Habakkuk · Chapter 2

[ edit] Vpon my keepyng Y ſhal ſtonde, and Y ſhal picche a greeſe vpon þe wardyng; and Y ſhal byholde, þat Y ſee what þing ſhal be ſaide to me, and what Y ſhal anſwere to þe reprouynge me. And þe Lord anſwerde to me, and ſaide, Write þou þe ſiȝt, and make it pleyn vpon tablis, þat he renne, þat ſhal reede it. For ȝit þe viſioun fer, and it ſhal apeere in to eende, and ſhal not leeȝe; ȝit it ſhal make dwellyng, abijde þou it, for it cummynge ſhal cum, and ſhal not tarie. Loo! he þat is vnbileeful, þe ſoule of hym ſhal not be riȝt in hym ſelf; forſoþe þe iuſt man ſhal lyue in his feiþ.

And as wijn diſceiueþ a man drinkynge, ſo ſhal þe proude man be, and ſhal not be maad faire; for as helle he alargide his ſoule, and he as deþ, and he ſhal not be fulfillid; and he ſhal gedre to hym alle folkis, and he ſhal hepe to gydre to hym alle peplis. Wher not alle þeſe vpon hym ſhuln take a parable, and þe ſpekyng of derk ſentencis of hym? And it ſhal be ſaide, Wo to hym þat multiplieþ þingus not his owne; how long, and he aggregiþ aȝeinus hym þicke clay? Wher not ſudeynly þei ſhuln ryſe to gydre, þat ſhuln bite þee? And þei ſhuln be reiſid to-terynge þee, and þou ſhalt be in to raueyne to hem; and þin aſpiers in yuel ſhuln wake.

For þou robbidiſt many folkis, alle ſhuln robbe þee, whiche ſhuln be relikis of peplis, for blood of man, and wickidneſſe of lond of þe citee, and of men dwellynge in it. Woo to hym þat gadriþ euyl coueitiſe to his hous, þat his neſt be in heeȝ, and geſſiþ hym for to be delyuered of þe hond of yuel. Þou þouȝtiſt confuſioun to þin hous; þou haſt ſlayn many peplis, and þi ſoule ſynnede. For a ſtoon of þe wall ſhal crie, and a tree þat is bitwixe ioyntours of beeldingis ſhal anſwere. Woo to hym þat beeldiþ a citee in blodis, and makiþ redy a cytee in wickidneſſe. Wher not þeſe þingis ben of þe Lord of ooſtis? Forſoþe peplis ſhuln traueile in myche fijr, and folkis in veyn, and þei ſhuln faile.

For þe erþe ſhal be fulfillid, þat þei knowe þe glorie of þe Lord, as waters hillynge þe ſe. Woo to hym þat ȝeuiþ drinke to his frend, ſendynge his galle, and makynge drunken, þat he biholde his nakidneſſe. He is fulfillid wiþ yuel fame for glorie; and drynke þou, and be aſlept; þe cup of þe riȝt half of þe Lord ſhal aboute ȝeue þee, and caſting vp of yuel fame vpon þi glorie. For þe wickidneſſe of Liban ſhal keuere þee, and þe diſtruccioun of beeſtis ſhal fere þee, of blodis of man, and of wickidneſſe of lond of þe citee, and of alle dwellynge þeryn.

What profitiþ þe ſculptile, for his maker grauede it; a wellid þing to gidre, and a fals ymage, for þe maker þerof hopide in þe makyng, þat he made dumbe ſymulacris? Woo to hym þat ſaiþ to a tree, Wake þou; Ryſe þou, to a ſtoon beynge ſtylle; wher he ſhal mowe teche? Loo! þis is keuered in gold and ſyluer, and eche ſpirit is not in his entrailis. Forſoþe þe Lord in his holy temple, al erþe be ſtille fro his face.