1 For Effraym spak, hidousnesse assailide Israel; and he trespasside in Baal, and was deed.
2 And now thei addiden to do synne, and maden to hem a yotun ymage of her siluer, as the licnesse of idols; al is the makyng of crafti men. To these thei seien, A! ye men, offre, and worschipe caluys.
3 Therfor thei schulen be as a morewtid cloude, and as the deew of morewtid, that passith forth, as dust rauyschide bi whirlewynd fro the corn floor, and as smoke of a chymenei.
4 Forsothe Y am thi Lord God, `that ledde thee fro the loond of Egipt; and thou schalt not knowe God, outakun me, and no sauyour is, outakun me.
5 Y knewe thee in the desert, in the lond of wildirnesse.
6 Bi her lesewis thei weren fillid, and hadden abundaunce; thei reisiden her herte, and foryaten me.
7 And Y schal be as a lionesse to hem, as a parde in the weye of Assiriens.
8 Y as a femal bere, whanne the whelps ben rauyschid, schal mete hem; and schal al to-breke the ynnere thingis of the mawe of hem. And Y as a lioun schal waaste hem there; a beeste of the feeld schal al to-rende hem.
9 Israel, thi perdicioun is of thee; thin help is oneli of me.
10 Where is thi kyng? moost saue he thee now in alle thi citees; and where ben thi iugis, of whiche thou seidist, Yyue thou to me a kyng, and princes?
11 Y schal yyue to thee a kyng in my strong veniaunce, and Y schal take awei in myn indignacioun.
12 The wickidnesse of Effraym is boundun togidere; his synne is hid.
13 The sorewis of a womman trauelynge of child schulen come to hym; he is a sone not wijs. For now he schal not stonde in the defoulyng of sones.
14 Y schal delyuere hem fro the hoond of deeth, and Y schal ayenbie hem fro deth. Thou deth, Y schal be thi deth; thou helle, Y schal be thi mussel.
15 Coumfort is hid fro myn iyen, for he schal departe bitwixe britheren. The Lord schal brynge a brennynge wynd, stiynge fro desert; and it schal make drie the veynes therof, and it schal make desolat the welle therof; and he schal rauysche the tresour of ech desirable vessel. |
