Isaiah 66
1 The Lord seith these thingis, Heuene is my seete, and the erthe is the stool of my feet. Which is this hous, which ye schulen bilde to me, and which is this place of my reste?
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build to me? and where is the place of my rest?
2 Myn hond made alle these thingis, and alle these thingis ben maad, seith the Lord; but to whom schal Y biholde, no but to a pore man and contrit in spirit, and greetli dredynge my wordis?
For all these things hath my hand made, and all these things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 He that offrith an oxe, is as he that sleeth a man; he that sleeth a scheep, is as he that brayneth a dogge; he that offrith an offryng, is as he that offrith swynes blood; he that thenketh on encense, is as he that blessith an idol; thei chesiden alle thes thingis in her weies, and her soule delitide in her abhomynaciouns.
He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4 Wherfor and Y schal chese the scornyngis of hem, and Y schal brynge to hem tho thingis whiche thei dredden; for Y clepide, and noon was that answeride; Y spak, and thei herden not; and thei diden yuel bifor myn iyen, and chesiden tho thingis whiche Y nolde.
I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear: but they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
5 Here ye the word of the Lord, whiche quaken at his word; youre britheren hatynge you, and castynge a wey for my name, seiden, The Lord be glorified, and we schulen se in youre gladnesse; forsothe thei schulen be schent.
Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
6 The vois of the puple fro the citee, the vois fro the temple, the vois of the Lord yeldynge a reward to hise enemyes.
A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
7 Bifor that sche trauelide of child, sche childide; bifor that the sorewe of hir child beryng cam, sche childide a sone.
Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a son.
8 Who herde euere suche a thing, and who siy a thing lijk this? Whether the erthe schal trauele of child in o dai, ether whether a folk schal be childide togidere? For whi Sion trauelede of child, and childide hir sones.
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Whether that Y `my silf that make othere to bere child, schal not ber child? seith the Lord. Whether Y that yyue generacioun to othere men, schal be bareyn? seith thi Lord God.
Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
10 Be ye glad with Jerusalem, and alle ye that louen that, make ful out ioye ther ynne; alle ye that mourenen on that Jerusalem, make ye ioye with it in ioie;
Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
11 that bothe ye souke, and be fillid of the tetis and coumfort therof, that ye mylke, and flowe in delicis, of al maner glorie therof.
That ye may nurse, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may draw milk, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12 For whi the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bowe doun on it, as a flood of pees, and as a flowynge streem the glorie of hethene men, which ye schulen souke; ye schulen be borun at tetis, and on knees thei schulen speke plesauntly to you.
For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye be nursed, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
13 As if a modir spekith faire to ony child, so Y schal coumforte you, and ye schulen be coumfortid in Jerusalem.
As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 Ye schulen se, and youre herte schal haue ioie, and youre boonys schulen buriowne as an erbe. And the hond of the Lord schal be knowun in hise seruauntis, and he schal haue indignacioun to hise enemyes.
And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
15 For lo! the Lord schal come in fier, and as a whirlwynd hise charis, to yelde in indignacioun hise strong veniaunce, and his blamyng in the flawme of fier.
For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For whi the Lord schal deme in fier, and in hys swerd to ech fleisch; and slayn men of the Lord schulen be multiplied,
For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 that weren halewid, and gessiden hem cleene, in gardyns aftir o yate with ynne; that eten swynes fleisch, and abhomynacioun, and a mows, thei schulen be waastid togidere, seith the Lord.
They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 Forsothe Y come to gadere togidere the werkis of hem, and the thouytis of hem, with alle folkis and langagis; and thei schulen come, and schulen se my glorie.
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19 And Y schal sette a signe in hem, and Y schal sende of hem that ben sauyd to hethene men, in to the see, in to Affrik, and in to Liddia, and to hem that holden arowe, in to Italie, and Greek lond, to ilis fer, to hem that herden not of me, and sien not my glorie. And thei schulen telle my glorie to hethene men,
And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
20 and thei schulen brynge alle youre britheren of alle folkis a yifte to the Lord, in horsis, and charis, and in literis, and in mulis, and in cartis, to myn hooli hil, Jerusalem, seith the Lord; as if the sones of Israel bryngen a yifte in a cleene vessel in to the hous of the Lord.
And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
21 And Y schal take of hem in to preestis and dekenes, seith the Lord.
And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
22 For as newe heuenes and newe erthe, whiche Y make to stonde bifore me, seith the Lord, so youre seed schal stonde, and youre name.
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And a monethe schal be of monethe, and a sabat of sabat; ech man schal come for to worschipe bifore my face, seith the Lord.
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
24 And thei schulen go out, and schulen se the careyns of men, that trespassiden ayens me; the worm of hem schal not die, and the fier of hem schal not be quenchid; and thei schulen be `til to fillyng of siyt to ech man.
And they shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.
