Woe to Tyrants

1Wo be vnto them that make vnrighteous lawes, and that causeth their actuaries to wryte greeuousnesse,

2Where thorowe the poore are put from their right, and my seelie people robbed of iudgement, that wydowes may be their pray, and that they may rob the fatherlesse.

3What wyll ye do in the tyme of visitation, and when destruction shall come from farre? to whom wyll ye runne for helpe? and where wyll you leaue your glory?

4That when I withdrawe my hand, ye come not among the prysoners, nor lye among the dead? After all this doth not the wrath of the Lorde ceasse, but yet is his hande stretched out styll.

Judgment on Assyria

5O Assur whiche art the staffe of my wrath, in whose hand is the rod of mine indignation.

6I wyll sende hym among those hypocritishe people: among the people that haue deserued my disfauour wyll I sende hym, that he vtterly rob them, spoyle them, and treade them downe lyke the myre in the streete.

7Howbeit, his meaning is not so, neither thinketh his heart on this fashion: But he imagineth howe he may roote out and destroy muche people.

8For he saith, Are not my princes all kynges?

9Is not Chalno as easie to winne, as Charchamis? Is it harder to conquer Hamath, then Arphad? or is it lighter to ouercome Damascus, then Samaria?

10As who say I were able to winne the kyngdomes of the idolaters and their gods, but not Hierusalem and Samaria.

11Shall I not do vnto Hierusalem and her images, as I dyd vnto Samaria and her idols?

12Wherefore it shall come to passe, that assoone as the Lorde hath perfourmed his whole worke vpon the hill of Sion and Hierusalem, then wyll I visite the fruite of the stoute heart of the kyng of Assyria with his proude lookes.

13For he standeth thus in his owne conceipt, This do I thorowe the power of myne owne hande, & thorowe my wysdome: for I am wyse, I am he that remoue the landes of the people, I rob their treasure, and haue pulled downe the inhabitauntes like a valiaunt man.

14My hand hath found out the strength of the people as it were a nest: and like as egges that were layde here and there, are gathered together, so do I gather all countreys, and there was none so bolde as to moue the winge, that dare open his mouth, or once whisper.

15Shall the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therwith? or shal the sawe make any bragging against hym that ruleth it? That were euen lyke as if the rod did exalt it selfe against him that beareth it, or as though the staffe should magnifie it selfe as who say it were no wood.

16Therefore shall the Lorde the God of hoastes sende among his fatlinges leanenesse, and burne vp his glory as it were with a fire.

17And the light of Israel shalbe that fire, and his holy one shalbe the flambe: and it shall kindle and burne vp his thornes and bryers in one day.

18Yea all the glory of his wooddes and fieldes shalbe consumed with body and soule, and they shalbe as an hoast of men, whose standard bearer fayleth.

19The trees also of his wood whiche remayne shalbe of such a number that a chylde may tell them.

A Remnant Shall Return

20After that day shall the remnaunt of Israel, and suche as are escaped out of the house of Iacob, seeke no more comfort at him that smote them: but vnfaynedly shall they trust vnto the Lorde, the holy one of Israel.

21The remnaunt, euen the posteritie of Iacob, shall conuert vnto God the mightie one.

22For though thy people O Israel be as the sande of the sea, yet shal the remnaunt of them conuert vnto him: The decreed consumption ouerfloweth with righteousnesse.

23And therefore the Lorde of hoastes shall perfectly fulfill the thing that he hath determined in the middest of the whole worlde.

24Therefore thus saith the Lorde God of hoastes: Thou my people that dwellest in Sion, be not afraide for the king of the Assirians: he shall smyte thee with a rod, and shall lyft vp his staffe against thee, as the Egyptians dyd sometime. 25But very soone after shall my wrath and indignation be fulfilled in the destruction of them: 26Moreouer, the Lorde of hoastes shall stirre vp a scourge for him, like as was the slaughter of Madian vpo the rocke Oreb, and as the destruction of the Egyptians when he lyfted vp his rod vpon the sea. 27Then shal his burthen be taken from thy shoulders, and his yoke from thy necke, yea the same yoke shalbe destroyed because of the vnction.

28He shal come to Aiath, and go thorow towarde Migron, at Michmas shall he lay vp his harnesse.

29They shall go ouer the foorde, Geba shalbe their resting place, Rhama shalbe afraide, Gibea Saul shall flee away.

30Lift vp thy voyce O daughter Gallim, geue eare to Laisa thou poore Anathoth.

31Madmena shall tremble for feare, but the citizens of Gabim are manly.

32Yet shall he remaine at Nob that day: after that shall he lyft vp his hande against the mount of the daughter Sion the hyll of Hierusalem.

33But see, the Lord God of hoastes shall breake downe the bough with feare, he shall hewe downe the proude, and fell the high minded.

34The thickets also of the wood shall he roote out with iron, and Libanus shall haue a fall thorowe the mightie.