Zephaniah 1
Zephaniah chapter 1 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 For also it was borun to Assur, a yifte to the king veniere. Confusioun schal take Effraym, and Israel schal be schent in his wille. 2 Samarie made his kyng to passe, as froth on the face of water. And the hiy thingis of idol, the synne of Israel, schulen be lost. 3 A cloote and a brere schal stie on the auters of hem. And thei schulen seie to mounteyns, Hile ye vs, and to litle hillis, Falle ye doun on vs. 4 Fro the daies of Gabaa Israel synnede; there thei stoden. Batel schal not take hem in Gabaa, 5 on the sones of wickidnesse. Bi my desir Y schal chastise hem; puplis schulen be gaderid togidere on hem, whanne thei schulen be chastisid for her twei wickidnessis. 6 Effraym is a cow calf, tauyt for to loue threischyng; and Y yede on the fairenesse of the necke therof. Y schal stie on Effraym. Judas schal ere, and Jacob schal breke forewis to hym silf. 7 Sowe ye to you riytfulnesse in treuthe, and repe ye in the mouthe of merci, and make ye newe to you a feld newli brouyte to tilthe. Forsothe tyme is to seke the Lord, whanne he cometh, that schal teche you riytfulnesse. 8 Ye han erid vnfeithfulnesse, ye han rope wickidnesse, ye han ete the corn of leesyng. For thou tristydist in thi weles, and in the multitude of thi stronge men. 9 Noise schal rise in thi puple, and alle thi stronge holdis schulen be distried; as Salmana was distried of the hous of hym, that took veniaunce on Baal; in the dai of batel, whanne the modir was hurlid doun on the sones. 10 So Bethel dide to you, for the face of malice of youre wickidnessis. 12 As the morewtid passith, the king of Israel schal passe forth. For Israel was a child, and Y louyde hym; and fro Egipt Y clepide my sone. 13 Thei clepiden hem, so thei yeden awei fro the face of hem. Thei offriden to Baalym, and maden sacrifice to symylacris. 14 And Y as a nursche of Effraym bare hem in myn armes, and thei wisten not, that Y kepte hem. 15 Y schal drawe hem in the ropis of Adam, in the boondis of charite. And Y schal be to hem as he that enhaunsith the yok on the chekis of hem; and Y bowide doun to hym, that he schulde ete. 16 He schal not turne ayen in to the lond of Egipt. And Assur, he schal be kyng of hym, for thei nolden turne. 17 A swerd bigan in the citees therof, and it schal waaste the chosun men therof, and schal eete the heedis of hem. 18 And my puple schal hange, at my comynge ayen. But a yok schal be put to hem togidere, that schal not be takun awei.
