothe of thes cytees that shal be ȝeue to thee, no man thow shalt suffre to lyue, but thow shalt slee in the mouth of swerd; Ethee, that is, and Amorre, and Chananee, and Phereze, Eue, and Jebusee, as the Lord thi God hath comaundid to thee; lest perauenture thei techen ȝow to doon alle abhomynacyouns, that thei han wrouȝt to her goddis, and ȝe synnen aȝens the Lord ȝoure God. Whanne thow besegist a citee myche tyme, and with waardis enuyrounnyst that thow ouercome it, thow shalt not kyt down trees, of the whiche may be eeten, ne bi enuyroun with axes thow shalt waast the regioun; for a tree it is and no man, ne yt may encrees the noumbre of men fiȝtynge aȝens thee. Forsothe if eny trees ben not berynge applis, but wijlde, and able into other vses, kit doun, and mak engynes, to the tyme that thow taak the cytee that fiȝtith aȝens thee.
Whanne there were founde in the loond that the Lord thi God is to ȝyue to thee, a careyn of a slayn man, and shal be vnknowun the gilti of the deth, the more thurȝ birth shulen goon out, and thi domesmen, and the spacis of alle the cytees bi enuyroun shal be meetid fro the place of the careyn; and which thei biholden be ner than other, the aldre men of that citee shulen taak a shee calf fro the droue, that hath not taak ȝok, ne loond hath kit with shaar; and thei shulen lede it to the rowȝ valey, and stony, that neuer was eeryd, ne seed hath resseyued; and thei shulen kit in it the scullis of the calf. And preestis, the sones of Leuy, whom the Lord thi God hath chosun, that thei seruen to hym, and blessen in his name, shulen goo to, and at the word of hem al the nede shal honge; and what euere thing is clene or vnclene, be it demyd. And the more thurȝ birth of that cytee shulen come to the slayn man, and thei shulen wasshe her hoondis vpon the shee calf, that ys smyten in the valey; and thei shulen seye, Oure hondis han not shad this blood, ne eyen han seen. Lord, be merciable to thi puple Yrael, that thow hast bouȝt, and rette not the innocent blood in the myddil of thi puple Irael. And the gilt of the blood shal be taak aweye fro hem. Forsothe thow shalt be alyen fro the blood of the innocent that is shad, whanne thow dost that the Lord hath comaundid. If thow gost out to the fiȝt aȝens thin enemyes, and the Lord thi God hath taken hem in thin hoond, and hast brouȝt chaytyues, and seest in the noumbre of cheytyues a feyr womman, and louest hir, and wolt han hir to wijf, thow shalt lede hir into thin hows; the which shal shaue the heer, and shal kyt about the naylis, and she shal do of the clooth in the which she is taak, and sittynge in thin hows, she shal weepe fader and hir moder o month; and aftyrward thow shalt goon yn to hir, and thow shalt sleep with hir, and she shal be thi wijf. Forsothe if afterward she sittith not in thin inwit, thow shalt leeue hir free, ne selle thow mayst bi money, ne oppresse bi power, for thow hast mekid hir. If a man haue two wyues, oon loued, and another odyows, and getith of hir free chyldren, and the sone of the odiows were first goten, and wold the substaunce among his sones dyuyde, he shal not mowe the sone of the loued make first goten, and put before the sone of the odiows, but the sone of the odyows he shal knowe first goten, and he shal ȝyue to hym of thes thingis that he hath alle thingis dowble; forsothe this is the bigynnynge of the free children of hym, and to this ben owen the first goten. If a man gete a rebel sone, and a fraward, that herith not the fadres and modres heest, and clepid to obeyshe, dispise, thei shulen taak hym, and lede to the aldre men of the citee of hym, and to the ȝate of doom; and thei shulen seye to hem, This oure sone is fraward, and rebel; oure heestis dispisith to here, to glotryes takith hede, and to leccherye, and to feestis. The puple of the cytee shal throw hym down with stonus, and he shal dye, that ȝe doon awei yuel fro the myddil of ȝou, and al Israel hering wexe afeerd. Whanne a man synneth that that is to punysshynge bi deth, and demed to deeth were hongid in the gebet, the careyn of hym shal not abide in the tree, but in the same day shal be biried; for cursid he is of God that hongith in the tree, and thow shalt not defoule thi loond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee into possessioun.
Thow shalt not see the oxe of thi brother, other sheep errynge, and biside passe, but thow shalt leede aȝen to thi brother. And if he is not thi niȝ brothir, ne knowist hym, thow shalt lede into thin hows, and thei shulen be anentis thee, as long as thi brothir sechith hem, and resseyue. Lijk maner thow shalt doo of asse, and of clothinge, and of al thing of thi brother, that is lost; if thow fynde it, ne leeue it as alyen. If thou seest the asse of thi brother, or oxe, to haue faln in the weie, thow shalt not dispise, but vndur heeue with hym. A womman shal not be clothid with mannus clothinge, ne man shal vse wommannus clothing; abomynable forsothe anentis God he is, that doth thes thingis. If goynge bi the weie, in tree or in erthe a nest of briddis thou fyndist, and the moder to the bryddis or to the eyren aboue sittynge, thow shalt not hold hyr with the sones, but thow shalt suffre hir to goo awey, holdynge the sones takyn, that wel it be to thee, and loong tyme thow lyue. Whanne thow bildist a newe hows, thow shalt mak the wal of the roof bi enuyroun, lest there be shad blood in thin hows, and thow be gilti, that other slidynge and fallynge hedlynge. Thou shalt not sowe thi vynȝeerd with other seed, lest and the seed that thow hast sowun, and that growen of the vynȝeerd, togidre ben halowed. Thow shalt not eere in oxe togidre and asse. Thow shalt not be clothid the clothing, that is weuen of wulle and of flex. Litil cordis in the hemmes thow shalt make bi foure corners of thi mantil, with the which thow shalt be couerd. If a man taak a wijf, and afterward haue hir to haat, and sechith occasioun bi the which he leeue hir, and castynge aȝens hyr a moost yuel name, and seye, This wijf I haue take, and goon yn to hir I foond hyr not mayde; the fadir and the moder of hir shulen taak hir, and bere with hem the toknes of hir maydynhod to the aldre men of the citee, that ben in the ȝate; and the fader shal seye, My douȝter I haue ȝyue wijf to this, whom for he hatith, he puttith to hir a moost yuel name, that he seye, I haue not founde thi dowȝter mayde; and loo! thes ben the tokens of the meydynhod of my douȝter; and thei shulen spreede out the clothing before the aldre men of the cytee. And the aldre men of the citee shulen taak the man of hir, and thei shulen beet hym, condempnynge also in an hundrid siclys of siluer, the whiche he shal ȝyue to the fader of the mayde, for he hath loosed the moost yuel name vpon a maydyn of Yrael; and he shal haue hir to wijf, and he shal not mowe leeue hir, al the tyme of his lijf. And if it is soth, that he putte aȝens hyr, and is not in the womman founden maydenhod, thei shulen throw hir out of the ȝatis of the hows of hir fader; and men of that citee shulen throw hyr down with stonus, and she shal dye, for she hath doon an vnleful thing in Yrael, that she dide lecherie in the hows of hir fader; and thow shalt doo awei yuel fro the myddil of thee. If a man sleep with the wijf of another, eyther shal die, that is, the auowtreer and the auowtresse; and thow shalt do awey yuel fro Yrael. If a womman mayden a man spowse, and eny man in the cytee fynde hir, and lye with hir, thow shalt lede either to the ȝate of that cytee, and thei shulen be throwun doun with stonus; the maydyn, for she cryed not, whanne she was in the cytee; the man, for he hath mekid the wijf of his neiȝbour; and thow shalt doo awey yuel fro the myddil of thee. Forsothe if in the feeld a man fynde a womman that is spowsid, and takynge ligge with hir, he shal dye alone; the womman no thing shal suffre, ne is gilti of deeth; for as a theef rysith aȝens his brother, and sleeth the soule of hym, so and the womman hath suffred; aloone she was in the feeld, and criede, and no man was niȝ that myȝt delyuer hir. If a man fynde a womman meydyn, that hath no spows, and takynge lie with hir, and the thing cometh to doom, he shal ȝyue, that hath slept with hyr, to the fader of the womman fifti sicles of siluer, and he shal haue hir to wijf, for he hath mekid hir; he shal not mowe leeue hyr, alle the dais of his lijf. A man shal not taak the wijf of his fader, ne shal opne the couerynge of hym.
