< Joel 2 >
1 Synge ye with a trumpe in Sion, yelle ye in myn hooli hil. Alle the dwelleris of erthe be disturblid; for the dai of the Lord cometh,
2 for the dai of derknessis and of myist is niy, the dai of cloude and of whirlewynde. As the morewtid spred abrood on hillis, a myche puple and strong. Noon was lijk it fro the bigynnyng, and after it schal not be, til in to yeeris of generacioun and of generacioun.
3 Bifore the face therof schal be fier deuourynge, and after it schal be brennynge flawme; as a gardyn of liking the lond schal be bifor him, and wildirnesse of desert schal be after him, and noon is that schal ascape him.
4 The lokyng of hem schal be as the lokyng of horsis, and as horse men so thei schulen renne.
5 As the sown of cartis on the heedis of hillis thei schulen skippe; as the sowne of the flawme of fier deuourynge stobil, as a strong puple maad redi to batel.
6 Puplis schulen be turmentid of the face therof, alle facis schulen be dryuun in to a pot.
7 As stronge men thei schulen renne, as men werriours thei schulen stie on the wal. Men schulen go in her weies, and thei schulen not bowe awei fro her pathis.
8 Ech man schal not make streyt his brother, ech man schal go in his path; but also thei schulen falle doun bi wyndows, and schulen not be hirt.
9 Thei schulen entre in to the citee, thei schulen renne on the wal; thei schulen stie on housis, thei schulen entre as a niyt theef bi wyndows.
10 The erthe tremblide of his face, heuenys weren mouyd, the sunne and the moone weren maad derk, and sterris withdrowen her schynyng.
11 And the Lord yaf his vois bifor the face of his oost, for hise oostis ben ful manye; for tho ben stronge, and doen the word of hym. For the dai of the Lord is greet, and ful ferdful, and who schal suffre it?
12 Now therfor seith the Lord, Be ye conuertid to me in al youre herte, in fastyng, and wepyng, and weilyng;
13 and kerue ye youre hertis, and not youre clothis, and be ye conuertid to youre Lord God, for he is benygne, and merciful, pacient, and of myche merci, and abidynge, ether foryyuynge, on malice.
14 Who woot, if God be conuertid, and foryyue, and leeue blessyng aftir hym? sacrifice and moist sacrifice to oure Lord God.
15 Synge ye with a trumpe in Sion, halewe ye fastyng, clepe ye cumpany; gadere ye togidere the puple, halewe ye the chirche,
16 gadere ye togidere elde men, gadere ye togidere litle children, and soukynge the brestis; a spouse go out of his bed, and a spousesse of hir chaumbre.
17 Prestis, the mynystris of the Lord, schulen wepe bitwixe the porche and the auter, and schulen seie, Lord! spare thou, spare thi puple, and yyue thou not thin eritage in to schenschipe, that naciouns be lordis of hem. Whi seien thei among puplis, Where is the God of hem?
18 The Lord louyde gelousli his lond, and sparide his puple.
19 And the Lord answeride, and seide to his puple, Lo! Y schal sende to you wheete, and wyn, and oile, and ye schulen be fillid with tho; and Y schal no more yyue you schenschipe among hethene men.
20 And Y schal make hym that is at the north fer fro you; and Y schal cast hym out in to a lond with out weie, and desert; his face ayens the eest see, and the laste part therof at the last see; and the stynk therof schal stie, and the root therof schal stie, for he dide proudli.
21 Erthe, nyle thou drede, make thou ful out ioye, and be glad; for the Lord magnefiede that he schulde do.
22 Beestis of the cuntrei, nyle ye drede, for the faire thingis of desert buriowneden; for the tre brouyte his fruyt, the fige tre and vyner yauen her vertu.
23 And the sones of Sion, make ye ful out ioie, and be ye glad in youre Lord God, for he yaf to you a techere of riytfulnesse, and he schal make morewtid reyn and euentid reyn to come doun to you, as in the bigynnyng.
24 And cornflooris schulen be fillid of wheete, and pressours schulen flowe with wyn, and oile.
25 And Y schal yelde to you the yeris whiche the locuste, bruke, and rust, and wort worm, my greet strengthe, eet, which Y sente in to you.
26 And ye schulen ete etyng, and ye schulen be fillid; and ye schulen herie the name of youre Lord God, that made merueils with you; and my puple schal not be schent with outen ende.
27 And ye schulen wite, that Y am in the myddis of Israel; and Y am youre Lord God, and `noon is more; and my puple schal not be schent with outen ende.
28 And it schal be, aftir these thingis Y schal schede out my spirit on ech man, and youre sones and youre douytris schulen profesie; youre elde men schulen dreme dremes, and youre yonge men schulen se visiouns.
29 But also Y schal schede out my spirit on my seruauntis, and handmaydis, in tho daies;
30 and Y schal yyue grete wondris in heuene, and in erthe, blood, and fier, and the heete of smoke.
31 The sunne schal be turned in to derknessis, and the moone in to blood, bifor that the greet dai and orrible of the Lord come.
32 And it schal be, ech that clepith to helpe the name of the Lord, schal be saaf; for whi saluacioun schal be in the hil of Sion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord seide, and in the residue men, whiche the Lord clepith.