Condemnation of Ephraim

281 Wo 'to' the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim. And the fading flower of the beauty of his glory, That 'is' on the head of the fat valley of the broken down of wine. 2 Lo, a mighty and strong one 'is' to the Lord, As a storm of hail—a destructive shower, As an inundation of mighty waters overflowing, He cast down to the earth with the hand. 3 By feet trodden down is the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, 4 And the fading flower of the beauty of his glory That 'is' on the head of the fat valley, Hath been as its first-fruit before summer, That its beholder seeth, While it 'is' yet in his hand he swalloweth it. 5 In that day is Jehovah of Hosts For a crown of beauty, and for a diadem of glory, To the remnant of His people. 6 And for a spirit of judgment To him who is sitting in the judgment, And for might 'to' those turning back the battle to the gate. 7 And even these through wine have erred, And through strong drink have wandered, Priest and prophet erred through strong drink, They have been swallowed up of the wine, They wandered because of the strong drink, They have erred in seeing, They have stumbled judicially. 8 For all tables have been full of vomit, Filth—without place!

9 By whom doth He teach knowledge? And by whom doth He cause to understand the report? The weaned from milk, the removed from breasts, 10 For rule 'is' on rule, rule on rule, line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there, 11 For by scorned lip, and by another tongue, Doth He speak unto this people. 12 Unto whom He hath said, 'This 'is' the rest, give ye rest to the weary, And this—the refreshing:' And they have not been willing to hear, 13 And to whom a word of Jehovah hath been, Rule on rule, rule on rule, line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there, So that they go and have stumbled backward, And been broken, and snared, and captured.

The Warning to Jerusalem

14 Therefore, hear a word of Jehovah, ye men of scorning, Ruling this people that 'is' in Jerusalem. 15 Because ye have said: 'We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a provision, An overflowing scourge, when it passeth over, Doth not meet us, Though we have made a lie our refuge, And in falsehood have been hidden.' 16 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: 'Lo, I am laying a foundation in Zion, A stone—a tried stone, a corner stone precious, a settled foundation, He who is believing doth not make haste. 17 And I have put judgment for a line, And righteousness for a plummet, And sweep away doth hail the refuge of lies, And the secret hiding-place do waters overflow. 18 And disannulled hath been your covenant with death, And your provision with Sheol doth not stand, An overflowing scourge, when it passeth over, Then ye have been to it for a treading-place. 19 From the fulness of its passing over it taketh you, For morning by morning it passeth over, By day and by night, And it hath been only a trembling to consider the report. 20 For shorter hath been the bed Than to stretch one's self out in, And the covering hath been narrower Than to wrap one's self up in. 21 For as 'at' mount Perazim rise doth Jehovah, As 'at' the valley in Gibeon He is troubled, To do His work—strange 'is' His work, And to do His deed—strange 'is' His deed.' 22 And now, show not yourselves scorners, Lest strong be your bands, For a consumption, that is determined, I have heard, by the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, 'Is' for all the land.

23 Give ear, and hear my voice, Attend, and hear my saying: 24 The whole day plougheth the ploughman to sow? He openeth and harroweth his ground! 25 Hath he not, if he have made level its face, Then scattered fitches, and cummin sprinkle, And hath placed the principal wheat, And the appointed barley, And the rie 'in' its own border? 26 And instruct him for judgment doth his God, He doth direct him. 27 For not with a sharp-pointed thing threshed are fitches, And the wheel of a cart on cummin turned round, For with a staff beaten out are fitches, And cummin with a rod. 28 Bread-'corn' is beaten small, For not for ever doth he sorely thresh it, Nor crushed 'it' hath a wheel of his cart, Nor do his hoofs beat it small. 29 Even this from Jehovah of Hosts hath gone out, He hath made counsel wonderful, He hath made wisdom great!

The LORD's Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem

31 For, lo, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, Is turning aside from Jerusalem, And from Judah, stay and staff, Every stay of bread, and every stay of water. 2 Hero and man of war, judge and prophet, And diviner and elder, 3 Head of fifty, and accepted of faces, And counsellor, and the wise of artificers, And the intelligent of charmers. 4 And I have made youths their heads, And sucklings rule over them. 5 And the people hath exacted—man upon man, Even a man on his neighbour, Enlarge themselves do the youths against the aged, And the lightly esteemed against the honoured. 6 When one layeth hold on his brother, 'Of' the house of his father, 'by' the garment, 'Come, a ruler thou art to us, And this ruin 'is' under thy hand.' 7 He lifteth up, in that day, saying: 'I am not a binder up, And in my house is neither bread nor garment, Ye do not make me a ruler of the people.' 8 For stumbled hath Jerusalem, and Judah hath fallen, For their tongue and their doings 'are' against Jehovah, To provoke the eyes of His glory.

9 The appearance of their faces witnessed against them, And their sin, as Sodom, they declared, They have not hidden! Wo to their soul, For they have done to themselves evil. 10 Say ye to the righteous, that 'it is' good, Because the fruit of their doings they eat. 11 Wo to the wicked—evil, Because the deed of his hand is done to him. 12 My people—its exactors 'are' sucklings, And women have ruled over it. My people—thy eulogists are causing to err, And the way of thy paths swallowed up. 13 Jehovah hath stood up to plead, And He is standing to judge the peoples. 14 Jehovah into judgment doth enter With elders of His people, and its heads: 'And ye, ye have consumed the vineyard, Plunder of the poor 'is' in your houses. 15 What—to you? ye bruise My people, And the faces of the poor ye grind.' An affirmation of the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, And Jehovah saith:

Judgment on the Daughters of Zion

16 'Because that daughters of Zion have been haughty, And they walk stretching out the neck, And deceiving 'with' the eyes, Walking and mincing they go, And with their feet they make a tinkling, 17 The Lord also hath scabbed The crown of the head of daughters of Zion, And Jehovah their simplicity exposeth. 18 In that day doth the Lord turn aside The beauty of the tinkling ornaments, And of the embroidered works, And of the round tires like moons, 19 Of the drops, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, 20 Of the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, And of the bands, And of the perfume boxes, and the amulets, 21 Of the seals, and of the nose-rings, 22 Of the costly apparel, and of the mantles, And of the coverings, and of the purses, 23 Of the mirrors, and of the linen garments, And of the hoods, and of the vails, 24 And it hath been, instead of spice is muck, And instead of a girdle, a rope, And instead of curled work, baldness, And instead of a stomacher a girdle of sackcloth. 25 For instead of glory, thy men by sword do fall, And thy might in battle. 26 And lamented and mourned have her openings, Yea, she hath been emptied, on the earth she sitteth!