Isaiah · Chapter 57

[ edit] The riȝtwis man perſheþ, and þer is not, þat beþenke in his herte; and men of mercy ben gedered, for þer is not þat vnderſtonde; fro þe face forſoþe of malice gedered is þe riȝtwis. Come pes, reſte it in his bed, þat ȝide in his riȝt reuling. Ȝee forſoþe neȝheþ hider, ſonus of a wicche, ſed of auoutereſſe, and of a fornycarie. Vp on whom pleieden ȝee? vp on whom ſpredden ȝee abrod þe mouþ, and ȝee caſteden out þe tunge? Wheþer not ȝee ſonus hidous gilteres, ſed liere? þat ben coumfortid in goddis, vnder eche braunchy tree, offrende litle childer in ſtremes, vnder ſtonus ſtondende ouer.

In partes of þe ſtrem þi part, þis is þi lot; and to þem þou heeldedeſt out ſacrifice of lykoures, offrediſt ſacrifice. Wheþer vp on þeſe þingus I ſhal not endeyne? Vp on an hiȝ hil and enhauncid þou putteſt þi bed, and þider þou ſteȝedeſt þat þou offre oſtes; and bihynde þe dore, and bihynde þe poſt þou ſettedeſt þi mynde tocne. For biſide me þou diſcouerediſt, and toke þe auoutrer; þou ſpreddeſt þi bed, and couenauntedeſt wiþ þem a pes couenaunt; þou loouediſt þe beddyng of hem wiþ opened hond, and enournedeſt þee wiþ þe kingus oynement, and multepliedeſt þi pymentus; and ſentiſt þi legates aferr, and mekid þou art vnto helle.

In þe multitude of þi weie þou trauailedeſt, and ſeideſt not, I ſhal reſten; þe weie of þin hond þou haſt founde, þerfore þou preȝedeſt not. For þe whiche þou biſi dreddeſt, for þou liedeſt, and of me þou recordedeſt not, ne þoȝteſt in þin herte, for I ſtille, and as not ſeende; and of me þou forȝete. I ſhal tellen out þi riȝtwiſneſſe, and þi werkus ſhul not profiten to þee. Whan þou ſhalt crien, delyuere þee þi gedered; and alle þem ſhal bern awei þe wynd, and ſhal taken awei þe weder; who forſoþe haþ troſt of me, ſhal eritagen þe erþe, and welden myn hoeli mounteyn. And I ſhal ſeyn, Weie makeþ, ȝyueþ goyng, bowiþ doun fro þe paþ, takeþ awei hurtinge þingus fro þe weie of my puple.

For þeſe þingus ſeiþ þe heȝe Lord, and enhauncid, wonende þe euerelaſtingte, and his hoeli name in heȝ, and in hoeli dwelling, and wiþ þe contrit and mekid ſpirit, þat he quykene þe ſpirit of meke men, and quykene þe herte of contrit men. Forſoþe not in to euermor I ſhal ſtriue, ne vnto þe ende I ſhal wraþe; for a ſpirit fro my face ſhal gon out, and blaſtis I ſhal maken. For þe wickedneſſe of his auarice I wraþede, and ſmot hym. I hidde fro þee my face, and endeynede; and he ȝide awei vagaunt in þe weie of his herte. His weies I ſaȝ, and helede hym, and broȝte hym aȝeen; and I ȝeeld coumfortingus to hym, and to his weileris.

I ſhop frut of lippis pes, pes to hym þat is aferr, and þat nyȝ, ſeide þe Lord; and I helede hym. Vnpitous men forſoþe as þe boilinge ſe, þat reſten mai not; and redounden his flodis in to to-treding, and cley. Þer is not pes, ſeiþ þe Lord God, to vnpytouſe men.