1"Woeto the rebelliouschildren,"declaresthe LORD,"Who executea plan,but not Mine,And makean alliance,but not of My Spirit,In orderto addsinto sin;
2Who proceeddownto EgyptWithoutconsultingMe, To takerefugein the safetyof PharaohAnd to seekshelterin the shadowof Egypt!
3"Therefore the safetyof Pharaohwill be your shameAnd the shelterin the shadowof Egypt,your humiliation.
4"For their princesare at ZoanAnd their ambassadorsarriveat Hanes.
5"Everyonewill be ashamedbecauseof a peoplewho cannotprofitthem, [Who are] not for helpor profit,but for shameand alsofor reproach."
6The oracleconcerning the beastsof the Negev.Through a landof distressand anguish,From where[come] lionessand lion,viperand flyingserpent,They carrytheir richeson the backsof youngdonkeysAnd their treasureson camels'humps,To a peoplewho cannotprofit[them];
7Even Egypt,whose helpis vainand empty.Therefore,I have calledher "Rahabwhohas been exterminated."
8Nowgo,writeit on a tabletbeforethem And inscribeit on a scroll,That it may servein the timeto comeAs a witness forever.
9For thisis a rebelliouspeople,false~sons,Sonswho refuseto listenTo the instructionof the LORD;
10Whosayto the seers,"You must not see[visions"]; And to the prophets,"You must not prophesyto us whatis right,Speakto us pleasantwords,Prophesyillusions.
11"Getout of the way,turnasidefrom the path,Let us hearnomoreabout the HolyOneof Israel."
12Thereforethussaysthe HolyOneof Israel,"Sinceyou have rejectedthiswordAnd have putyour trustin oppressionand guile,and have reliedon them,
13Thereforethisiniquitywill be to you Like a breachabout to fall,A bulgein a highwall,Whosecollapsecomessuddenlyin an instant,
14Whose collapseis like the smashingof a potter'sjar,So ruthlesslyshatteredThat a sherdwill not be foundamong its piecesTo takefirefrom a hearthOr to scoopwaterfrom a cistern."
15For thusthe LordGOD,the HolyOneof Israel,has said,"In repentanceand restyou will be saved,In quietnessand trustis your strength."But you were not willing,
16And you said,"No,for we will fleeon horses,"Thereforeyou shall flee!"And we will rideon swift[horses]," Thereforethose who pursueyou shall be swift.
17Onethousand[will flee] at the threatof one[man]; You will fleeat the threatof five,Untilyou are leftas a flagon a mountaintopAnd as a signalon a hill.
18Thereforethe LORDlongsto be graciousto you, And thereforeHe waits on highto havecompassionon you. For the LORDis a Godof justice;How blessedare allthose who longfor Him.
19O peoplein Zion,inhabitantin Jerusalem,you will weepnolonger.He will surelybe graciousto you at the soundof your cry;when He hearsit, He will answeryou.20Although the Lordhas givenyou breadof privationand waterof oppression,[He], your Teacherwill nolongerhideHimself, but your eyeswill beholdyour Teacher.21Your earswill heara wordbehindyou, "Thisis the way,walkin it," wheneveryou turnto the rightor to the left.22And you will defileyour gravenimagesoverlaidwith silver,and your moltenimagesplatedwith gold.You will scatterthem as an impurething,[and] sayto them, "Be gone!"
23Then He will give[you] rainfor the seedwhichyou will sowin the ground,and bread[from] the yieldof the ground,and it will be richand plenteous;on that dayyour livestockwill grazein a roomypasture.24Also the oxenand the donkeyswhich workthe groundwill eatsaltedfodder,whichhas been winnowedwith shoveland fork.25On everyloftymountainand on everyhighhillthere will be streamsrunningwith wateron the dayof the greatslaughter,when the towersfall.26The lightof the moonwill be as the lightof the sun,and the lightof the sunwill be seventimes[brighter], like the lightof sevendays,on the daythe LORDbindsup the fractureof His peopleand healsthe bruiseHe has inflicted.
27Behold,the nameof the LORDcomesfrom a remoteplace;Burningis His angerand denseis [His] smoke;His lipsare filledwith indignationAnd His tongueis like a consumingfire;
28His breathis like an overflowingtorrent,Which reachesto the neck,To shakethe nationsbackand forthin a sieve,And to [put] in the jawsof the peoplesthe bridlewhich leadsto ruin.
29You will havesongsas in the nightwhen you keepthe festival,And gladnessof heartas when one marchesto [the sound of] the flute,To goto the mountainof the LORD,to the Rockof Israel.
30And the LORDwill cause His voiceof authorityto be heard,And the descendingof His armto be seenin fierceanger,And [in] the flameof a consumingfireIn cloudburst,downpourand hailstones.
31For at the voiceof the LORDAssyriawill be terrified,[When] He strikeswith the rod.
32And everyblowof the rodof punishment,Whichthe LORDwill layon him, Will be with [the music of] tambourinesand lyres;And in battles,brandishingweapons,He will fightthem.
33For Tophethhas longbeen ready,Indeed,it has been preparedfor the king.He has madeit deepand large,A pyreof firewith plentyof wood;The breathof the LORD,like a torrentof brimstone,setsit afire.
