Joel · Chapter 2

[ edit] Synge ȝe wiþ trumpe in Syon, ȝoule ȝe in myn holy mounteyn. Alle dwellers of erþe be trublid to gydre; for þe day of þe Lord cummeþ, for niȝ is þe day of derkneſſis and myſt, and day of cloude and of whirlwynd. As þe mornyng ſprad abrood, vpon hillis myche peple and ſtrong. Lijc to hym was not fro þe bygynnyng, and after hym ſhal not be, vnto ȝeeris of generacioun and generacioun. Byfore þe face of hym fijr deuourynge, and after hym brenyng flawme; as a ȝerde of voluptee þe erþe byfore hym, and after hym alooneneſſe of deſert, neþer þer is þat ſhal aſcape hym. As þe ſiȝt of horſis þe ſiȝt of hem, and as horſmen ſo þei ſhuln renne.

As ſown of cartis on coppis of hillis ſhuln lijpe; ſo þe ſown of flawme of fijre deuourynge ſtoble, as a ſtronge peple maad redy to bataile. Of þe face of hym peplis ſhuln be tourmentid, alle cheeris ſhuln be dryuen in to a pot. As ſtronge þei ſhuln renne, as men fiȝters þei ſhuln ſtye on þe walle. Men ſhuln go in her wayes, and þei ſhuln not bowe awey fro her paþes. Eche ſhal not ſtreyte his broþer, eche ſhuln go in his paþ; bot and by wyndowis þei ſhuln falle, and þei ſhuln not be diſtruyed. Þei ſhuln entre in to þe cyte, þei ſhuln renne in þe wall; þei ſhuln ſtye vpon houſis, þei ſhuln entre by wyndowis as a niȝt þeef.

Of þe face of hym þe erþe tremblide togydre, heuens ben moued, þe ſunne and þe mone ben maad derk, and ſterris wiþdrowen her liȝt. And þe Lord ȝaue his voice byfore þe face of his ooſt, for many ben þe caſtels of hym ful myche; for ſtronge, and doynge þe word of hym. Forſoþe þe day of þe Lord grete, and dreedful ful myche, and who ſhal ſuſteyne it? Now þerfor ſaiþ þe Lord, Be ȝe conuerted to me in al ȝour herte, in faſtyng, and weepyng, and weylyng; and kerue ȝe ȝour hertis, and not ȝour cloþingus, and be ȝe conuertid to þe Lord ȝour God, for he is benygne, and mercyful, pacient, and of myche mercy, and abydynge vpon malice.

Who wote, ȝif God be conuertid, and forȝeue, and leue after hym bleſſyng? ſacrifice and offryng of fleetynge þingus to þe Lord ȝour God. Synge ȝe wiþ trump in Syon, halewe ȝe faſtyng, clepe ȝe cumpanye; gadre ȝe þe peple, halewe ȝe þe chirche, gadre ȝe to gidre olde men, gadre ȝe litil children, and ſoukynge tetis; þe huſbonde go out of his couche, and þe wijf of hir chaumbre. Bitwix þe veſtiarie and þe auter preſtis, mynyſtris of þe Lord, ſhuln weepe, and ſhuln ſaye, Lord! ſpare þou, ſpare to þi peple, and ȝeue not þin eritage into ſchendſhip, þat naciouns be lordis to hem. Whi ſoþely ſayn þei in peplis, Wher is þe God of hem? Þe Lord louede his lond, and ſparide to his peple.

And þe Lord anſwerde, and ſaide to his peple, Loo! Y ſhal ſende to ȝou whete, and wijn, and oyle, and ȝe ſhuln be fulfilled in hem; and Y ſhal namore ȝeue ȝou ſhenſhip in heþen men. And Y ſhal make fer fro ȝou hym þat is of þe norþ; and Y ſhal putte hym awey in to a lond wiþ outen way, and deſert; þe face þerof aȝeinus þe eeſt ſee, and þe laſt þerof to þe laſt ſee; and þe ſtynk of hym ſhal ſtye vp, and þe root of hym ſhal ſtye vp, for he did proudly. Erþe, nyl þou dreede, bot ioye þou wiþ outforþ, and be glad; for þe Lord magnyfiede þat he ſhulde do.

Nyl ȝe dreede, ȝe beeſtis of þe cuntre, for þe faire þingus of deſert buriowneden; for a tree brouȝte to his fruyte, þe fijge tree and þe vyneȝerd ȝauen her vertue. And ioye ȝe, ſonys of Syon, and gladde ȝe in þe Lord ȝour God, for he ȝaue to ȝou a techer of riȝtwiſneſſe, and he ſhal make for to cum doun to ȝou morewe rayn, and late, as fro þe bygynnyng. And feeldis ſhuln be fulfillid wiþ whete, and preſſours ſhuln be plenteuouſe in wijn, and oyle. And Y ſhal ȝeelde to you þe ȝeris whom þe locuſt eete, and bruke, and ruſt, and eruke, my grete ſtrengþe, whom Y ſente in to ȝou.

And ȝe ſhuln ete etynge, and ye ſhuln be fulfillid; and ye ſhuln herie þe name of þe Lord ȝour God, þat did wiþ ȝou marueilis; and my peple ſhal not be confounded in to wiþ outen eende. And ȝe ſhuln wite, for in þe mydil of Yrael Y am; and Y þe Lord ȝour God, and þere is not more; and my peple ſhal not be confoundid in to wiþ outen eende. And it ſhal be, after þeſe þingus Y ſhal helde out my ſpirit vpon eche fleſhe, and ȝour ſonys ſhuln prophecie, and ȝoure douȝters; ȝour olde men ſhuln mete ſweuens, and ȝour ȝunge men ſhuln ſee viſiouns.

But and on my ſeruauntis, and hond maydens, in þo days Y ſhal heelde out my ſpirit; and Y ſhal ȝeue wondris in heuen, and in erþe, blood, and fijr, and vapour of ſmoke. Þe ſunne ſhal be turned in to derckneſſis, and þe mone in to blood, byfore þat þe grete day and orrible of þe Lord cumme. And it ſhal be, eche man þat ſhal inclepe þe name of þe Lord, ſhal be ſaaf; for in þe hill of Syon and in Jeruſalem ſhal be ſaluacioun, as þe Lord ſaide, and in þe reſidue, whom þe Lord ſhal clepe.