< Nahum 1 >
1 The birthun of Nynyue; the book of visioun of Naum Helcesei.
The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
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.
A jealous and avenging God is Jehovah: an avenger is Jehovah, and full of fury: Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for 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;
Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and doth not at all clear [the guilty]: Jehovah, — his way is in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are 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 rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
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 quake before him, and the hills melt, and the earth is upheaved at his presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.
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 shall stand before his indignation? and who shall abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him.
7 The Lord is good, and coumfortynge in the dai of tribulacioun, and knowynge hem that hopen in hym.
Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
8 And in greet flood passynge forth, he schal make ende of his place; and derknessis schulen pursue hise enemyes.
But with an overrunning flood he will make a full end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
9 What thenken ye ayens the Lord? He schal make ende; double tribulacioun schal not rise togidere.
What do ye imagine against Jehovah? He will make a full end: trouble shall not rise up the second time.
10 For as thornes byclippen hem togidere, so the feeste of hem drynkynge togidere schal be wastyd, as stobul ful of drienesse.
Though they be tangled together [as] thorns, and be as drenched from their drink, they shall be devoured as dry stubble, completely.
11 Of thee schal go out a man thenkynge malice ayens the Lord, and trete trespassyng in soule.
Out of thee is gone forth one that imagineth evil against Jehovah, a wicked counsellor.
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.
Thus saith Jehovah: Though they be complete in number, and many as they be, even so shall they be cut down, and he shall pass away; and though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee 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 will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds asunder.
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.
And Jehovah hath given commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy god will I cut off the graven image, and the molten image: I will prepare thy grave; for thou art vile.
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.
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, that publisheth peace! Celebrate thy feasts, Judah, perform thy vows: for the wicked one shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.