1 In the fourthe yeer, whanne Ptolome and Cleopatra regneden, Dositheus, that seide hym silf to be a prest and of the kyn of Leuy, and Ptolome, his sone, brouyten this pistle of lottis in to Jerusalem, which pistle thei seiden, that Lysimachus, the sone of Ptolome, translatide.
2 In the secounde yeer, whanne Artaxerses the moost regnyde, Mardochee, the sone of Jairy, sone of Semei, sone of Cys, of the lynage of Beniamyn, siy a dreem in the firste dai of the monethe Nysan;
3 and Mardochee was a man Jew, that dwellide in the citee of Susa, a grete man, and amonge the firste men of the kyngis halle.
4 Sotheli he was of that noumbre of prisoneris, which Nabugodonosor, the kyng of Babiloyn, hadde translatid fro Jerusalem with Jeconye, kyng of Judee.
5 And this was `his dreem. Voices and noises and thundris and erthemouyngis and troblyng apperiden on the erthe.
6 And lo! twei grete dragouns, and maad redi ayens hem silf in to batel;
7 at the cry `of which alle naciouns weren stirid togidere, to fiyte ayens the folc of iust men.
8 And that was a day of derknessis, and of perel, of tribulacioun, and of angwisch, and grete drede was on erthe.
9 And the folc of iust men dredynge `her yuels was disturblid, and maad redi to deeth.
10 And thei crieden to God; and whanne thei crieden, a litil welle encreesside in to a ful greet flood, and turnede ayen in to ful many watris.
11 The liyt and the sunne roos; and meke men weren enhaunsid, and deuouriden noble men.
12 And whanne Mardochee hadde seyn this thing, and hadde rise fro the bed, he thouyte, what God wolde do, and he hadde fast set in soule, and couetide to wite, what the dreem signyfiede.