# Bible (Early Wycliffe)/Micheas

Here bigynneþ þe boke of Mycheas.

## Capitulum I.

The word of þe Lord, whiche is maad to Mycheas Moraſtites, in þe days of Joaþan, Achas, Ezechie, kyngys of Juda; whiche he ſawȝ on Samarie, and Jeruſalem. Heere ȝe, alle peplis, and þe erþe perceyue, and þe plente þerof; and be þe Lord God to ȝou in to a witneſſe, þe Lord of hys holy temple. For loo! þe Lord ſhal gon out of his place, and ſhal cumme doun, and ſhal trede on heeȝ þingus of erþe. And mounteyns ſhuln be waaſtid vndir hym, and valeys ſhuln be kitt, as wex fro face of fijre, as waters þat rennen in to a pitt. In þe grete treſpas of Jacob al þis þing, and in þe ſynnes of þe hous of Yrael. Whiche þe grete treſpas of Jacob, wher not Samarie? and whiche þe heeȝ þingis of Juda, wher not Jeruſalem? And Y ſhal putte Samarie as an heep of ſtoons in þe feeld, whanne a vyne ȝerd is plauntid; and Y ſhal drawe awey þe ſtoons þerof into a valey, and ſhal ſhewe þe foundementis þerof. And alle ſculptilis, or grauen ymagis, þerof ſhuln be beten to gidre, and alle hijres þerof ſhuln be brent in fijr; and Y ſhal putte al ydolis þerof in to perdicioun; for of hijris of an hoore þei ben gadrid, and vn to hijre of an hoore þei ſhuln be turned aȝein. On þis þing Y ſhal weile and ȝoule, Y ſhal go ſpuylid and nakid; and Y ſhal make weyling as of dragouns, and mournyng as of ſtruciouns. For plage, or wounde, þerof is diſpeirid; for it came vn to Juda, it touchide þe ȝate of my peple, vn to Jeruſalem. In Geþ nyl ȝe telle, in teris weepe ȝe not; in þe hous of duſt wiþ duſt togydre ſprenge ȝou. And a faire dwellyng ſhal paſſe fro ȝou, confoundid wiþ yuel fame; it is not gon out, whiche dwelliþ in þe goynge out; a niȝ hous ſhal take of ȝou weylyng, whiche ſtode to it ſelf. For it is maad ſeeke in to good, whiche dwelliþ in bitterneſſis. For yuel came doun fro þe Lord in to þe ȝate of Jeruſalem, noyſe of a four horſid cart, of dreed to þe dwellynge at Lachis. It is þe bygynnyng of ſynne of þe douȝter of Syon, for in þee þe grete treſpaſſis of Yrael ben founden. Þerfore he ſhal ȝeue vnnoble men on þe heritage of Geþ, an hous of leſyng in to diſceyte to þe kyngis of Yrael. Ȝit Y ſhal brenge an eir to þee, þat dwelliſt in Mareſa; vnto Odolla of glorie of Yrael ſhal cum. Be þou maad ballid, and be þou clippid on þe ſonys of ydolis; alarge þi baldneſſe as an egle, for þei ben led caityf fro þee.

