Israel’s Punishment

1Do not thou triumphe (O Israel) make no boostinge more then the Heithen, for thou hast comitted aduoutry agaynst yi God: straunge rewardes hast thou loued, more the all corne floores.

2Therfore shall they nomore enioye the cornefloores and wyne presses, and their swete wyne shal fayle the.

3They wil not dwel in the LORDES londe, but Ephraim turneth agayne in to Egipte, & eateth vncleane thinges amonge the Assirians.

4They poure out no wyne for a drinkofferinge vnto the LORDE, nether geue they him their slayne offeringes: but they be vnto them as mourners meates, wherin all they that eate them, are defyled. For the bred that they haue soch lust vnto, shal not come in the house of the LORDE.

5What wil ye do then in the solempne dayes, and in the feast of the LORDE?

6lo, they shall get them awaye for the destruccion, Egypte shal receaue them, & Noph shal bury them. The nettles shall ouergrowe their pleasaunt goodes, and burres shalbe in their tabernacles.

7Be ye sure (O Israel) the tyme of visitacion is come, the dayes of recompencinge are at honde. As for the prophet, ye holde him for a foole: and him that is rich in the sprete, for a mad man: so greate is youre wickednes and malice.

8Ephraim hath made himself a watchman of my God, a prophet yt is become a snare to do hurte in euery strete, and abhominacion in the house of his God.

9They be gone to farre, & haue destroied the selues, like as they dyd afore tyme at Gabaa. Therfore their wickednes shal be remebred, and their synnes punyshed.

10I fande Israel like grapes in the wildernes, & sawe their fathers as the first fyges in ye toppe of ye fyge tre. But they are gone to Baal Peor, & runne awaie fro me to yt shamefull Idoll, & are become as abhominable as their louers

11Ephraim flieth like a byrde, so shal their glory also: In so moch, yt they shal nether begette, coceaue ner beare children.

12And though they bringe vp eny, yet will I make them childlesse amonge men. Yee wo shall come to them, when I departe from them.

13Ephraim (as me thinke) is planted in welthinesse, like as Tyrus, but now must she bringe hir owne children forth to the manslayer.

14O LORDE thou shalt geue them: what shalt thou geue them? geue them an vnfrutefull wombe and drye brestes.

15All their wickednesse is done at Galgal, there do I abhorre them. For the vngraciousnes of their owne inuencions, I wil dryue them out of my house. I will loue them nomore, for all their prynces are vnfaithfull.

16Ephraim is hewen downe, their rote is dryed vp, so yt they shal bringe nomore frute: yee and though they bringe forth eny, yet wil I slaye euen the best beloued frute of their body.

17My God shall cast them awaye, for they haue not bene obediet vnto him, therfore shal they go astraye amonge the Heithen.