\NormalFont\ShortTitle{EPISTLE OF JEREMIAH}

{\MT EPISTLE OF JEREMIAH



\par }\OneChap {\PP \VerseOne{1}{\EM{Here beginneth a sample of the epistle of the same Baruch, which epistle Jeremy
{\SLS{(or Jeremiah)}} sent to the Jews, that were led away
{\SLS{(as)}} prisoners into Babylon, of
{\SLS{(or by)}} the king of
{\SLS{(the)}} Babylonians, that he should tell to them, by that that was commanded of
{\SLS{(or by)}} God to him}}{\ADD{[or after that it is commanded to him of
{\SLS{(or by)}} God]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{2}For the sins which ye sinned before God, ye shall be led
{\SLS{(away as)}} prisoners
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(as)}} captives]}} into Babylon, of
{\SLS{(or by)}} Nebuchadnezzar, king of
{\SLS{(the)}} Babylonians.


\par }{\PP \VS{3}Therefore ye shall enter into Babylon
{\ADD{[or And so ye go into Babylon]}}, and ye shall be there full many years, and into
{\SLS{(a)}} long time, till to seven generations; forsooth after this I shall lead out you from thence with peace.


\par }{\PP \VS{4}But now ye shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, to be borne on shoulders, showing dread to
{\SLS{(the)}} heathen men
{\ADD{[or to
{\SLS{(the)}} folks]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{5}Therefore see ye, lest also ye be made like
{\ADD{[to]}} alien deeds, and lest ye dread, and
{\ADD{[that]}} dread take you in them. Therefore when ye see a company behind and before
{\SLS{(them)}}, worship ye
{\EM{God}},
{\ADD{[or And so the company of people seen from behind
{\SLS{(them)}} and from before worshipping
{\SLS{(them)}}]}},


\par }{\PP \VS{6}{\SLS{(then)}} say in your hearts, Lord God, it behooveth that thou be worshipped
{\ADD{[or it behooveth thee for to be worshipped]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{7}Forsooth mine angel is with you, but
{\SLS{(or and)}} I shall seek your souls
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(and)}} I myself shall seek out your souls]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{8}For why the trees
{\SLS{(or the wood)}} of them be polished of
{\SLS{(or by)}} a carpenter; also they be arrayed with gold, and arrayed with silver, and be false
{\ADD{[or they also engolded and ensilvered be false]}}, and may not
{\SLS{(or be not able to)}} speak.


\par }{\PP \VS{9}And as to a virgin
{\ADD{[or to a maiden]}} loving ornaments, so, when gold is taken,
{\EM{ornaments}} be made
{\EM{to
{\SLS{(or for the)}} idols}}. Certainly the gods of them have golden crowns on their heads;


\par }{\PP \VS{10}wherefore priests withdraw from those
{\EM{gods}} gold and silver, and spend it in
{\SLS{(or on)}} themselves.


\par }{\PP \VS{11}Soothly they give also of that to whores, and array
{\ADD{[or adorn]}} whores; and again when they receive that of
{\SLS{(or from)}} whores, they array
{\ADD{[or they adorn]}} their gods.


\par }{\PP \VS{12}But those
{\ADD{[or these]}}{\EM{gods}} be not delivered from rust and moths. For-sooth when they be covered with a cloth
{\SLS{(or a cloak)}} of purple,


\par }{\PP \VS{13}{\EM{priests}} shall wipe the face{\SLS{(s)}} of them, for
{\SLS{(the)}} dust of the house
{\SLS{(or because of the dust of the temple)}}, which is full much among those
{\EM{gods}}{\ADD{[or that is full much among them]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{14}Forsooth
{\SLS{(these)}}{\EM{idols}} have a sceptre,
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(a)}} king’s rod]}}, as a man
{\EM{hath}};
{\SLS{(yea)}}, as the judge of a country,
{\SLS{(but)}} that slayeth not a man sinning against himself.


\par }{\PP \VS{15}Also they have in the hand a sword, and an ax; but they deliver not themselves from battle and from thieves.


\par }{\PP \VS{16}Wherefore be it known to you, that they be not gods; therefore worship
{\SLS{(or dread)}} ye not them.