A geldynge, the ballokis brisid, or kyt of, and the ȝerde kyt awey, shal not goon into the chirche of the Lord. The born of an hore shal not goon into the chirche of the Lord, vnto the tenthe generacioun. Amonytis and Moabites also aftir the tenthe generacioun shulen not goon into the chirche of the Lord, with outen eende; for thei wolden not aȝen come to ȝow with breed and water in the weie, whenne ȝe wenten out of Egipt; and for thei hiryd aȝens thee Balaam, the sone of Beor, fro Mesopotany of Syrye, for to curse to thee; and the Lord thi God wolde not here Balaam, and turnede the cursynge of hym into thi blessynge, forthi that he louede thee. Thou shalt not make with hem pees, ne seche thow to hem goodis, alle the days of thi lijf vnto with outen eende. Thow shalt not wlaat Ydome, for he is thi brother, ne Egipcian, for comlynge thow were in the loond of hem. Tho that weren born of hem, the thridde generacioun shulen go into the chirche of the Lord. Whanne thow gost out aȝens thin enemyes into fiȝt, thow shalt keep thee fro al yuel thing. If there were among ȝow a man that with nyȝt sleep is polut, he shal goo out of the tentis; and he shal not turn aȝen before that at euen he were wasshe with watyr; and after the sunne goynge down he shal turn aȝen into the tentis. Thow shalt haue a place out of the tentis, to the which thow shalt goon out to the needful thingis of kynde, berynge a stake in a girdel; and whanne thow sittist, thow shalt delue bi enuyrown, and the defied out thou shalt couer with erthe, in the whych thow art releued. Forsothe the Lord thi God goth in the myddil of tentis, that he delyuer thee, and taak to thee thin enemyes, that thi tentis ben hooli, and no thing in hem apere of filthed, lest he forsake thee. Thow shalt not take a seruaunt to his lord, that to thee hath flowen; he shal dwelle with thee in the place that to hym plesith, and in oon of thi citees shal rest; and make thow not hym sory. There shal be no strumpet of the douȝtres of Yrael, ne horlyng of the sones of Yrael. Thow shalt not offre the mede of the hoorhows, ne the prijs of an hounde, in the hows of the Lord thi God, what euere thing it be that thow auowist; for abomynacioun is either anentis the Lord thi God. Thow shalt not leene to thi brother at vsure money, ne fruytis, ne eny other thing, but to an alien. Forsothe to thi brother with outen vsure that that to hym nedith thow shalt lene, that the Lord thi God blisse to thee in al thi werke, in the loond to the which to be weeldid thow shalt goon yn. Whanne thow auowist auowe to the Lord thi God, thow shalt not tary to ȝeelde, for the Lord thi God shal requyre it; and if thow taryest, it shal be rettid to thee into synne. And if thow wolt not bihoot, thow shalt be with outen synne. Forsothe that that is onus goon out of thi lippis, thow shalt kepe wel, and do as thow hast bihoot to the Lord thi God, and thurȝ propre wil and thi mouth hast spokun. Thow goon vnto the vyn of thi neiȝbour, thow shalt eete grapis, as myche as it likith to thee; out forsothe ne beer thou with thee. If thow goo into the corn of thi freend, thow shalt breek eeris, and with the hoond brisse; forsothe with kuttynge yren thow shalt not reep.
If man taak a wijf, and haue hyr, and fynde no grace before the eyen of hir, for sum filthed, he shal wryte a libel of forsakynge, and he shal ȝyue in the hoond of hyr, and he shal leeue hir fro his hows. And whanne she goon out another housboond takith, and he forsothe hate hir, and ȝyue to hir a libel of forsakynge, and leeue fro his hows, other certeyn were deed, the first housboond shal not mowe taak her aȝen into wijf, for she is polut, and is maad abomynable before the Lord; lest thow make to synne thi loond, that the Lord thi God to thee hath taak to be weeldid. Whanne a man hath taak a wijf laate, he shal not goo forth to bateyl, ne to hym eny thing of nede shal be ioyned opynlich, but he shal taak hede with outen blame to his hows, that o ȝeer he ioye with his wijf. Thow shalt not taak in stedde of a wed the nethermore and ouermore grynstoon, for his lijf he putte to thee. If a man were taak bisili weytynge his brother of the sones of Yrael, and he solde take the prijs, he shal be slayn; and thow shalt do a wey yuel fro the myddil of thee. Bisily kepe wel, lest thow renne into plage of lepre, but thow shalt doon alle thingis that the prestis of Leuyte kynde han tauȝt thee, aftir that Y haue comaundid to hem, and fulfil bisily. Haue ȝe mynde what thingis the Lord ȝoure God dyde to Marye, in the weye, whanne ȝe wenten out of Egipt. Whanne thow shalt aȝen aske of thi neiȝbour eny thing that he owith to thee, thow shalt not goon into the hows of hym for to taak wed; but thow shalt stoond with out, and he to thee shal brynge forth that he hath. Forsothe if he is pore, the wed anentis thee shal not al nyȝt dwelle, but anoon thow shalt ȝeeld to hym before the goynge down of the sunne, that he, slepynge in his clothinge, blesse to thee, and thow haue ryȝtwisnes before the Lord thi God. Thou shalt not denye the mede of the nedi, and of the pore thi brother, or of comlynge that dwellith with thee in thi loond, and with ynne thi ȝatis is; but the same day thow shalt ȝeeld to hym the prijs of his traueyl, before the sunne goynge down, for he is pore, and of it susteyneth his lijf; lest he crye aȝens thee to the Lord, and be rettid to thee into synne. Fadrys shulen not be slayn for the sones, ne sones for the fadris, but echon for his own synne shal dye. Thow shalt not peruert the doom of the comlyng, and faderles child; ne thow shalt taak awey in stede of a wed the clooth of the widewe. Haue mynde that thow hast serued in Egipt, and the Lord thi God hath delyuered thee thens; therfor I comaunde to thee that thow doo this thing. Whanne thow repist corn in thi feeld, and a forȝetun handful thow leeuest, thow shalt not turn aȝen for to taak it, but the comlynge, and faderles child, and widewe thow shalt suffre to bere a wey, that the Lord thi God blesse to thee in al the werk of thin hoondis. If thou gedrest fruytis of olyues, what euere leeue in the trees, thow shalt not turn aȝen for to gedre, but thow shalt leeue to the comlynge, faderles child, and widewe. If thou kuttist thi vyn from grapis to wyn, thou shalt not gedre the leeuynge reysens, but thei shulen falle into the vse of the comlynge, faderles child, and widewe. Haue mynde that thow seruedist in Egipt, and therfor Y comaunde to thee, that thow doo this thing.
