The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ Of Chryst and hys vyneyarde, with an execracion of co∣uetousnesse and dronekennes.

CAPI. V.

NOwe wyll I synge my beloued frende [unspec A] a songe, because of hys vyneyarde. My beloued frende hathe a vyneyarde in a very frutefull plenteous grounde. Thys he hedged, thys he walled rounde aboute and planted it with goodly grapes. In the myddest of it buylded he a towre, and made a wyne presse therin. And afterwarde when he loked that it shulde brynge hym grapes / it brought forth thornes. Nowe therfore (O ye Cytysens of Ierusalē and whole Iuda:) Iudge I praye you betwyxte me and my vyneyarde. What more colde haue bene done for it that I haue nat done? Wherfore then hathe it geuen thornes, where I loked to haue had grapes of it?

Well, nowe I shall tell you howe I wyll [unspec B] do with my vyneyarde: I wyl take the hed∣ge from it, that it maye peryshe, and breake downe the wal, that it may be troden vnder fote. I wyll laye it waste, that it shall ne∣ther be twysted nor cut, but beare thornes & breares. I wyl also forbyd the cloudes, that they shall nat rayne vpon it. As for the vy∣neyarde of the Lord of Hostes it is the house of Israel, and whole Iuda hys fayre plan∣tynge. Of these he loked for equyte, but se there is wronge: for ryghteousnesse, lo It is but mysery.

Wo vnto them that ioyne one house to ano¦ther [unspec C] and bryng one lande so nygh vnto ano¦ther, that the poore can get no more groūde / and y^• ye maye dwell vpon the earthe alone. These thynges are in the eares of the Lorde of Hostes: shall nat many greater and more gorgyous houses be so waste, that no man shall dwel in them? And ten akers of vynes shal geue but a Quarte and xxx. bushels of sede shall geue but an Epha.

Wo be vnto them / that ryse vp early to folowe dronckennes, and to them that con∣tynue

so vntyllnyght, and tyl they be set on fyre with wyne. In those cōpanyes are har∣pes and lutes, taberettes and pipes, and wy¦ne. But they regarde nat the worcke of the Lorde, & consyder nat the operacyon of his handes. Theyr fore commeth my folke also into captyuyte, because they haue no vnder¦standynge. [unspec D] Theyr glory is famashed with hunger / and their pryde is marred for thirst Therfore gapeth hel, & openeth her mouthe maruelous wyde / that theyr pryde, bostyng and welthe / with suche as reioyse therein / maye descende into it.

Thus hathe man a fal, and is brought lowe / and the high loke of the proude shalbe layde downe. But the Lorde of Hostes is ex¦alted in iudgēment / and God that is holy / is praysed in ryghtuousnes. Then shall the shepe eate in order, & the riche mens landes that were layde waist, shall straungers de∣uoure. Wo be vnto them / that drawe wyc∣kednes vnto them / with coardes of vanyte and syn / as it were with a cart rope. Which vse to speake on this maner, let hym make haste nowe, & go forth with his worcke, that we maye se it. Let the counsell of the holy one of Israell come: and drawe nye / that we maye knowe it.

Wo be vnto them that cal euel good, and [unspec E] good euell / whiche make darcknes lyght / & lyght darckenesse, that make sowre swete, and swete sowre. Wo be vnto them that are wyse in theyr owne syght, and thynke them selues to haue vnderstandynge. Wo be vnto them, that are stronge to suppe our wyne, and experte men to sete vp droncken∣nesse. These geue sentēce with the vngodly for rewardes, but condempne the iust cause of the ryghteous.

Therfore, lyke as fyre lycketh vp the strawe, & as the flame consumeth the stub∣ble: euen so theyr rote shalbe as corrupcyon and theyr blossome shall vanyshe awaye ly∣ke duste for they haue caste awaye the lawe of the Lorde of Hostes, and blasphemed the worde of the holy maker of Israel.

Therfore is the wrath of the Lorde kynd [unspec F] led also agaynst his people, and he shaketh his hande at them: yee, he hathe smytten so, that the hylles dyd tremble. And theyr kar∣cases dyd lye in the open stretes / lyke m••••e. And in all this / the wrath of God hath not ceased: but hys hande is stretched out styli. And he shall gyue a token vnto a straunge people / and call vnto them in a far countre and beholde / they shall come hastely with spede. There shal not be one faynt nor feble amonge them, no not a slogyshe nor slepery persone. There shall not one of them put of the gyrdle from his loynes / nor loose theyr lachet from h{is} shoe. His arowes are sharpe / and al his bowes bent. His horse hoofes are lyke flynte, and his carte wheles lyke a stor∣my wynde. His crye is as it were of a Lyon, and he roareth lyke lyons whelpes. They shal roare / and hantche vp the pray, and no man shall recouer it or get it from them. In that daye they shall be so fearse vpon them, as the see. And yf we looke vnto the lande beholde / it shalbe all darknesse and sorowe. If we loke towarde heauen, beholde it shal∣be darke.