Nahum 1
1 The birthun of Nynyue; the book of visioun of Naum Helcesei.
A message about Nineveh, a vision which came to Nahum from Elkosh.
2 The Lord is a punyschere, and the Lord is vengynge; the Lord is venginge, and hauynge strong veniaunce; the Lord is vengynge ayens hise aduersaries, and he is wraththing to hise enemyes.
The Lord tolerates no rivals. The Lord is vengeful and fierce in wrath. The Lord does not fail to punish his foes; the Lord is vengeful against his enemies.
3 The Lord is pacient, and greet in strengthe, and he clensynge schal not make innocent. The Lord cometh in tempest, and the weies of hym ben in whirlwynd, and cloudis ben the dust of hise feet;
The Lord is slow to anger, great in power. The guilty will not escape his punishment. Storm tempest is his path and cloud is the dust of his feet.
4 he blameth the see, and drieth it, and bryngith alle flodis to desert. Basan is maad sijk, and Carmel, and the flour of Liban langwischide.
He rebukes the sea and dries it up and makes all the streams run dry. Bashan and Carmel are languishing and the bloom of Lebanon is withered.
5 Mounteyns ben mouyd togidere of hym, and litil hillis ben desolat. And erthe tremblide togidere fro the face of him, and the roundenesse of erthe, and alle dwellynge ther ynne.
The mountains tremble before him and the hills dissolve. The earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it.
6 Who schal stonde bifore the face of his indignacioun? and who schal ayenstonde in the wraththe of his stronge veniaunce? His indignacioun is sched out as fier, and stoonys ben brokun of hym.
Who can stand before his wrath? Who can withstand the heat of his anger? His fierce fury pours forth like fire, he shatters rocks.
7 The Lord is good, and coumfortynge in the dai of tribulacioun, and knowynge hem that hopen in hym.
The Lord is good to those who hope in him, a place of refuge in the day of trouble.
8 And in greet flood passynge forth, he schal make ende of his place; and derknessis schulen pursue hise enemyes.
With rushing flood an end he makes of those who rise against him, he drives his enemies into darkness.
9 What thenken ye ayens the Lord? He schal make ende; double tribulacioun schal not rise togidere.
Why do you plot against the Lord? He will end you. He only takes vengeance once.
10 For as thornes byclippen hem togidere, so the feeste of hem drynkynge togidere schal be wastyd, as stobul ful of drienesse.
Thorns, tangled and drenched, they are consumed like dry stubble.
11 Of thee schal go out a man thenkynge malice ayens the Lord, and trete trespassyng in soule.
Nineveh! From you has arisen one who plots evil against the Lord, a counsellor of wickedness.
12 The Lord seith these thingis, If thei schulen be parfit, and so manye, and thus thei shulen be clippid, and it schal passe bi. I turmentide thee, and Y schal no more turmente thee.
The Lord says: “Though they are many and strong, they will pass away and be gone. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more,
13 And now Y schal al to-breke the yerde of hym fro thi bak, and Y schal breke thi bondis.
and now I will break his yoke from your necks and snap your chains.”
14 And the Lord schal comaunde on thee, it schal no more be sowun of thi name. Of the hous of thi god Y schal sle; Y schal putte thi sepulcre a `grauun ymage, and wellid togidere, for thou art vnworschipid.
The Lord has given this command concerning you, Nineveh: “Your name will no longer be remembered. I will destroy every idol and image in the house of your God. I will destroy even your tomb, for you are worthless.”
15 Lo! on hillis the feet of the euangelisynge and tellynge pees. Juda, halewe thou thi feeste daies, and yelde thi vowis, for whi Belial schal no more put to, that he passe forth in thee; al Belial perischide.
Look! On the mountains a messenger bringing good news, announcing peace! “Celebrate the feasts, Judah, fulfill your vows. Never again will these enemies invade your land, they are destroyed!”
