¹ And kyng Sedechie, the sone of Josie, regnede for Jeconye, the sone of Joachym, whom Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, made kyng in the lond of Juda.

² And he, and hise seruauntis, and his puple obeieden not to the wordis of the Lord, whiche he spak in the hond of Jeremye, the profete.

³ And kyng Sedechie sente Jothal, the sone of Selemye, and Sofonye, the preest, the sone of Maasie, to Jeremye, the profete, and seide, Preie thou for vs oure Lord God.

⁴ Forsothe Jeremye yede freli in the myddis of the puple; for thei hadden not sente hym in to the kepyng of the prisoun. Therfor the oost of Farao yede out of Egipt, and Caldeis, that bisegiden Jerusalem, herden sich a message, and yeden awei fro Jerusalem.

⁵ And the word of the Lord was maad to Jeremye, the profete,

⁶ and seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Thus ye schulen seie to the kyng of Juda, that sente you to axe me, Lo! the oost of Farao, which yede out to you in to help, schal turne ayen in to his lond, in to Egipt.

⁷ And Caldeis schulen come ayen, and schulen fiyte ayens this citee, and schulen take it, and schulen brenne it bi fier.

⁸ The Lord seith these thingis, Nyle ye disseyue youre soulis, seiynge, Caldeis goynge schulen go a wey, and schulen departe fro vs; for thei schulen not go a wei.

⁹ But thouy ye sleen al the oost of Caldeis, that fiyten ayens you, and summe woundid men of hem be left, ech man schal rise fro his tente, and thei schulen brenne this citee bi fier.

¹⁰ Therfor whanne the oost of Caldeis hadde goon awei fro Jerusalem, for the oost of Farao, Jeremye yede out of Jerusalem,

¹¹ to go in to the lond of Beniamyn, and to departe there the possessioun in the siyt of citeseyns.

¹² And whanne he was comun to the yate of Beniamyn, ther was a kepere of the yate bi whiles, Jerie bi name, the sone of Selemye, sone of Ananye; and he took Jeremye, the prophete, and seide, Thou fleest to Caldeis.

¹³ And Jeremye answeride, It is fals; Y fle not to Caldeis. And he herde not Jeremye, but Jerie took Jeremye, and brouyte hym to the princes.

¹⁴ Wherfor the princes weren wrooth ayens Jeremye, and beeten hym, and senten hym in to the prisoun, that was in the hous of Jonathas, the scryuen; for he was souereyn on the prisoun.

¹⁵ Therfor Jeremye entride in to the hous of the lake, and in to the prisoun of trauel; and Jeremye sat there manye daies.

¹⁶ Therfor kyng Sedechie sente, and took hym a wei, and axide hym priuyli in his hous, and seide, Gessist thou, whether a word is of the Lord? And Jeremye seide, Ther is. And Jeremye seide, Thou schalt be bitakun in to the hond of the kyng of Babiloyne.

¹⁷ And Jeremye seide to Sedechie, the kyng, What haue Y synned to thee, and to thi seruauntis, and to thi puple, for thou hast sent me in to the hous of prisoun?

¹⁸ Where ben youre profetis, that profesieden to you, and seiden, The king of Babiloyne schal not come on you, and on this lond?

¹⁹ Now therfor, my lord the kyng, Y biseche, here thou, my preier be worth in thi siyt, and sende thou not me ayen in to the hous of Jonathas, the scryuen, lest Y die there.

²⁰ Therfor Sedechie comaundide, that Jeremye schulde be bitakun in to the porche of the prisoun, and that a cake of breed schulde be youun to hym ech dai, outakun seew, til alle looues of the citee weren wastid; and Jeremye dwellide in the porche of the prisoun.