Wycliffe (Late) [1850], THE HOLY BIBLE, CONTAINING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WITH THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS, IN THE EARLIEST ENGLISH VERSIONS MADE FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BY JOHN WYCLIFFE AND HIS FOLLOWERS: Edited by THE REV. JOSIAH FORSHALL, F.R.S. etc. Late Fellow of Exeter College, and SIR FREDERIC MADDEN, K.H. F.R.S. etc. Keeper of the MSS. in the British Museum (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD) [word count] [B02020].
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ISAIAH.
Here begynneth the prolog in the book of Ysaye, the prophete.
No man, whan the profetes he shal seen with versis to ben discriued, in metre eyme
he hem anent the Ebrues to ben bounden, and any thing lic to han of Salmes, or of
the werkus of Salomon; but that in Demostene and Tullio it is wont to ben do, that bi
dyuyseouns, and vnder distincciouns thei ben writen, the whiche forsothe in prose, and
not in vers wryten. Wee forsothe, to the profit of rederes purueyende, the newe remenyng
with a newe maner of writing han `distinctly write. And first, of Isaie it is
to wite, that in his sermoun he is wys; forsothe as a noble man, and of curteis fair
speche, ne any thing is mengd of cherlhed in his faire speche. Wherfore it falleth, that
the translacioun shal not moun kepe the flour of his sermoun, biforn othere. Theraftir
also this is to be leid to, that not more he is to be seyd a profete, than euaungelist.
So forsothe alle the mysteries of Crist `and the chirche to cleer, `or cleerli, he pursuede,
that not hym thou weene of thyng to come to profecien, but of the thingis
passid storie to weue. Wherfore I eyme the Seuenty Remenoures that tyme not to
han wold the sacramens of ther beleeue to shewe ful clerly to the hethene, lest hoeli
to dogges, and margarites to swyn thei &yogh;eeue. The whiche whan this making &yogh;ee
shul rede, of hem &yogh;ee shul taken heed, `or perceyue, hid thing. Ne I vnknowe
of hou myche trauaile it be the profetes to vnderstonden, ne li&yogh;tly any man to moun
demen of the remenyng, but if he schal vnderstonden byfore he schal reden; wee also
to ben opene to the bitingus of manye men, the whiche bi enuye styrende, that that
thei moun not han, thei dispisen. Thanne I witende and slee&yogh;, in to the flaume putte
the hond; and nerthelatere this of no&yogh;esum rederes I pre&yogh;e, that as Grekes after the
Seuenty translatoures, Aquylam, and Symachum, and Theodocian thei reden, or for
studie of ther doctrine, or that the Seuenty more they vnderstonde of the togidere
leiynge of hem, so and these namely oon remenour aftir the rathere vouche thei saf to
han. Rede thei rathere, and aftirward dispise they; lest thei ben seen not of dom, but
of presumpcioun of hate vnknowen thyngus to dampnen. Forsothe Isaie profeciede in
Jerusalem and in Jewerie, not &yogh;it the ten lynages led in to caitifte; and off euer either
rewme, now togidere, now seuerendely, he ordeynede the profecie. And tho&yogh; other
while he bihold to the present storie, and aftir the caitifte of Babiloyne he betocne the
a&yogh;eencomyng of the puple in to Jewerie, nerthelatere al his bisynesse is of the cleping
-- --
of Jentiles, and of the comyng of Crist, whom hou myche more &yogh;ee loouen, o Paule
and Eustoche, so myche more of hym asketh, that for the present bacbityng `by
which me enemys vncesendely to-tern, he to me &yogh;elde meede in tyme to come,
that wot me for that thing to han swat in the lernyng of a straunge tunge, lest the
Jewis lengere shulden `put repreue to the chirchis of hym, of the falshed of
scriptures.
Here endith the prolog, and now begynneth the book of Ysaie, the prophete.
Here bigynneth a general prolog for alle the bokis of profetis suynge.
