< Isaiah 50 >

1 The Lord seith these thingis, What is this book of forsakyng of youre modir, bi which Y lefte her? ether who is he, to whom Y owe, to whom Y seeld you? For lo! ye ben seeld for youre wickidnessis, and for youre grete trespassis Y lefte youre modir.
Thus saith Jehovah: Where is the bill of your mother's divorce, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, through your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
2 For Y cam, and no man was; Y clepide, and noon was that herde. Whether myn hond is abreggid, and maad litil, that Y mai not ayenbie? ether vertu is not in me for to delyuere? Lo! in my blamyng Y schal make the see forsakun, `ether desert, Y schal sette floodis in the drie place; fischis without watir schulen wexe rotun, and schulen dye for thirst.
Wherefore did I come, and there was no man? I called, and there was none to answer? Is my hand at all shortened that I cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make rivers a wilderness; their fish stink because there is no water, and die for thirst.
3 Y schal clothe heuenes with derknessis, and Y schal sette a sak the hilyng of tho.
I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
4 The Lord yaf to me a lerned tunge, that Y kunne susteyne hym bi word that failide; erli the fadir reisith, erli he reisith an eere to me, that Y here as a maister.
The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the instructed, that I should know how to succour by a word him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the instructed.
5 The Lord God openede an eere to me; forsothe Y ayenseie not, Y yede not abak.
The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not away back.
6 I yaf my bodi to smyteris, and my chekis to pulleris; Y turnede not a wei my face fro men blamynge, and spetynge on me.
I gave my back to smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7 The Lord God is myn helpere, and therfor Y am not schent; therfor Y haue set my face as a stoon maad hard, and Y woot that Y schal not be schent.
But the Lord Jehovah will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
8 He is niy, that iustifieth me; who ayenseith me? stonde we togidere. Who is myn aduersarie? neiye he to me.
He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is mine adverse party? let him draw near unto me.
9 Lo! the Lord God is myn helpere; who therfor is he that condempneth me? Lo! alle schulen be defoulid as a cloth, and a mouyte schal ete hem.
Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall grow old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
10 Who of you dredith the Lord, and herith the vois of his seruaunt? Who yede in dercnessis and liyt is not to hym, hope he in the name of the Lord, and triste he on his God.
Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that hearkeneth to the voice of his servant? he that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, — let him confide in the name of Jehovah, and stay himself upon his God.
11 Lo! alle ye kyndlynge fier, and gird with flawmes, go in the liyt of youre fier, and in the flawmes whiche ye han kyndlid to you. This is maad of myn hond to you, ye schulen slepe in sorewis.
Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and among the sparks [that] ye have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand: ye shall lie down in sorrow.

< Isaiah 50 >