1 Wee hulle wat na Egipte aftrek om hulp en hulle verlaat op perde, en wat vertrou op strydwaens, omdat daar baie is, en op ruiters, omdat hulle baie talryk is, maar hulle sien nie op die Heilige van Israel en hulle soek nie die HERE nie.

2 Nogtans is Hy ook wys, en Hy laat die onheil kom en trek sy woorde nie terug nie: Hy sal opstaan teen die huis van die kwaaddoeners en teen die helpers van die wat ongeregtigheid werk.

3 Ja, die Egiptenaars is mense en nie God nie, en hulle perde is vlees en nie gees nie; as die HERE sy hand uitstrek, dan struikel die helper, en wie gehelp is, val; en saam gaan hulle almal te gronde.

4 Want so het die HERE vir my gesê: Soos 'n leeu en 'n jong leeu knor oor sy prooi wanneer die volle getal herders teen hom bymekaargeroep word, sonder dat hy skrik vir hulle stem of ingee vir hulle geraas -- so sal die HERE van die leërskare neerdaal om in die stryd uit te trek teen die berg Sion en teen sy heuwel.

5 Soos voëls wat fladder, so sal die HERE van die leërskare Jerusalem beskut, beskut en red, verskoon en bevry.

6 Bekeer julle tot Hom van wie die kinders van Israel diep afgeval het.

7 Want in die dag sal hulle elkeen sy silwerafgode en sy goue afgode verwerp, wat julle hande vir julle tot sonde gemaak het.

8 En Assur sal val deur die swaard, nie van 'n man nie; en die swaard, nie van 'n mens nie, sal hom verteer; en hy sal voor die swaard vlug, en sy jongmanne sal dienspligtig word;

9 en sy rots sal uitmekaar stuif van skrik, en sy vorste sal verskrik die banier verlaat, spreek die HERE, wat 'n vuur het op Sion en 'n oond in Jerusalem.

1 Cursed are those who go down to Egypt for help, and who put their faith in horses; looking to war-carriages for salvation, because of their numbers; and to horsemen, because they are very strong; but they are not looking to the Holy One of Israel, or turning their hearts to the Lord;

2 Though he is wise, and able to send evil, and his purpose will not be changed; but he will go against the house of the evil-doers, and against those to whom they are looking for help.

3 For the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and when the Lord's hand is stretched out, the helper and he who is helped will come down together.

4 For the Lord has said to me, As a lion, or a young lion, makes an angry noise over his food, and if a band of herdsmen come out against him, he will not be in fear of their voices, or give up his food for their noise: so the Lord of armies will come down to make war against Mount Zion and its hill.

5 Like birds with outstretched wings, so will the Lord of armies be a cover to Jerusalem; he will be a cover and salvation for it, going over it he will keep it from danger.

6 Come back to him who has been so deeply sinned against by the children of Israel.

7 For in that day they will all give up their images of silver and of gold, the sin which they made for themselves.

8 Then the Assyrian will come down by the sword, but not of man; the sword, not of men, will be the cause of his destruction: and he will go in flight from the sword, and his young men will be put to forced work.

9 And his rock will come to nothing because of fear, and his chiefs will go in flight from the flag, says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his altar in Jerusalem.