As seynt Jerom seith in the prolog of Ysaie, Isaie is ful witti and ful opyn in his
writyng in Ebreu, thou&yogh; the translacioun in to Latyn mi&yogh;te not kepe the fairnesse
of speche. Isaye is worthi to be seid not oneli a profete, but more, a gospellere, for
he declarith so opynli the mysteries of Crist and of hooli chirche, that thou gesse
hym not oneli to ordeyne a profesie of thing to comynge, but to ordeyne a storie
of thingis passid. Ysaie profesiede in Jerusalem and in Judee, whanne the ten
lynagis of Israel weren not &yogh;it led in to caitiftee; and he ordeyneth a profesie of
euer either rewme, sum tyme of both togidere, sum tyme of ech bi it silf. And
whanne Ysaie biholdith sum tyme to the present storie, and signefieth the comynge
a&yogh;en of the puple in to Judee aftir the caitifte of Babiloyne, netheles al his bisynesse,
that is, principal entent, is of the clepyng of hethene men, and of the comyng of
Crist. Al this is the sentence of Jerom in the prolog of Ysaie. Here it is to
vndurstonde, that Isaie bigan to profesie bifore that the ten lynagis weren led in to
caitiftee of Assiriens, as Jerom seith here; but he profesiede aftir this caitiftee, aftir
Ezechies deth, in the tyme of Manasses, as it is seid in the fourthe book of Kyngis
the twentithe chapitre, and in many mo places. This seith `a postille on Jeroms
prolog on Ysaie. For as Ebreis seien, and Lire witnessith on the firste chapitre
of Isaie, Manasses ordeynede and demyde Isaye to be sawid with ynne a cedre tree,
that closid hym with ynne it silf bi myracle, whanne Manasses hadde demed hym
vniustli to deth. Also alle profetis that ben not teld opynli in the text, whanne and
in what tyme thei profesieden, profesieden in the same tyme in which the profetis
goynge next bifore profesieden, that ben teld in the text vndur whiche kyngis and
tymes thei profesieden, as Jerom seith in his prologe on the twelue Profetis, and it
is sette in the bigynnyng of Osee. Comynli alle the derk places of the profetis
moun be vndurstondun li&yogh;tli bi thre reulis. The firste is this, that the principal entent
of the profetis is to declare the mysterie of Cristis incarnacioun, passioun, resurreccioun,
ascensioun, and the comyng to the general doom, and the pupplischyng of
the gospel, and the conuercioun of hethene men, and the tribulacioun of hooli chirche
in this lijf, and the blis of heuene therfor. The secounde reule is this, that the
profetis warnen the puple of Jewis of her grete synnes, and exciten hem to do
-- --
penaunce; and thanne thei schulen gete remyssioun of her synnes, and grace in present
tyme, and glorie with outen ende; ellis thei schulen haue tribulacioun in this lijf,
and peyn with outen ende. The thridde reule is this, that the profetis rehersen
ofte benefices &yogh;ouun of God bifor to the Jewis, to coumforte hem to &yogh;yue credence
to goodis bihi&yogh;t in her profesies; and thanne the stories of Moises lawe, ether of
Josue, Judicum, Regum, and Paralipomenon, and of othere historial bookis schulen
be wel lokid; and schortli to seie, the profetis schulen be expouned bi the text of
Moises lawe, and of othere historial bookis of the Elde Testament, ether bi the text
of the Newe Testament. The literal vndurstondyng of hooli scripture is the ground
of al gostli vndurstondyng therof, that is, of allegorik, of moral, and of anagogik.
No goostli vndurstondyng is autentik, no but it be groundid in the text opynli, ether
in opyn resoun, suynge of principlis, ether reulis of feith, as seynt Austin witnessith
opynli in his pistle to Vincente, Donatiste, and in his book of Soliloquies, and Jerom
on Jonas, and Lire on the bigynnyng of Genesis, and in many placis of hooli scripture,
and Ardmakan in his book of Questiouns of Armenyes. Therfor men moten seke
the treuthe of the text, and be war of goostli vndurstondyng, ether moral fantasie,
and &yogh;yue not ful credence therto, no but it be groundid opynly in the text of hooli
writ, in o place or other, ethir in opyn resoun, that may not be auoidid; for ellis
it wole as likyngli be applied to falsnesse as to treuthe, and it hath disseyued grete
men in oure daies, bi ouer greet trist to her fantasies. Literal ether historial
vndurstondyng techith what thing is don; allegorik techith what we owen for to
bileue; moral ether tropologik techith what we owen to do to fle vices, and kepe
vertues; anagogik techith what we owen to hope of euerlastynge meede in heuene.
