Isaiah · Chapter 9

[ edit] The firſte tyme is aleggid, or maad liȝt, þe lond of Zabulon and þe lond of Neptalym; and þe laſte tyme agreggid is þe weie of þe ſe beȝunde Jordan of Galilee of Jentiles. Þe puple þat wente in derkneſſes ſaȝ a gret liȝt; to þe men dwellende in þe regioun of þe ſhadewe of deþ, liȝt ſprungen is to þem. Þou haſt multeplyed þe folc of kinde, not magnefiediſt gladneſſe; þei ſhul glade bifor þee, as þei þat gladen in rip, as ful out ioȝen ouercomeres, þe prey taken, whan þei deuyden ſpoiles. Þe ȝoc forſoþe of his charge, and þe ȝerde of his ſhulder, and þe kingus power of his wrong aſker þou ouercame, as in þe dai of Madian.

For eche violent reuyng wiþ noiſe, and cloþing mengd wiþ blod ſhal be in to brennyng, and mete of fyr. A litil child forſoþe is born to vs, and a ſone is ȝoue to vs, and mad is princehed vp on his ſhulder; and his name ſhal be clepid Merueilous, Counſeiler, God, Strong, Fadir of þe world to come, Prince of pes. His empire ſhal be multeplied, and of pes þer ſhal not ben ende; vp on þe ſee of Dauid, and vpon his regne he ſhal ſitte, þat he conferme it, and ſtrengþe in dom and riȝtwyſſneſſe, fro now and unto wiþoute ende. Þe huge looue of þe Lord of oſtes ſhal don þis. A wrd þe Lord ſente in to Jacob, and it fel in Irael.

And al þe puple of Effraym ſhal wite, and þe men dwellende Samarie, in pride and gretneſſe of herte ſeiende, Sclattes fellen, but wiþ ſquare ſtones wee ſhul bilden vp; ſicomore trees þei hewen doun, but ceder trees wee ſhul newen, or chaungen. And þe Lord ſhal reren enemys Raſyn vpon hym, and his enemys in to noiſe he ſhal turne, Cirie fro þe eſt, and Filiſteyn fro þe weſt; and þei ſhul deuoure Irael wiþ al þe mouþ. In alle þes þingus is not turned awei þe wodneſſe of hym, but ȝit his hond ſtraȝt out; and þe puple is not turned aȝeen to þe ſmytende hym, and þe Lord of oſtes þei inwardlyche ſoȝten not.

And þe Lord ſhal ſcatere fro Irael þe hed and þe tail, þe inbowende and þe ſhrewende, in o day. Þe longe lyuende and þe wrſhepefull, he is þe hed, and þe profete techende leſyng, he is þe tail. And þei ſhul be, þat maken blisful þis puple, bigilende; and þat ben mad blisful, þrowe doun. For þat vp on þe ȝunge waxen men of hym þe Lord ſhal not deliten, and of his faderles childer and widewis he ſhal not han mercy; for eche ipocrite is and a ſhrewe, and eche mouþ ſpac folie. In alle þes þingus is not turned awei his wodneſſe, but ȝit his hond ſtraȝt out. and þe puple is not turned aȝeen to þe ſmytende hym.

Tend vp is forſoþe as fyr vnpitouſneſſe; þoo breres and þe þorne it ſhal deuoure, and it ſhal be brend vp in þe þickenes of þe wilde wode, and it ſhal be al towrappid in þe pride of þe ſmoke. In þe wraþe of þe Lord of oſtes al diſturbid ſhal be þe lond, and þe puple ſhal be as þe mete of fyr; a man to his broþer ſhal not ſpare. And he ſhal bowe doun to þe riȝt, and hungren, and he ſhal ete at þe lift, and not be fulfild; eche þe fleſh of his arm ſhal deuoure. Manaſſes Effraym, and Effraym Manaſſes, and togidere þei aȝen Judam. In alle þeſe þyngus is not turned awei his wodneſſe, but ȝit his hond ſtraȝt out.