1. Woe to the high crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading
flower, his ornament of beauty, which (is) on the head of the fat
valley of the wine-smitten. 2. Behold the Lord has a strong and
mighty one, like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm
of mighty rushing waters. He has brought it to the ground with the
hand. 3. With the feet shall be trodden the lofty crown of the
drunkards of Ephraim. 4. And the fading flower of his glorious
beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be like a
first-ripe fig before summer, which he that sees it sees, and while
it is yet in his hand swallows it.
5. In that day shall Jehovah of hosts become a crown of beauty and a
diadem of glory to the remnant of His people; 6. and for a spirit of
judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them
that turn the battle to the gate.
7. And (yet) these through wine have erred, and through strong drink
have gone astray. Priest and prophet erred through strong drink, have
been swallowed up of wine, have been led astray by strong drink, have
erred in vision, have wavered in judgment. 8. For all tables are full
of vomit, of filth, without a (clean) place. 9. Whom will He teach
knowledge? And whom will He make to understand doctrine? Those weaned
from the milk and removed from the breasts. 10. For (it is) rule upon
rule, rule upon rule, line upon line, line upon line, a little here,
a little there. 11. For with stammering lips and with another tongue
will He speak unto this people. 12. Who said to them, This is rest,
give rest to the weary, and this is quiet, but they would not hear.
13. And the word of Jehovah was to them rule upon rule, rule upon
rule; line upon line, line upon line; a little here, a little there;
that they might go, and fall backwards, and be broken, and be snared,
and be taken.
14. Therefore hear the word of Jehovah, ye scornful men, the rulers
of this people which is in Jerusalem. 15. Because ye have said, We
have made a covenant with death, and with hell have formed a league;
the overflowing scourge, when it passes through, shall not come upon
us, for we have made falsehood our refuge, and in fraud we have hid
ourselves; 16. therefore, thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold I lay
in Zion a stone, a stone of proof, a corner-stone of value, of a firm
foundation; the builder will not be in haste. 17. And I will place
judgment for a line and justice for a plummet, and hail shall sweep
away the refuge of falsehood, and the hiding-place waters shall
overflow. 18. And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and
your league with hell shall not stand, and the overflowing
scourge--for it shall pass through, and ye shall be for it to trample
on. 19. And as soon as it passes through, it shall carry you away;
for every morning it shall pass through, in the day and in the night,
and only vexation shall be the understanding of the thing heard.
20. For the bed is too short to stretch one's self, and the covering
too narrow to wrap one's self. 21. For like mount Perazim shall
Jehovah rise up, like the valley in Gibeon, shall He rage, to do His
work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His strange task.
22. And now scoff not, lest your bands be strong; for even a decreed
consumption I have heard from the Lord Jehovah of hosts, upon the
whole earth.
23. Give ear and hear my voice; hearken and hear my speech. 24. Does
the husbandman plough every day to sow? Does he open and level his
ground? 25. Does he not, when he has levelled the surface of it, cast
abroad dill, and scatter cummin, and set wheat in rows, and barley
(in the place) marked out, and spelt in his border? 26. So teaches
him aright, his God instructs him. 27. For not with sledge must dill
be threshed, or the cart wheel turned upon cummin; for with the stick
must dill be beaten, and cummin with the rod. 28. Bread-corn must be
crushed, for he will not be always threshing it; so he drives the
wheel of his cart (upon it), but with his horses he does not crush
it. 29. Even this from Jehovah of hosts comes forth; He is wonderful
in counsel; great in wisdom.