CAP. II.

[verse 1] Cum ȝe togydre, be ȝe*. [Om. AGH.] gadrid, ȝe folk [verse 2] not worthi to be louyd, byfore that comaundyng brenge forth as dust pass|ynge day; byfore that wrath of wode|nesse of the Lord cum, byfore that the day of his indignacioun cume vpon ȝou. [verse 3] Alle mylde, or pacient, men of erthe, seeke ȝe the Lord, whiche han wrouȝt the dom of hym; seke ȝe the iust, seeke ȝe the mylde, ȝif eny maner ȝe be hid in the day of woodnesse of the Lord. [verse 4] For Gaza shal be distruyed, and Aschalon in to desert; thei shuln caste out Azotus in mydday, and Ackaron shal be drawen out by the rote. [verse 5] Woo! ȝe that dwellen the litil part of the se, a*. [O A.] folk of lost men. The word of the Lord vpon ȝou*. [Om. A.], Canaan, the lond of Fylisteyns, and Y shal dis|truye thee, so that an yndweller be not; [verse 6] and the litil part of the se shal be reste of sheeperdis, and fooldis of sheep. [verse 7] And it shal be a litil part of hym, that shal abide of the hous of Juda, there thei shuln be fed in the housis*. [hous A.] of Aschalon; at euyn thei shuln reste, for the Lord God of hem visitide hem, and shal turne awey the caityftee of hem. [verse 8] Y herde the shenshipe of Moab, and blasfemyes of the sonys of Amon, whiche thei*. [Om. G sec. m.] dispis|iden my peple, and thei ben magnyfied vpon the termes of hem. [verse 9] Therfore Y lyue, saith the Lord of oostis, God of Yrael, for Moab shal be as Sodom, and the sonys of Amon as Gomor; drienesse of thornes, and hepis of salt, and desert, til in to with out eende. The relikis of my peple shuln rauyshe hem, the resi|dues of my folc shuln welde hem. [verse 10] So|thely this thing shal cum to hem for her pride, in whiche thei blasfemyden, and weren magnyfied vpon the peple of the Lord of oostis. [verse 11] Orrible the Lord vpon hem, and he shal make feble alle goddis of erthe; and men of her place shuln Page  739 wirshipe hym, alle the ijlis of hethen men. [verse 12] Bot and ȝee, Ethiopiens, shuln be slayn bi my swerd. [verse 13] And he shal stretche forth his hond vpon the north, and shal leese Assur; and he shal putte the faire in to wildrenesse, and in to vnwayed, and as desert. [verse 14] And alle flockis*. [folkis A.], and beestis of folkis, shuln ligge in the mydil therof; and onacratalus, that is, a brid with a long bill lijke a swan, and the yrchoun shuln dwelle in the threshefoldis therof; voys of the syngynge in a wyndowe, and a crowe in the lyntill, or ouer thresfold, for Y shal make thynne the strengthe therof. [verse 15] This is the glorious citee dwell|ynge in trist, whiche saide in her herte, Y am, and ther is noon other more with outen me. Hou it is maad desert, a couche of beest? Eche man that shal passe bi it, shal hisse, or scorne, and shal moue his hond.