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CAP 6
1 Forsothe it was doon, whanne thei hadden ceessid to speke, Holofernes hadde dedeyn gretli,
2 and seide to Achior, For thou propheciedist to vs, and seidist, that the folk of Israel is defendid of her God, that Y schewe to thee, that no god is no but Nabugodonosor;
3 whanne we han slayn `hem alle as o man, thanne also thou schalt perische with hem bi the swerd of Assiriens, and al Israel schal perische dyuerseli with thee in perdicioun; and thou schalt preue,
4 that Nabugodonosor is lord of al erthe; and thanne the swerd of my chyualrie schal passe thorouy thi sidis, and thou schalt be persid, and schalt falle among the woundid men of Israel, and thou schalt no more brethe ayen, til thou be distried with hem.
5 But certis if thou gessist thi profecie sothe, thi cheer falle not doun; and the palenesse that hath gete thi face, go awey fro thee, if thou gessist that these my wordis moun not `be fillid.
6 But that thou knowe, that thou schalt feele this thing togidere with hem, lo! fro this our thou schalt be felouschipid to the puple of hem, that whanne thei han take worthi peynes of my swerd, thou be suget to lijk veniaunce.
7 Thanne Olofernes comaundide hise seruauntis to take Achior, and to lede hym in to Bethulia, and to bitake hym in to the hondis of the sones of Israel.
8 And the seruauntis of Olofernes token him, and yeden forth bi the feeldi places, but whanne thei hadden neiyid to the hilli places, slingeris yeden out ayens hem.
9 Sotheli thei turneden awei fro the side of the hil, and bounden Achior to a tre bi hondis and feet, and so thei leften hym boundun with withthis, and turneden ayen to her lord.
10 Certis the sones of Israel yeden doun fro Bethulia, and camen to hym, whom thei vnbounden, and ledden to Bethulia, and thei settiden hym in to the myddis of the puple, and axiden, what manere of thinges bifel, that Assiriens hadden left hym boundun.
11 In tho daies princes weren there, Ozias, the sone of Mycha, of the lynage of Symeon, and Charmy, which is also Gothonyel.
12 Therfor in the myddis of eldere men, and in the siyt of alle men, Achior seide alle thingis, whiche he was axid of Holofernes, and hadde spoke, and hou the puple of Holofernes wolde sle hym for this word,
13 and hou Holofernes hym silf was wrooth, and comaundide hym to be bitakun for this cause to men of Israel, that the while he ouercam the sones of Israel, thanne he comaundide that also thilk Achior perische bi dyuerse turmentis, for this that he hadde seid, God of heuene is the defendere of hem.
14 And whanne Achior hadde expowned alle thingis, al the puple felde doun on the face, and worschipide the Lord; and with comyn weilyng and wepyng thei schedden out to the Lord her preyeris of o wille,
15 seiynge, Lord God of heuene and of erthe, biholde the pride of hem, and biholde thou to oure mekenesse, and perseyue the face of thi seyntis, and schewe that thou forsakist not men tristynge of thee, and thou makist low men tristynge of hem silf, and `men hauynge glorie of her vertu.
16 Therfor whanne the wepyng was endid, and the preier of the puple bi al the dai was fillid,
17 thei coumfortiden Achior, and seiden, God of oure fadris, whos vertu thou prechidist, he is rewardere, and schal yyue to thee this while, that thou se more the perischyng of hem.
18 Forsothe whanne `oure Lord God hath youe this fredom to hise seruauntis, also the Lord be with thee in the myddis of vs, that as it plesith thee, so thou lyue with `alle thi thingis.
19 Thanne after that the counsel was endid, Ozias resseyuede hym in to his hows, and made a greet soper to hym.
20 And whanne alle the prestis weren clepid togidere, aftir that the fastyng was fillid, thei refreischiden Achior `and hem silf.
21 Forsothe aftirward al the puple was clepid togidere, and thei preieden bi al the niyt with ynne the chirche, and axiden help of God of Israel.

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