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The .v. Chapter.
1 Of Christe and his vineyarde, 8 with an execration of couetousnesse, 11 drunkennesse, 19 and contempt of Gods worde.
[unspec A] 1 NOwe wyll I syng my beloued friende, a song of my friende touching his vineyard: My belo∣ued friende hath a vine∣yarde in a very fruite∣ful plenteous grounde.
2 This he hedged, and gathered out the stones from it, and planted it with the choysest vine: In the middest of it buil∣ded he a towre, also made a wine presse therin: (a) 1.1and he loked that it shoulde bring him grapes, and it brought foorth wylde grapes.
3 Nowe O citezen of Hierusalem, and man of Iuda, iudge I pray thee be∣twixt me and my vineyarde:
4 What more coulde haue ben done for it, that I haue not done? Wherfore then hath it geuen wylde grapes, where I loked to haue had grapes of it?
5 Well, nowe I shall tell you howe I will do with my vineyarde: I will take the hedge from it, that it may perishe, and breake downe the wall therof, that it may be troden vnder foote.
6 I wyll lay it waste, it shall neither be digged nor cut, but beare thornes and briers: I wyll also forbyd the cloudes that they shall not rayne vpon it.
[unspec B] 7 As for the vineyarde of the Lorde of hoastes, it is the house of Israel: and the man of Iuda, the plant of his plea∣sure: Of these he loked for equitie, but see there is oppression for ryghteous∣nesse, and lo it is a crying.
8 Wo vnto them that ioyne one house to another, and bring one lande so nigh vn∣to another, that there is no more place: Wyll ye be placed alone in the myddest of the earth?
9 These thynges are in the eares of the Lorde of hoastes: of a trueth great and faire houses shalbe without any dwel∣ler in them.
10 And tenne acres of vines shall geue but a quart, and thirtie busshels of seede shall geue but an Epha.
11 Wo be vnto them that rise vp early to folowe drunkennesse, continuyng vntyll nyght, tyll they be set on fire with wine.
12 In their feastes are harpes and lutes, tabrettes and pipes, and wine: but they regarde not the worke of the Lord, and consider not the operatiō of his handes.
13 Therfore commeth my folke into cap∣tiuitie, because they haue no vnderstan∣dyng: (b) 1.2Their glorie is famished with hunger, and their multitude dryed vp with thirst.
14 Therfore gapeth hell and openeth [unspec C] her mouth marueilous wyde, that their glorie, multitude, and wealth, with such as reioyce in her, may descende into it.
15 Thus hath man a fall and is brought lowe, and the hygh loke of the proude shalbe layde downe.
16 But the Lorde of hoastes shalbe exal∣ted in iudgement, and God that is holy is sanctified in ryghteousnesse.
17 Then shall the sheepe eate as they were wont, and the riche mens landes that were layde waste shall straungers deuour.
18 Wo be vnto them that drawe wicked∣nesse with cordes of vanitie, and sinne as it were with a cart rope.
19 Which vse to speake on this maner, Let hym make speede and hasten his worke, that we may see it: let the coun∣sayle of the holy one of Israel come and drawe nye, that we may knowe it.
20 Wo be vnto them that call euyll good, and good euyll, which make darknesse lyght, and lyght darknesse, that make sowre sweete, and sweete sowre.
21 Wo be vnto them that are wise in their [unspec D] owne syght, and thynke them selues to haue vnderstandyng.
22 Wo be vnto them that are strong to suppe out wine, and expert men to set vp drunkennesse.
23 Wo be vnto them that geue sentence with the vngodly for rewardes, but con∣dempne the iust cause of the ryghteous.
24 Therfore, lyke as fire licketh vp the strawe, and as the flambe consumeth the stubble: euen so their roote shalbe as corruption, and their blossome shall vanishe away lyke dust: for they haue cast away the lawe of the Lorde of hoastes, and despised the worde of the holy one of Israel.
25 Therfore is the wrath of the Lorde