If there were a cause bitwex eny men, and han askid iugis, whom thei biholden to be ryȝtwyse, to hym the palme of riȝtwisnes thei shulen ȝyue, whom wickid, thei shulen condempne of wickidnes. Forsothe if hym that hath synned thei seen worthi, thei shulen throw doun with scourgis, and before hem thei shulen make to be betun; for the mesure of synne shal be and the maner of scourgyngis, so oonlich, that the fourtith noumbre thei ouer passe not, lest foulich rent before thin eyen thi brother go awey. Thow shalt not bynde the mouth of the oxe tredinge thi fruytis in the flore. Whanne bretheren dwellen togidre, and oon of hem with outen free children were deed, the wijf of the deed shal not wedde to another, but shal taak hir his brother, and he shal arere the seed of his brother. And the fyrst goten sone of hyr he shal clepe bi the name of hym, that the name of hym be not doon a wey fro Yrael. Forsothe if he wol not taak the wijf of his brother, that to hym bi the lawe is owid, the womman shal goo to the ȝate of the cyte; and she shal aske the more men thurȝ birth, and shal seye, The brother of my man wol not arere seed of his brother in Yrael, ne me into wedlok taak. And anoon thei shulen maak hym to be clepid, and thei shulen aske. If he answere, I wol not taak hir to wijf; the womman shal come nyȝ to hym, before the aldre men, and she shal taak the sho of his foot, and spit in his face, and seye, Thus it shal be doo to a man, that wol not bilde vp the hows of his brother; and shal be clepid the name of hym in Yrael, The hows of the vnshod. If there han two men bytwix hem self chidynge, and oon aȝens that other bigynneth to iangle, and wilnynge the wijf of that other to delyuer hir man fro the hoond of the strenger, and hath put the hoond, and takun the shamfast membris of hym, thow shalt kut of the hoond of hir, ne be bowid on hyr with eny mercy. Thow shalt not haue in sak dyuerse weiȝtis, more and lasse, ne there shal be in thin hows a busshel more and lasse. Weiȝt thow shalt haue iust and verrey, and euen busshel and verrey shal be to thee, that myche tyme thou lyue vpon erthe that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee. The Lord forsothe shal wlaat hym that doth thes thingis, and withstoondith alle vnriȝtwisnesses. Haue mynde what thingis dide to thee Amalech in the weye, whanne thow wentist out of Egipt; what maner wise he aȝen cam to thee, and the eendis of thi felawship, that wery abeden, slewȝ, whanne thow were defoulid with hungre and traueil, and dredde not God. Therfor whanne the Lord thi God hath ȝyue to thee rest, and maad sugettis alle naciouns bi enuyroun, in the loond that he hath bihoot to thee, thow shalt doo a wey his name vndre heuene; be war lest thow forȝete.
Whanne thow comyst into the loond that the Lord thi God is to ȝyue to thee to be weeldid, and holdist it, and dwellist in it, thow shalt taak of alle thi fruytis the cheef, and put in a leep; and thow shalt goo to the place that the Lord thi God hath chosun, that there be inwardly clepid the name of hym. And thow shalt goon to the preest that were in tho days, and seye to hym, I knowleche to day before the Lord thi God, that Y am comen into the loond, for the which he hath swore to oure fadris, that he shulde ȝyue it to vs. And the preest takynge the leep of thin hoond, shal put before the auter of the Lord thi God. And thow shalt speke in the siȝt of the Lord thi God, Sirus pursuede my fader, that descendide into Egipt, and there pilgrimagide in moost fewe noumbre; and he growide into a greet folk of kynde, and strong, and of multitude with out ende. And the Egipciens greuowsly traueilyden vs, and pursueden, puttynge on moost greuows birthens. And we crieden to the Lord God of oure faders, that hath herde vs, and bihold oure mekenes, and traueyl, and anguysses; and he hath lad vs out of Egipt in a myȝti hoond, and in an arme streiȝt out, in greet drede, in toknes, and wondres, and brouȝte into this place; and hath taak to vs the loond mylk and hony flowynge. And therfor nowe Y offre to thee the cheef of the fruytis of the erthe that the Lord hath ȝeue to me. And thow shalt leeue hem in the siȝt of the Lord thi God. And the Lord thi God honourd, thow shalt eete in alle goodis that the Lord thi God hath ȝeue to thee and to thin hows, thow, and Leuytis, and comlyng, that is with thee. Whanne thow hast fulfillid the tithe of alle thi fruytis, the ȝeer of tithis the thridde, thow shalt ȝeue to Leuyte, and comlynge, and faderles child, and widewe, that thei eten with ynne thi ȝatis, and ben fulfillid. And thou shalt speke in the siȝt of the Lord thi God, Y haue brouȝt that is halowid fro myn hows, and haue ȝyue it to Leuyte, and comlynge, and faderles child, and widewe, as thow hast comaundid to me; I haue not passid biside thin heestis, ne haue forȝet thi maundement. Y haue not eete of hem in my sorwe, ne haue seuerd hem in eche vnclennes, ne haue spendid of hem eny thing in thing of deed coors. Y haue obeishid to the voyce of the Lord my God, and haue doo alle thingis that thow hast comaundid to me. Bihold fro thi sanctuary, fro the hiȝe dwellynge place of heuens, and blesse thow to thi puple Yrael, and to the loond that thow hast ȝyue to vs, as thow hast swore to oure fadres, to the loond mylk and hony flowynge. To day the Lord thi God hath comaundid to thee, that thow doo thes maundementis and domys, that thow kepe and fulfil of al thin hert, and of al thi soule. The Lord thow hast chosun to day, that he be to thee God, and thow goo in the weies of hym, and keep his cerymoyns, and heestis, and domys, and obeish to his maundement. Loo! the Lord hath chosen thee to day, that thow be to hym a special puple, as he hath spoken to thee, and thow keep alle the heestis of hym; and he shal maak thee hiȝer than alle the folkis, that he hath maad of nouȝt, into preysynge, and name, and his glorye; that thow be an holy puple of the Lord thi God, as he hath spokun.
Moyses forsothe hath comaundid, and the eldren, to the puple of Yrael, seiynge, Keep ȝe eche maundement that I comaunde to ȝow to day. Whanne ȝe han passid ouere Jordan, into the loond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, thow shalt arere greet stonus, and with plastre thow shalt dawbe hem, that thow mowe wryte in hem alle the wordis of this lawe, Jordan ouergoon, that thow goo into the lond that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee, the loond mylk and hony flowynge, as he hath swore to thi fadres. Whanne thanne thow shalt ouerpas Jordan, arere the stonus that Y to day comaunde to thee, in the mownt of Hebal; and thow shalt dawbe hem with plastre. And thow shalt bild there up an auter to the Lord thi God, of stonus whom yrun hath not towchid, and of stonus vnfourmed and vnpolishid; and thow shalt offre vpon it brent sacrificis to the Lord thi God; and thow shalt offre pesible oostis, and thow shalt eete there, and make metship before the Lord thi God. And thow shalt wryte vpon the stonus alle the wordis of this lawe, pleynly and cleerli. And Moyses and the preestis of Leuyte kynde seiden to al Yrael, Tak hede, and here thow, Yrael; to day thow art maad the puple of the Lord thi God; thow shalt here the voice of hym, and do the heestis, and ryȝtwisnesses, that I comaunde to thee. And Moyses comaundide to the puple in that day, seiynge, Thes shulen stoond to blesse the Lord vpon the hil of Garysym, Jordan put ouer; Symeon, Leuy, Judas, Ysachar, Joseph, and Beniamyn. And forn aȝens thes shulen stoond to curse in the hil of Hebal, Ruben, Gad, and Aser, Zabulon, Dan, and Neptalym. And the Leuytes shulen pronounce, and seye to alle men of Irael, with an hiȝe voice, Cursid be the man that makith grauen thing and ȝotun, abomynacioun of the Lord, the werk of the hoondis of crafti men, and shal put it in hidils; and al the puple shal answer, and seye, Amen! Cursid that honoureth not his fader and moder; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that ouerberith the teermes of his neiȝbore; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that makith to erre the blynde in the weye; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that peruertith doom of comlynge, faderles child, and widewe; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that slepith with the wijf of his fader, and opneth the couerynge of his bed; and al the puple shal seie, Amen! Cursid that slepith with eny beest; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that slepith with his sister, douȝter of his fader, or of his moder; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that slepith with his wyues moder; and al the puple shal seie, Amen! Cursid that priuely smytith his neiȝbour; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that slepith with the wijf of his neiȝbour; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that takith ȝiftis, that he smyte the soule of the innocent blood; and al the puple shal seye, Amen! Cursid that dwellith not in the wordis of this lawe, ne hem in deede fulfillith; and al the puple shal seye, Amen!
