Content

CAP 1
1 To britheren Jewis, that ben scaterid thorouy Egipt, britheren, that ben in Jerusalem, Jewis, and that ben in the cuntre of Judee, seien heelthe and good pees.
2 God do wel to you, and haue mynde of his testament, that he spak to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that ben of the noumbre of his trewe seruauntis;
3 and yyue he herte to you alle, that ye worschipe hym, and do the wille of hym with greet herte and wilful soule.
4 Opene he youre herte in his lawe, and in hise heestis, and make he pees;
5 here he graciousli youre preieris, and be recounceld to you, nether forsake you in yuel tyme.
6 And now we ben here preiynge for you.
7 While Demetrie regneth in the hundrid yeer and sixtithe and nynthe, we Jewis han writun to you in tribulacioun and fersnesse, that cam aboue to vs in these yeeris, and sithen Jason wente out of the hooli lond and rewme.
8 Thei brenten the yate, and schedden out innocent blood; and we preieden to the Lord, and we ben graciousli herd, and we han offrid sacrifice, and clene flour, and han tendid lanternes, and han put forth looues.
9 And now make ye solempne the daies of Cenefegye, `ether clensyng of the temple, of the monethe Caslew.
10 In the hundrid yeer and eiyte and eiytithe, the puple that is in Jerusalem and in Judee, and the elde men, and Judas, to Aristoble, maister of Tolome, kyng, that is of the kyn anoyntid prestis, and to hem that ben in Egipt, Jewis, helthe of soule, and helthe of bodi.
11 We delyuered of God fro grete perelis, don thankyngis to hym hugely, as we that han fouyten ayens sich a kyng.
12 For he made for to buyle out of Persis hem that fouyten ayens vs and the hooli citee.
13 For whi whanne the duyk hym silf was in Persis, and with hym a greet oost, he felle in the temple of Nauee, and was disseyued bi councel of the prest of Nauee.
14 Forsothe Antiok cam to the place as to dwellynge with hym, and his frendis, and for to take many richessis bi name of dower.
15 And whanne prestis of Nauee hadden put forth tho, and he with fewe entride with ynne the cumpas of the temple, thei closiden the temple, whanne Antiok hadde entrid.
16 And whanne the pryuy entre of the temple was openyd, thei threwen stoonys, and smytiden the duik, and hem that weren with hym, and thei departiden lememeel; and whanne the heedis weren gird of, thei castiden out forth.
17 Bi alle thingis blessid be God, that bitook vnpitouse men.
18 Therfor we to makynge clensyng of the temple, in the fyue and twentithe dai of the monethe Caslew, ledden nedeful for to signefie to you, that and ye do also the dai of Scenofegie, and the dai of fier, that was youun, whanne Neemye offride sacrifices, after that the temple and auter weren bildid.
19 For whi whanne oure fadris weren led in to Persis, prestis that thanne weren worschiperis of God, hidden priueli fier takun of the auter, in a valei, where was a deep pit and drie; and there ynne thei kepten it, so that the place was vnknowun to alle men.
20 Forsothe whanne many yeeris hadden passid, and it pleside to God that Neemye was sent fro the kyng of Persis, he sente the sones sones of tho prestis that hidden, for to seke fier; and as thei telden to vs, thei founden not fier, but fat water.
21 And he comaundide hem `for to drawe, and brynge to hym. And Neemye, preest, comaundide the sacrifices, that weren put on, for to be spreynt with the water, tho and the trees, and tho thingis that weren put aboue.
22 And as this was don, and the tyme cam, in which the sunne schon ayen, that bifore was in cloude, a greet fier was kyndlid, so that alle men wondriden.
23 Forsothe alle prestis maden preier, while the sacrifice was endid; and Jonathas bigan, and othere forsothe answeriden.
24 And the preier of Neemye was hauynge this maner. Lord God, maker of nouyt of alle thingis, dredeful and strong, iust and merciful, which aloone art good kyng,
25 aloone yyuynge, aloone iust, and almyyti, and with out bigynnyng and ende, which delyuerist Israel fro al yuel, which madist fadris chosun, and halewidist hem;
26 take thou sacrifice for al thi puple Israel, and kepe thi part, and halewe.
27 Gadere oure scateryng, delyuere hem that seruen to hethene men, and biholde thou dispisid men, and maad abhomynable, that hethene men wite, that thou art oure God.
28 Turmente thou men oppressynge vs, and doynge dispit in pride.
29 Ordeyne thi puple in thin hooli place, as Moises seide.
30 Forsothe prestis sungen ympnes, til the sacrifice was endid.
31 Forsothe whanne the sacrifice was endid, Neemye comaundide the more stoonys for to be bisched of the residue watir;
32 and as this thing was don, flawme was kyndlid of hem, but it was wastid of the liyt, that ayen schynede of the auter.
33 Forsothe after that the thing was knowun, it was teld to the kyng of Persis, that in the place in which the prestis that weren translatid, hadden hid fier, water apperide, of which Neemye and thei that weren with hym clensiden sacrifices.
34 Forsothe the kyng bihelde and diligentli examynede the thing, and made a temple to hym, for to preue that thing that was don.
35 And whanne he hadde preued, he yaf many goodis to prestis, and othere yiftis; and he took with his hoond, and he yaf to hem.
36 Forsothe Neemye clepte this place Nepthar, that is interpretid, `ether expowned, clensyng; forsothe anentis many it is clepid Nephi.