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¹ Wo to you, that ben ful of richessis in Sion, and tristen in the hil of Samarie, ye principal men, the heedis of puplis, that goen proudli in to the hous of Israel.² Go ye in to Calamye, and se ye, and go ye fro thennus in to Emath the greet; and go ye doun in to Geth of Palestyns, and to alle the beste rewmes of hem, if her terme be broddere than youre terme.³ And ye ben departid in to yuel dai, and neiyen to the seete of wickidnesse;⁴ and ye slepen in beddis of yuer, and doen letcherie in youre beddis; and ye eten a lomb of the flok, and calues of the myddil of droue;⁵ and ye syngen at vois of sautree. As Dauid thei gessiden hem for to haue instrumentis of song, and drynken wyn in viols;⁶ and with beste oynement thei weren anoynted; and in no thing thei hadden compassioun on the sorewe, ether defoulyng, of Joseph.⁷ Wherfor now thei schulen passe in the heed of men passynge ouer, and the doyng of men doynge letcherie schal be don awei.

⁸ The Lord God swoor in his soule, seith the Lord God of oostis, Y wlate the pride of Jacob, and Y hate the housis of hym, and Y schal bitake the citee with hise dwelleris;⁹ that if ten men ben left in oon hous, and thei schulen die.¹⁰ And his neiybore schal take hym, and schal brenne hym, that he bere out boonys of the hous. And he schal seie to hym, that is in the priuy places of the hous, Whether ther is yit anentis thee? And he schal answer, An ende is. And he schal seie to hym, Be thou stille, and thenke thou not on the name of the Lord.¹¹ For lo! the Lord schal comaunde, and schal smyte the grettere hous with fallyngis, and the lesse hous with brekyngis.¹² Whether horsis moun renne in stoonys, ether it mai be eerid with wielde oxun? For ye turneden doom in to bitternesse, and the fruyt of riytfulnesse in to wermod.¹³ And ye ben glad in nouyt, and ye seien, Whether not in oure strengthe we token to vs hornes?¹⁴ Lo! Y schal reise on you, the hous of Israel, seith the Lord God of oostis, a folc; and it schal al to-breke you fro entre of Emath `til to the streem of desert.