If forsothe thow herist the voyce of the Lord thi God, that thow doo and kepe alle the heestis of hym, that Y comaunde to thee to day, the Lord thi God shal make thee hiȝer than alle the folkis of kynde, that dwellen in erthe. And there shulen come vpon thee alle thes blissyngis, and shulen taak thee; if neuerthelater the heestis of hym thow herist. Blessid thow in the citee, and blessid in the feeld; blessid the fruyt of thi wombe, and the fruyt of thin erthe, and the fruyt of thi beestis, the flockis of thi droues, and the fooldis of thi sheep; blissid thi beernes, and blessyd thi relikis; blessid thow shalt be ingoynge, and out goynge. The Lord shal ȝyue thin enemyes, that rysen aȝens thee, fallynge in thin siȝt; bi o weye thei shulen come aȝens thee, and bi seuen thei shulen flee fro thi face. The Lord shal seend out blessynge vpon thi celers, and vpon alle the werkis of thin hoondis; and he shal blesse to thee in the loond that thow shalt taak. The Lord shal rere thee to hym into an hooli puple, as he hath swore to thee, if thou kepyst the heestis of the Lord thi God, and gost in the weies of hym. And alle the puples of erthes shulen seeyȝen, that the name of the Lord be inwardly clepid vpon thee, and thei shulen drede thee. To be plenteuous in alle goodis the Lord shal make thee, in fruytis of thi wombe, and fruyt of thi beestys, fruyt of thi loond, that the Lord hath swore to thi fadres, for to ȝyue to thee. The Lord shal opne his best tresour, heuene, that he ȝyue reyn to thi loond in his tyme; he shal blesse to alle the werkys of thin hoondis; and thow shalt okyr to many folkis, and thi self shal not borwe to oker of eny man. The Lord thi God shal sett thee into heed, and not into tayl, and thow shalt be euere more aboue, and not vndur; if neuerthelater thow here the maundementis of the Lord thi God, that Y comaunde to thee to day, and kepist, and dost, and bowist not aside fro hem, ne to the riȝt, ne to the left, ne hast not folwid alien goddis, ne heried hem. And if thou wolt not here the vois of the Lord thi God, that thow keep and doo alle the maundementis of hym, and cerymoyns, that Y comaunde to thee to day, shulen come vpon thee alle thes malysouns, and holde thee. Cursid thow shalt be in citee, cursed in feeld; cursid thi bern, and cursid thi relikis; cursid the fruyt of thi wombe, and the fruyt of thin erthe, the droues of thin oxen, and the flockis of thi sheep. Cursid thow shalt be ingoynge, and cursid out goynge. The Lord shal sende vpon thee hungre inward, and hungre outward, and blamyng into alle thi werkis that thow shalt do, to the tyme that he trede thee doun, and lese swiftly, for thi moost yuel fyndyngis, in the whiche thow hast forsakun me. Joyn to thee the Lord pestilence, to the tyme that he waast thee fro the erthe, to the which thow shalt goon in to be weeldyd. Smyit thee the Lord with nede, feuer, and coold, and brennynge, and heet, and corrupt eyre, and rust; and pursue he to the tyme that thou peryshe. Be heuene that is aboue thee braasny; and the lond that thou tredist yrony. Ȝyue the Lord the wedre of thin erthe powdre, and fro heuene come down vpon thee askis, to the tyme that thow be al to-powned. Tak thee the Lord fallynge down before thin enemyes; bi o weye go thow out aȝens hem, and bi seuen fle thow, and be thou scatered thurȝ out alle the rewmes of the erthe; and be thi careyn into meete to alle the foulis of heuene, and beestis of the erthe, and be there noon that driue aweye. Smyit thee the Lord with the byil of Egipt, and the paart of the bodi bi the which toordis ben sheten out, with scab forsothe and itchynge, so that thow may not be helid. Smyit thee the Lord with madnes, and blyndnes, and with woodnes of thouȝt; and thow shalt graasp in mydday, as is woned a blynd man to graasp in derknissis; and make he not redi thi weyes; and alle tymes wrong chalenge suffre thou, and be thow born down with vyolence, ne haue thow that delyuer thee. A wijf tak thow, and another man sleep with hyr; an hows bild thow, and dwel thow not in yt; plaunt thow a vyn, and kut thow not the grapis of it. Thin ox be slayn before thee, and eete thow not of it; thin asse be cauȝt in thi siȝt, and be it not ȝoldun to thee; thi sheep be thei ȝouen to thin enemyes, and be there noon that thee help. Thi sones and thi douȝtren be thei takun to another puple, seynge thin eyen, and defaylynge at the siȝt of hem al day; and be there not strength in thin hoond. The fruyt of thin erthe, and alle thi traueyls eete the puple that thow knowist not; and be thow euer more wronge chalengis susteininge, and born doun alle days, and stonyed at the drede of tho thingis that thin eyen shulen seen. Smyit thee the Lord with the moost yuel biel in knees, and in sparlyuers; and mow thow not be helid fro the sool of the foot vnto the nol. And the Lord shal leede thee, and thi kyng, whom thow hast ordeynd vpon thee, into a folk that knowist not, thow, and thi fadris; and thow shalt serue there to alien goddys, tree, and stone. And thow shalt be lost into proueerb, and fable to alle puplis, to the whiche the Lord shal inleede thee. Myche seed thow shalt throw in to the loond, and litil thou shalt gedre; for locustis shulen deuowre alle thingis. A vyn thow shalt plaunt, and delue, and wyn thow shalt not drynke, ne gedre of it eny thing; for it shal be wastyd with wormes. Olyues thow shalt haue in alle thi teermes, and thow shalt not be anoynt with oyle; for thei shulen falle awey, and perishen. Sones and douȝtres thow shalt geete, and thow shalt not vse hem; for thei shulen be lad into chaytifte. Alle thi trees and fruytis of thi loond rust shal waast. A comlynge, that dwellith with thee in the loond, shal stey up vpon thee, and shal be hiȝer; forsothe thow shalt goo doun, and be lower. He shal oker to thee, and thow shalt not oker to hym; he shal be into heed, and thow shalt be into tayl. And there shulen come vpon thee alle thes malisouns, and pursuynge shulen holde thee, to the tyme that thow dye; for thow hast not herd the voyce of the Lord thi God, ne hast kept the maundementis of hym, and cerymoyns, that he hath comaundid to thee. And there shulen be in thee sygnes, and wondres, and in thi seed, vnto with outen ende; forthi that thow hast not serued to the Lord thi God in ioy of herte and gladnes, for plenteuowsnes of alle thingis. Thou shalt serue to thin enemye, that God shal send into thee, in hungre, and threst, and nakidnes, and scaarsnes of alle thingis; and he shal put on an yren ȝok vpon thi scol, to the tyme that he haue al to-treede thee. The Lord shal brynge vpon thee a folk fro aferre, and fro the vttermoost coostis of the erthe, into liknes of a fleynge egle with feersnes, whos tonge thow mayst not vnderstond; moost gredi folk, that shal not spaar to the old, ne haue mercy of the litil child. And he shal deuowr the fruyt of thi beestis, and fruytis of thin erthe, to the tyme that thow dye, and leeue he not to thee corn, wyn, and oyle, droues of oxen, and flockis of sheep, to the tyme that he scatre thee, and al to-treede thee in alle thi citees; and thi fast wallis and hiȝe shulen be destruyed, in the whiche thow haddist trust in al thi loond. Thow shalt be ensegid, with ynne thi ȝatis in al thi loond, that