Of these foure vndurstondyngis `schal be seid pleynlier, `if God wole, on the bigynnyng
of Genesis. Also it is to wyte, that the profetis speken sum tyme bi figuratif
speche, and liknen men to vnresonable beestis, and clepen men bi figuratif speche,
liouns, beris, culueris, and ofte othere vnresonable beestis, for certeyn synnes whiche
thei vsen acordynge with the kyndis of vnresonable beestis; as men ben clepid
liouns for pride, ether raueyn, ether sum other synne; and sum tyme a lioun signefieth
Crist, for his power, and sum tyme a lioun signefieth the deuel, for tirauntrie
and raueyn; and men ben clepid beeris, for gredynesse ether glotonye, and mulis,
for letcherie; and so of othere beestis and othere synnes. Men ben clepid culueris
sum time for madnesse, and sum tyme for innocence, symplenesse, and charite. Bi
these reulis and bisi studiyng of the text, men moun li&yogh;tli vndurstonde the derk
placis of profetis; and algatis loke wel that the sentence takun of the text be trewe,
and acorde with charyte, and thanne it is the sentence of the Hooli Goost, as seynt
Austyn seith.
Here endith the prolog on Ysaye.
-- --
Here bigynnith the bok of Ysaie
profete.
CAP. I.
1 The visioun note, ether profesie, of Ysaie,
the sone of Amos note, which he si&yogh; on Juda
and Jerusalem note, in the daies of Osie, of
Joathan, of Achas, and of Ezechie, kyngis
of Juda.
2 &YOGH;e heuenes note, here, and thou erthe,
perseyue with eeris, for the Lord spak.
Y haue nurschid and Y haue enhaunsid
sones; sotheli thei han dispisid me.
3 An
oxe knew his lord, and an asse knew
the cratche of his lord; but Israel knewe
not me, and my puple vndurstood not.
4 Wo to the synful folk, to the puple heuy
in wickidnesse, to the weiward seed, to
the cursid sones; thei han forsake the
Lord, thei han blasfemyd the hooli of
Israel, thei ben aliened bacward.
5 On
what thing schal Y smyte &yogh;ou more note, that
encreessen trespassyng? Ech heed is sijk,
and ech herte is morenynge.
6 Fro the sole
of the foot til to the nol, helthe is not ther
ynne; wounde, and wannesse, and betyng
bolnynge is not boundun aboute, nether
curid bi medicyn, nether nurschid with
oile.
7 &YOGH;oure lond is forsakun, &yogh;oure citees
ben brent bi fier; aliens deuouren &yogh;oure
cuntrei bifore &yogh;ou, and it schal be disolat
as in the distriyng of enemyes.
8 And the
dou&yogh;tir of Sion, `that is, Jerusalem, schal
be forsakun as a schadewynge place in a
vyner, and as an hulke in a place where
gourdis wexen, and as a citee which is
wastid.
9 If the Lord of oostis hadde not
-- --
left seed to vs note, we hadden be as Sodom,
and we hadden be lijk as Gomorre.
10 &YOGH;e
princes of men of Sodom, here the word
of the Lord; and &yogh;e puple of Gommorre,
perseyue with eeris the lawe of &yogh;oure
God.
11 Wherto offren &yogh;e to me the multitude
of &yogh;oure sacrifices? seith the Lord. Y
am ful note; Y wolde not the brent sacrifices
of wetheris, and the ynnere fatnesse of
fatte beestis, and the blood of calues, and
of lambren, and of buckis of geet.
12 Whanne
&yogh;e camen bifore my si&yogh;t, who axide note of
&yogh;oure hondis these thingis, that &yogh;e schulden
go in myn hallys?
13 Offre &yogh;e no more sacrifice
in veyn; encense is abhomynacioun
to me; Y schal not suffre neomenye, and
sabat, and othere feestis.
14 &YOGH;oure cumpenyes
ben wickid; my soule hatith &yogh;oure
calendis note and &yogh;oure solempnytees; tho ben
maad diseseful to me, Y trauelide suffrynge.
15 And whanne &yogh;e stretchen forth
&yogh;oure hondis, Y schal turne awei myn i&yogh;en
fro &yogh;ou; and whanne &yogh;e multiplien preyer,
Y schal not here; for whi &yogh;oure hondis
ben ful of blood.
16 Be &yogh;e waischun, be &yogh;e
clene; do &yogh;e awei the yuel of &yogh;oure
thou&yogh;tis fro myn i&yogh;en; ceesse &yogh;e to do weiwardli,
lerne &yogh;e to do wel.
