¶ Woe be to the crown of pride, to the drunken Ephraimites, and to the fading flower, to the glory of his pomp, {pope} that is upon the top of the plentious valley: which men be overladen with wine.
Behold, the strength and power of the Lord shall break into the land on every side, like a tempest of hail, that beareth down strongholds, and like an horrible, mighty and overflowing water.
And the proud crown of the drunken Ephraimites, shall be trodden under foot.
And as for the fading flower, the glory of his pomp, which is upon the top of the plentious valley: it shall happen unto him, as to an untimely fruit before the harvest come. Which as soon as it is seen, is by and by devoured, or ever it come well in a man's hand.
And then shall the LORD of Hosts be a joyful crown, and a glorious garland unto the remnant of his people.
Unto the lowly, he shall be a spirit of judgement, and unto them that drive away the enemies from the gates, he shall be a spirit of strength.
But they go wrong by the reason of wine, they fall and stacker because of strong drink. Yea even the priests and prophets themselves go amiss, they are drunken with wine, and weak brained thorow strong drink. They err in seeing, and in judgement they fail.
for all tables are so full of vomit and filthiness, that no place is clean.
¶ What is he among them, that can teach, instruct or inform the children, which are weeded from suck or taken from the breasts: of any other fashion then:
Command that may be commanded, bid that may be bidden, forbid that may be forbidden, keep back that may be kept back, here a little, there a little.
And therefore the LORD also shall speak with lisping lips and with a strange language unto this people, to whom he spake afore of this manner:
This shall bring rest, if one refresh the weary, yea this shall bring rest. But they had no will to hear.
And therefore the LORD shall answer their stubborness. (Command that may be commanded, bid that may be bidden, forbid that may be forbidden, keep back that may be kept back, here a little, there a little.) That they may go forth, fall backward, be bruised, snared, and taken.
¶ Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye mockers that rule the Lord's people, which is at Ierusalem.
For ye comfort yourselves thus: Tush, death and we are at point, and as for hell, we have made a condition with it, that though there break out any sore plague, it shall not come upon us. For with deceit will we escape, and with nimbleness will we defend ourselves.
Therefore thus sayeth the Lord GOD: Behold, I will lay a stone in Sion, a great stone, a costly corner stone, for a sure foundation: that who so putteth his trust in him, shall not be confounded.
Righteousness will I set up again in the balance, and judgement in the weights. The tempest of hail shall take away your refuge, that ye have to deceive withal: and the overflowing waters shall break down your strongholds of dissimulation.
Thus the appointment that ye have made with death, shall be done away: and the condition that ye made with hell, shall not stond. When the great destruction goeth thorow, it shall all to tread you. It shall take you quite away before it.
For it shall go forth early in the morning, and continue only that day and that night. And the very fear only shall teach you, when ye hear it.
For the bed shall be so narrow that a man can not lie upon it: And the covering too small, that a man may not wind himself therein.
For the LORD shall step forth as he did upon the mount Perazim, and shall take on as he did upon the dale of Gabaon: that he may bring forth his device, his strange device: and fulfill his work, his wonderful work.
And therefore make no mocks at it, that your captivity increase not: for I have heard the Lord GOD of Hosts say, that there shall come a sudden destruction and plague upon the whole earth.
¶ Take heed, and hear my voice, ponder and mark my words well.
Goeth not the husbandman ever in due season earnestly to his land? He moweth and ploweth his ground to sow.
And when he hath made it plain, he soweth it with fetches or comin. He soweth the wheat and Barley in their place, Milium and Rye also in their place.
And that he may do it right, his God teacheth him and sheweth him.
For he treadeth not the fitches out with a waine, neither bringeth he the cart here and there over the comin, but he thresheth the fitches out with a flayle, and the comin with a rod.
As for the wheat, he grindeth it to make bread thereof; In as much as he can not bring it to pass with treading out. For neither the bruising that the cart wheels make, nor his beasts can grind it.
This and such like things come of the LORD of Hosts which is marvelous in counsel, and great in righteousness.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.