## Capitulum II.

Woo to ȝou, þat þenken vnprofitable þing, and wirchen yuel in ȝoure couchis; in þe morew liȝt þei don it, for þe hond of hem is aȝeinus God. Þei couetiden feeldis, and violently token; and rauyſhiden houſis, and falſly chalengiden a man and his hous, and a man and his eritage. Þerfore þeſe þingis ſaiþ þe Lord, Loo! Y þenke on þis meynee yuel, of whom ȝe ſhuln not take awey ȝour neckis; and ȝe ſhuln not walke proude, for þe warſt tyme is. In þat daye a parable ſhal be taken on ȝou, and a ſonge ſhal be ſungen wiþ ſwetneſſe of men, ſayinge, By robbyng we ben diſtruyed; a part of my peple is chaungid to gidre; hou ſhal he go awey fro me, whanne he turneþ aȝein þat ſhal departe ȝoure cuntrees? For þis þing þere ſhal not be to þee þe ſendyng a litil coorde of ſort in cumpanye of þe Lord. Þou Yrael, ſpeke ȝe not ſpekynge; it ſhal not droppe on þeſe, confuſioun ſhal not cacche, ſaiþ þe Lord to Jacob. Wher þe Spirit of þe Lord is abreggid, or ſiche ben þe þouȝtus of hym? Wher my wordis ben not goode, wiþ hym þat riȝtli goþ? And aȝeinward my peple ros to gidre in to an aduerſarie; ȝe toke awey þe mantil aboue þe coote, and ȝe turnyden hem in to bataile, hem þat wenten ſymply. Ȝe caſtiden out þe wymmen of my peple, of þe hous of her delices; fro þe litil childre of hem ȝe token awey my herying in to wiþ outen eende. Ryſe ȝe, and go, for here ȝe han not reſte; for þe vnclenneſſe þerof it ſhal be corrupt wiþ þe warſt rott. Y wolde Y were not a man hauynge ſpirit, and raþer Y ſpake leſyng. Y ſhal droppe to þee in to wyn, and in to drunkeneſſe; and þis peple ſhal be, on whom it is droppid. Wiþ gadryng Y ſhal gadre Jacob; Y ſhal leede to gydre þee al in to oon, þe relikis of Yrael. Y ſhal putte hym to gydre, as a flok in folde; as ſheep in þe mydil of foldis þei ſhuln make noyſe, of multitude of men. Forſoþe he ſhal ſtye ſhewynge waye byfore hem; þei ſhuln departe, and paſſe þe ȝate, and ſhuln go out þerby; and þe kyng of hem ſhal paſſe byfore hem, and þe Lord in þe hed of hem.

## Capitulum III.

And Y ſaide, Heere, ȝe princis of Jacob, and duykys of þe hous of Yrael. Wher it be ȝour for to wite dom, whiche han in hate good, and louen yuel? Whiche violentli taken awey þe ſkinnis of hem fro aboue hem, and þe fleſhe of hem fro aboue þe bonys of hem. Whiche eeten fleſhe of my peple, and hildiden, or flewen, þe ſkyn of hem fro aboue; and braken to gydre þe bonys of hem, and kittiden to gydre as in a cawdroun, and as fleſhe in þe mydil of a pott. Þanne þei ſhuln crye to þe Lord, and he ſhal not heer hem; and he ſhal hijde his face fro hem in þat tyme, as þei diden wickidly in her fyndyngus. Þeſe þingus ſaiþ þe Lord on þe prophetis þat diſceyuen my peple, and biten wiþ her teeþ, and prechen pees; and ȝif eny man ſhal not ȝeue in þe mouþ of hem eny þing, þei halewyn bateyle on hym. Þerfore niȝt ſhal be to ȝou for viſioun, or prophecie, and derkneſſis to ȝou for dyuynacioun; and þe ſunne ſhal go doun on þe prophetis, and þe day ſhal be maad derk on hem. And þei ſhuln be confoundid þat ſeen viſiouns, and dyuynours ſhuln be confoundid, and alle ſhuln hille her cheeris, for it is not þe anſwere of God. Neþeles Y am fulfillid wiþ ſtrengþe of Spirit of þe Lord, in dom and vertu, þat Y ſhewe to Jacob his grete treſpas, and to Yrael his ſynne. Heere ȝe þeſe þingis, ȝe princis of þe hous of Jacob, and domyſmen of þe hous of Yrael, whiche wlaten dom, and peruerten alle riȝt þingus; whiche beelden Syon in blodis, and Jeruſalem in wickidneſſe. Princis þerof demyden in ȝiftus, and þe preſtis þerof tauȝten in hijre, and prophetis þerof dyuynyden in money; and on þe Lord þei reſtiden, ſayinge, Wher not þe Lord in þe mydil of vs? yuels ſhuln not cume on vs. For þis þing by cauſe of ȝou, Syon as a feeld ſhal be eryd; and Jeruſalem ſhal be as an heep of ſtoons, and þe hill of þe temple in to heeȝ þingus of wodys.

