< Nahum 3 >
1 Wo to the citee of bloodis, al of leesyng, ful of to-reendyng; raueyn shal not go awei fro thee.
Væ civitas sanguinum, universa mendacii dilaceratione plena: non recedet a te rapina.
2 Vois of scourge, and vois of bire of wheel, and of hors makynge noise, and of foure horsid carte brennynge, and of kniyt stiynge vp,
Vox flagelli, et vox impetus rotæ, et equi frementis, et quadrigæ ferventis, et equitis ascendentis:
3 and of schynynge swerd, and glesenynge spere, and of slayn multitude, and of greuouse fallyng, nether ther is eende of careyns. And thei schulen falle togidere in her bodies,
et micantis gladii, et fulgurantis hastæ, et multitudinis interfectæ, et gravis ruinæ: nec est finis cadaverum, et corruent in corporibus suis.
4 for the multitude of fornicaciouns of the hoore fair and plesaunt, and hauynge witchecraftis; which seelde folkis in her fornicaciouns, and meynees in her enchauntementis, ether sorceries.
Propter multitudinem fornicationum meretricis speciosæ, et gratæ, et habentis maleficia, quæ vendidit gentes in fornicationibus suis, et familias in maleficiis suis:
5 Lo! Y to thee, seith the Lord God of oostis; and Y schal schewe thi schameful thingis in thi face; and Y schal schewe to folkis thi nakidnesse, and to rewmes thin yuel fame.
Ecce ego ad te, dicit Dominus exercituum, et revelabo pudenda tua in facie tua, et ostendam Gentibus nuditatem tuam, et regnis ignominiam tuam.
6 And Y schal cast out on thee thin abhomynaciouns, and Y schal punysche thee with dispitis, and Y schal putte thee in to ensaumple.
Et proiiciam super te abominationes, et contumeliis te afficiam, et ponam te in exemplum.
7 And it schal be, ech man that schal se thee, schal skippe awei fro thee, and schal seie, Nynyue is distried. Who schal moue heed on thee? wherof schal Y seke to thee a coumfortour?
Et erit: omnis, qui viderit te, resiliet a te, et dicet: Vastata est Ninive: quis commovebit super te caput? unde quæram consolatorem tibi?
8 Whether thou art betere than Alisaundre of puplis, that dwellith in floodis? Watris ben in cumpas therof, whos richessis is the see, watris ben wallis therof.
Numquid melior es Alexandria populorum, quæ habitat in fluminibus? aquæ in circuti eius: cuius divitiæ, mare: aquæ muri eius.
9 Ethiope is strengthe therof, and Egipt, and there is noon ende; Affrik and Libie weren in help therof.
Æthiopia fortitudo eius, et Ægyptus, et non est finis: Africa, et Libyes fuerunt in auxilio tuo.
10 But and it in `passyng ouer is led in to caitifte; the litle children therof ben hurtlid doun in the heed of alle weies. And on the noble men therof thei kesten lot, and alle grete men therof ben set togidere in gyues.
Sed et ipsa in transmigrationem ducta est in captivitatem: parvuli eius elisi sunt in capite omnium viarum, et super inclytos eius miserunt sortem, et omnes optimates eius confixi sunt in compedibus.
11 And thou therfor schalt be drunkun, and schalt be dispisid, and thou schalt seke helpe of enemye.
Et tu ergo inebriaberis, et eris despecta: et tu quæres auxilium ab inimico.
12 Al thi strengthis as a fige tree, with hise figis vnripe; if thei schulen be schakun, thei schulen falle in to the mouth of the etere.
Omnes munitiones tuæ sicut ficus cum grossis suis: si concussæ fuerint, cadent in os comedentis.
13 Lo! thi puple ben wymmen in the myddil of thee; the yatis of thi lond schulen be schewid to openyng to thin enemyes; fier schal deuoure thin herris.
Ecce populus tuus mulieres in medio tui: inimicis tuis adapertione pandentur portæ terræ tuæ, devorabit ignis vectes tuos.
14 Drawe vp to thee water for asegyng, bilde thi strengthis; entre in fen, and trede, thou vndurgoynge holde a tiel stoon.
Aquam propter obsidionem hauri tibi, extrue munitiones tuas: intra in lutum, et calca, subigens tene laterem.
15 There fier schal ete thee, thou schalt perische bi swerd, it schal deuoure thee, as bruke doith; be thou gaderid togidere as a bruke, be thou multiplied as a locuste.
Ibi comedet te ignis: peribis gladio, devorabit te ut bruchus: congregare ut bruchus: multiplicare ut locusta.
16 Thou madist thi marchaundises mo than ben sterris of heuene; a bruke is spred abrood, and flei awei.
Plures fecisti negotiationes tuas quam stellæ sint cæli: bruchus expansus est, et avolavit.
17 Thi keperis ben as locustis, and thi litle children ben as locustis of locustis, whiche sitten togidere in heggis in the dai of coold; the sun is risun, and thei fledden awei, and the place of hem is not knowun, where thei weren.
Custodes tui quasi locustæ: et parvuli tui quasi locustæ locustarum, quæ considunt in sepibus in die frigoris: sol ortus est, et avolaverunt, et non est cognitus locus earum ubi fuerint.
18 Thi scheepherdis napten, thou kyng Assur, thi princes schulen be biried; thi puple ofte was hid in hillis, and ther is not that schal gadere.
Dormitaverunt pastores tui, rex Assur: sepelientur principes tui: latitavit populus tuus in montibus, et non est qui congreget.
19 Thi sorewe is not priuy, thi wounde is worst; alle men that herden thin heryng, pressiden togidere hond on thee, for on whom passide not thi malice euermore?
Non est obscura contritio tua, pessima est plaga tua: omnes qui audierunt auditionem tuam, compresserunt manum super te: quia super quem non transiit malitia tua semper?