Hosea 5
1 Preestis, here ye this, and the hous of Israel, perseyue ye, and the hous of the kyng, herkne ye; for whi doom is to you, for ye ben maad a snare to lokyng afer, and as a net spred abrood on Thabor.
Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, house of Israel! Listen, members of the royal family!
2 And ye bowiden doun sacrifices in to depthe; and Y am the lernere of alle hem.
Judgment belongs with you because you have been a snare set at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor. You dug a deep trap in Shittim, but I will punish you for all these things you have done.
3 Y knowe Effraym, and Israel is not hid fro me; for now Effraym dide fornicacioun, Israel is defoulid.
I know Ephraim very well, and Israel cannot hide from me, for now Ephraim is a prostitute and Israel is defiled.
4 Thei schulen not yiue her thouytis, that thei turne ayen to her God; for the spirit of fornicacioun is in the myddis of hem, and thei knewen not the Lord.
Your actions stop you from coming back to your God for a spirit of prostitution is within you and you do not know the Lord.
5 And the boost of Israel schal answere in to the face therof, and Israel and Effraym schulen falle in her wickidnesse; also Judas schal falle with hem.
Israel's pride speaks against them, right in the face. Israel and Ephraim will stumble because of their guilt, and Judah will stumble along with them.
6 In her flockis, and in her droues thei schulen go to seke the Lord, and thei schulen not fynde; he is takun awei fro hem.
They will go to seek the Lord with their herds and flocks, but they will not find him, for he has given up on them.
7 Thei trespassiden ayens the Lord, for thei gendriden alien sones; now the monethe schal deuoure hem with her partis.
They have been unfaithful to the Lord and have had children that are not his. Now the New Moon will destroy them along with their fields.
8 Sowne ye with a clarioun in Gabaa, with a trumpe in Rama; yelle ye in Bethauen, after thi bak, Beniamyn.
Blow the horn in Gibeah! Sound the trumpet in Ramah! Shout an alarm in Beth-aven! Lead the way, Benjamin!
9 Effraym schal be in to desolacioun, in the dai of amendyng, and in the lynagis of Israel Y schewide feith.
Ephraim will be left desolate on the day of punishment. Among the tribes of Israel I will reveal what is the real truth.
10 The princes of Juda ben maad as takynge terme; Y schal schede out on hem my wraththe as watir.
The rulers of Judah have become thieves like those who illegally move boundaries. I will pour out my anger like water upon them.
11 Effraym suffrith fals chalenge, and is brokun bi doom; for he bigan to go after filthis.
The people of Ephraim are crushed, smashed to pieces in judgment because they were determined to follow human commands.
12 And Y am as a mouyte to Effraym, and as rot to the hous of Juda.
I am like a maggot to Ephraim, and like something rotten to the people of Judah.
13 And Effraym siy his sikenesse, and Judas siy his boond. And Effraym yede to Assur, and sente to the kyng veniere. And he mai not saue you, nether he mai vnbynde the boond fro you.
When Ephraim saw how sick they were, and Judah saw how wounded they were, Ephraim turned to the great king of Assyria for help, but he could not heal them or cure their wounds.
14 For Y am as a lionesse to Effraym, and as a whelp of a lioun to the hous of Juda.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a fierce lion to the people of Judah. I will come and tear them to pieces, and carry them off, and no one will be able to rescue them.
15 Y my silf schal take, and go, and take awei, and noon is that schal delyuere. I schal go, and turne ayen to my place, til ye failen, and seken my face.
Then I will leave and return to where I came from until they acknowledge their wrongs, and in their distress they will seek my face and beg for my help.”