## Capitulum IIII.

And it ſhal be, in þe laſt of days þe hill of þe hous of þe Lord ſhal be maad redy in þe top of hillis, and heeȝ ouer ſmale hillis. And peplis ſhuln fleete to hym, and many folkis ſhuln haſten, and ſhuln ſaye, Cum ȝe, ſtye we to þe hill of þe Lord, and to þe hous of God of Jacob; and he ſhal teche vs of his wayes, and we ſhuln go in his paþes. For of Syon þe lawe ſhal go out, and þe word of þe Lord of Jeruſalem; and he ſhal deme bitwixe manye peplis, and ſhal chaſtyſe ſtrong folkis vnto in to fer. And þei ſhuln bete to gydre her ſwerdis in to ſhaaris, and her ſperis in to pycoyſis; a folk ſhal not take ſwerd aȝeinus folk, and þei ſhuln namore lerne for to fiȝte. And a man ſhal ſitte vndir his vyne ȝerd, and vnder his fijge tree; and þer ſhal not be þat ſhal fere, for þe mouþ of þe Lord of hooſtis ſpak. For alle peplis ſhuln go, eche man in name of þe Lord her God; forſoþ we ſchulen walke in þe name of þe Lord oure God into wiþ outen ende, and ouer. In þat day, ſeiþ þe Lord, I ſchal gedere þe haltinge, and hir þat I caſtide awey Y ſhal gedre, and whom Y tourmentide Y ſhal coumforte. And Y ſhal putte þe haltynge in to relikis, and hir þat traueilide, in to a ſtronge folk. And þe Lord ſhal regne on hem in þe hill of Syon, fro þis now and till in to þe world. And þou, cloudy, or derk, tour of folk of þe douȝter of Syon, vn to þee he ſhal cume, and þe firſt power ſhal cume, þe rewme of þe douȝter of Jeruſalem. Now whi art þou wiþ mournyng drawen to gydre? wher a kyng is not to þee, or þi counſeilour periſhide? for ſorewe haþ cachid þee, as a womman berynge chijld. Þou douȝter of Syon, make ſorewe, and tyſe, or do ynewȝ, as a womman berynge chijld; for now þou ſhalt go out of þe cyte, and þou ſhalt dwelle in cuntre, and þou ſhalt cum vn to Babiloyne; þere þou ſhalt be delyuered, þere þe Lord ſhal aȝein bye þee, of þe hond of þin enmyes. And now many folkis ben gadrid on þee, whiche ſayen, Be it ſtoonyd, and biholde our eeȝe in to Syon. Forſoþe þei knewen not þe þouȝtis of þe Lord, and vndirſtoden not þe counſeil of hym, for he gadride hem as hay of þe feeld. Ryſe þou, and þreſhe, douȝter of Syon, for Y ſhal putte þin horn of yren, and Y ſhal putte þi naylis braſen; and þou ſhalt waſte many peplis, and ſhalt ſlea to þe Lord þe raueyns of hem, and þe ſtrengþe of hem to þe Lord of al erþe.