17 Seke &yogh;e doom,
helpe &yogh;e hym that is oppressid, deme &yogh;e note
to the fadirles and modirles child, defende
&yogh;e a widewe.
18 And come &yogh;e, and repreue &yogh;e
me, seith the Lord note. Thou&yogh; &yogh;oure synnes
ben as blood reed, tho schulen be maad
whijt as snow; and thou&yogh; tho ben reed
as vermylioun, tho schulen be whijt as
wolle.
19 If &yogh;e wolen, and heren me, &yogh;e
schulen ete the goodis of erthe.
20 That if
&yogh;e nylen, and &yogh;e terren me to wrathfulnesse,
-- --
swerd schal deuoure &yogh;ou; for whi
the mouth of the Lord spak.
21 Hou is the
feithful citee ful of dom maad an hoore note?
ri&yogh;tfulnesse dwellide ther ynne; but now
menquelleris dwellen ther ynne.
22 Thi siluer
is turned in to dros, ether filthe; thi
wyn is medlid with watir.
23 Thi princes ben
vnfeithful, the felowis of theuys note; alle louen
&yogh;iftis, suen meedis; thei demen not to a
fadirles child, and the cause of a widewe
entrith not to hem.
24 For this thing, seith
the Lord God of oostis, the stronge of
Israel, Alas! Y schal be coumfortid note on
myn enemyes, and Y schal be vengid on
myn enemyes.
25 And Y schal turne myn
hond note to thee, and Y schal sethe out thi
filthe to the cleene note, and Y schal do awei
al thi tyn.
26 And Y schal restore thi iuges,
as thei weren bifor to, and thi counselours,
as in elde tyme. Aftir these thingis thou
schalt be clepid the citee of the ri&yogh;tful, a
feithful citee.
27 Sion note schal be a&yogh;en bou&yogh;t
in dom, and thei schulen bringe it a&yogh;en
in to ri&yogh;tfulnesse;
28 and God schal al to-breke
cursid men and synneris togidere,
and thei that forsoken the Lord, schulen
be wastid.
29 For thei schulen be aschamed
of idols, to whiche thei maden sacrifice;
and &yogh;e shulen be aschamid on the orcherdis,
whiche &yogh;e chesiden note.
30 Whanne &yogh;e
schulen be as an ook, whanne the leeues
fallen doun, and as an orcherd with out
watir.
31 And &yogh;oure strengthe schal be as a
deed sparcle of bonys, `ether of herdis of
flex, and &yogh;oure werk schal be as a quyk
sparcle; and euer either schal be brent
togidere, and noon schal be that schal
quenche.
-- --
CAP. II.
1 The word which Ysaie, the sone of
Amos, si&yogh; on Juda and Jerusalem.
2 And
in the laste daies note the hil of the hous of
the Lord schal be maad redi in the cop of
hillis, and schal be reisid aboue litle hillis.
And alle hethene men schulen flowe to
hym;
3 and many puplis schulen go, and
schulen seie, Come &yogh;e, stie we to the hil of
the Lord, and to the hous of God of Jacob;
and he schal teche vs hise weies, and
we schulen go in the pathis of hym. For
whi the lawe schal go out of Syon, and
the word of the Lord fro Jerusalem note.
4 And he schal deme hethene men, and he
schal repreue many puplis; and thei schulen
welle togidere her swerdes in to scharris,
and her speris in to sikelis, ether sithes;
folk schal no more reise swerd note a&yogh;ens
folk, and thei schulen no more be exercisid
to batel.
5 Come &yogh;e, the hous of
Jacob, and go we in the li&yogh;t of the Lord.
6 Forsothe thou hast cast awei thi puple,
the hous of Jacob, for thei ben fillid as
sum tyme bifore; and thei hadden false
dyuynouris bi the chiteryng of briddis, as
Filisteis, and thei cleuyden to alien children note.
7 The lond is fillid with siluer and
gold, and noon ende is of the tresouris
therof; and the lond therof is fillid with
horsis, and the foure horsid cartis therof
ben vnnoumbrable.
8 And the lond therof
is fillid with ydols, and thei worschipiden
the werk of her hondis, which her fyngris
maden;
9 and a man bowide note hymsilf, and
a man of ful age was maad low. Therfor
for&yogh;yue thou not to hem.
10 Entre thou,
puple of Juda, in to a stoon, be thou hid
in a diche in erthe, fro the face of the
drede of the Lord, and fro the glorie of
-- --
his mageste.
