1   VVoe to them that make ^note wicked lawes: and writing, haue written iniustice.

2   That they might oppresse the poore in iudgement, & doe violence to the cause of the humble of my people: that widowes might be their praye, and they might spoile pupilles.

3   What wil you doe in the day of visitation, and of calamitie coming from farre? to whose helpe wil ye flee? and where wil ye leaue your glorie?

4   That you be not bowed vnder the bond, and fal with the slaine? In al these thinges his furie is not turned away, but his

hand is yet stretched forth.

5   Woe to Assur, he is the rod of my furie, and the staffe, myne indignation is in their handes.

6   I wil send him to ^note a deceitful nation, & wil geue him commandment against the people of my furie, that he take away spoiles, and catche the praye, and put them to be troden vpon, as the mire of the streates.

7   But he shal not so thinke, and his hart shal not esteme it so: but his hart shal be set to destroy, and to the destruction of no few nations.

8   For he shal say:

9   Are not my princes with al kinges? Is not as Charcamis, so Calano: and as Arphad, so Emath? Is not as Damascus, so Samaria?

10   Euen as my hand hath found the kingdomes of the idol, so also their idols of Ierusalem, & of Samaria.

11   Shal I not as I haue done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Ierusalem and her idols?

12   And it shal be: when the Lord shal haue accomplished al his workes in mount Sion, and in Ierusalem, I wil visite ouer the fruite of the magnifical hart of the king of Assur, and ouer the glorie of the hautines of his eyes.

13   For he hath said: In the strength of mine owne hand haue I done it, and in mine owne wisdome haue I vnderstood: and I haue taken away the borders of peoples, and haue spoiled their princes, and haue pulled downe as a mightie man, them that sate on high.

14   And my hand hath found the strength of peoples as a nest: and as egges be gathered, that are leaft, so haue I gathered together al the earth: and there was none that moued wing, and opened mouth, and once muttered.

15   Shal ^note the axe glorie against him, that cutteth with it? or shal the saw exalt itselfe against him, by whom it is drawen? As if a rod should lift vp itself agaynst him, that lifteth it vp, and a staffe exalt itself which is certes but wood.

16   For this cause the Dominatour the Lord of hostes shal send leannes in his fat ones: and vnder his glorie shal burne as it were the burning of fyre kindled.

17   And the light of Israel shal be in fyre, and the Holie one therof in flame: and his thorne shal be kindled, and be deuouted, and the briars in one day.

18   And the glorie of his forest, and of his carmelus shal be consumed, from the soule euen to the flesh, and he shal be a fugitiue for feare.

19   And the remaynes of the woode of his forest, for the fewnes shal be numbred, and a child shal write them.

20   And it shal be in that day, the residue of Israel, and they that shal escape of the house of Iacob, shal not adde to leane vpon him, that striketh them: but they shal leane vpon our Lord the

holie one of Israel in truth.

21   The remnant shal be conuerted, the remnant I say of Iacob, to the strong God.

22   For if thy people ô Israel shal be as the sand of the sea, the remnant therof shal be conuerted, consumnation abbridged shal make iustice ouerflow.

23   For our Lord the God of hostes shal make consummation, and abbridgement in the middes of al the earth.

24   For this cause, thus sayth our Lord the God of hostes: O my people inhatiter of Sion, be not afrayd of Assur: he shal strike thee with his rod, and shal lift vp his staffe ouer thee in the way of Ægypt.

25   For yet a litle and a very litle, and mine indignation and furie vpon their wickednes shal be consummate.

26   And the Lord of hostes shal rayse vp a scourge vpon him, according to the plague of Madian in the Rocke Oreb, and his rod vpon the sea, and he shal lift it vp in the way of Ægypt.

27   And it shal be in that day: his burden shal be taken away from of thy shoulder, and his yoke from of thy necke, and the yoke shal putrifie at the face of oile.

28   He shal come into ^note Aiath, he shal passe into Magron: at Machmas he shal commend his vessels.

29   They haue passed in hast, Gaba is our seate: Rama was astonied, Gabaath of Saul fled.

30   Neay with thy voice ô daughter of Gallim, attend Laisa, seelie poore Anathoth.

31   Medemena is remoued: ye inhabitants of Gabin take courege.

32   Yet there is day, to stand in Nobe: he shal shake his hand ouer the mountaine of the daughter of Sion, the litle hil of Ierusalem.

33   Behold the dominatour the Lord of hostes shal breake the litle flagon in terrour, and the high of stature shal be cut downe, and the loftie shal be humbled.

34   And the thicke places of the forest shal be ouerthrowen with iron, and Libanus with the high ones shal fal.

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