< Isaiah 31 >
1 Wo to hem that goon doun in to Egipt to help, and hopen in horsis, and han trist on cartis, for tho ben manye, and on knyytis, for thei ben ful stronge; and thei tristiden not on the hooli of Israel, and thei souyten not the Lord.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and they do not seek the LORD!
2 Forsothe he that is wijs, hath brouyt yuel, and took not awei hise wordis; and he schal rise togidere ayens the hous of worste men, and ayens the helpe of hem that worchen wickidnesse.
Yet he also is wise, and will bring disaster, and will not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of those who work iniquity.
3 Egipt is a man, and not God; and the horsis of hem ben fleisch, and not spirit; and the Lord schal bowe doun his hond, and the helpere schal falle doun, and he schal falle, to whom help is youun, and alle schulen be wastid togidere.
Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, both he who helps shall stumble, and he who is helped shall fall, and they all shall be consumed together.
4 For whi the Lord seith these thingis to me, If a lioun rorith, and a whelp of a lioun on his prey, whanne the multitude of schipherdis cometh ayens hym, he schal not drede of the vois of hem, and he schal not drede of the multitude of hem; so the Lord of oostis schal come doun, for to fiyte on the mounteyn of Sion, and on the litil hil therof.
For the LORD says to me, “As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for their noise, so the LORD of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights.
5 As briddis fleynge, so the Lord of oostis schal defende Jerusalem; he defendynge and delyuerynge, passynge forth and sauynge.
As birds hovering, so the LORD of Armies will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it. He will pass over and preserve it.”
6 Ye sones of Israel, be conuertid, as ye hadden go awei in to depthe.
Return to him from whom you have deeply revolted, children of Israel.
7 Forsothe in that dai a man schal caste awei the idols of his siluer, and the idols of his gold, whiche youre hondis maden to you in to synne.
For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you.
8 And Assur schal falle bi swerd, not of man, and a swerd, not of man, schal deuoure hym; and he schal fle, not fro the face of swerd, and hise yonge men schulen be tributaries;
“The Assyrian will fall by the sword, not of man; and the sword, not of mankind, shall devour him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will become subject to forced labor.
9 and the strengthe of hym schal passe fro ferdfulnesse, and hise princes fleynge schulen drede. The Lord seide, whos fier is in Sion, and his chymeney is in Jerusalem.
His rock will pass away by reason of terror, and his princes will be afraid of the banner,” says the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.