Content

CAP 11
2 Thei maden iourney bi desertis, that weren not enhabitid; and thei maden litle housis in desert places.
3 Thei stoden ayens kyngis, and vengiden hem of enemyes.
4 Thei thirstiden, and thei inwardli clepiden thee; and watir of a ful hiy stoon was youun to hem, and reste of thirst was youun to hem of an hard stoon.
5 For bi whiche thingis the enemyes of hem suffriden peynes, for defaute of her drink, and the sones of Israel weren glad, whanne thei hadden plentee;
6 bi these thingis, whanne these failiden to tho enemyes, it was don wel with hem.
7 For sotheli for the welle of euerlastynge flood, thou yauest mannus blood to vniust men.
8 And whanne thei weren maad lesse, in the leding awei of yonge children slayn, thou yauest sudeynli plenteuouse watir to hem; and schewidist bi the thirst,
9 that was thanne, hou thou woldist enhaunse thi seruauntis, and woldist sle the aduersaries of hem.
10 For whanne thei weren asaied, sotheli thei token chastisyng with merci; thei wisten, hou wickid men demed with ire, schulden suffre turmentis.
11 Sotheli thou amonestynge as a fadir, preuedist these men; but thou as an hard kyng axynge condempnedist hem.
12 For whi men absent and men present weren turmentid in lijk maner.
13 For whi double anoye hadde take hem, and weilyng with the mynde of thingis passid.
14 Sotheli whanne thei herden, that it was don wel with hem silf bi her turmentis, thei bithouyten on the Lord, and wondriden on the ende of the out goyng.
15 For at the ende of the bifallyng, thei worschipiden him, whom thei scorneden cast out in schrewid puttyng forth; and thou didist not in lijk maner to iust men.
16 Forsothe for vnwise thouytis the wickidnessis of hem weren punyschid; for summen errynge worschipiden doumbe serpentis, and superflu beestis, thou sentist in to hem a multitude of doumbe beestis, in to veniaunce; that thei schulden wite,
17 that bi what thingis a man synneth, he is turmentid also bi these thingis.
18 For whi thin hond almyyti, that made the world of mater vnseyn, was not vnmyyti to sende in to hem a multitude of beeris, ether hardi liouns,
19 ether beestis of newe kynde ful of ire, and vnknowun beestis, ether beestis frothinge heete of firis, ethir bryngynge forth the odour of smoke, ethir sendynge out fro the iyen hidouse sparclis;
20 of whiche beestis not oneli the hirtyng myyte distrie hem, but also the siyt myyte sle bi drede.
21 For whi and with oute these beestis thei myyten be slayn bi o spirit, and suffre persecucioun of tho her owne dedis, and be scaterid by the spirit of thi vertu. But and thou hast disposid alle thingis in mesure, and in noumbre, and in weiyte;
22 for it was left euere to thee aloone to mow do myche; and who schal ayenstonde the vertu of thin arm?
23 For as the tunge of a balaunce, so is the world bifore thee; and as a drope of dew rysynge bifore the liyt, that cometh doun in to erthe.
24 And thou hast merci of alle thingis, for thou maist alle thingis; and thou dissymelist the synnes of men, for penaunce.
25 For thou louest alle thingis that ben, and thou hatist no thing of tho, that thou madist; for thou not hatynge ony thing ordeynedist, ether madist.
26 But hou myyte ony thing dwelle, `no but thou woldist? ether hou schulde a thing be kept, that were not clepid of thee?
27 But, Lord, that louest soulis, thou sparist alle thingis; for tho thingis ben thine.