1 Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers
who write perverseness; 2 to turn aside the needy from justice, and to rob
the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and
that they may make the fatherless their prey! 3 What will you do in
the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to
whom will you flee for help? and where will you leave your glory?
4 They shall only bow down under the prisoners, and shall fall under the
slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched
out still. 5 Ho Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is
my indignation! 6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against
the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to
take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 However he doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is
in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations. 8 For he says,
Aren’t my princes all of them kings? 9 Isn’t Calno as Carchemish? Isn’t
Hamath as Arpad? Isn’t Samaria as Damascus? 10 As my hand has found the
kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images did excel them of Jerusalem and
of Samaria; 11 shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do
to Jerusalem and her idols? 12 Therefore it shall happen that, when the
Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will
punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of
his high looks. 13 For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done
it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the bounds
of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and like a valiant man I
have brought down those who sit on thrones: 14 and my hand has
found as a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathers eggs that are
forsaken, have I gathered all the earth: and there was none that moved the
wing, or that opened the mouth, or chirped. 15 Shall the axe boast itself
against him who hews therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him who
wields it? as if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a
staff should lift up him who is not wood. 16 Therefore will the
Lord, Yahweh of Hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory
there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire. 17 The light of
Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and
devour his thorns and his briers in one day. 18 He will consume the glory
of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and it shall be
as when a standard-bearer faints. 19 The remnant of the trees of his
forest shall be few, so that a child may write them. 20 It shall come to
pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and those who are escaped of
the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean on him who struck them, but
shall lean on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 A remnant shall
return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. 22 For
though your people, Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant
of them shall return: a destruction is determined, overflowing with
righteousness. 23 For a full end, and that determined, will the Lord,
Yahweh of Hosts, make in the midst of all the earth. 24 Therefore thus
says the Lord, Yahweh of Hosts, my people who dwell in Zion, don’t be afraid
of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff
against you, after the manner of Egypt. 25 For yet a very little while,
and the indignation against you shall be accomplished, and my anger
shall be directed to his destruction. 26 Yahweh of Hosts will stir
up against him a scourge, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb:
and his rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up after the manner of
Egypt. 27 It shall happen in that day, that his burden shall depart from
off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be
destroyed by reason of fatness. 28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed
through Migron; at Michmash he lays up his baggage; 29 they are gone over
the pass; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembles; Gibeah of
Saul is fled. 30 Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! listen,
Laishah! You poor Anathoth! 31 Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of
Gebim flee for safety. 32 This very day shall he halt at Nob: he shakes
his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Hosts, will lop the boughs with terror: and
the high of stature shall be hewn down, and the lofty shall be brought low.
34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon
shall fall by a mighty one.
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