Isaiah 28
1 Wo to the coroun of pride, to the drunkun men of Effraym, and to the flour fallynge doun of the glorie of the ful out ioiyng therof, that weren in the cop of the fatteste valei, and erriden of wyn.
Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine.
2 Lo! the myyti and strong Lord, as the feersnesse of hail, a whirlwynd brekynge togidere, as the fersnesse of many watris flowynge, and sent out on a large lond.
Look, the LORD has a mighty and strong one. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand.
3 The coroun of pride of the drunken men of Effraym schal be defoulid with feet,
The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot.
4 and the flour of glorie of the ful out ioiyng of hym, that is on the cop of valei of fat thingis, schal be fallyng doun, as a tymeli thing bifore the ripenesse of heruest; which whanne a man seynge biholdith, anoon as he takith with hond, he schal deuoure it.
The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer; which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
5 In that dai the Lord of oostis schal be a coroun of glorie, and a garlond of ful out ioiyng, to the residue of his puple;
In that day, the LORD of hosts will become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the residue of his people;
6 and a spirit of doom to hym that sittith on the trone, and strengthe to hem that turnen ayen fro batel to the yate.
and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7 But also thei knewen not for wyn, and erriden for drunkenesse; the preest and profete knewen not for drunkenesse; thei weren sopun up of wyn, thei erriden in drunkenesse; thei knewen not a profete, thei knewen not doom.
They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.
8 For whi alle bordis weren fillid with spuyng and filthis, so that ther was no more place.
For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness.
9 Whom schal he teche kunnyng, and whom schal he make to vndurstonde heryng? Men wenyd fro mylk, men drawun awei fro tetis.
Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
10 For whi comaunde thou, comaunde thou ayen; comaunde thou, comaunde thou ayen; abide thou, abide thou ayen; abide thou, abide thou ayen; a litil there, a litil there.
For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
11 For whi in speche of lippe, and in other langage he schal speke to this puple,
But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and a strange language;
12 to which he seide, This is my reste; refreische ye a weri man, and this is my refreischyng; and thei nolden here.
to whom he said, "This is the resting place. Give rest to weary;" and "This is the refreshing;" but they would not listen.
13 And the word of the Lord schal be to hem, Sende thou, sende thou ayen; send thou, sende thou ayen; abide thou, abide thou ayen; abide thou, abide thou ayen; a litil there, a litil there; that thei go, and falle backward, and be al to-brokun, and be snarid, and be takun.
Therefore the word of the LORD will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.
14 For this thing, ye men scorneris, that ben lordis ouer my puple which is in Jerusalem, here the word of the Lord.
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:
15 For ye seiden, We han smyte a boond of pees with deth, and we han maad couenaunt with helle; a scourge flowynge whanne it schal passe, schal not come on vs, for we han set a leesyng oure hope, and we ben kyuered with a leesyng. (Sheol h7585)
"Because you have said, 'We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won't come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.'" (Sheol h7585)
16 Therfor the Lord God seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal sende in the foundementis of Sion a corner stoon preciouse, preuyd, foundid in the foundement; he that bileueth, schal not haaste.
Therefore thus says the LORD, "Look, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation, and the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.
17 And Y schal sette doom in weiyte, and riytfulnesse in mesure; and hail schal distrie the hope of leesyng, and watris schulen flowe on proteccioun. And youre boond of pees with deth schal be don awei,
I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.
18 and youre couenaunt with helle schal not stonde; whanne the scourge flowynge schal passe, ye schulen be to it in to defoulyng. (Sheol h7585)
Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. (Sheol h7585)
19 Whanne euer it schal passe, it schal take awei yow; for whi erli in the grey morewtid it schal passe, in dai and niyt; and oonli trauel aloone schal yyue vndurstondyng to heryng.
As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message."
20 Forsothe the bed is streit, so that the tother falle doun; and a schort mentil schal not hile euer either.
For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.
21 For as in the hil of departyngis the Lord schal stonde, as in the valei, which is in Gabaon, he schal be wroth, that he do his werk; his werk alien, that he worche his werk; his werk is straunge fro hym.
For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the Valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act.
22 And now nyle ye scorne, lest perauenture youre boondis be maad streit togidere; for Y herde of the Lord God of oostis, endyng and abreggyng on al erthe.
And as for you, do not be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the LORD of hosts, on the whole earth.
23 Perseyue ye with eeris, and here ye my vois; perseyue ye, and here ye my speche.
Give ear, and hear my voice. Listen, and hear my speech.
24 Whether he that erith, schal ere al dai, for to sowe, and schal be kerue, and purge his londe?
Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?
25 Whether whanne he hath maad euene the face therof, schal he not sowe gith, and sprenge abrood comyn? and he schal not sette wheete bi ordre, and barli, and mylium, and fetchis in his coostis?
When he has leveled its surface, doesn't he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and emmer as its borders?
26 And his God schal teche hym, in doom he schal teche hym.
For his God instructs him in right judgment, and teaches him.
27 Forsothe gith schal not be threischid in sawis, and a wheel of a wayn schal not cumpasse on comyn; but gith schal be betun out with a yerd, and comyn with a staf.
For the dill are not threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
28 Sotheli breed schal be maad lesse, but he that threischith schal not threische it with outen ende, nether schal trauele it with a wheel of a wayn, nether schal make it lesse with hise clees.
Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses do not grind it.
29 And this thing yede out of the Lord God of oostis, that he schulde make wondirful councel, and magnefie riytfulnesse.
This also comes forth from the LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
