¹ Joas was of seuene yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnyde fourti yeer in Jerusalem; the name of his modir was Sebia of Bersabee.

² And he dide that, that was good bifor the Lord, in alle the daies of Joiada, the preest.

³ Sotheli and Joas took twei wyues, of whyche he gendride sones and douytris.

⁴ After whiche thingis it pleside Joas to reparele the hows of the Lord.

⁵ And he gaderide togidere preestis and dekenes, and seide to hem, Go ye out to the citees of Juda, and gadere ye of al Israel money, to the reparelyng of the temple of `youre Lord God, bi ech yeer; and do ye this hiyyngli.

⁶ Certis the dekenes diden necgligentli. And the kyng clepide Joiada, the prince, and seide to hym, Whi was it not charge to thee, to constreyne the dekenes to brynge yn money of Juda and of Jerusalem, which money was ordeyned of Moises, the seruaunt of `the Lord, that al the multitude of Israel schulde brynge it in to the tabernacle of witnessyng?

⁷ For the worste Athalia, and hir sones, distrieden the hows of God; and of alle thingis, that weren halewid to the temple of the Lord, thei ourneden the temple of Baalym.

⁸ Therfor the kyng comaundide, and thei maden an arke, and settiden it bisidis the yate of the Lord with out forth.

⁹ And it was prechid in Juda and Jerusalem, that ech man schulde brynge to the Lord the prijs, which Moyses, the seruaunt of God, ordeynede on al Israel, in deseert.

¹⁰ And alle the princes and al the puple weren glad, and thei entriden, and brouyten, and senten in to the arke of the Lord, so that it was fillid.

¹¹ And whanne it was tyme, that thei schulden bere the arke bifor the kyng bi the hondis of dekenes, for thei sien myche money, the clerk of the kyng entride, and he whom the firste preest hadde ordeynede, and thei schedden out the money, that was in the arke; sotheli thei baren ayen the arke to `his place. And so thei diden bi alle daies, and money with out noumbre was gaderid togidere;

¹² which the kyng and Joiada yauen to hem that weren souereyns of the werkis of the hows of the Lord. And thei hiriden therof kitteris of stonys, and crafti men of alle werkis, that thei schulden reparele the hows of the Lord; also thei hiriden smythis of yrun, and of bras, that that thing schulde be vndurset, that bigan to falle.

¹³ Thei that wrouyten diden craftili, and the crasyng of the wallis was stoppid bi the hondis of hem; and thei reisiden the hows of the Lord in to the formere staat, and maden it to stonde stidfastli.

¹⁴ And whanne thei hadden fillid alle werkis, thei brouyten bifor the kyng and Joiada the tother part of the money, of which money vessels weren maad in to the seruyce of the temple, and to brent sacrifices; also viols, and othere vessels of gold and of siluer `weren maad therof. And brent sacrifices weren offrid in the hows of the Lord contynueli, in alle the daies of Joiada.

¹⁵ Forsothe Joiada ful of daies wexide eld, and he was deed, whanne he was of an hundrid yeer and thritti;

¹⁶ and thei birieden hym in the citee of Dauid with kyngis; for he hadde do good with Israel, and with his hows.

¹⁷ But aftir that Joiada diede, the princes of Juda entriden, and worschipiden the kyng, which was flaterid with her seruices, and assentide to hem.

¹⁸ And thei forsoken the temple of the Lord God of her fadris, and seruyden idols in wodis, and grauen ymagis; and the ire of the Lord was maad ayens Juda and Jerusalem for this synne.

¹⁹ And he sente to hem profetis, that thei schulen turne ayen to the Lord; whiche profetis witnessynge thei nolden here.

²⁰ Therfor the Spirit of the Lord clothide Zacharie, the preest, the sone of Joiada; and he stood in the siyt of the puple, and seide to hem, The Lord seith these thingis, Whi breken ye the comaundement of the Lord, `which thing schal not profite to you, and ye han forsake the Lord, that he schulde forsake you?

²¹ Whiche weren gaderide togidere ayens hym, and senten stonys, bi comaundement `of the kyng, in the large place of the hows of the Lord.

²² And kyng Joas hadde not mynde on the merci which Joiada, the fadir of Zacharie, hadde doon with hym; but he killide the sone of Joiada. And whanne Zacharie diede, he seide, The Lord se, and seke.

²³ And whanne a yeer was turned aboute, `ether endid, the oost of Sirie stiede ayens Joas, and it cam in to Juda and in to Jerusalem, and it killide alle the princes of the puple; and thei senten al the prey to the kyng, to Damask.

²⁴ And certeyn, whanne a ful litle noumbre of men of Sirie was comun, the Lord bitook in her hondis a multitude with out noumbre, for thei hadden forsake the Lord God of her fadris. Also thei vsiden schameful domes in Joas;

²⁵ and thei yeden awei, and leften hym in grete sorewis. Sotheli hise seruauntis risiden ayens hym, in to veniaunce of the blood of the sone of Joiada, preest; and killiden hym in his bed, and he was deed. And thei birieden hym in the citee of Dauid, but not in the sepulcris of kyngis.

²⁶ Forsothe Sabath, the sone of Semath of Amon, and Josabeth, the sone of Semarith of Moab, settiden tresouns to hym.

²⁷ Sotheli hise sones, and the summe of money that was gaderid vndur hym, and the reparelyng of the hows of God, ben writun diligentli in the book of Kyngis.