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¹ I wolde that thou brakist heuenes, and camest doun, that hillis fletiden awei fro thi face,² and failiden as brennyng of fier, and brente in fier; that thi name were made knowun to thin enemyes, and folkis weren disturblid of thi face.³ Whanne thou schalt do merueils, we schulen not abide. Thou camest doun, and hillis fletiden awei fro thi face.⁴ Fro the world thei herden not, nethir perseyueden with eeris; God, non iye siy, withouten thee, what thingis thou hast maad redi to hem that abiden thee.⁵ Thou mettist hym that is glad, and doith riytfulnesse; in thi weies thei schulen bithenke on thee. Lo! thou art wrooth, and we synneden; in tho synnes we weren euere, and we schulen be saued.

⁶ And alle we ben maad as an vncleene man; alle oure riytfulnessis ben as the cloth of a womman in vncleene blood; and alle we fellen doun as a leef, and our wickidnessis as wynd han take awei vs.⁷ Noon is, that clepith thi name to help, that risith, and holdith thee; thou hast hid thi face fro vs, and thou hast hurtlid doun vs in the hond of oure wickidnesse.⁸ And now, Lord, thou art oure fadir; forsothe we ben cley, and thou art oure maker, and alle we ben the werkis of thin hondis.⁹ Lord, be thou not wrooth ynow, and haue thou no more mynde on oure wickidnesse. Lo! Lord, biholde thou, alle we ben thi puple.¹⁰ The citee of thi seyntuarie is forsakun, Sion is maad deseert, Jerusalem is desolat;¹¹ the hous of oure halewyng and of oure glorie, where oure fadris herieden thee, is maad in to brennyng of fier; and alle oure desirable thingis ben turned in to fallyngis.¹² Lord, whether on these thingis thou schalt witholde thee? schalt thou be stille, and schalt thou turmente vs greetli?