Isaiah 43
Isaiah chapter 43 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 For this thing cursyng schal deuoure the erthe, and the dwelleris therof schulen do synne; and therfor the louyeris therof schulen be woode, and fewe men schulen be left. 2 Vyndage morenyde, the vyne is sijk; alle men that weren glad in herte weiliden. 3 The ioie of tympans ceesside, the sowne of glad men restide; the swetnesse of harpe with song was stille. 4 Thei schulen not drynke wyn; a bittere drynk schal be to hem that schulen drynke it. 5 The citee of vanyte is al to-brokun; ech hous is closid, for no man entrith. 6 Cry schal be on wyn in streetis, al gladnesse is forsakun, the ioie of erthe is `takun awei. 7 Desolacioun is left in the citee, and wretchidnesse schal oppresse the yatis. 8 For these thingis schulen be in the myddis of erthe, in the myddis of puplis, as if a fewe fruitis of olyue trees that ben left ben schakun of fro the olyue tre, and racyns, whanne the vyndage is endid. 9 These men schulen reise her vois, and schulen preise, whanne the Lord schal be glorified; thei schulen schewe signes of gladnesse fro the see. 10 For this thing glorifie ye the Lord in techyngis; in the ilis of the see glorifie ye the name of the Lord God of Israel. 11 Fro the endis of erthe we han herd heriyngis, the glorye of the iust. And Y seide, My priuyte to me, my pryuyte to me. Wo to me, trespassours han trespassid, and han trespassid bi trespassyng of brekeris of the lawe. 12 Ferdfulnesse, and a diche, and a snare on thee, that art a dwellere of erthe. 13 And it schal be, he that schal fle fro the face of ferdfulnesse, schal falle in to the diche; and he that schal delyuere hym silf fro the dich, schal be holdun of the snare; for whi the wyndows of hiye thingis ben openyd, and the foundementis of erthe schulen be schakun togidere. 14 The erthe schal be brokun with brekyng, 15 the erthe schal be defoulid with defoulyng, the erthe schal be mouyd with mouyng, the erthe schal be schakun with schakyng, as a drunkun man. 16 And it schal be takun awei, as the tabernacle of o nyyt, and the wickidnesse therof schal greue it; and it schal falle down, and it schal not adde, for to rise ayen. And it schal be, in that dai the Lord schal visite on the knyythod of heuene an hiy, and on the kyngis of erthe, that ben on erthe. 17 And thei schulen be gaderid togidere in the gadering togidere of a bundel in to the lake, and thei schulen be closid there in prisoun; and aftir many daies thei schulen be visited. 18 And the moone schal be aschamed, and the sunne schal be confoundid, whanne the Lord of oostis schal regne in the hil of Sion, and in Jerusalem, and schal be glorified in the siyt of hise eldre men. 20 Lord, thou art my God, Y schal enhaunse thee, and Y schal knouleche to thi name; for thou hast do marueils, thin elde feithful thouytis. 21 Amen. For thou hast set the citee in to a biriel, a strong citee in to fallyng, the hous of aliens, that it be not a citee, and be not bildid with outen ende. 22 For this thyng a strong puple schal herie thee, the citee of strong folkis schal drede thee. 23 For thou art maad strengthe to a pore man, strengthe to a nedi man in his tribulacioun, hope fro whirlwynd, a schadewyng place fro heete; for whi the spirit of stronge men is as a whirlewynd hurlynge the wal. 24 As bi heete in thirst, thou schalt make meke the noise of aliens; and as bi heete vndur a cloude brennynge, thou schalt make the siouns of stronge men to fade. 25 And the Lord of oostis schal make in this hil to alle puplis the feeste of fatte thingis, the feeste of vyndage of fatte thingis ful of merow, of vyndage wel fyned. 26 And he schal caste doun in this hil the face of boond, boundun togidere on alle puplis, and the web which he weuyde on alle naciouns. 27 And he schal caste doun deth with outen ende, and the Lord God schal do awey ech teer fro ech face; and he schal do awei the schenschipe of his puple fro ech lond; for the Lord spak. 28 And thei schulen seie in that dai, Lo! this is oure God; we abididen hym, and he schal saue vs; this is the Lord; we suffriden him, and we schulen make ful out ioie, and schulen be glad in his helthe.