\par }{\PP \VS{17}For as a broken vessel of a man is made unprofitable, such also be the gods of them. When they be set
{\SLS{(up)}} in the house
{\SLS{(or in the temple)}}, the eyes of them be full of dust, of
{\SLS{(or from)}} the feet of men entering
{\ADD{[in]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{18}And as
{\ADD{[the]}} gates be set about a man, that offended the king, either as when a dead man is brought to the sepulchre, so priests keep securely the doors with closings, and locks, lest they be robbed of
{\SLS{(or by)}} thieves.


\par }{\PP \VS{19}They tend lanterns to
{\SLS{(or for)}} them, and soothly many
{\EM{lanterns}}, of which they may or be able to see none;


\par }{\PP \VS{20}forsooth they be as
{\SLS{(the)}} beams in an house
{\SLS{(or in the temple)}}. Soothly
{\EM{men}} say that
{\SLS{(the)}} serpents, that be of
{\SLS{(the)}} earth, lick out the hearts of them;
{\SLS{(yet)}} while
{\EM{the serpents}} eat them, and their cloth{\SLS{(es)}}{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(the)}} clothing of them]}}, and they feel
{\EM{it}} not.


\par }{\PP \VS{21}The faces of them be black of
{\SLS{(or from)}} the smoke, which is made in the house
{\SLS{(or in the temple)}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{22}Night crows
{\SLS{(or bats)}} and swallows fly above the body
{\SLS{(or the bodies)}} of them, and above the head{\SLS{(s)}} of them, and birds also, and cats
{\SLS{(sit upon them)}} in like manner.


\par }{\PP \VS{23}Wherefore know ye, that they be not gods; therefore dread ye not them.


\par }{\PP \VS{24}Also the gold which they have, is to
{\SLS{(or for their)}} fairness; no but some man wipe away the rust, they shall not shine. For they
{\SLS{(even)}} feeled
{\SLS{(it)}} not, the while those were welled together
{\ADD{[or Forsooth neither
{\SLS{(even)}} the while they were molten together, they feeled
{\SLS{(it)}}]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{25}They be bought of all price
{\SLS{(or for a very high price)}}, in which no spirit
{\SLS{(or breath)}} is in them.
{\ADD{[They be bought of all price, in which things spirit is not in them.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{26}They without feet be borne on
{\SLS{(the)}} shoulders of men, and show openly their unnobility to men;


\par }{\PP \VS{27}be they shamed also that worship them. Therefore if they fall down to
{\SLS{(the)}} earth, they shall not rise
{\SLS{(up)}} of
{\SLS{(or by)}} themselves; and if any man setteth that
{\EM{idol}} upright, it shall not stand by itself, but as to
{\SLS{(or for)}} dead things
{\ADD{[or as to
{\SLS{(or for)}} dead men]}} shoulders shall
{\SLS{(or must)}} be put to them.


\par }{\PP \VS{28}The priests of them sell the sacrifices of them, and mis-use; in like manner and the women of them ravish
{\ADD{[or taking]}} away, neither to a sick man, neither to a beggar, they give anything.


\par }{\PP \VS{29}Of their sacrifices foul women, and in unclean blood, touch. There-fore know ye by these things, that they be not gods, and dread ye not them.
{\ADD{[Of the sacrifices of them women with child, and menstruate, or in unclean blood, touch
{\SLS{(al)}}together. And so witting of these things, for they be not gods, dread ye them not.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{30}For whereof be they called gods? For women set sacrifices to gods of silver, and of gold, and of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}};


\par }{\PP \VS{31}and
{\SLS{(the)}} priests that have coats rent, and
{\SLS{(their)}} heads and beard{\SLS{(s)}} shaven, whose heads be naked, sit in the houses of them
{\SLS{(or in their temples)}}.
{\ADD{[and in the houses of them sit
{\SLS{(the)}} priests having torn, or cut, coats, and heads and beard{\SLS{(s)}} shaven, whose heads be naked.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{32}Soothly they roar and cry against
{\SLS{(or before)}} their gods, as in
{\SLS{(or at)}} the supper of a dead man.


\par }{\PP \VS{33}{\SLS{(And the)}} Priests take away the clothes of them, and clothe their wives, and their children.


\par }{\PP \VS{34}And if they suffer anything of evil of
{\SLS{(or from)}} any man, or if they
{\EM{suffer}} anything of good, they may not
{\SLS{(or be not able to)}} yield back
{\SLS{(or to repay it)}}. Neither they may or be able to ordain
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(to)}} make]}} a king, neither do
{\SLS{(him)}} away.


