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 lean on horses, and trust in chariots (for they are many) and in horsemen (for they are countless). But they are not concerned about the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek Yahweh!
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 is wise, and he will bring disaster and will not retract his words. He will arise against the evil house and against the helpers of those who commit sin.
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.
Egypt is a man and not God, their horses flesh and not spirit. When Yahweh reaches out with his hand, both the one who helps will stumble, and the one who is helped will fall; both will perish 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.
This is what Yahweh says to me, “As a lion, even a young lion, growls over its torn prey, when a group of shepherds is called out against it, but it does not tremble at their voices, nor creep away from their sound; thus Yahweh of hosts will descend to fight on Mount Zion, on that hill.
5 As briddis fleynge, so the Lord of oostis schal defende Jerusalem; he defendynge and delyuerynge, passynge forth and sauynge.
Like birds in flight, so Yahweh of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and rescue as he passes over it and preserves it.
6 Ye sones of Israel, be conuertid, as ye hadden go awei in to depthe.
Return to him from whom you have deeply turned away, people 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 each one will get rid of his idols of silver and his idols of gold that your own hands have sinfully made.
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;
Assyria will fall by the sword; a sword not wielded by man will consume him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will be forced to do hard 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.
They will lose all confidence because of terror, and his princes will be afraid at the sight of Yahweh's battle flag— this is Yahweh's declaration—whose fire is in Zion and whose firepot is in Jerusalem.”
