Nahum 1
1 The birthun of Nynyue; the book of visioun of Naum Helcesei.
The burden of Nineve: the book of the vision of Naum the Elkesite.
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.
God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges with wrath; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he cuts off 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 longsuffering, and his power is great, and the Lord will not hold any guiltless: his way is in destruction and in the whirlwind, 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 threatens the sea, and dries it up, and exhausts all the rivers: the land of Basan, and Carmel are brought low, and the flourishing [trees] of Libanus have come to nothing.
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 at him, and the hills are shaken, and the earth recoils at his presence, [even] the world, and all that dwell 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 shall stand before his anger? and who shall withstand in the anger of his wrath? his wrath brings to nothing kingdoms, and the rocks are burst asunder by him.
7 The Lord is good, and coumfortynge in the dai of tribulacioun, and knowynge hem that hopen in hym.
The Lord is good to them that wait on him in the day of affliction; and he knows them that reverence 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 an utter end: darkness shall pursue those that rise up against [him] and his enemies.
9 What thenken ye ayens the Lord? He schal make ende; double tribulacioun schal not rise togidere.
What do you devise against the Lord? he will make a complete end: he will not take vengeance by affliction twice at the same time.
10 For as thornes byclippen hem togidere, so the feeste of hem drynkynge togidere schal be wastyd, as stobul ful of drienesse.
For [the enemy] shall be laid bare even to the foundation, and shall be devoured as twisted yew, and as stubble fully dry.
11 Of thee schal go out a man thenkynge malice ayens the Lord, and trete trespassyng in soule.
Out of you shall proceed a device against the Lord, counselling evil things hostile [to him].
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 says the Lord who rules over many waters, Even thus shall they be sent away, and the report of you shall not be heard any 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 rod from off you, and will burst [your] bonds.
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 the Lord shall give a command concerning you; there shall no more of your name be scattered: I will utterly destroy the graven [images] out of the house of your god, and the molten [images]: I will make your grave; for [they are] swift.
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 brings glad tidings, and publishes peace! O Juda, keep your feasts, pay your vows: for they shall no more pass through you to [your] decay.
