Isaiah 56
1 The Lord seith these thingis, Kepe ye doom, and do ye riytfulnesse, for whi myn helthe is niy, that it come, and my riytfulnesse, that it be schewid.
Thus says the Lord: Preserve judgment, and accomplish justice. For my salvation is close to its arrival, and my justice is close to being revealed.
2 Blessid is the man, that doith this, and the sone of man, that schal take this; kepynge the sabat, that he defoule not it, kepynge hise hondis, that he do not ony yuel.
Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds to this, keeping the Sabbath and not profaning it, guarding his hands and not doing any evil.
3 And seie not the sone of a comelyng, that cleueth faste to the Lord, seiynge, Bi departyng the Lord schal departe me fro his puple; and a geldyng, ether a chast man, seie not, Lo! Y am a drie tree.
And let not the son of the new arrival, who adheres to the Lord, speak, saying, “The Lord will divide and separate me from his people.” And let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
4 For the Lord seith these thingis to geldingis, that kepen my sabatis, and chesen what thingis Y wolde, and holden my boond of pees.
For thus says the Lord to the eunuchs: They will keep my Sabbaths, and they will choose the things that I will, and they will hold to my covenant.
5 Y schal yyue to hem a place in myn hous, and in my wallis, and the beste name of sones and douytris; Y schal yyue to hem a name euerlastynge, that schal not perische.
I will give them a place in my house, within my walls, and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name, which will never perish.
6 And Y schal brynge in to blis the sones of a comelyng, that cleuen faste to the Lord, that thei worschipe hym, and loue his name, that thei be to hym in to seruauntis; ech man kepynge the sabat, that he defoule it not, and holdynge my boond of pees;
And the sons of the new arrival, who adhere to the Lord so as to worship him and to love his name, shall be his servants: all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it, and who hold to my covenant.
7 Y schal brynge hem in to myn hooli hil, and Y schal make hem glad in the hous of my preier; her brent sacrifices and her slayn sacrifices schulen plese me on my auter; for whi myn hous schal be clepid an hous of preier to alle puplis,
I will lead them to my holy mountain, and I will gladden them in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their victims will be pleasing to me upon my altar. For my house will be called the house of prayer for all peoples.
8 seith the Lord God, that gaderith togidere the scaterid men of Israel. Yit Y schal gadere togidere to hym alle the gaderid men therof.
The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, says: Even now, I will gather his congregation to him.
9 Alle beestis of the feeld, come ye to deuoure, alle beestis of the forest.
All beasts of the field, all the beasts of the forest: approach and devour!
10 Alle the biholderis therof ben blinde, alle thei knewen not; doumbe doggis, that moun not berke, seynge veyn thingis, slepynge, and louynge dremes;
His watchmen are all blind. They are all ignorant. They are mute dogs without the ability to bark, seeing empty things, sleeping and loving dreams.
11 and moost vnschamefast doggis knewen not fulnesse. Tho scheepherdis knewen not vndurstondyng; alle thei bowyden in to her weie, ech man to his aueryce, fro the hiyeste `til to the laste.
And these very imprudent dogs have never known satisfaction. The shepherds themselves do not know understanding. All have turned aside in their own way, each one to his own avarice, from the highest even to the least:
12 Come ye, take we wyn, and be we fillid of drunkenesse; and it schal be as to dai, so and to morewe, and myche more.
“Come, let us take wine, and be filled by inebriation. And as it is today, so shall it be tomorrow and for a long time.”
