The Song of the Vineyard
(Luke 13:6–9)

1Nowe wyll I syng my beloued friende, a song of my friende touching his vineyard: My beloued friende hath a vineyarde in a very fruiteful plenteous grounde.

2This he hedged, and gathered out the stones from it, and planted it with the choysest vine: In the middest of it builded he a towre, also made a wine presse therin: and he loked that it shoulde bring him grapes, and it brought foorth wylde grapes.

3Nowe O citezen of Hierusalem, and man of Iuda, iudge I pray thee betwixt me and my vineyarde:

4What more coulde haue ben done for it, that I haue not done? Wherfore then hath it geuen wylde grapes, where I loked to haue had grapes of it?

5Well, nowe I shall tell you howe I will do with my vineyarde: I will take the hedge from it, that it may perishe, and breake downe the wall therof, that it may be troden vnder foote.

6I wyll lay it waste, it shall neither be digged nor cut, but beare thornes and briers: I wyll also forbyd the cloudes that they shall not rayne vpon it.

7As for the vineyarde of the Lorde of hoastes, it is the house of Israel: and the man of Iuda, the plant of his pleasure: Of these he loked for equitie, but see there is oppression for ryghteousnesse, and lo it is a crying.

Woes to the Wicked

8Wo vnto them that ioyne one house to another, and bring one lande so nigh vnto another, that there is no more place: Wyll ye be placed alone in the myddest of the earth?

9These thynges are in the eares of the Lorde of hoastes: of a trueth great and faire houses shalbe without any dweller in them.

10And tenne acres of vines shall geue but a quart, and thirtie busshels of seede shall geue but an Epha.

11Wo be vnto them that rise vp early to folowe drunkennesse, continuyng vntyll nyght, tyll they be set on fire with wine.

12In their feastes are harpes and lutes, tabrettes and pipes, and wine: but they regarde not the worke of the Lord, and consider not the operatio of his handes.

13Therfore commeth my folke into captiuitie, because they haue no vnderstandyng: Their glorie is famished with hunger, and their multitude dryed vp with thirst.

14Therfore gapeth hell and openeth her mouth marueilous wyde, that their glorie, multitude, and wealth, with such as reioyce in her, may descende into it.

15Thus hath man a fall and is brought lowe, and the hygh loke of the proude shalbe layde downe.

16But the Lorde of hoastes shalbe exalted in iudgement, and God that is holy is sanctified in ryghteousnesse.

17Then shall the sheepe eate as they were wont, and the riche mens landes that were layde waste shall straungers deuour.

18Wo be vnto them that drawe wickednesse with cordes of vanitie, and sinne as it were with a cart rope.

19Which vse to speake on this maner, Let hym make speede and hasten his worke, that we may see it: let the counsayle of the holy one of Israel come and drawe nye, that we may knowe it.

20Wo be vnto them that call euyll good, and good euyll, which make darknesse lyght, and lyght darknesse, that make sowre sweete, and sweete sowre.

21Wo be vnto them that are wise in their owne syght, and thynke them selues to haue vnderstandyng.

22Wo be vnto them that are strong to suppe out wine, and expert men to set vp drunkennesse.

23Wo be vnto them that geue sentence with the vngodly for rewardes, but condempne the iust cause of the ryghteous.

24Therfore, lyke as fire licketh vp the strawe, and as the flambe consumeth the stubble: euen so their roote shalbe as corruption, and their blossome shall vanishe away lyke dust: for they haue cast away the lawe of the Lorde of hoastes, and despised the worde of the holy one of Israel.

25Therfore is the wrath of the Lorde kindeled against his people, and hath stretched foorth his hande vpon them, yea he hath smitten them: and the hilles dyd tremble, and their carkases dyd lye torne in the open streetes: and in al this the wrath of God hath not ceassed, but his hande stretched out styll.

26And he shall geue a token to a people of a farre countrey, and shall hisse vnto them from the ende of the earth: and beholde, they shall come hastyly with speede.

27There shall not be one faynt nor feeble among them, no not a sluggishe nor sleepie person: there shall not one of them put of his gyrdle from his loynes, nor loose the latchet of his shoe.

28His arrowes are sharpe, and all his bowes bent: his horse hoofes are as flint, and his cart wheeles like a whyrle winde.

29His crye is as it were of a Lion, and he roreth lyke Lions whelpes: they shall roare and hantche vpon the pray, and no man shall recouer it, nor get it from them.

30In that day he shalbe so fierce vpon him as the raging of the sea: then one shall beholde the lande, and lo darkenesse and sorow, and the light is darkened in the heauens therof.