Hosea 10

1 Israel was a vyne ful of bowis, fruyt was maad euene to hym; bi the multitude of his fruyt he multipliede auteris, bi the plente of his lond he was plenteuouse.

An emptied vine is Israel; how should he bring forth fruit for himself? the more numerous was his fruit the more he increased the altars; the more prosperous was his land, the more they made goodly statues.

2 In simylacris the herte of hem is departid, now thei schulen perische. He schal breke the simylacris of hem, he schal robbe the auteris of hem.

Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt: this will break down their altars, will devastate their statues.

3 For thanne thei schulen seie, A kyng is not to vs, for we dreden not the Lord. And what schal a kyng do to vs?

For now will they say, We have no king; because we fear not the Lord: and the king—what can he do for us?

4 Speke ye wordis of vnprofitable visioun, and ye schulen smyte boond of pees with leesyng; and doom as bittirnesse schal burioune on the forewis of the feeld.

They have spoken [vain] words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: therefore springeth up the punishment as poison in the furrows of the field.

5 The dwelleris of Samarie worschipiden the kien of Bethauen. For the puple therof mourenyde on that calf, and the keperis of the hous therof; thei maden ful out ioye on it in the glorie therof, for it passide fro that puple.

For the calves of Beth-aven are terrified the inhabitants of Samaria: yea, the people thereof mourn over them, and also its false priests that [before] rejoiced over them, for its glory, because it is departed from it.

6 For also it was borun to Assur, a yifte to the king veniere. Confusioun schal take Effraym, and Israel schal be schent in his wille.

Also this shall be carried unto Assyria for a present to the contentious king: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed because of his own counsel.

7 Samarie made his kyng to passe, as froth on the face of water. And the hiy thingis of idol, the synne of Israel, schulen be lost.

As for Samaria, her king shall vanish like the foam upon the surface of the water.

8 A cloote and a brere schal stie on the auters of hem. And thei schulen seie to mounteyns, Hile ye vs, and to litle hillis, Falle ye doun on vs.

And destroyed shall be the high-places of Aven, [the cause of] the sin of Israel; the thorn and the thistle shall grow upon their altars: and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall upon us.

9 Fro the daies of Gabaa Israel synnede; there thei stoden. Batel schal not take hem in Gabaa,

More than in the days of Gib'ah hast thou sinned, O Israel! there they stood; and the battle in Gib'ah against the children of wickedness did not overtake them.

10 on the sones of wickidnesse. Bi my desir Y schal chastise hem; puplis schulen be gaderid togidere on hem, whanne thei schulen be chastisid for her twei wickidnessis.

[But now] after my desire will I chastise them: and the people shall be gathered against them, when they harness them [for labor] in their two furrows.

11 Effraym is a cow calf, tauyt for to loue threischyng; and Y yede on the fairenesse of the necke therof. Y schal stie on Effraym. Judas schal ere, and Jacob schal breke forewis to hym silf.

And Ephraim is as a well-taught heifer that loveth to tread out the corn; and I passed over her fair neck: now will I make Ephraim draw the wagon, Judah shall plough, and Jacob shall harrow the field for the enemy.

12 Sowe ye to you riytfulnesse in treuthe, and repe ye in the mouthe of merci, and make ye newe to you a feld newli brouyte to tilthe. Forsothe tyme is to seke the Lord, whanne he cometh, that schal teche you riytfulnesse.

Sow then for yourselves after righteousness, that you may reap [the fruit] of kindness; cultivate your fallow field; for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness down for you.

13 Ye han erid vnfeithfulnesse, ye han rope wickidnesse, ye han ete the corn of leesyng. For thou tristydist in thi weles, and in the multitude of thi stronge men.

[But] ye have ploughed wickedness, iniquity have ye reaped, ye have eaten the fruit of lies; because thou didst trust in thy own way, in the multitude of thy mighty men:

14 Noise schal rise in thi puple, and alle thi stronge holdis schulen be distried; as Salmana was distried of the hous of hym, that took veniaunce on Baal; in the dai of batel, whanne the modir was hurlid doun on the sones.

Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be wasted, as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel on the day of battle, [when] the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

15 So Bethel dide to you, for the face of malice of youre wickidnessis.

The like of this doth Beth-el procure unto you because of your great wickedness: in the early morning shall utterly pass away the king of Israel.