Isaiah · Chapter 28

[ edit] Wo to þe crowne of pride, to þe drunke men of Effraym, and to þe flour fallende doun of þe glorie of his ful out ioȝyng, þat weren in þe cop of þe valei moſt fat, errende of wyn. Lo! þe ſtalwrþe and þe ſtronge Lord, as þe bure of hail, þe tempeſt al brekende, as þe bure of manye flowende watris, and ſent out vp on þe ſpaciouſe erþe. Wiþ feet ſhal be to-trede þe croune of pride of þe drunke men of Effraym, and þe flour ſhal be doun fallende of þe glorie of his ful out ioȝing, þat is vp on þe cop of þe valei of fatte þingus, as þe biforn rijp frute bifor þe rijpneſſe of herueſt; þe whiche þing whan ſhal beholde þe ſeere, anoon as wiþ hond he ſhal holden, he ſhal deuoure it.

In þat dai ſhal be þe Lord of oſtes þe croune of glorie, and þe garlond of ful out ioȝing, to þe reſidue of his puple; and þe ſpirit of dom to þe ſittere vp on þe trone, and ſtrengþe to þer men turnende aȝeen fro þe bataile to þe ȝate. Þeſe alſo for wyn knewen not treuþe, and for drunkeneſſe þei erreden; preeſt and profete knewen not for drunkeneſſe; þei ben ſopen awei of wyn, þei erreden in drunkeneſſe; þei knewe not þe ſeere, þei vnknewe dom. Alle forſoþe boordis ben fulfild wiþ þe vome and filþis, ſo þat þer were no more place. Whom ſhal he teche kunnyng, and whom to vnderſtonde ſhal he make þe heryng? Þe wened from mylc, þe put awei fro tetes.

For ſend, eft ſend; ſend, eft ſend; abyd, eft byde; abijd, eft bijd; litil þere, litil þere. In þe ſpeche forſoþe of þe lippe, and in an oþir tunge ſhal ben ſpoke to þis puple, to whom he ſeide, Þis is my reſte; releeueþ þe wery, and þat is my refreſhing; and þei wolden not heren. And þer ſhal be to þem þe wrd of þe Lord, Send, eft ſend; ſend, eft ſend; abijd, eft bijd; abijd, eft bijd; litil þere, litil þere; þat þei go, and falle bacward, and be to-broſid, and gnared, and taken.

For þat hereþ þe wrd of þe Lord, ȝee men gileris, þat lordſhipen vp on my puple þat is in Jeruſalem. Ȝee ſeiden forſoþe, Wee han ſmyte pes bond wiþ deþ, and wiþ helle wee han maad couenaunt; ſcourge flowend whan ſhal paſſe, ſhal not come vp on vs, for wee han ſet leſyng oure hope, and wiþ leſyng we ben couered. Þerfor þeſe þyngus ſeiþ þe Lord God, Lo! I ſhal ſenden in þe foundemens of Sion a corner ſton precious, proued, in þe foundement foundid; who ſhal beleeuen, heeȝe he not. And I ſhal putte in peis dom, and riȝtwiſneſſe in meſure; and þe hail ſhal to-turne vpſodoun þe hope of leſyng, and þe proteccioun watris ſhul flowe.

And don awey ſhal be ȝoure pes bond wiþ deþ, and ȝoure couenaunt wiþ helle ſhal not ſtonde; ſcourge flowende whan ſhal paſſe, ȝee ſhul be to it in to treding. Whan euere it ſhal paſſe, it ſhal take ȝou awey; for erly þe morutid it ſhal paſſe, in day and nyȝt; and al onli þe alone greuous birþene vnderſtonding ſhal ȝyue to þe herende. Al to ſtreit forſoþe is þe beddyng, ſo þat an oþer falle doun; and þe ſhorte mantil eiþer mai not couere. As forſoþe in þe hil of deuyſeouns ſhal ſtonde þe Lord, ſo in þe valei, þat is in Gabaon, he ſhal wraþe, þat he do his werk; alyen is þe werk of hym, þat he werke his werk; ſtraunge is his werk fro hym.

And now wileþ not bigilen, leſt par auenture be ſtreitid ȝoure bondis; ful ending forſoþe and abregging I haue herd of þe Lord God of oſtus, vp on al erþe. Wiþ eres parceyueþ, and hereþ my vois; takeþ heed, and hereþ my fayre ſpeche. Wheþer al day ſhal ere þe erere, þat he ſowe, and forþ kutten, and purge his erþe? Wheþer not, whan he ſhal euenen þerto his face, he ſhal ſowe þe ſed giþ, and þe comyn ſprengen, and ſette þe whete bi order, and barly, and myle, and ficche in þer coeſtes? And ſhal teche hym his God, in dom ſhal leren hym. Forſoþe not in ſawes ſhal be þroſſhe giþ, ne þe wheel of a wayn vp on þe comyn ſhal gon aboute; but in ȝerde ſhal ben ſhaken out giþ, and þe comyn in a ſtaf.

Bred forſoþe ſhal be to-mynuſht, but not in to euermor þe þreſſhere ſhal þreſſhen it, ne ſhal trauaile it þe wheel of þe wayn, ne wiþ his cles ſhal to-mynuſhe it. And þat fro þe Lord God of oſtes wente out, þat merueilous ſhulde make counſeil, and magnefyen þe riȝtwyſneſſe.