\par }{\PP \VS{35}In like manner they may neither give riches, neither yield evil
{\ADD{[thing]}}. If any man maketh a vow to them, and yieldeth not, they ask not
{\SLS{(for)}} this
{\ADD{[or If any man shall avow to them, and shall not yield, neither they require, or ask,
{\SLS{(for)}} this thing]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{36}They deliver not a man from death, neither ravish a sick
{\SLS{(or a weak)}} man from a mightier
{\ADD{[or neither deliver a sick man from a more mighty]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{37}They restore not a blind man to sight; they shall not deliver a man from need.


\par }{\PP \VS{38}They shall not have mercy on a widow, neither they shall do good to fatherless children.


\par }{\PP \VS{39}Their gods of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver, be like
{\SLS{(the)}} stones of the mountain; forsooth they that worship them, shall be shamed
{\ADD{[or shall be confounded]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{40}How therefore is it to guess, either to say
{\ADD{[or to be said]}}, that they be gods? for why yet when
{\SLS{(even the)}} Chaldeans honour not them.


\par }{\PP \VS{41}Which when they hear that a dumb man may not speak, offer him to Bel, and ask of him to
{\SLS{(be able to)}} speak; as if they that have no stirring, may or be able to feel.


\par }{\PP \VS{42}And they, when they shall under-stand, shall forsake those
{\EM{idols}}; for those gods of them have no wit.


\par }{\PP \VS{43}Forsooth women gird
{\SLS{(about)}} with ropes
{\ADD{[or cords]}} sit in ways, and kindled
{\SLS{(or burned)}} bones of olives. Soothly when any of these
{\EM{women}} is drawn away of
{\SLS{(or by)}} any man passing, and sleepeth
{\EM{with him}}, she despiseth her neighbouress, that she is not had worthy as herself, neither her rope
{\ADD{[or her cord]}} is broken.


\par }{\PP \VS{44}Forsooth all things that be done to them, be false. How therefore is it to guess, either to say, that those
{\SLS{(or that they)}} be gods?
{\ADD{[or How is it to be guessed, or to be said, them to be gods?]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{45}Forsooth
{\EM{those idols}} be made of
{\SLS{(or by)}} smiths
{\ADD{[or carpenters]}}, and of
{\SLS{(or by)}} goldsmiths. They shall be none other thing, no but that that
{\SLS{(the)}} priests will
{\SLS{(or desire)}} that they be
{\ADD{[or that
{\SLS{(the)}} priests will for to be]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{46}Also those goldsmiths that make them, be not of much time; therefore whether those things
{\ADD{[or the things]}} that be made of
{\SLS{(or by)}} them, may be or be able to be gods?


\par }{\PP \VS{47}Soothly they left false things, and shame
{\SLS{(or reproof)}} to men to coming afterward
{\ADD{[or coming after]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{48}For why when battles and evils come on them, priests think, where they shall hide themselves with those
{\ADD{[or with them]}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{49}How therefore owe
{\SLS{(or ought)}} those
{\ADD{[or they]}} to be deemed, that they be gods, which neither deliver them-selves from battle, neither deliver themselves from evils?


\par }{\PP \VS{50}For why when those
{\ADD{[or they]}} be of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver, it shall be known afterward,


\par }{\PP \VS{51}of
{\SLS{(or by)}} all folks, and kings, that those things be false, that be made open; for those be not gods, but the works of
{\SLS{(the)}} hands of men, and no work of God is with
{\SLS{(or is in)}} them.
{\ADD{[to all folks and kings; which be open, or known, for they be not gods, but
{\SLS{(the)}} works of men’s hands, and no work of God
{\SLS{(is)}} with
{\SLS{(or is in)}} them.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{52}Whereof therefore it is known, that they be not gods, but the works of
{\SLS{(the)}} hands of men
{\ADD{[or but
{\SLS{(the)}} works of men’s hands]}}, and no work of God is in them.


\par }{\PP \VS{53}They raise not a king to a country, neither shall give rain to men.


\par }{\PP \VS{54}Also they shall not deem
{\ADD{[or judge]}}{\SLS{(a)}} doom, neither they shall deliver the country from wrong. For those be able to
{\SLS{(do)}} nothing
{\ADD{[or For they may
{\SLS{(do)}} nothing]}}, as little crows betwixt the midst of heaven and of
{\SLS{(the)}} earth.


