Capitulum I. The word of þe Lord þat is maad to Oſee, ſone of Bery, in þe days of Oſye, Joaþan, Achas, and Ezechie, kyngis of Juda, and in þe days of Jeroboam, ſone of Joas, kyng of Yrael. Þe bygynnyng of ſpekynge Lord in Oſee. And þe Lord ſaid to Oſee, Go þou, take to þee a wijf of fornicacioun, and make to þee ſonys of fornicaciouns, for þe erþe doynge fornicacioun ſhal do fornicacioun fro þe Lord. And he wente, and toke Gomer, þe douȝter of Debalaym; and ſhe conceyuyde, and bare to hym a ſone. And þe Lord ſaide to hym, Clepe þe name of hym Jeſrael; for ȝit a lytil and Y ſhal viſite þe blode of Jeſrael on þe hous of Hyeu, and ſhal make þe kyngdam of þe hous of Yrael for to reſte. And in þat day Y ſhal breke to gydre þe bowe of Yrael in þe valey of Jeſrael. And ſhe conceyuyde ȝit, and bare a douȝter. And he ſaide to hym, Clepe þou þe name of hir Wiþ outen mercy, for Y ſhal namore putte to, for to haue mercy to þe hous of Yrael, bot bi forȝetyng Y ſhal forȝete hem. And to þe hous of Juda Y ſhal haue mercy, and Y ſhal ſaue hem in þe Lord her God; and Y ſhal not ſaue hem in bowe, and ſwerd, and bateil, and in horſis, and in horſmen. And ſhe wenyde hir þat was Wiþ outen mercye. And ſhe conceyuyde, and bare to hym a ſone. And he ſaide, Clepe þou þe name of hym Not my people, for ȝe ben not my peple, and Y ſhal not be ȝour God. And þe noumbre of ſones of Yrael ſhal be as grauel of þe ſee, whiche is wiþ oute meſure, and ſhal not be noumbrid; and it ſchal be in place, where it ſchal be ſeid to hem, Not my peple ȝe; it ſchal be ſeid to hem, Sones of God lyuynge. And ſones of Juda and ſones of Yrael ſhuln be gedrid to gydre, and þei ſhuln putte to hem ſelf oon hed, and ſhuln ſtie vp fro þe lond, for grete is þe day of Jeſrael.