The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Middle English and Early Modern English



Wycliffe Bible (1389)     Audio

King James Bible of 1611    Audio

11 Forsothe he seith, Sum man hadde tweye sones;
12 And the 3ongere seide to the fadir, Fadir, 3yue to me the porcioun of substaunce, that byfallith to me. And the fadir departide to him the substaunce.
13 And not aftir manye dayes, alle thingis gederid to gidre, the 3ongere sone wente in pilgrymage in to a fer cuntree; and there he wastide his substaunce in lyuynge leccherously.
14 And aftir that he hadde endid alle thingis, a strong hungir was maad in that cuntree, and he bigan to haue nede.
15 And he wente, and cleuyde to oon of the citeseyns of that cuntree. And he sente him in to his toun, that he schulde feede hoggis.
16 And he coueitide to fille his wombe of the coddis whiche the hoggis eeten, and no man 3af to him.
17 Sothli he turned a3en in to him silf, seyde, Hou many hirid men in my fadir hous, han plente of looues; forsothe I perische here thur3 hungir.
18 I schal ryse, and I schal go to my fadir, and I schal seie to him, Fadir, I haue synned a3ens heuene, and bifore thee;
19 Now I am not worthi to be clepid thi sone, make me as oon of thi hyrid men.
20 And he rysinge cam to his fadir. Sothli whanne he was 3it fer, his fadir sy3 him, and he was stirid by mercy. And he rennynge to, felde on his necke, and kiste him.
21 And the sone seyde to him, Fadir, I haue synned a3ens heuene, and bifore thee ; and now I am not worthi to be clepid thi sone.

11 And hee said, A certain man had two sonnes:
12 And the yonger of them said to his father, Father, giue me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his liuing.
13 And not many days after, the yonger sonne gathered altogether, and tooke his journey into a farre country, and there wasted his substance with riotous liuing.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he beganne to be in want.
15 And he went and ioyned himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him unto his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would faine have filled his belly with the huskes that the swine did eate & no man gaue unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired seruants of my fathers haue bread inough and to spare, and I perish with hunger:
18 I will arise and goe to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I haue sinned against heauen and before thee.
19 And am no more worthy to called thy sonne; make me as one of thy hired seruants.
20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and came, and fell on his necke, and kissed him.
21 And the sonne said unto him, Father, I haue sinned against heauen, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne.

Luke XV: 11-32

Old English (ca. 1000)

Middle English (1389)

Early Modern English (1611)

Present-Day English (1975)

Comparisons:

Old English - Middle English

Middle English - Early Modern English

Old English - Modern English

Middle English - Modern English

Early Modern English - Modern English

 

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