the Lord thi God shal ȝyue to thee. And thow shalt ete the fruyt of thi woombe, and the flesh of thi sones, and of thi douȝtren, that the Lord thi God hath ȝeue to thee, in angwish and wastete, with the which thin enemye shal oppresse thee. A man delicate of lijf, and leccherous myche, shal enuye to his brother, and to the wijf that sittith in his bosum, that he ȝyue not to hem of the flesh of his sones, the whiche he shal eete; forthi that no thing other he haue in the segynge and scaarsenes, that thin enemyes han wastid thee with ynne alle thi ȝatis. A tendre womman and a delicate, the which vpon the erthe myȝte not go, ne fitch the stap of the foot, for softnes and moost tendrenes, shal enuye to hir man that restith in the bosum of hir, vpon the sone and douȝtres flesh, and the filth of the lityl fellis, that goon out fro the myddil of the hippis of hyr, and vpon the free children that ben born in the same our. Thei shulen ete hem priuely, for the scaarsnesse of alle thingis in the seege and waastete, bi the which thin enemy shal oppresse thee with ynne thi ȝatis. But if thow keep and doo alle the wordis of this lawe, that ben wryten in this volym, and drede the name of him gloriows and feerful, that is the Lord thi God, the Lord shal encrees thi veniaunces, and veniauncis of thi seed; greet veniaunces and stedfast, infirmytees moost yuel and euerelastynge. And he shal turn into thee alle the turmentyngis of Egipt, that thow hast dredde, and thei shulen cleue to thee. Forthermore and alle the langouris and veniauncis, the whiche ben not wryten in the volym of this lawe, the Lord shal brynge vpon thee, to the tyme that he haue al totrode thee. And ȝe shulen leeue fewe in noumbre, that weren before as sterrys of heuene for multitude; for thow herdist not the voice of the Lord thi God. And as before thee the Lord gladdide vpon ȝow, wel doynge to ȝow, and ȝow multipliynge; so he shal be glad, ȝow scaterynge and vndurturnynge, that ȝe ben doon awey fro the loond, to the which thow shalt go in to be weeldid. The Lord shal scater thee into alle puplis, fro the hiȝte of the erthe vnto the teermes of it; and thou shalt serue there to alien goddis, the whiche thow knowist not, and thi fadris, to trees and stonus. In tho folkis forsothe thow shalt not rest, ne shal be rest to the stap of thi foot. Forsothe the Lord shal ȝyue to thee there a dreedful herte, and faylynge eyen, and a sowle wastid with priue sorwe. And thi lijf shal be as hongynge before thee; thow shalt drede nyȝt and day, and thow shalt not trowe to thi lijf. Eerli thow shalt seye, Who ȝyueth to me euen? and at euen, Who ȝyueth to me eerlich? for the drede of thin herte, bi the which thow shalt be agast, and for tho thingis that thow shalt se with thin eyen. And the Lord shal brynge thee aȝen with multitude of shippis into Egipt, bi the weye of the which he seide to thee, that yt thow shuldist se no more. There thow shalt be sold to thin enemyes, into thrallis and thrallessis; and there shal not be that bigge.
Thes ben the wordis of the couenaunt of pees, that the Lord hath comaundid to Moyses, that he should smyte with the sones of Yrael in the loond of Moab, biside that boond of pees, that with hem he couenauntide in Oreb. And Moyses clepide al Yrael, and seide to hem, Ȝe han seen alle thingis that the Lord hath doo before ȝow in the loond of Egipt, to Pharao, and alle the seruauntis of hym, and to al the loond of hym; greet temptaciouns, that thin eyen seen, thilk sygnes, and greet wondres. And the Lord ȝaf not to ȝow an vndurstondynge herte, and seynge eyen, and eeris that miȝten here, vnto the day that is nowe. He ladde ȝow fourti ȝeer bi deseert; ȝoure clothes ben not apeyred, ne the shoon of ȝoure feet for eeld ben not wastid; breed ȝe eeten not, wyn and sidre ȝe dronken not, that ȝe shulden knowe for he is the Lord ȝoure God. And ȝe ben comen to this place; and Seon, the kyng of Esebon, went out, and Og, the kyng of Basan, aȝen comynge to ȝow to fiȝt. And we smyten hem, and token the loond of hem, and ȝauen to be weeld to Ruben, and Gad, and to the half lynage of Manasse. Keep ȝe therfor the wordis of this couenaunt, and fulfil hem, that ȝe vndurstonden alle thingis that ȝe shulden doo. Ȝe stonden to day alle before the Lord ȝoure God, ȝoure princes, and lynagis, and the more thurȝ birth, and doctours, al the puple of Irael, free children, ȝour wyues, and comlyngis that with thee dwellen in tentes, out taak the hewers of trees, and hem that beren watris; that thow passe in the couenaunt of the Lord thi God, and in the ooth that the Lord thi God smytith with thee, that he arere thee to hym into a puple, and he be the Lord thi God, as he hath spokun to thee, and as he hath sworn to thi fadres Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob. Ne to ȝow alone I this couenaunt smyte, and thes oothes conferme, but to alle present and absent. Forsothe ȝe han knowe what maner wise we dwelten in the loond of Egipt, and what maner wise we passiden bi the myddil of naciouns; the whiche passynge, ȝe seen abomynaciouns, and filthis, that is, mawmettis of hem, tree and stoon, siluer and gold, that thei heryeden. Lest perauenture there be among ȝow man or womman, meyne or lynage, whos herte is turned a wey to day fro the Lord ȝoure God, that he goo, and serue to goddis of other gentils; and be among ȝow a rote burionynge gal and bitternes; and whanne he hadde herd the wordis of this ooth, he blesse to hym in his herte, seiynge, Pees shal be to me, and Y shal go in the shrewidnes of myn herte; and a dronken take the thristi, and the Lord forȝyue not to hym, but thanne moost the woodnes of hym shal wax feers, and gelows aȝens that man, and sitten vpon hym alle the cursid thingis that ben wryten in this volym; and he doo awey the name of hym vnder heuene, and waast hym into the lost fro alle lynagis of Yrael, after the malisouns that in the book of this lawe and couenaunt ben conteyned. And the generacioun folowynge shal seye, and the sones that shulen be born therafter, and pilgrymys, and fro aferre comen, seynge the veniauncis of that loond, and the infirmytees, with the whiche the Lord tourmentid it, with brimstoon, and brennynge with heet of the sunne, so that forthermore it be not sowed, ne eny thing green burioun, into ensaumple of the vndurturnynge of Sodom and Gomor, Adame and Soboym, the whiche the Lord vndurturned in wreth, and in his woodnes. And al folk shulen seye, Whi thus the Lord hath doon to this loond? What is this greet wrath with outen mesure of his woodnes? and thei shulen answere, For thei han forsake the couenaunt of the Lord, that he couenauntide with the faders of hem, whanne he lad hem out of the loond of Egipt, and serueden to alien goddis, and honoureden hem whom thei knewen not, and to whom thei weren not taken to; therfor wraththed the woodnes of the Lord aȝens this loond, that he brouȝt in vpon it alle the cursid thingis that in this volym ben wryten; and he keste hem out fro his loond in wraththe, in woodnes, and in moost indignacyoun; and he keste aferre in to an alyen loond, as to day is preued. Hid thingis of the Lord oure God ben, that ben open to vs, and to oure sones vnto with outen ende, that we doon alle thingis of this lawe.
