Micah 2
1 Wo to you, that thenken vnprofitable thing, and worchen yuele in youre beddis; in the morewtid liyt thei don it, for the hond of hem is ayenus God.
Woe to them that devise iniquity, And contrive evil upon their beds; When the morning is light, they practise it, Because it is in the power of their hand.
2 Thei coueitiden feeldis, and tooken violentli; and rauyschiden housis, and falsli calengiden a man and his hous, a man and his eritage.
They covet fields, and take them by violence; Houses, and take them from their owners. They defraud a man of his house; Yea, a man of his inheritance.
3 Therfor the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y thenke on this meynee yuel, fro which ye schulen not take awei youre neckis; and ye schulen not walke proude, for the worste tyme is.
Therefore, thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this race do I meditate evil. From which ye shall not remove your necks, nor lift up your heads; For it shall be a time of evil.
4 In that dai a parable schal be takun on you, and a song schal be songun with swetnesse of men, seiynge, Bi robbyng we ben distried; a part of my puple is chaungid; hou schal he go awei fro me, whanne he turneth ayen that schal departe youre cuntreis?
In that day shall this song be uttered concerning thee. And this sad lamentation be made: “We are utterly laid waste; He hath changed the portion of my people; How hath he torn it from me! He hath taken away and distributed our fields.”
5 For this thing `noon schal be to thee sendynge a litil corde of sort in cumpeny of the Lord.
Behold, thou shalt have no one henceforth Who shall draw out a line for a portion, In the congregation of Jehovah.
6 A! thou Israel, speke ye not spekyng; it schal not droppe on these men, confusioun schal not catche,
“Prophesy not,” [[say they, ]] “O ye that prophesy!” If they prophesy not concerning these things, The shame will not depart.
7 seith the hous of Jacob. Whether the Spirit of the Lord is abreggid, either siche ben the thouytis of hym? Whether my wordis ben not gode, with hym that goith riytli?
O ye that are called the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Jehovah impatient? Are these his doings? Are not my words kind to him that walketh uprightly?
8 And ayenward my puple roos togidere in to an aduersarie; ye token awei the mantil aboue the coote, and ye turneden in to batel hem that wenten sympli.
But long since hath my people risen against me, as an enemy; Ye strip the mantle from the garment of those that pass by securely, as men returning from war.
9 Ye castiden the wymmen of my puple out of the hous of her delices; fro the litle children of hem ye token awei myn heriyng with outen ende.
The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant abodes; Ye deprive their children forever of the glory which I gave them.
10 Rise ye, and go, for here ye han not reste; for the vnclennesse therof it schal be corrupt with the worst rot.
Arise and depart; This land is not your rest! On account of its pollution shall it be wasted, And given to utter destruction.
11 Y wolde that Y were not a man hauynge spirit, and rathere Y spak a leesyng. Y schal droppe to thee in to wyn, and in to drunkenesse; and this puple schal be, on whom it is droppid.
If a man follow wind, and invent falsehood, and say, “I will prophesy to thee of wine and strong drink!” He will be the prophet for this people.
12 With gaderyng Y schal gadere Jacob; Y schal lede togidere thee al in to oon, the relifs of Israel. Y schal put hym togidere, as a floc in folde; as scheep in the myddil of fooldis thei schulen make noise, of multitude of men.
Yet will I fully gather thee, O Jacob, I will surely assemble the residue of Israel! I will put them together like sheep in a fold; Like a flock in their fold shall they be in a tumult on account of the multitude of men.
13 For he schal stie schewynge weie bifore hem; thei schulen departe, and passe the yate, and schulen go out therbi; and the kyng of hem schal passe bifore hem, and the Lord in the heed of hem.
He that forceth a way goeth before them; They force their way, and pass through the gate, And go forth by it; And their king goeth before them, Even Jehovah at the head of them.
