Isaiah · Chapter 42

[ edit] Lo! my ſeruaunt, I ſhal vndertaken hym, my choſen, al pleſede to hym in hym my ſoule. I ȝaf my ſpirit vp on hym, dom to Jentiles he ſhal bringe forþ. He ſhal not crien, ne take perſone, ne ſhal ben herd his voys wiþouteforþ. A reed broſid he ſhal not to-trede, and flax ſmokende he ſhal not quenchen; in treuþe he ſhal bringe out dom. He ſhal not be dreri, ne trublid, to þe tyme he pute in þe erþe dom, and his lawe iles ſhul abiden. Þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe Lord God, formende heuenes, and ſtrecchende out hem, faſtnende erþe, and þat buriounen of it, ȝyuende breþ to þe puple, þat is vpon it, and ſpirit to men tredende it.

I þe Lord clepede þee in riȝtwiſneſſe, and toc þin hond, and kepte þee, and ȝaf þee in to couenaunt of þe puple, in to liȝt of Jentiles. Þat þou ſhuldiſt opene þe eȝen of blynde men; þat þou ſhuldyſt bringe out fro cloſing þe bounde, fro þe hous of priſoun þe ſitteres in dercneſſe. I a Lord, þis is my name; my glorie to an oþer I ſhall not ȝyue, and my preiſing to grauen þingus. Þat firſt weren, lo! ben comen, newe þingus alſo I telle; er þei ben ſprunge, herd I ſhal maken to ȝou. Syngeþ to þe Lord a newe ſong; his preiſing fro þe vtmoſtes of þe erþe; ȝee þat gon doun in to þe ſe, and þe plente of it, iles, and þe dwelleres of hem.

Be rered vp þe deſert, and þe cites of it; in his houſes ſhal dwelle Cedar; preiſeþ, ȝee dwelleris of þe ſton; fro þe top of mounteynes þei ſhul crien. Þei ſhul ſette to þe Lord glorie, and his preiſing in iles þei ſhul telle. Þe Lord as ſtrong ſhal gon out, as a man fiȝtere he ſhal reren enuye; he ſhal crien out, and crien; vp on his enemys he ſhal be coumforted. Y heeld my pes, euermor I was ſtille; patient I was, as þe trauailende wiþ child I ſhal ſpeke; I ſhal ſcateren, and ſoupen awei togidere. Deſert I ſhal make hiȝe mounteynes and hillys, and alle þe buriounyng of hem I ſhal out drien; and I ſhal ſette flodis in to iles, and pondis I ſhal make drie.

And I ſhal bringe out blynde men in to þe weie, þat þei knowe not, and in þe ſties þat þei vnknowen, hem to gon I ſhal make; I ſhal putte þe derkneſſes of hem beforn hem in to liȝt, and ſhreude þingis in to euene riȝt; þeſe wrdus I dide to þem, and I forſoc not hem. Turned þei ben bacward; be þei confoundid wiþ confuſioun, þat troſten in grauen þing; þat ſeyn to þe ȝoten þing, Ȝee oure goddis. Ȝee deue men, hereþ; and ȝee blinde, biholdeþ to ſeen. Who blinde, but my ſeruaunt? and def, but to whom my meſſageres I ſente? Who blind, but he þat is ſold? who blind, but þe ſeruaunt of þe Lord? Þat ſeeſt many þingus, wheþer þou ſhalt not kepe? Þat opened haſt þe eres, wheþer þou ſhalt not here?

And þe Lord wolde, þat he ſhulde halewen hym, and magnefie þe lawe, and enhauncen. He forſoþe a puple drawen awei, and waſted; a grene of ȝunge men alle togidere, and in houſes of priſouns þei ben hid. Þei ben maad in to raueyn, and þer is not þat delyuere; in to taking awei, and þer is not þat ſeie, Ȝeeld. Who is in ȝou, þat here þis, take heed, and herkne þingus to come? Who ȝaf Jacob in to pulling awei, and Irael to waſteres? Wheþer not þe Lord? He is, to whom þei ſynneden; and þei wolden not in his weies gon, þei herden not his lawe.

And he helde out vp on it þe indignacioun of his wodneſſe, and ſtrong bataile; and he to-brende it in cumpas, and it kneȝ not; he tende it vp, and it vndirſtod not.