Whanne therfor were comen vpon thee alle thes wordes, blessynge or malysoun, that I haue purposid in thi siȝt, and brouȝt thurȝ forthenkyng of thin herte in alle folkis of kynde, into the whiche the Lord thi God hath scatred thee, and were turned aȝen to hym, and obeyshidest to the heestis of him, as Y to day comaunde to thee, with thi sones, in al thin herte and in al thi soule, and the Lord thi God shal bryng thee aȝen fro thi chaytifte, and shal haue mercy of thee, and eft shal gedre thee fro alle puplis, into the whiche thee before he scatride; if to the eendis of heuene thow were scatryd, thens shal aȝen drawe thee the Lord thi God; and shal taak, and brynge into the loond that weldiden thi fadris; and thow shalt holde it, and blessynge to thee, of more noumbre he shall make thee to be than weren thi fadris. The Lord thi God shal circumcyde thin herte, and the herte of thi seed, that thow loue the Lord thi God in al thin herte and in al thi soule, and thow may lyue. Forsothe alle thes malisouns the Lord shal turn vpon thin enemyes, and hem that haten thee thei shulen pursue. Forsothe thow shalt turne aȝen, and here the voice of the Lord thi God, and thow shalt doo alle the maundementis that I comaunde to thee to day; and the Lord thi God shal make thee to be plenteuous in alle the werkis of thin hoondis, in the progeny of thi woomb, and in the fruyt of thi beestis, in plenteuowste of thin erthe, and in largyte of alle thingis. Forsothe the Lord shal turne aȝen, that he ioye on thee in alle goodis, as he ioyede in thi fadres; if neuerthelater thow herest the voyce of the Lord thi God, and kepist the heestis of hym, and cerymoyns, that in this lawe ben writen, and turn aȝen to the Lord thi God, in al thin herte, and in al thi soule. This heest that I comaunde to thee to day, is not aboue thee, ne ferre put, ne in heuene set, that thow maist seye, Who of vs may to heuene sty vp, that he brynge it to vs, and we heren it, and fulfillen in dede? ne biȝond see set, that thow pleyn, and seye, Who of vs may passe ouer the see, and it to vs hidir brynge, that we mowen here, and doon that that is comaundid? But riȝt nyȝ thee is the word, in thi mouth and in thin herte, that thow doo it. Bihold that to day I haue purposid in thi siȝt lijf and good, and aȝenward deth and yuel; that thow loue the Lord thi God, and goo in the weies of hym, and keep the heestis of hym, and cerymoyns, and domes; and thow lyue, and he multiplie thee, and blesse to thee, in the loond to the which to be weeldid thow shalt goon yn. Forsothe if thin herte were turned awey, and woldist not here, and bi errour disseyued honourist alyen goddis, and seruest hem, I before seye to thee to day, that thow perishe, and litil tyme thow shalt dwelle in the loond, to the which Jordan ouer put thow shalt goon yn, that it be weeldid. Wytnesses Y inwardly clepe heuene and erthe to day, that Y haue purposid to ȝow lijf and deth, good and yuel, blessynge and cursynge; chees therfor lijf, that and thow lyue and thi seed, and thow loue the Lord thi God, and thow obeysh to his voyce, and to hym thow drawe to; forsothe he is thi lijf, and the lengthe of thi days; that thow dwelle in the loond, for the which the Lord hath swore to thi fadris Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob, that he ȝeue it to hem.
And so Moyses ȝede, and spak alle thes wordes to al Yrael, and seide to hem, Of an hundrid and twenti ȝeer Y am to day, Y may namore goon out and come yn, namelich whanne and the Lord hath seide to me, Thow shalt not passe this Jordan. Therfor the Lord thi God shall passe before thee; he shal doo a wey alle thes gentils in thi siȝt, and thow shalt weeld hem; and this Josue shal passe before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. And the Lord shal doo to hem as he dide to Seon, and to Og, the kyng of Amorreis, and to the loond of hem; and he shal do hem a wey. Whanne thanne and thes he shal taak to ȝow, lijk maner ȝe shulen doo to hem, as I haue comaundid to ȝow. Manlich do ȝe, and be ȝe coumfortid; wole ȝe not be feerd, ne dred at the siȝt of hem, for the Lord thi God he ys thi leder, and he shal not leeue, ne forsaak thee. And Moises clepide Josue, and seide to hym before al the multitude of the sones of Yrael, Tak coumfort, and be thow strong; forsothe thow shal lede in this puple into the loond that the Lord hath sworn hym to ȝeuynge to the faders of hem; and thow shalt it dyuyde bi lot. And the Lord that is ȝour leder, he shal be with thee, ne shal leeue ne forsaak thee; wole thow not drede, ne be feerd. And so Moyses wroot this lawe, and took it to the preestis, the sones of Leuy, that beren the ark of the boond of pees of the Lord, and to alle the aldren of Yrael. And he comaundide to hem, seiynge, After seuen ȝeer the ȝeer of remyssioun, in the solempnytees of the tabernaclis, alle men of Yrael comynge togidre, that thei aperen in the siȝt of the Lord her God, in the place that the Lord hath chosun, thow shalt rede the wordis of this lawe before al Yrael, hem herynge, and in oon al thi puple gedrid, as wel men as wymmen, litil children, and comlyngis that ben with ynne thi ȝaatis; that herynge thei lernen, and dreden the Lord oure God, and keep and fulfille alle the wordis of this lawe; forsothe the sones of hem that now vnknowen, that thei mowen here, and thei dredden the Lord her God alle days in the whiche thei dwellen in erthe to the which, Jordan ouer put, ȝe shulen goon that it be had. And the Lord seide to Moyses, Loo! nyȝ ben the days of thi deeth; cleep Josue, and stoond ȝe in the tabernacle of witnessynge, that Y comaunde to hym. Therfor Moyses and Josue ȝeden, and stoden in the tabernacle of witnessynge; and the Lord aperide there in a pelere of a clowde, that stood in the entre of the tabernacle. And the Lord seide to Moyses, Loo! thow shalt sleepe with thi fadris, and this puple arysynge shall doo fornycacioun after alien goddis, in the loond to the which he shal goon yn, and dwelle in it; there he shal forsaak me and make at nouȝt the couenaunt of pees, that Y couenauntid with hym. And my woodnes shal wraththe aȝens hym in that day, and Y shal forsaak hym, and hiyde my face fro hym, and he shal be into deuowrynge; and alle yuels and turmentyngis shulen fynde hym, so that he seie in that day, Forsothe for God is not with me, thes yuels han foundun me. Forsothe Y shal hide, and hile my face in that day, for alle the yuels that he hath doo, for he hath folwid alien goddis. And so now wryte ȝe to ȝow this songe, and teche ȝe the sones of Yrael, that myndfulli thei hoolden, and with mouth synge; and this dyte be to me for witnessinge among the sones of Yrael. Forsothe I shal leede hym into the loond, for the which I haue sworn to the fadris of hym, mylk and hony flowynge; and whanne thei hadden eete, and weren fillid, and fat, thei shulen turn to alien goddis, and serue to hem; and myssey to me, and thei shulen make at nouȝt my couenaunt. After that many yuels and tourmentyngis han founden hym, this songe shal answere to hym for witnessynge, that no forȝetynge shal doo awey fro the mouth of thi seed. I knowe forsothe the thowȝtis of hym, what thingis he be to doo, to day or Y lede hym into the loond that I haue bihoot to hym. Thanne Moyses wroot a songe, and tauȝte the sones of Yrael. And the Lord comaundide to Josue, the sone of Nun, and seith, Tak coumfort, and be stronge; forsothe thou shal brynge yn the sones of Yrael into the loond that I haue bihoot, and I shal be with thee. After thanne that Moises wroot the wordes of this lawe in a volym, and fulfillide, he comaundide to the Leuytis that beren the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord, seiynge, Take ȝe this book, and puttith it in the side of the arke of the boond of pees of the Lord ȝoure God, that it be there aȝens thee into witnessynge. Forsothe Y knowe thi stryuynge, and thi moost hard nol; ȝit lyuynge me, and goynge yn with ȝowe, euermore stryuyngly ȝe diden aȝens the Lord; myche more whanne I shal be deed. Gedre ȝe to me alle the more thurȝ birth, bi ȝoure lynages, and doctours, and I shal speke hem, herynge thes wordes, and I shal inwardly clepe aȝens hem heuene and erthe. Forsothe I haue knowun, that after my deeth wickidlich ȝe shulen doo, and ȝe shulen bowe aside soon fro the wey that I haue comaundide to ȝow; and there shulen come aȝens to ȝou yuels in the last tyme, whanne ȝe han doon yuel in the siȝt of the Lord, that ȝe terren hym bi the werkys of ȝoure hoondis. Thanne Moyses spak, herynge al the company of Yrael, the wordis of this dite, and vnto the eende fulfillid.
