1Woeto the proudcrownof the drunkardsof Ephraim,And to the fadingflowerof its gloriousbeauty,Whichis at the headof the fertilevalleyOf those who are overcomewith wine!
2Behold,the Lordhas a strongand mighty[agent]; As a stormof hail,a tempestof destruction,Like a stormof mightyoverflowingwaters,He has cast[it] downto the earthwith [His] hand.
3The proudcrownof the drunkardsof Ephraimis troddenunder foot.
4And the fadingflowerof its gloriousbeauty,Whichis at the headof the fertilevalley,Will be like the first-ripefigpriorto summer,Whichone sees,[And] as soonas it is in his hand,He swallowsit.
5In that daythe LORDof hostswill becomea beautifulcrownAnd a gloriousdiademto the remnantof His people;
6A spiritof justicefor him who sitsin judgment,A strengthto those who repelthe onslaughtat the gate.
7And thesealsoreelwith wineand staggerfrom strongdrink:The priestand the prophetreelwith strongdrink,They are confusedby wine,they staggerfrom strongdrink;They reelwhile having visions,They totter[when rendering] judgment.
8For allthe tablesare fullof filthyvomit,withouta [single clean] place.
9"To whomwould He teachknowledge,And to whomwould He interpretthe message?Those [just] weanedfrom milk?Those [just] takenfrom the breast?
10"For [He says], 'Orderon order,orderon order,Lineon line,lineon line,A littlehere,a littlethere.'"
11Indeed,He will speakto thispeopleThrough stammeringlipsand a foreigntongue,
12He whosaidto them, "Hereis rest,giverestto the weary,"And, "Hereis repose,"but they wouldnot listen.
13So the wordof the LORDto them will be, "Orderon order,orderon order,Lineon line,lineon line,A littlehere,a littlethere,"That they may goand stumblebackward,be broken,snaredand takencaptive.
14Therefore,hearthe wordof the LORD,O scoffers,Who rulethispeoplewhoare in Jerusalem,
15Becauseyou have said,"We have madea covenantwith death,And with Sheolwe have madea pact.The overwhelmingscourgewill not reachus whenit passesby, For we have madefalsehoodour refugeand we have concealedourselves with deception."
16Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I am layingin Ziona stone,a testedstone,A costlycornerstone[for] the foundation,firmlyplaced.He who believes[in it] will not be disturbed.
17"I will makejusticethe measuringlineAnd righteousnessthe level;Then hailwill sweepawaythe refugeof liesAnd the waterswill overflowthe secretplace.
18"Your covenantwith deathwill be canceled,And your pactwith Sheolwill not stand;Whenthe overwhelmingscourgepassesthrough,Then you becomeits trampling[place].
19"As oftenas it passesthrough,it will seizeyou; For morningafter morningit will passthrough,[anytime] during the dayor night,And it will be sheerterrorto understandwhatit means."
20The bedis tooshorton which to stretchout, And the blanketis too smallto wraponeself in.
21For the LORDwill riseup as [at] MountPerazim,He will be stirredup as in the valleyof Gibeon,To doHis task,His unusualtask,And to workHis work,His extraordinarywork.
22And nowdo not carryon as scoffers,Oryour fetterswill be madestronger;For I have heardfrom the LordGODof hostsOf decisivedestructionon allthe earth.
23Giveearand hearmy voice,Listenand hearmy words.
24Does the farmerplowcontinuallyto plantseed?Does he [continually] turnand harrowthe ground?
25Does he not levelits surfaceAnd sowdilland scattercumminAnd plantwheatin rows,Barleyin its placeand ryewithin its area?
26For his Godinstructsand teacheshim properly.
27For dillis not threshedwith a threshingsledge,Noris the cartwheeldrivenovercummin;But dillis beatenout with a rod,and cumminwith a club.
28[Grain for] breadis crushed,Indeed,he does not continueto threshit forever.Because the wheelof [his] cartand his horses[eventually] damage[it], He does not threshit longer.
29Thisalsocomesfrom the LORDof hosts,[Who] has made[His] counselwonderfuland [His] wisdomgreat.