\par }{\PP \VS{55}For when fire falleth into the house of gods of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, and of gold, and of silver, soothly the priests of those
{\ADD{[or the priests of them]}} shall flee, and shall be delivered; but they shall be burnt as
{\SLS{(the)}} beams in the midst.


\par }{\PP \VS{56}Forsooth they shall not against-stand a king and battle. How there-fore is it to guess, or to receive, that they be gods?
{\ADD{[or How therefore is it to be guessed, or to be received, for they be gods?]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{57}Gods of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver, shall not deliver themselves from night thieves, neither from day thieves, and wicked men be stronger than those gods.


\par }{\PP \VS{58}They shall take away gold, and silver, and cloth{\SLS{(es)}}, by which those
{\ADD{[or they]}} be covered, and
{\SLS{(then)}} they shall go away; neither they
{\SLS{(be able to)}} help themselves.


\par }{\PP \VS{59}Therefore it is better to be a king showing his virtue
{\SLS{(or his power)}}, either
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(else)}}]}} a profitable vessel in the house, in which he shall have glory that wieldeth it, than false gods; either
{\ADD{[or
{\SLS{(else)}}]}} a door in the house, that keepeth those things that be in it,
{\EM{is better}} than false gods.


\par }{\PP \VS{60}Forsooth the sun, and moon, and stars, when they be bright
{\ADD{[or when they be shining]}}, and sent out to profits, obey.


\par }{\PP \VS{61}In like manner and
{\ADD{[the]}} light-ning, when it appeareth, is clear. Soothly the same thing and
{\SLS{(the)}} wind breatheth in each country.


\par }{\PP \VS{62}And
{\SLS{(the)}} clouds, to which, when it is commanded of
{\SLS{(or by)}} God to go through all the world, perform that, that is commanded to those
{\ADD{[or do what thing is commanded to them]}}.

\VS{63}Also
{\SLS{(the)}} fire sent from above, to waste mountains and woods, doeth that, that is commanded to it
{\ADD{[or doeth what thing is commanded to it]}}; but these
{\EM{idols}} be not like to one of those things, neither by forms, neither by virtues
{\SLS{(or in power)}}.


\par }{\PP \VS{64}Wherefore it is neither to guess, neither to say, that they be gods, when they may not
{\SLS{(or be not able to)}} neither deem doom, neither do
{\SLS{(good)}} to men.
{\ADD{[Whereof neither it is to be guessed, neither to be said, them for to be gods, when they may neither deem doom, neither do to men.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{65}Therefore know ye that those be not gods, and dread ye not them.
{\ADD{[And so witting for they be not gods, therefore ye shall not dread them.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{66}For they shall neither curse, neither bless kings.


\par }{\PP \VS{67}Also they show not to
{\SLS{(the)}} heathen men signs in
{\SLS{(the)}} heaven{\SLS{(s)}}, neither those
{\ADD{[or they]}} shall shine as the sun, neither they shall give light as the moon.


\par }{\PP \VS{68}Beasts that may or be able to flee under a roof, and do profit to them-selves, be better than they.
{\ADD{[Beasts be better than they, which may flee under a roof, and profit to themselves.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{69}Therefore by no manner it is open to you, that they be gods. For which thing, dread ye not them.


\par }{\PP \VS{70}For why as a man of rags, or shoeless, in a place where gourds
{\ADD{[or cucumbers, that be bitter herbs]}}, waxed, keepeth nothing, so be their gods of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, and of silver, and of gold.


\par }{\PP \VS{71}In the same manner and a white-thorn
{\SLS{(bush)}} in a garden
{\ADD{[or in a yard]}}{\EM{keepeth nothing}}, on which
{\EM{thorn}} each bird sitteth,
{\SLS{(and)}} in like manner and their gods of tree
{\SLS{(or of wood)}}, and of gold, and of silver, be like
{\ADD{[to]}} a dead man cast forth in{\SLS{(to)}}{\SLS{(the)}} darknesses.


\par }{\PP \VS{72}Also of purple and of marble, which they hold above it; therefore ye shall know, that they be not gods. Also those be eaten at the last, and it shall be into shame in the country.
{\ADD{[And of the purple and marble, that they hold above them{\SLS{(selves)}}, ye shall know also, for they be no gods. Also at the last they themselves be eaten, and it shall be into reproof in the country.]}}


\par }{\PP \VS{73}Better is a just man, that hath no simulacra, for why he shall be far from shames
{\SLS{(or reproofs)}}.


\par }