Here ȝe, heuens, thingis that Y speke; here the erthe the wordis of my mouth. To gidre sprynge in reyn my loore; flowe as dewe my speche, as wedre vpon erbe, and as dropes vpon cornes. For the name of the Lord I shal inwardly cleep; ȝeueth huge doynge to oure God. Of God perfit ben the werkys, and alle his weyes domes; a trewe God, and with outen eny wickidnes, ryȝtwis and euen. Thei han synned to hym, and not his sones in filthis; shrewid kynred, and mysturnyd. Thes thingis aȝenward ȝeeldist thow not to the Lord, O fole puple and vnwise? Whether is he not thi fader, that hath weeldid thee, and maad, and fourmed thee of nouȝt? Haue mynde of olde days, and thenk eche generaciouns; aske thi fader, and he shal telle to thee, thi more, and thei shulen seie to thee. Whanne deuydide the hiȝest folkis of kynde, whanne he seuerde the sones of Adam, he sette the teermys of puplis after the noumbre of the sones of Yrael. Part forsothe of the Lord the puple of hym; Jacob the litil corde of his herytage. He foond hym in a deseert loond, in place of orrour, and of waast wildernes; he ladde hym aboute, and tauȝte, and kept as the apple of his eye. As an egle forthclepynge his bryddis to flee, and on hem houynge, he sprade out his weengis, and took to hym, and beer in his shuldres. The Lord alone was the leder of hym, and was not with hym an alien God. He sette hym on an hiȝe erthe, that he myȝte ete the fruytis of feeldes, that he myȝte sowke hony of the stoon, and oyle of the moost hard stone; butre of the droue, and mylk of sheep, with the talwȝ of loombs and of wethers, of the sones of Basan; and goot with margh of whete, and blood of grapis myȝte drynk moost cleer. Ful fat maad is the loued, and aȝen wynsed; fulfattid, fulgresid, outlargid; he laft God his maker, and ȝeed abak fro God, his ȝyuer of heelth. Thei eggiden him in alyen goddis, and in abomynaciouns to wraththe arereden. Thei offriden to deuels, and not to God, to goddis the whiche thei knewen not; newe and fresshe camen, the whiche heryeden not the faders of hem. God that thee gat thow hast forsaak, and hast forȝet the Lord thi shaper. The Lord sawȝ, and to wraththe was rerid; for eggiden hym his sones and douȝtres. And he seith, Y schal hyde my face fro hem, and I shal behold the last thinges of hem; generacioun forsothe mysturned it is, and vntrewe sones. Thei han eggid me in hym that was not God, and han terred in her vanytees; and I shal egge hem in hym that is no puple, and in fole folk of kynde I shal terre hem. Fier is vndurtent in my woodnes, and it shal brenne vnto the last thingis of helle; and it shal deuowre the loond with his buriownynge, and of hillis the foundementis shulen brenne. I shal gedre vpon hem yuels, and myn arewis I shal fulfil in hem. Thei shulen be wastid with hungir, and briddis shulen deuour hem in biting moost bitter; teeth of bestis I shal sende in hem, with woodnes of hem drawinge on erthe, and crepinge. With out forth shal waast hem swerd, and with yn forth dreed; the ȝong togidre and mayden, the sowkynge with the old man. And I seide, Where forsothe ben thei? to ceese Y shal maak fro men the mynde of hem. But for the wrath of enemyes I lafte for a while, lest perauenture wolden wexe prowde the enemyes of hem, and seye, Oure hiȝe hoond, and not the Lord, hath doon alle thes thingis. Folk with out counseil it is, and with out wisdom; wolde God thei sauerden, and vndurstoden, and last thingis purueyden. What maner wise oon pursuede a thowsand, and two myȝten dryue ten thowsand? Whether not therfore for her God solde hem, and the Lord closide hem? Forsothe oure God is not as the goddis of hem, and oure enemyes ben iugis. Of the vyn of Sodoms the vyn of hem, and of the subaarbis of Gomor; the graap of hem graap of gal, and the cluster moost bittre. Gal of dragouns the wyne of hem, and venym of eddres vncurable. Whether ben not thes thingis hid anentis me, and merkid in my tresours? Myn is veniaunce, and Y shal ȝeeld to hem in tyme, that the foot of hem slyde; nyȝ is the day of perdicioun, and to be nyȝ hiȝen the tymes. The Lord shal deme his puple, and in his seruauntis he shal haue mercy; he shal se that feble be the hoond, and closid forsothe han faylid, and the lafte ben wastid. And thei shulen seye, Where ben the goddis of hem, in whiche thei hadden trust? Of whos slayn sacrifice thei eten the fatnesse, and drunken the wyn of the offryngis of licours, arise, and helpe thei to ȝow, and in nede ȝow defende. Seeth that Y am alone, and there is noon other God saue me; I shal slee, and I shal maak to lyue; Y shal smyte, and I shal heel; and there is not that fro myn hoond may delyuer. I shal heue vp to heuene myn hoond, and Y shal seye, I lyue with outen eende. If I whette as leit my swerd, and myn hoond taak doom, Y shal ȝeeld vengynge to myn enemyes, and to hem that hatiden me, I shal quite. I shal drenche myn arewis in blood, and my swerd shal deuour flesh of the blood of slayn, and of the chaytifte of the nakid heed of enemyes. Preyse ȝe, gentils, the puple of hym, for the blood of his seruauntis he shal wreek, and veniaunce he shal quyte into the enemyes of hem; and he shal be merciful to the erthe of his puple. Thanne Moyses cam, and spak alle the wordis of this songe in the eris of the puple; and he and Josue, the sone of Nun. And he fulfillide alle thes wordis, spekynge to al Yrael; and seide to hem, Put ȝe ȝoure hertis into alle the wordys that I witnesse to ȝow to day, that ȝe comaunden hem to ȝoure sones to keep, and to doo, and to fulfille alle thingis that ben wryten of this lawe; for not in veyn thei ben comaundid to ȝow, but that echon in hem shulde lyue; the which doynge long tyme ȝe abiden in the loond, to the which to be weeldid, Jordan ouerput, ȝe shulen goon yn. And the Lord spak to Moises in the same day, seiynge, Sty vp into this hil Abarym, that is, passynge, into the hil Nebo, that is in the loond of Moab, aȝens Jeryco; and se the loond of Chanaan, that to be hold I shal taak to the sones of Yrael, and dye thow in the hil. The which stiynge vp, thow shalt be ioyned to thi puplis, as died Aaron, thi brother, in the hil of Hor, and was put to his puples. For ȝe han trespassid aȝens me, in the myddil of the sones of Yrael, at the Watris of Aȝenseiynge, in Cades of the deseert of Syn; and ȝe halwide not me amonge the sones of Yrael. Aȝenward thow shalt se the loond, and shalt not goon into it, that I shal ȝyue to the sones of Irael.
