Content

CAP 18
1 But ful greet liyt was to thin hooli seruauntis, and sotheli enemyes herden the vois of hem, but thei sien not the figure, ethir schap; and for also thei suffriden not bi the same thingis, thei magnefieden thee.
2 And for thei weren hirt bifore, thei diden thankyngis to thee, for thei weren not hirt; and that difference schulde be bitwixe hem and Egipcians, thei axiden thee, God.
3 For which thing thei hadden a brennynge piler of fier, the ledere of vnknowun weie; and thou yauest the sunne, with out hirtyng of good herbore.
4 Forsothe thei weren worthi to wante liyt, and to suffre the prisoun of derknessis, whiche helden thi sones enclosid; bi whiche sones the vncorrupt lijt of lawe bigan to be youun to the world.
5 Whanne thei thouyten to sle the yonge children of iust men; and whanne o sone was put forth, and delyuered, thou tokist awei the multitude of sones, for the ledyng ouer of hem, and thou lostist hem togidere in strong watir.
6 Forsothe thilke nyyt was knowun bifore of oure fadris, that thei witynge verili to whiche othis thei bileuyden, schulden be more paciente.
7 Forsothe helthe of iust men was resseyued verili of thi puple, `and also distriyng of vniust men.
8 For as thou hirtidist oure aduersaries, so thou excitidist also vs, and magnefiedist vs.
9 For whi iust children of goode men maden sacrifice priueli, and disposiden the lawe of riytfulnesse in to acordyng; thei disposiden iust men to resseyue goodis and yuels in lijk maner, and sungen heriyngis to the fadir of alle men.
10 But vnsemeli vois of enemyes sownede, and wepeful weilyng of biweperis of yonge children was herd.
11 Forsothe the seruaunt was turmentid bi lijk peyne with the lord; and a man of the puple suffride thingis lijk the kyng.
12 Therfor in lijk maner alle men bi o name of deth hadden deed men vnnoumbrable, for nether quyke men suffiseden to birie; for whi the nacioun of hem, that was clerere than othere, was destried in o moment.
13 Forsothe of alle Egipcians men not bileuynge for benefices, bihiyten hem thanne to be Goddis puple, whanne the distriyng of the firste gendryd thingis was first.
14 Forsothe whanne alle thingis helden restful silence, and the nyyt hadde the myddil weie in his cours,
15 Lord, thi word almyyti comynge swiftli fro heuene, cam fro the kyngis seetis;
16 a scharp swerd berynge thi comaundement not feyned, cam forth, ouercomere in to the myddil of the lond of destriyng; and it stood, and fillide alle thingis with deeth, and it stood in erthe, and stretchide forth til to heuene.
17 Thanne anoon the siytis of yuel dremes disturbliden hem, and dredis not hopid camen aboue.
18 And another man cast forth half quyk in an other place, schewide for what cause of deth he diede.
19 For whi siytis that disturbliden hem, bifore warneden these thingis, that thei schulden perische not vnwityngli, why thei suffriden yuels.
20 Forsothe temptacioun of deth touchide thanne also iust men, and mouyng togidere of multitude was maad in desert; but thin ire dwellide not longe.
21 For a man without pleynt hastide to biseche for puplis, and he brouyte forth preier the scheld of his seruyce, and he aleggide preier bi encence, and ayen stood ire; and he settide an ende to the nede, and schewide that he was thi seruaunt.
22 Forsothe he ouercam cumpenyes, not bi vertu of bodi, nether bi armure of power; but he remembride the othis, and the testament of fadris, and bi word he made hym suget, that trauelide hym silf.
23 For whanne deed men fellen doun bi heepis, ech on other, he stood bitwixe `deed men and lyuynge, and kittide awei the feersnesse of brennyng, and departide that weie, that ledde to quyke men.
24 For whi al the world was in the cloth lastynge to the heelis, which he hadde; and the grete thingis of fadris weren grauun in foure ordris of stoonys; and, Lord, thi magnyficence was writun in the diademe of his heed.
25 Forsothe he that distriede, yaf stide to these thingis, and dredde these thingis; for whi the temptacioun aloone was sufficient to ire.