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| [1]Lo! the kyng schal regne in riytfulnesse, and princes schulen be souereyns in doom. |
[1]BEHOLD, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice. |
| [2]And a man schal be, as he that is hid fro wynd, and hidith hym silf fro tempest; as stremes of watris in thirst, and the schadewe of a stoon stondynge fer out in a desert lond. |
[2]And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind and as a shelter from the tempest; as streams of waters in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. |
| [3]The iyen of profetis schulen not dasewe, and the eeris of heereris schulen herke diligentli; |
[3]And the eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall hearken. |
| [4]and the herte of foolis schal vndurstonde kunnyng, and the tunge of stuttynge men schal speke swiftli, and pleynli. |
[4]The heart of the imprudent shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of stammerers shall hasten to speak plainly. |
| [5]He that is vnwijs, schal no more be clepid prince, and a gileful man schal not be clepid the grettere. |
[5]The fool shall be no more called ruler, nor shall the vain man be called a saviour. |
| [6]Forsothe a fool shal speke foli thingis, and his herte schal do wickidnesse, that he performe feynyng, and speke to the Lord gilefuli; and he schal make voide the soule of an hungry man, and schal take awei drynke fro a thirsti man. |
[6]For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy and to utter error, to make empty the soul of the hungry and to deprive the thirsty of drink. |
| [7]The vessels of a gileful man ben worste; for he schal make redi thouytis to leese mylde men in the word of a leesyng, whanne a pore man spak doom. |
[7]The instruments of the vain person are evil; he devises wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the testimony of the needy is right. |
| [8]Forsothe a prince schal thenke tho thingis that ben worthi to a prince, and he schal stonde ouer duykis. |
[8]But a great person devises great things, and on his greatness shall he stand |
| [9]Riche wymmen, rise ye, and here my vois; douytris tristynge, perseyue ye with eeris my speche. |
[9]Rise up, O you rich women; hear my voice, O you daughters that publish glad tidings, give ear to my speech. |
| [10]For whi aftir daies and a yeer, and ye that tristen schulen be disturblid; for whi vyndage is endid, gaderyng schal no more come. |
[10]The days of the year shall be angry against those who publish glad tidings, for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come. |
| [11]Ye riche wymmen, be astonyed; ye that tristen, be disturblid; vnclothe ye you, and be ye aschamed; |
[11]Tremble, O you rich women; be troubled, O you who publish glad tidings; strip, and make yourselves bare and gird sackcloth upon your loins. |
| [12]girde youre leendis; weile ye on brestis, on desirable cuntrei, on the plenteuouse vyner. |
[12]Mourn and beat upon your breasts, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. |
| [13]Thornes and breris schulen stie on the erthe of my puple; hou myche more on alle the housis of ioie of the citee makynge ful out ioie? |
[13]Upon the land of my people shall grow up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of mirth in the mighty city; |
| [14]For whi the hous is left, the multitude of the citee is forsakun; derknessis and gropyng ben maad on dennes, `til in to with outen ende. The ioie of wield assis is the lesewe of flockis; |
[14]Because the palace is forsaken; the multitude of the city is deserted; and the beautiful houses have become dens for ever, thorns, and a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; |
| [15]til the spirit be sched out on us fro an hiy, and the desert schal be in to Chermel, and Chermel schal be arettid in to a forest. |
[15]Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. |
| [16]And doom schal dwelle in wildirnesse, and riytfulnesse schal sitte in Chermel; |
[16]Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. |
| [17]and the werk of riytfulnesse schal be pees, and the tilthe of riytfulnesse schal be stilnesse and sikirnesse, `til in to with outen ende. |
[17]And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever. |
| [18]And my puple schal sitte in the fairnesse of pees, and in the tabernaclis of trist, and in riche reste. |
[18]And my people shall dwell in a peaceful habitation and in sure tabernacles and in a resting place of hope. |
| [19]But hail schal be in the coming doun of the foreste, and bi lownesse the citee schal be maad low. |
[19]And hail shall come down on the forest, and the city shall be made low like a plain. |
| [20]Blessid ben ye, that sowen on alle watris, and putten yn the foot of an oxe and of an asse. |
[20]Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, the place which is trodden under the feet of the ox and the ass |