Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Nephthali: et novissimo aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galilææ gentium.

Land of Zabulon and Nephthali, its burden at first how lightly borne! but after-wards affliction weighed on it, Galilee, by the sea road where the Gentiles dwell west of Jordan.

At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded.

Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam; habitantibus in regione umbræ mortis, lux orta est eis.

And now the people that went about in darkness has seen a great light; for men abiding in a land where death overshadowed them, light has dawned.

The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

Multiplicasti gentem, et non magnificasti lætitiam. Lætabuntur coram te, sicut qui lætantur in messe; sicut exsultant victores capta præda, quando dividunt spolia.

Their number thou didst increase, but gavest them no joy of it; now, they shall rejoice in thy presence, as men rejoice when the harvest is in, as men triumph when victory is won, and booty taken, and they fall to dividing up the spoils.

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils.

Jugum enim oneris ejus, et virgam humeri ejus, et sceptrum exactoris ejus superasti, sicut in die Madian.

Yoke that fixed the burden, shaft that galled the shoulder, rod of the tyrant, all lie broken now, as they did long ago, when Madian fell.

For the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the sceptre of their oppressor thou hast overcome, as in the day of Madian.

Quia omnis violentia prædatio cum tumultu, et vestimentum mistum sanguine, erit in combustionem, et cibus ignis.

All the trophies of the old tumultuous forays, all the panoply stained with blood, will be burnt up now, will go to feed the flames.

For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel for the fire.

Parvulus enim natus est nobis, et filius datus est nobis, et factus est principatus super humerum ejus: et vocabitur nomen ejus, Admirabilis, Consiliarius, Deus, Fortis, Pater futuri sæculi, Princeps pacis.

For our sakes a child is born, to our race a son is given, whose shoulder will bear the sceptre of princely power. What name shall be given him? Peerless among counsellors, the mighty God, Father of the world to come, the Prince of peace.

For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.

Multiplicabitur ejus imperium, et pacis non erit finis; super solium David, et super regnum ejus sedebit, ut confirmet illud et corroboret in judicio et justitia, amodo et usque in sempiternum: zelus Domini exercituum faciet hoc.

Ever wider shall his dominion spread, endlessly at peace; he will sit on David’s kingly throne, to give it lasting foundations of justice and right; so tenderly he loves us, the Lord of hosts.

His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Verbum misit Dominus in Jacob, et cecidit in Israël.

Meanwhile, the Lord has issued his sentence against Jacob, his writ is out against Israel:

The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

Et sciet omnis populus Ephraim, et habitantes Samariam, in superbia et magnitudine cordis dicentes:

Ephraim will soon know of it, all the citizens of Samaria. Fools, that boast in the pride of their hearts:

And all the people of Ephraim shall know, and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and haughtiness of their heart:

Lateres ceciderunt, sed quadris lapidibus ædificabimus; sycomoros succiderunt, sed cedros immutabimus.

The brick houses have fallen, we must build them up in stone; the sycamores have been cut down, we must plant cedars instead!

The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with square stones: they have cut down the sycamores, but we will change them for cedars.

Et elevabit Dominus hostes Rasin super eum, et inimicos ejus in tumultum vertet.

The Lord will make Rasin’s rivals more powerful than Rasin himself; all the enemies of Israel he will set astir,

And the Lord shall set up the enemies of Rasin over him, and shall bring on his enemies in a crowd:

Syriam ab oriente, et Philisthiim ab occidente; et devorabunt Israël toto ore. In omnibus his non est aversus furor ejus, sed adhuc manus ejus extenta.

Syria on the East, and the Philistines in the west, that will fall upon him wide-mouthed. And even so the Lord’s anger is not appeased; his hand threatens us still.

The Syrians from the east, and the Philistines from the west: and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Et populus non est reversus ad percutientem se, et Dominum exercituum non inquisierunt.

Alas for the people that will not come back to God, who chastens it; that leaves the Lord of hosts unregarded as ever!

And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts.

Et disperdet Dominus ab Israël caput et caudam, incurvantem et refrenantem, die una.

And now, in one day, the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both pliant reed and stubborn bough.

And the Lord shall destroy out of Israel the head and the tail, him that bendeth down, and him that holdeth back, in one day.

Longævus et honorabilis, ipse est caput; et propheta docens mendacium, ipse est cauda.

(What is the head, but the senator that holds his head so high? What is the tail, but the prophet that gives lying assurances?)

The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Et erunt qui beatificant populum istum, seducentes; et qui beatificantur, præcipitati.

False guides, that promised all was well; fools that gave them credence, to their own undoing!

And they that call this people blessed, shall cause them to err: and they that are called blessed, shall be thrown down headlong.

Propter hoc super adolescentulis ejus non lætabitur Dominus, et pupillorum ejus et viduarum non miserebitur: quia omnis hypocrita est et nequam, et universum os locutum est stultitiam; in omnibus his non est aversus furor ejus, sed adhuc manus ejus extenta.

Pride in their warriors the Lord has none, pity for orphan and widow has none; all are false and worthless, no mouth but talks presumptuously. Even so the Lord’s anger is not appeased, his hand threatens us still.

Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men: neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless, and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken folly. For all this his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Succensa est enim quasi ignis impietas: veprem et spinam vorabit, et succendetur in densitate saltus, et convolvetur superbia fumi.

Our wickedness is like a raging fire, that will devour brushwood and thorn-bush, then set light to the forest’s tangled boughs; see how proudly yonder column of smoke whirls upward!

For wickedness is kindled as a fire, it shall devour the brier and the thorn: and shall kindle in the thicket of the forest, and it shall be wrapped up in smoke ascending on high.

In ira Domini exercituum conturbata est terra, et erit populus quasi esca ignis; vir fratri suo non parcet.

Fiery vengeance of the Lord of hosts, that ravages country-side and devours citizen! Brother shews brother no mercy;

By the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is troubled, and the people shall be as fuel for the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

Et declinabit ad dexteram, et esuriet; et comedet ad sinistram, et non saturabitur; unusquisque carnem brachii sui vorabit: Manasses Ephraim, et Ephraim Manassen; simul ipsi contra Judam.

turn he to the right, nought but famine is there; eat he what comes to his left hand, he is yet hungry, so that at last he will fall on his own flesh and blood, Manasses on Ephraim and Ephraim on Manasses, and both will be banded together against Juda.

And he shall turn to the right hand, and shall be hungry: and shall eat on the left hand, and shall not be filled: every one shall eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasses, and they together shall be against Juda.

In omnibus his non est aversus furor ejus, sed adhuc manus ejus extenta.

And even so the Lord’s anger is not appeased; his hand threatens us still.

After all these things his indignation is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.