This is the blissynge, with the which Moyses, man of God, blissede the sones of Irael before his deeth; and seith, The Lord fro Syna cam, and fro Seir is sprongun to vs; he aperide fro the hil of Pharan, and with hym thousandis of seyntis; in the riȝt hoond of hym firy lawe. He louede puples; alle seyntis in the hoond of hym ben, and that neiȝen to the feet of hym, shulen taak of the loor of hym. Lawe comaundide to vs Moyses, the erytage of the multitude of Jacob. And there shal be anentis the moost riȝt a kyng, the princis of the puple gedrid with the lynagis of Yrael. Lyue Ruben, and dye he not, and be he litil in noumbre. This is of Jude the blessynge; here, Lord, the voyce of Jude, and to his puple with ynne leede hym; his hoondis shulen fiȝt for it, and helper of it he shal be aȝens the aduersaryes of it. Forsothe to Leuy he seith, Thi perfeccioun and thi loor fro thin hooli man, whom thow hast preued in temptacioun, and hast demed at the Watris of Aȝenseiynge; the which hath seide to his fader and to his moder, I knowe ȝow not, and to his britheren, I vnknowe hem; and thei knewen not her sones. Thes kepten thi speech, and thi couenaunt; heelden thi domys, O! Jacob, and thi lawe, O! Yrael; thei shulen put maad encense in thi woodnes, and brent sacrifice on thin auter. Blesse, Lord, the strength of hym, and the werkis of the hoondis of hym tak; smyit the backis of the enemyes of hym, and that haten hym, aryse thei not. And to Beniamyn he seith, Moost loued of the Lord shal dwelle tristili in hym; as in a chaumbre al day he shal dwelle, and betwix the shuldres of hym he shal rest. Forsothe to Joseph he seith, Of the blessynge of the Lord the loond of hym; of the applis of heuene, and of the dewe, and of the see vnderligging; of applis of the fruyt of sunne, and of mone; and of the cop of the oold mounteyns, and of applis of euerlastynge hillis; and of fruytis of the erthe, and plente of it. Blessynge of hym that aperyde in the busshe come vpon the heed of Joseph, and vpon the fortop of Nazarey among his britheren. As of the first goten bool the feirnes of hym; hornes of an vnicorn the hornes of hym; in hem he shal wyndowe gentilys, vnto the teermes of the erthe. Thes ben the multitudys of Effraym, and thes thousandis of Manasse. And to Zabulon he seith, Glad thow, Zabulon, in thi goynge out, and, Ysachar, in thi tabernaclis. Puplis at the hil thei shulen cleep, and there thei shulen offre slayn sacrifices of ryȝtwysnesse; the whiche the flowynge of the see as mylk shal sowke, and hid tresours of graueils. And to Gad he seith, Blessid in breede Gad; as a lioun he restide, and he took arme and fortop. And he sawȝ his prynsehod, that in his paart a doctour he was seid vp; the which was with princis of puple, and dide riȝtwisnesses of the Lord, and hys doom with Yrael. To Dan forsothe he seith, Dan, keetlyng of a lyon, shal flowe laargly fro Basan. And to Neptalym he seide, Neptalym plenteuownesse shal ful vse, and ful shal be with blessyngis of the Lord; eerly and mydday he shal weeld. To Aser forsothe he seith, Blessid in sones Aser, be he plesynge to his bretheren; weet he in oyle his foot. Yrun and bras the shoynge of hym; as days of thi ȝongth so and thin eelde. There is noon other God as the moost riȝt God; the stier of heuen thin helper; thurȝ the hidows doynge of hym to and fro rennen the clowdes. The dwellynge place of hym aboue, and vndurnethe euerlastynge aarmys; he shal cast out fro thi face the enemye, and he shal seye, Be thow to-trode. Yrael shal dwelle trustilych, and aloone; the eye of Jacob in the loond of whete, and of wyn; and heuens shulen wexe derk thurȝ dewe. Blessid art thow, Yrael; who lijk of thee, thou puple that art saued in the Lord? Sheeld of thin help and swerd of thi glorye thi God; thin enemyes shulen denye thee, and thow shal treed neckis of hem.
Ascende thanne Moyses fro the wijlde feeldys of Moab, vpon the hil of Nebo, in to the cop of Phasga, aȝens Jericho. And the Lord shewide to hym al the loond of Galaad vnto Dan, and al Neptalym, and the loond of Effraym and Manasse, and al the loond of Juda, vnto the last see; and the sowth paart, and the breede of the feeld of Jericho, cyte of Palmys vnto Seor. And the Lord seide to hym, This is the loond for the which Y swore to Abraham, Ysaac, and Jacob, seiynge, To thi seed I shal ȝyue it; thow hast seen it with thin eyen, and thow shalt not passe to it. And thanne Moyses, the seruaunt of the Lord, dyed there, in the loond of Moab, comaundynge the Lord. And he biryede hym in the valey of the loond of Moab, aȝens Phegor; and no man knewe the sepulcre of hym vnto the day that is now. Moyses of an hundrid and twenty ȝeeris was whanne he diede; the eyȝe of hym daswed not, ne the teeth of hym ben meued. And the children of Irael wepten hym in the wijlde feeldis of Moab thretti dais; and fulfillyd ben the dais of mournynge of hem weylynge Moises. Forsothe Josue, the sone of Nun, is fulfillid with the spyryt of wisdom, for Moyses putte on hym his hoondis; and to him obeishiden the sones of Yrael, and diden as the Lord comaundide to Moyses. And there roos not a prophete ferthermore in Yrael as Moyses, whom the Lord knewe face to face, in alle sygnes and wondres, the whiche bi hym he sente, that he shulde doo in the loond of Egipte to Pharao, and to alle the seruauntis of hym, and to al the loond of hym; and al strong hoond, and greet merueyls, that Moises dide before al Irael.
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