11 The i&yogh;en of an hi&yogh; man ben
maad low, and the hi&yogh;nesse of men schal
be bowid doun; forsothe the Lord aloone
schal be enhaunsid in that dai note.
12 For the
dai of the Lord of oostis schal be on ech
proud man and hi&yogh;, and on ech boostere,
and he schal be maad low;
13 and on alle
the cedres of the Liban hi&yogh;e and reisid,
and on alle the ookis of Baisan,
14 and on
alle hi&yogh; munteyns, and on alle litle hillis,
`that ben reisid;
15 and on ech hi&yogh; tour, and
on ech strong wal;
16 and on alle schippis
of Tharsis, and on al thing which is fair
in si&yogh;t.
17 And al the hi&yogh;nesse of men schal
be bowid doun, and the hi&yogh;nesse of men
schal be maad low; and the Lord aloone
schal be reisid in that dai,
18 and idols
schulen be brokun togidere outirli.
19 And
thei schulen entre in to dennes of stoonys,
and in to the swolewis of erthe, fro the
face of the inward drede of the Lord, and
fro the glorie of his maieste, whanne he
schal ryse to smyte the lond note.
20 In that
dai a man schal caste awei the idols of his
siluer, and the symylacris of his gold,
whiche he hadde maad to hym silf, for to
worschipe moldewarpis and backis, `ether
rere myis.
21 And he schal entre in to
chynnis, ethir crasyngis, of stoonys, and
in to the caues of hard roochis, fro the
face of the inward drede of the Lord, and
fro the glorie of his mageste, whanne he
schal ryse to smyte the lond.
22 Therfor
ceesse &yogh;e fro a man, whos spirit is in hise
nose thirlis note, for he is arettid hi&yogh;.
CAP. III.
1 For lo! the lordli gouernour, the Lord
of oostis, schal take awei fro Jerusalem
and fro Juda a my&yogh;ti man, and strong,
and al the strengthe of breed, and al the
-- --
strengthe of watir;
2 a strong man, and a
man a werriour, and a domesman, and a
profete, and a false dyuynour in auteris,
and an elde man,
3 a prince ouer fifti men,
and a worschipful man in cheer, and a
counselour, and a wijs man of principal
crafti men, and a prudent man of mystik,
ethir goostli, speche.
4 And Y schal &yogh;yue
children note the princes of hem, and men of
wymmens condiciouns schulen be lordis of
hem.
5 And the puple schal falle doun, a
man to a man, ech man to his nei&yogh;bore;
a child schal make noyse a&yogh;ens an eld
man, and an vnnoble man a&yogh;ens a noble
man.
6 For a man schal take his brother,
the meneal of his fadir, and schal seie, A
clooth is to thee, be thou oure prince;
forsothe this fallyng be vndur thin hond.
7 And he schal answere in that dai, and
seie, Y am no leche note, and nether breed,
nether cloth is in myn hous; nyle &yogh;e make
me prince of the puple.
8 For whi Jerusalem
felle doun, and Juda felle doun togidere;
for the tunge of hem note, and the
fyndingis of hem weren a&yogh;ens the Lord,
for to terre to wraththe the i&yogh;en of his
mageste.
9 The knowyng of her cheer
schal answere to hem; and thei prechiden
her synne, as Sodom dide, and hidden not.
Wo to the soule of hem, for whi yuels
ben &yogh;oldun to hem.
10 Seie &yogh;e to the iust
man, that it schal be to hym wel; for he
schal ete the fruyt of hise fyndyngis.
11 Wo
to the wickid man in to yuel; for whi the
&yogh;eldyng of hise hondis schal be maad to
hym.
12 The wrongful axeris of my puple
robbiden it, and wymmen weren lordis
therof. Mi puple, thei that seien thee
blessid, disseyuen thee, and distrien the
weie of thi steppis.
13 The Lord stondith
for to deme, and `the Lord stondith for
to deme puplis;
14 the Lord schal come to
doom, with the eldere men of his puple,
-- --
and with hise princes; for &yogh;e han wastid
my vyner, and the raueyn of a pore man
is in &yogh;oure hous.
15 Whi al to-breken &yogh;e
my puple, and grynden togidere the faces
of pore men? seith the Lord God of
oostis.
