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¹ And Phassur, the sone of Emyner, the preest, that was ordeyned prince in the hous of the Lord, herde Jeremye profesiynge these wordis.² And Phassur smoot Jeremye, the profete, and sente hym in to the stockis, that weren in the hiyere yate of Beniamyn, in the hous of the Lord.³ And whanne it was cleer in the morewe, Phassur ledde Jeremye out of the stockis. And Jeremye seide to hym, The Lord clepide not Phassur thi name, but Drede on ech side.⁴ For the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal yyue thee and alle thi freendis in to drede, and thei schulen falle doun bi the swerd of her enemyes; and thin iyen schulen se; and Y schal yyue al Juda in the hond of the king of Babiloyne, and he schal lede hem ouer in to Babiloyne, and he schal smyte hem bi swerd.⁵ And Y schal yyue al the catel of this citee, and al the trauel therof, and al the prijs; and Y schal yyue alle the tresours of the kingis of Juda in the hond of her enemyes; and thei schulen rauysche tho, and schulen take, and lede forth in to Babiloyne.⁶ Forsothe thou, Phassur, and alle the dwelleris of thin hous, schulen go in to caitifte; and thou schalt come in to Babiloyne, and thou schalt die there; and thou schalt be biried there, thou and alle thi freendis, to whiche thou profesiedist a leesyng.

⁷ Lord, thou disseyuedist me, and Y am disseyued; thou were strongere than Y, and thou haddist the maistrie; Y am maad in to scorn al dai.⁸ Alle men bymowen me, for now a while ago Y speke criynge wickidnesse, and Y criede distriynge. And the word of the Lord is maad to me in to schenschip, and in to scorn al dai.⁹ And Y seide, Y schal not haue mynde on hym, and Y schal no more speke in his name. And the word of the Lord was maad, as fier swalynge in myn herte, and cloosid in my boonys; and Y failide, not suffryng to bere.¹⁰ For Y herde dispisyngis of many men, and drede in cumpas, Pursue ye, and pursue we hym, of alle men that weren pesible to me, and kepynge my side; if in ony maner he be disseyued, and we haue the maistrie ayens hym, and gete veniaunce of hym.¹¹ Forsothe the Lord as a stronge werriour is with me, therfor thei that pursuen me schulen falle, and schulen be sijk; and thei schulen be schent greetli, for thei vndurstoden not euerlastynge schenschip, that schal neuere be don awei.¹² And thou, Lord of oostis, the preuere of a iust man, which seest the reynes and herte, Y biseche, se Y thi veniaunce of hem; for Y haue schewid my cause to thee.¹³ Synge ye to the Lord, herie ye the Lord, for he delyueride the soule of a pore man fro the hond of yuel men.

¹⁴ Cursid be the dai where ynne Y was borun, the dai where ynne my modir childide me, be not blessid.¹⁵ Cursid be the man, that telde to my fadir, and seide, A knaue child is borun to thee, and made hym glad as with ioye.¹⁶ Thilke man be as the citees ben, whiche the Lord distriede, and it repentide not hym;¹⁷ he that killide not me fro the wombe, here cry eerli, and yellynge in the tyme of myddai; that my modir were a sepulcre to me, and hir wombe were euerlastinge conseyuyng.¹⁸ Whi yede Y out of the wombe, that Y schulde se trauel and sorewe, and that mi daies schulen be waastid in schenschipe?