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 hath said the Lord, Where is your mother's bill of divorcement, wherewith I have sent her away? or who of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother sent 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.
Why did I come and no man was there, did I call, with none to answer? hath my hand become too short for redeeming? or is there no power in me to deliver? behold, through my threatening I can dry up the sea, I can change the rivers into a wilderness: their fish stink for want of water, and die for thirst.
3 Y schal clothe heuenes with derknessis, and Y schal sette a sak the hilyng of tho.
I can clothe the heavens with blackness, and I can make sackcloth their garment.
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 Eternal hath given me a tongue for teaching, that I should know how to strengthen the weary with the word: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth my ear to listen like those who are well taught.
5 The Lord God openede an eere to me; forsothe Y ayenseie not, Y yede not abak.
The Lord Eternal hath opened me my ear, and I resisted not: I turned not backward.
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.
My back I gave up to the smiters, and my cheeks to those that plucked off the hair: my face I hid not from abuse 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 Eternal ever helpeth me; therefore was I not confounded; therefore have I rendered my face like a flint, and I knew that I should not be made ashamed.
8 He is niy, that iustifieth me; who ayenseith me? stonde we togidere. Who is myn aduersarie? neiye he to me.
He that justifieth me is near; who will contend with me? let us stand forward together: who hath a dispute with me? let him come near to 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 Eternal will help me; who is the man that will condemn me? lo, they all shall wear out 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 the Lord, that hearkeneth to the voice of his servant? though he have walked in darkness, and had no light: let him trust in the name of the Lord, and lean for support 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 fire, that urge on the brands: walk by the blaze of your fire, and by the brands ye have kindled; from my hand hath this been bestowed on you; in pain shall ye lie down.