16 And the Lord God seide, For that
that the dou&yogh;tris of Syon weren reisid note,
and &yogh;eden with a necke stretchid forth,
and &yogh;eden bi signes of i&yogh;en, and flappiden
with hondis, and &yogh;eden, and with her feet
&yogh;eden in wel araied goyng,
17 the Lord schal
make ballyd the nol of the dou&yogh;tris of
Sion, and the Lord schal make nakid the
heer of hem.
18 In that dai the Lord schal
take awei the ournement of schoon, and
goldun litle bellis lijk the moone,
19 and
ribans, and brochis, and ournementis of
armes ny&yogh; the schuldris, and mytris, ether
chapelettis,
20 and coombis, and ournementis
of armes ni&yogh; the hondis, and goldun ourenementis
lijk laumpreis, and litil vessels
of oynementis,
21 and eere ryngis, and
ryngis, and preciouse stoonys hangynge
in the forheed,
22 and chaungynge clothis,
and mentils, and schetis, ether smockis,
and needlis,
23 and myrouris, and smal lynun
clothis aboute the schuldris, and kercheues,
and roketis.
24 And stynk shal be
for swete odour, and a corde for the girdil;
ballidnesse schal be for crispe heer,
and an heire for a brest girdil.
25 Also thi
faireste men schulen falle bi swerd, and
thi stronge men schulen falle in batel.
26 And the &yogh;atis therof note schulen weile, and
morene; and it schal sitte desolat in erthe.
CAP. IV.
1 And seuene wymmen schulen catche
o man note in that dai, and schulen seie, We
schulen ete oure breed, and we schulen be
hilid with oure clothis; oneli thi name be
clepid on vs, do thou awei oure schenschip.
-- --
2 In that dai note the buriownyng of
the Lord schal be in greet worschip and
glorie; and the fruyt of erthe schal be hi&yogh;,
and ful out ioye `schal be to hem that
schulen be sauyd of Israel.
3 And it schal
be, ech that is left in Sion, and is resydue
in Jerusalem, schal be clepid hooli; ech
that is writun in lijf in Jerusalem;
4 if the
Lord note waischith awei the filthis of the
dou&yogh;tris of Sion, and waischith the blood
of Jerusalem fro the myddis therof, in the
spirit of doom, and in the spirit of heete.
5 And the Lord made note on ech place of the
hille of Sion, and where he was clepid to
help, a cloude bi dai, and smoke, and bri&yogh;tnesse
of fier flawmynge in the ni&yogh;t; for
whi hilyng schal be aboue al glorie.
6 And a tabernacle schal be in to a schadewynge
place of the dai, fro heete, and in to
sikirnesse and in to hidyng, fro whirlewynd
and fro reyn.
CAP. V.
1 I schal synge for my derlyng the song
of myn vnclis sone, of his vyner. A
vyner note was maad to my derlyng, in the
horne in the sone of oile.
2 And he heggide
it, and chees stoonys therof, and
plauntide a chosun vyner; and he bildide
a tour in the myddis therof, and rerede a
presse ther ynne; and he abood, that it
schulde bere grapis, and it bare wielde
grapis.
3 Now therfor, &yogh;e dwelleris of Jerusalem,
and &yogh;e men of Juda, deme bitwixe
me and my viner.
4 What is it note that Y
-- --
ou&yogh;t to do more to my vyner, and Y dide
not to it? whether that Y abood, that it
schulde bere grapis, and it bare wielde
grapis?
5 And now Y schal schewe to &yogh;ou,
what Y schal do to my vyner. Y schal
take awei the hegge therof, and it schal
be in to rauyschyng note; Y schal caste doun
the wal therof, and it schal be in to defoulyng;
and Y schal sette it desert,
6 ether
forsakun. It schal not be kit, and it schal
not be diggid, and breris and thornes
schulen `growe vp on it; and Y schal comaunde
to cloudis, that tho reyne not
reyn on it.
7 Forsothe the vyner of the
Lord of oostis is the hous of Israel, and
the men of Juda ben the delitable buriownyng
of hym. Y abood, that it schal
make doom, and lo! wickidnesse; and
that it schulde do ri&yogh;tfulnesse, and lo!
cry.
8 Wo to &yogh;ou that ioynen hows to hous,
and couplen feeld to feeld, `til to the ende
of place. Whether &yogh;e aloone schulen dwelle
in the myddis of the lond?
9 These thingis
ben in the eeris of me, the Lord of oostis;
if many housis ben not forsakun, grete
housis and faire, with outen dwellere,
bileue &yogh;e not to me.
