Micah · Chapter 7

[ edit] Woo to me, for Y am maad as he þat gadriþ in herueſt raſyns of grape tyme; þer is no cluſtre for to ete; my ſoule deſiride fijgis rijp before oþer. Þe holy periſhide of þe erþe, and riȝtful is not in men; alle in blood aſpien, a man hunteþ his broþer to deþ. Þe yuel of her hondis þei ſayn good; þe prince axiþ, and is domeſman in ȝeeldynge; and a grete man ſpake deſijr of his ſoule, and þei ſtrubliden to gydre it. He þat is beſt in hem, is as a palyure, þat is, a ſharp buſhe, or a þiſtil, or frijſe; and he þat is riȝtful, as a þorne of hegge. Þe day of þi byholdyng, þi viſityng cummeþ, now ſhal be diſtruying of hem.

Nyl ȝe byleue to frend, and nyl ȝe triſt in duyke; fro hir þat reſtiþ in þi boſum, keepe þou cloſyngis of þi mouþ. For þe ſone doþ wronge to þe fadre, and þe douȝter ſhal rijſe aȝeinus hir modir, and wijf of þe ſone aȝeinus hir huſbond modir; þe enmyes of a man, þe homly, or houſhold meyne, of hym. Forſoþe Y ſhal biholde to þe Lord, Y ſhal abijde God my ſaueour; þe Lord my God ſhal heere me. Þou, myn enmy, glade not on me, for Y felle doun, Y ſhal ryſe; whan Y ſhal ſitte in dercneſſis, þe Lord is my liȝt. Y ſhal bere wraþ of þe Lord, for Y haue ſynned to hym, til he deme my cauſe, and make my dom; he ſhal leede me out in to liȝt, Y ſhal ſe þe rijtwiſneſſe of hym.

And myn enmye ſhal byholde me, and ſhe ſhal be hillid wiþ confuſioun, whiche ſaiþ to me, Wher is þe Lord þi God? Myn eeȝen ſhuln ſe hir, now ſhe ſhal be in defoulyng, as clay, or fen, of ſtretis, day þat þi wallis be beeldid. In þat day law ſhal be maad afer, in þat day Aſſur vn to þee ſhal come, and vn to ſtronge citees, and fro ſtronge citees vnto þe flood; and to ſee of ſee, and to hill of hill. And þe erþe ſhal be in to deſolacioun for hir dwellers, and for fruyte of þe þouȝtis of hem. Feed þou þi peple in þi ȝerd, þe floc of þin eritage, dwellynge aloone in þe wijld wode; in þe mydil of Carmele þei ſhuln be fed Baſan and Galaad, vp olde days, vp days of þi goyng out of þe lond of Egypt.

Y ſhal ſhewe to hym wondirful þingis; heeþen men ſhuln ſee, and þei ſhuln be confoundid on al her ſtrengþe; þei ſhuln putte hondis on þe mouþe, þe eris of hem ſhuln be defe; þei ſhuln lick duſt as þe ſerpent, as crepynge þingis of þe erþe þei ſhuln be diſtourblid of her houſis; þei ſhuln deſijre þe Lord our God, and þei ſhuln dreede þee. What god liche of þee, þat doſt awey wickidneſſe, and beriſt ouer þe ſynne of þe relikis of þin eritage? He ſhal namore in ſende his wodneſſe, for he is willynge mercy; he ſhal turne aȝein, and haue mercy of vs. He ſhal putte doun oure wickidneſſis, and he ſhal caſte fer in to depneſſe of þe ſee alle oure ſynnes.

Þou ſhalt ȝeue trewþe to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, whiche þou ſworiſt to oure fadris fro olde days. Ende of þe book Micheas, and bigynneþ þe book of Naum, prophete.