## Capitulum V.

Now þou, douȝter of þe þeef, ſhalt be diſtruyed; þei puttiden on vs byſeegyng, in a ȝerd þei ſhuln ſmyte þe cheeke of þe iuge of Yrael. And þou, Beþlem Effrata, art litil in þe þouſandis of Juda; of þee ſhal gon out to me, whiche is lordſhiper in Yrael; and þe goyng out of hym fro þe bygynnyng of dais of euerlaſtyngneſſe. For þis þing God ſhal ȝeue hem vn to tyme in whiche þe traueilynge of chijld ſhal bere chijld, and þe relikis of his breþeren ſhuln be conuertid to þe ſonys of Yrael. And he ſhal ſtonde, and ſhal feede in ſtrengþe of þe Lord, in þe heiȝt of þe name of þe Lord his God; and þei ſhuln be conuertid, for now he ſhal be magnyfied vn to þe termes of al erþe. And þis ſhal be pees, whanne Aſſirius ſhal cum in to oure lond, and whanne he ſhal trede in oure houſis; and we ſhuln reyſe on hym ſeuen ſheperdis, and eiȝt primatis, or firſt men in dignyte. And þei ſhuln feede þe lond of Aſſur in ſwerd, and þe lond of Nembroþ in ſperis of hym; and he ſhal delyuere vs fro Aſſur, whanne he ſhal cum in to oure lond, and whanne he ſhal treede in oure cooſtis. And relikis of Jacob ſhuln be in þe mydil of many peplis, as dewe of þe Lord, and as droppyngis on erbe, whiche abydiþ not man, and ſhal not abyde þe ſonys of men. And relikis of Jacob ſhuln be in heiþen men, in þe mydil of many peplis, as a lyoun in beſtis of woddis, and as whelpe of lyoun rorynge in flockis of ſmale beeſtis; whiche whan ſhal paſſe, and defoule, and take, þer is not þat ſhal delyuere. Þin hond ſhal be reyſid on þin enmyes, and alle þin enmyes ſhuln periſhe. And it ſhal be, in þat day, ſaiþ þe Lord, Y ſhal take awey þin horſis of þe mydil of þee, and Y ſhal diſtruye þi foure horſid cartis. And Y ſhal leeſe þe citees of þi lond, and Y ſhal diſtruye alle þi ſtrengþis; and Y ſhal do awey þe yuel deedis of þin hond, and dyuynaciouns, or tellyngus by deuels craft, ſhuln not be in þee. And Y ſhal make for to periſhe þi ſculptilis, or grauen ymagis, and Y ſhal breke to gydre of þe mydil of þee þin ymagis, and þou ſhalt namore wirſhipe þe werkis of þin hondis. And Y ſhal drawe out þi mawmet wodis, and ſhal breke to gydre þi citees. And Y ſhal make in woodneſſe and in indignacioun veniaunce in alle folkis, whiche herden not.

## Capitulum VI.

Heere ȝe whiche þingis þe Lord ſpekiþ. Ryſe þou, ſtryue þou by dome aȝeinus mounteyns, and litil hillis heere þi voice. Mounteyns heere þe dom of þe Lord, and þe ſtrenger foundementis of erþe; for þe dom of þe Lord wiþ his peple, and wiþ Yrael he ſhal be wyſely demed. My peple, what haue Y don to þee, or what was Y greuous to þee? Anſwere þou to me. For Y ledde þee out of þe lond of Egypt, and of þe hous of ſeruage Y delyuerde þee; and Y ſente byfore þi face Moyſes, and Aaron, and Marie. My peple, byþenke, Y preye, what Balaac, kyng of Moab, þouȝte, and what Balaam, ſone of Beor, of Seþym, anſweride to hym vn to Galgala, þat þou ſhuldiſt knowe þe riȝtwiſneſſe of þe Lord. What worþi þing ſhal Y offre to þe Lord? ſhal Y bowe þe knee to þe heeȝ God? Wher Y ſhal offre to hym brent ſacrifices, and calues of oo ȝeer? Wher God may be pleſid in þouſandis of weþeris, or in many þouſandus of fatt goot buckis? Wher Y ſhal ȝeue my firſt bygoten for my grete treſpas, þe fruyte of my wombe for ſynne of my ſoule? Y ſhal ſhewe to þee, þou man, what is good, and what þe Lord axiþ of þee; forſoþe for to do dom, and for to loue mercy, and byſi for to walke wiþ þi God. Þe voice of þe Lord crieþ to þe citee, and helþe ſhal be to alle men dreedinge þi name. Heere, ȝe lynagis; and who ſhal aproue it? Ȝit fijr in þe hous of þe vnpitous man, þe treſours of wickidneſſe, and a laſſe meſure ful of wraþ. Wher Y ſhal iuſtifie þe wickid balaunce, and þe gijlful weiȝtis of litil ſac, in whiche riche men þerof ben fulfillid wiþ wickidneſſe? And men dwellynge þeryn ſpaken leſyng, and þe tunge of hem gijleful in þe mouþ of hem. And Y þerfore bygan for to ſmyte þee, in perdicioun on þin ſynnys. Þou ſhalt ete, and ſhalt not be fulfillid, and þi meekyng in þe mydil of þee; and þou ſhalt take to, and ſhalt not ſaue; and whom þou ſhalt ſaaue, Y ſhal ȝeue in to ſwerd. Þou ſhalt ſowe, and ſhalt not repe; þou ſhalt trede þe olyue, and ſhalt not be anoyntid wiþ oyle; and muſt, and ſhalt not drynke wijne. And þou keptiſt þe heeſtis of Amry, and al þe werke of þe hous of Achab, and haſt walkide in þe voluptees, or luſtis, of hem, þat Y ſhulde ȝeue þee in to perdicioun, and men dwellynge in it in to hiſſyng, or ſcornyng, and þou ſhalt bere þe ſhenſhip of my peple.