10 For whi ten acris
of vynes schulen make a potel, and
thretti buschels of seed schulen make thre
buschels.
11 Wo to &yogh;ou that risen togidere
eerli to sue drunkennesse, and to drinke
`til to euentid, that &yogh;e brenne with wyn.
12 Harpe, and giterne, and tympan, and pipe,
and wyn ben in &yogh;oure feestis; and &yogh;e biholden
not note the werk of the Lord, nether
&yogh;e biholden the werkis of hise hondis.
13 Therfor my puple is led prisoner, for it
hadde not kunnyng; and the noble men
therof perischiden in hungur, and the multitude
therof was drye in thirst.
14 Therfor
helle alargide his soule note, and openyde his
-- --
mouth with outen ony ende; and strong
men therof, and the puple therof, and
the hi&yogh; men, and gloriouse men therof,
schulen go doun to it.
15 And a man schal
be bowid doun, and a man of age schal be
maad low; and the i&yogh;en of hi&yogh; men schulen
be pressid doun.
16 And the Lord of oostis
schal be enhaunsid in doom, and hooli
God schal be halewid in ri&yogh;tfulnesse.
17 And
lambren schulen be fed bi her ordre, and
comelyngis schulen ete desert places turned
in to plentee.
18 Wo to &yogh;ou that drawen
wickydnesse in the cordis of vanyte, and
drawen synne as the boond of a wayn;
and &yogh;e seien,
19 The werk of hym haaste,
and come soone, that we se; and the
counsel of the hooli of Israel nei&yogh;, and
come, and we schulen knowe it.
20 Wo to
&yogh;ou that seien yuel good, and good yuel;
and putten derknessis li&yogh;t, and li&yogh;t derknessis;
and putten bittir thing in to
swete, and swete thing in to bittir.
21 Wo
to &yogh;ou that ben wise men in &yogh;oure i&yogh;en,
and ben prudent bifor &yogh;ou silf.
22 Wo to &yogh;ou
that ben my&yogh;ti to drynke wyn, and ben
stronge to meddle drunkenesse;
23 and &yogh;e
iustifien a wickid man for &yogh;iftis, and &yogh;e
taken awei the ri&yogh;tfulnesse of a iust man
fro hym.
24 For this thing, as the tunge of
fier deuourith stobil, and the heete of
flawme brenneth, so the roote of hem schal
be as a deed sparcle, and the seed of hem
schal stie as dust; for thei castiden awei
the lawe of the Lord of oostis, and blasfemyden
the speche of the hooli of Israel.
25 Therfor the strong veniaunce of the Lord
was wrooth a&yogh;ens his puple, and he stretchide
forth his hond on it, and smoot it;
-- --
and hillis note weren disturblid, and the deed
bodies of hem weren maad as a toord in
the myddis of stretis. In alle these thingis
the stronge vengeaunce of him was not
turned awei, but &yogh;it his hond was stretchid
forth.
26 And he schal reise a signe among
naciouns afer, and he schal hisse to hym note
fro the endis of erthe; and lo! he schal
haaste, and schal come swiftli.
27 Noon is
failynge nethir trauelynge in that oost;
he schal not nappe, nether slepe, nether
the girdil of his reynes schal be vndo,
nether the lace of his scho schal be brokun.
28 Hise arowis ben scharpe, and alle hise
bowis ben bent; the houys of hise horsis
ben as a flynt, and hise wheelis ben as the
feersnesse of tempest.
29 His roryng schal be
as of lioun; he schal rore as the whelpis
of liouns; and he schal gnaste, and schal
holde prey, and schal biclippe, and noon
schal be, that schal delyuere.
30 And he
schal sowne on it in that dai, as doith the
soun of the see; we schulen biholde in to
the erthe, and lo! derknessis of tribulacioun,
and li&yogh;t is maad derk in the derknesse
therof.
CAP. VI.
1 In the &yogh;eer in which the kyng Osie was
deed note, Y si&yogh; the Lord sittynge on an hi&yogh;
seete, and reisid; and the hous was ful of
his mageste, and tho thingis that weren
vndur hym, filliden the temple.
2 Serafyn
stoden on it, sixe wyngis weren to oon,
and sixe wyngis to the tothir; with
twei wyngis thei hiliden the face of hym,
and with twei wyngis thei hiliden the
feet of hym, and with twei wyngis thei
flowen.
