Micah · Chapter 6

[ edit] Heere ȝe whiche þingis þe Lord ſpekiþ. Ryſe þou, ſtryue þou by dome aȝeinus mounteyns, and litil hillis heere þi voice. Mounteyns heere þe dom of þe Lord, and þe ſtrenger foundementis of erþe; for þe dom of þe Lord wiþ his peple, and wiþ Yrael he ſhal be wyſely demed. My peple, what haue Y don to þee, or what was Y greuous to þee? Anſwere þou to me. For Y ledde þee out of þe lond of Egypt, and of þe hous of ſeruage Y delyuerde þee; and Y ſente byfore þi face Moyſes, and Aaron, and Marie. My peple, byþenke, Y preye, what Balaac, kyng of Moab, þouȝte, and what Balaam, ſone of Beor, of Seþym, anſweride to hym vn to Galgala, þat þou ſhuldiſt knowe þe riȝtwiſneſſe of þe Lord.

What worþi þing ſhal Y offre to þe Lord? ſhal Y bowe þe knee to þe heeȝ God? Wher Y ſhal offre to hym brent ſacrifices, and calues of oo ȝeer? Wher God may be pleſid in þouſandis of weþeris, or in many þouſandus of fatt goot buckis? Wher Y ſhal ȝeue my firſt bygoten for my grete treſpas, þe fruyte of my wombe for ſynne of my ſoule? Y ſhal ſhewe to þee, þou man, what is good, and what þe Lord axiþ of þee; forſoþe for to do dom, and for to loue mercy, and byſi for to walke wiþ þi God. Þe voice of þe Lord crieþ to þe citee, and helþe ſhal be to alle men dreedinge þi name.

Heere, ȝe lynagis; and who ſhal aproue it? Ȝit fijr in þe hous of þe vnpitous man, þe treſours of wickidneſſe, and a laſſe meſure ful of wraþ. Wher Y ſhal iuſtifie þe wickid balaunce, and þe gijlful weiȝtis of litil ſac, in whiche riche men þerof ben fulfillid wiþ wickidneſſe? And men dwellynge þeryn ſpaken leſyng, and þe tunge of hem gijleful in þe mouþ of hem. And Y þerfore bygan for to ſmyte þee, in perdicioun on þin ſynnys. Þou ſhalt ete, and ſhalt not be fulfillid, and þi meekyng in þe mydil of þee; and þou ſhalt take to, and ſhalt not ſaue; and whom þou ſhalt ſaaue, Y ſhal ȝeue in to ſwerd.

Þou ſhalt ſowe, and ſhalt not repe; þou ſhalt trede þe olyue, and ſhalt not be anoyntid wiþ oyle; and muſt, and ſhalt not drynke wijne. And þou keptiſt þe heeſtis of Amry, and al þe werke of þe hous of Achab, and haſt walkide in þe voluptees, or luſtis, of hem, þat Y ſhulde ȝeue þee in to perdicioun, and men dwellynge in it in to hiſſyng, or ſcornyng, and þou ſhalt bere þe ſhenſhip of my peple.