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CAP 14
1 Also the queen Hester fledde to the Lord, and dredde the perel, that neiyede.
2 And whanne sche hadde put awei the kyngis clothis, sche took clothis couenable to wepyngis and morenyng; and for dyuerse oynementis sche `fillide the heed with aische and dust, and `made meke hir bodi with fastyngys; and with tobreidyng awei of heeris, sche fillide alle places, in which sche was wont to be glad;
3 and bisouyte the Lord God of Israel, and seide, My Lord, which aloone art oure kyng, helpe me a womman left aloone, and of whom noon othere helpere is outakun thee;
4 my perel is in my hondis.
5 Y haue herd of my fadir, that thou, Lord, tokist awei Israel fro alle folkis, and oure fadris fro alle her grettere men bifore, that thou schuldist welde euerlastynge eritage; and thou hast do to hem, as thou hast spoke.
6 We synneden in thi siyt, and therfor thou hast bitake vs in to the hondis of oure enemyes;
7 for we worschipiden the goddis of hem.
8 Lord, thou art iust; and now it suffisith not to hem, that thei oppressen vs with hardeste seruage, but thei aretten the strengthe of her hondis to the power of idols,
9 and wolen chaunge thi biheestis, and do awei thin eritage, and close the mouthis of men heriynge thee, and quenche the glorie of thi temple and auter,
10 that thei opene the mouthis of hethene men, and preise the strengthe of ydols, and preche a fleischli kyng with outen ende.
11 Lord, yyue thou not thi kyngis yerde to hem, that ben noyt, lest thei leiyen at oure fallyng; but turne thou the councel of hem on hem, and distrie thou hym, that bigan to be cruel ayens vs.
12 Lord, haue thou mynde, and schewe thee to vs in the tyme of tribulacioun; and, Lord, kyng of goddis and of al power, yyue thou trist to me;
13 yyue thou a word wel dressid in my mouth in the siyt of the lioun, and turne ouer his herte in to the hatrede of oure enemy, that bothe he perische, and othere men that consenten to hym.
14 But delyuere vs in thin hond, and helpe me, hauynge noon othere help no but thee, Lord, that hast the kunnyng of alle thingis;
15 and knowist that Y hate the glorie of wickid men, and that Y wlate the bed of vncircumcidid men, and of ech alien.
16 Thou knowist my freelte and nede, that Y holde abhomynable the signe of my pride and glorie, which is on myn heed in the daies of my schewyng, and that Y wlate it `as the cloth of a womman hauynge vncleene blood, and Y bere not in the daies of my stillenesse,
17 and that Y eet not in the boord of Aaman, nether the feeste of the kyng pleside me, and Y drank not the wiyn of moiste sacrifices,
18 and that thin handmayde `was neuere glad, sithen Y was translatid hidur til in to present dai, no but in thee, Lord God of Abraham.
19 `God stronge aboue alle, here thou the vois of hem, that han noon othere hope, and delyuere thou vs fro the hond of wickid men, and delyuere thou me fro my drede.