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¹ This is the worde of the LORDE, which came vnto Sophony the sonne of Chusi, the sonne of Gedolias, the sonne of Amarias ye sonne of Hezechias: in the tyme of Iosias the sonne of Amon kinge of Iuda.² I will gather vp all thinges in the londe (saieth the LORDE)³ I wil gather vp man and beest: I wil gather vp the foules in the ayre, and the fysh in the see (to the greate decaye of the wicked) & wil vtterly destroye the men out of the londe, saieth the LORDE.⁴ I wil stretch out myne honde vpon Iuda, and vpon all soch as dwel at Ierusalem. Thus wil I rote out the remnaunt of Baal from this place, and the names of the Kemuryns and prestes:⁵ yee & soch as vpon their house toppes worshipe & bowe them selues vnto the hoost of heauen: which sweare by the LORDE, and by their Malchom also:⁶ which starte a backe from ye LORDE, and nether seke after the LORDE, ner regarde him.

⁷ Be still at ye presence of the LORDE God, for the daye of the LORDE is at honde: yee the LORDE hath prepared a slayne offeringe, and called his gestes therto.⁸ And thus shall it happen in the daye of the LORDES a slaynofferynge: I will vyset the prynces, the kinges children, & all soch as weere strauge clothinge.⁹ In the same daye also wil I vyset all those, that treade ouer the thresholde so proudly, which fyll their lordes house wt robbery and falsede.¹⁰ At ye same tyme (saieth the LORDE) there shall be herde a greate crie from the fyshporte, and an howlinge from ye other porte, and a greate murthur from the hilles.¹¹ Howle ye that dwel in the myll, for all the marchaunt people are gone, and all they that were laden with syluer, are roted out.¹² At the same tyme wil I seke thorow Ierusalem with lanternes, and vyset them that contynue in their dregges, and saye in their hertes: Tush, the LORDE wil do nether good ner euell.¹³ Their goodes shalbe spoyled, and their houses layed waist. They shall buylde houses, and not dwel in them: they shal plante vynyardes, but not drynke the wyne therof.

¹⁴ For the greate daye of the LORDE is at honde, it is harde by, & commeth on a pace. Horrible is ye tydinges of the LORDES daye, then shall the giaunte crie out:¹⁵ for that daye is a daye of wrath, a daye of trouble & heuynesse, a daye of vtter destruccion & mysery, a darcke & glomynge daye, a cloudy & stormy daye,¹⁶ a daye of the noyse of trompettes and shawmes, agaynst the stronge cities and hie towres.¹⁷ I wil bringe ye people into soch vexacion, that they shal go aboute like blinde me, because they haue synned agaynst the LORDE. Their bloude shalbe shed as the dust, & their bodies as the myre.¹⁸ Nether their syluer ner their golde shalbe able to delyuer the in that wrothfull daye of the LORDE, but the whole londe shalbe cosumed thorow the fyre of his gelousy: for he shall soone make clene ryddaunce of all them that dwell in the londe.