Zephaniah 3

¹ Jacob fledde in to the cuntrei of Sirie, and Israel seruyde for a wijf, and seruyde, ether kepte, for a wijf. ² But bi a profete the Lord ledde Israel out of Egipt, and bi a profete he was kept. ³ Effraym terride me to wrathfulnesse in hise bitternessis, and the blood of hym schal come on hym; and his Lord schal restore to hym the schenschipe of him. ⁵ For Effraym spak, hidousnesse assailide Israel; and he trespasside in Baal, and was deed. ⁶ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁸ 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. ⁹ Y knewe thee in the desert, in the lond of wildirnesse. ¹⁰ Bi her lesewis thei weren fillid, and hadden abundaunce; thei reisiden her herte, and foryaten me. ¹¹ And Y schal be as a lionesse to hem, as a parde in the weye of Assiriens. ¹² 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. ¹³ Israel, thi perdicioun is of thee; thin help is oneli of me. ¹⁴ 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? ¹⁵ Y schal yyue to thee a kyng in my strong veniaunce, and Y schal take awei in myn indignacioun. ¹⁶ The wickidnesse of Effraym is boundun togidere; his synne is hid. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ 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.