Histories of Languages
Lauerd me steres, noght wante sal me:
In stede of fode þare* me louked he.
He fed me ouer watre ofe fode, Mi saule he tornes in to gode.
He led me ouer sties of rightwisenes, For his name, swa hali es.
For, and ife .I. ga in mid schadw ofe dede, For þou wiþ me erte iuel sal .i. noght
drede;
Þi yherde, and þi stafe ofe mighte, Þai ere me roned dai and nighte.
Þou graiþed in mi sighte borde to be, Ogaines þas þat droued me;
Þou fatted in oli me heued yhite; And mi drinke dronkenand while schire es
ite!
And filigh me sal þi mercy Alle daies ofe mi life for-þi;
And þat .I. wone in hous ofe lauerd isse In lengþe of daies al wiþ blisse.
Next: The sounds of language change
The passage is the 23 psalm. In the KJV it goes: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
*The þ symbol in the passage is called a "thorn" and is pronounced about half way between "th" and "zh."