Chapter 2

By their great injustice, ℣.7 notwithstanding their vain presumption of God's mercy, whereto he is indeed most prone, ℣.8 the Israelites through their excessive rapine provoke God to punish them. ℣.12 Yet when Christ shall come some Jews will serve him; and many more in the end of the world.

1. 1

   Woe to you which think that is unprofitable, and work evil in your beds: in the morning light they do it, because their hand is against God.

2. 2

   And they have coveted fields, and violently taken, and houses forcibly taken away: and oppressed the man and his house, the man and his inheritance.

3. 3

   Therefore thus saith our Lord: Behold I purpose evil upon this family: whence you shall not take away your necks, and you shall not walk proud, because it is a very evil time.

4. 4

   In that day a parable shall be taken up upon you, and a song shall be sung with sweetness, of them that say: With depopulation we are wasted: part of my people is changed: how shall he depart from me, whereas he returneth, that will divide our regions?

5. 5

   For this cause thou shalt have none casting the cord of lot in the assembly of our Lord.

6. 6

   Speak ye not speaking: It shall not drop upon these, confusion shall not apprehend them.

7. 7

   The house of Jacob saith: Why is the spirit of our Lord abridged, or are his cogitations such? Are not my words good with him that walketh rightly?

8. 8

   And on the contrary my people is risen up as an adversary: from above the coat you have taken away the cloak: & them that passed simply, you turned into battle.

9. 9

   The women of my people you have cast out of the house of their delicacies: from their little ones you have taken my praise for ever.

10. 10

    Arise, and go, because you have no rest here. For the uncleanness thereof it shall be corrupted with a sore putrefaction.

11. 11

    Would God I were not a man having the spirit, and that I did rather speak a lie: I will distill to thee into wine, and into drunkenness: and it shall be this people upon whom it is distilled.

12. 12

    Gathering I will gather thee wholly together o Jacob: I will bring together the remnant of Israel into one, I will put them together as a flock in the fold, as cattle in the midst of sheepcotes, they shall make a tumult by reason of the multitude of men.

13. 13

    For he shall ascend opening the way before them: they shall divide, and pass through the gate, and shall enter by it: and their king shall pass before them, and our Lord in the head of them.