## Capitulum VII.

Woo to me, for Y am maad as he þat gadriþ in herueſt raſyns of grape tyme; þer is no cluſtre for to ete; my ſoule deſiride fijgis rijp before oþer. Þe holy periſhide of þe erþe, and riȝtful is not in men; alle in blood aſpien, a man hunteþ his broþer to deþ. Þe yuel of her hondis þei ſayn good; þe prince axiþ, and is domeſman in ȝeeldynge; and a grete man ſpake deſijr of his ſoule, and þei ſtrubliden to gydre it. He þat is beſt in hem, is as a palyure, þat is, a ſharp buſhe, or a þiſtil, or frijſe; and he þat is riȝtful, as a þorne of hegge. Þe day of þi byholdyng, þi viſityng cummeþ, now ſhal be diſtruying of hem. Nyl ȝe byleue to frend, and nyl ȝe triſt in duyke; fro hir þat reſtiþ in þi boſum, keepe þou cloſyngis of þi mouþ. For þe ſone doþ wronge to þe fadre, and þe douȝter ſhal rijſe aȝeinus hir modir, and wijf of þe ſone aȝeinus hir huſbond modir; þe enmyes of a man, þe homly, or houſhold meyne, of hym. Forſoþe Y ſhal biholde to þe Lord, Y ſhal abijde God my ſaueour; þe Lord my God ſhal heere me. Þou, myn enmy, glade not on me, for Y felle doun, Y ſhal ryſe; whan Y ſhal ſitte in dercneſſis, þe Lord is my liȝt. Y ſhal bere wraþ of þe Lord, for Y haue ſynned to hym, til he deme my cauſe, and make my dom; he ſhal leede me out in to liȝt, Y ſhal ſe þe rijtwiſneſſe of hym. And myn enmye ſhal byholde me, and ſhe ſhal be hillid wiþ confuſioun, whiche ſaiþ to me, Wher is þe Lord þi God? Myn eeȝen ſhuln ſe hir, now ſhe ſhal be in defoulyng, as clay, or fen, of ſtretis, day þat þi wallis be beeldid. In þat day law ſhal be maad afer, in þat day Aſſur vn to þee ſhal come, and vn to ſtronge citees, and fro ſtronge citees vnto þe flood; and to ſee of ſee, and to hill of hill. And þe erþe ſhal be in to deſolacioun for hir dwellers, and for fruyte of þe þouȝtis of hem. Feed þou þi peple in þi ȝerd, þe floc of þin eritage, dwellynge aloone in þe wijld wode; in þe mydil of Carmele þei ſhuln be fed Baſan and Galaad, vp olde days, vp days of þi goyng out of þe lond of Egypt. Y ſhal ſhewe to hym wondirful þingis; heeþen men ſhuln ſee, and þei ſhuln be confoundid on al her ſtrengþe; þei ſhuln putte hondis on þe mouþe, þe eris of hem ſhuln be defe; þei ſhuln lick duſt as þe ſerpent, as crepynge þingis of þe erþe þei ſhuln be diſtourblid of her houſis; þei ſhuln deſijre þe Lord our God, and þei ſhuln dreede þee. What god liche of þee, þat doſt awey wickidneſſe, and beriſt ouer þe ſynne of þe relikis of þin eritage? He ſhal namore in ſende his wodneſſe, for he is willynge mercy; he ſhal turne aȝein, and haue mercy of vs. He ſhal putte doun oure wickidneſſis, and he ſhal caſte fer in to depneſſe of þe ſee alle oure ſynnes. Þou ſhalt ȝeue trewþe to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, whiche þou ſworiſt to oure fadris fro olde days.
Ende of þe book Micheas, and bigynneþ þe book of Naum, prophete.