3 And thei crieden `the toon to
the tother, and seiden, Hooli, hooli, hooli
is the Lord God of oostis; al erthe is ful
of his glorie.
4 And the lyntels aboue of
the herris were moued togidere of the vois
of the criere, and the hous was fillid with
smoke.
5 And Y seide, Wo to me, for Y
-- --
was stille note; for Y am a man defoulid in
lippis, and Y dwelle in the myddis of the
puple hauynge defoulid lippis, and Y si&yogh;
with myn i&yogh;en the kyng Lord of oostis.
6 And oon of serafyn flei to me, and a
brennynge cole was in his hond, which
cole he hadde take with a tonge fro the
auter.
7 And he touchide my mouth, and
seide, Lo! Y haue touchid thi lippis with
this cole, and thi wickidnesse schal be don
awei, and thi synne schal be clensid.
8 And
Y herde the vois of the Lord, seiynge,
Whom schal Y sende, and who schal go
to &yogh;ou? And Y seide, Lo! Y note; sende thou
me.
9 And he seide, Go thou, and thou
schalt seie to this puple, &YOGH;e herynge here,
and nyle &yogh;e vndurstonde note; and se &yogh;e the
profesie, and nyle &yogh;e knowe.
10 Make thou
blynde the herte of this puple, and aggrege
thou the eeris therof, and close thou the
i&yogh;en therof; lest perauenture it se with
hise i&yogh;en, and here with hise eeris, and
vndurstonde with his herte, and it be conuertid,
and Y make it hool.
11 And Y seide,
Lord, hou long note? And he seide, Til citees
ben maad desolat with out dwellere, and
housis with out man. And the lond schal
be left desert,
12 and the Lord schal make
men fer. And that that was forsakun note in
the myddil of erthe, schal be multiplied,
and &yogh;it tithing schal be ther ynne;
13 and it
schal be conuertid, and it schal be in to
schewyng, as a terebynte is, and as an ook,
that spredith abrood hise boowis; that
schal be hooli seed, that schal stonde ther
ynne.
CAP. VII.
1 And it was don in the daies of Achas,
the sone of Joathan, the sone of Osias,
kyng of Juda, Rasyn, the kyng of Sirie,
and Facee, the sone of Romelie, the kyng
of Israel, stieden to Jerusalem, for to fi&yogh;te
a&yogh;ens it; and thei my&yogh;ten not ouercome it.
2 And thei telden to the hous of Dauid, and
-- --
seiden, Sirie hath restid note on Effraym, and
the herte of hym and of his puple was
mouyd togidere, as the trees of wodis ben
mouyd of the face of the wynd.
3 And the
Lord seide to Isaie, Go thou out, and Jasub,
thi sone, which is left, in to the meetyng
of Achas, at the laste ende of the
water cundijt of the hi&yogh;ere cisterne, in the
weie of the feeld of the fullere.
4 And thou
schalt seie to hym, Se thou, that thou be
stille note; nyle thou drede, and thin herte
be not aferd of twei tailis of these
brondis smokynge in the wraththe of
woodnesse, of Rasyn, kynge of Sirie, and
of the sone of Romelye.
5 For Sirie, and
Effraym, and the sone of Romelie, han
bigunne yuel councel a&yogh;ens thee, and seien,
Stie we to Juda,
6 and reise we hym, and
drawe we hym out to vs; and sette we a
kyng in the myddis therof, the sone of
Tabeel note.
7 The Lord God seith these
thingis, This schal not be, and it schal
not stonde;
8 but Damask schal be the
heed of Sirie, and Rasyn `schal be the
heed of Damask; and &yogh;it sixti &yogh;eer and
fiue, and Effraym schal faile to be a puple;
9 and Samarie shal faile to be the heed of
Effraym, and the sone of Romelie `schal
faile to be heed of Samarie. Forsothe
if &yogh;e schulen not bileue, &yogh;e schulen not
dwelle.
10 And the Lord addide to speke to
Achas,
11 and seide, Axe thou to thee a signe
of thi Lord God, in to the depthe of helle,
ethir in to hei&yogh;the aboue.
12 And Achas
seide, Y schal not axe, and Y schal not
tempte note the Lord.
13 And Ysaie seide, Therfor
the hous of Dauid, here &yogh;e; whether
it is litil to &yogh;ou to be diseseful to men |
