1 The city of Samaria

above a fertile valley

is in for trouble!

Its leaders are drunkards,

who stuff themselves

with food and wine.

But they will be like flowers

that dry up and wilt.

2 Only the Lord is strong

and powerful!

His mighty hand

will strike them down

with the force of a hailstorm

or a mighty whirlwind

or an overwhelming flood.

3 Every drunkard in Ephraim*

takes pride in Samaria,

but it will be crushed.

4 Samaria above a fertile valley

will quickly lose its glory.

It will be gobbled up

like the first ripe fig

at harvest season.

5 When this time comes,

the Lord All-Powerful

will be a glorious crown

for his people who survive.

6 He will see that justice rules

and that his people are able

to defend their cities.

7 Priests and prophets stumble

because they are drunk.

Their minds are too confused

to receive God's messages

or give honest decisions.

8 Their tables are covered,

completely covered,

with their stinking vomit.

9 You drunken leaders

are like babies!

How can you possibly understand

or teach the Lord's message?

10 You don't even listen—

all you hear is senseless sound

after senseless sound.*

11 * So, the Lord will speak

to his people

in strange sounds

and foreign languages.*

12 He promised you

perfect peace and rest,

but you refused to listen.

13 Now his message to you

will be senseless sound

after senseless sound.*

Then you will fall backwards,

injured and trapped.

14 You rulers of Jerusalem

do nothing but sneer;

now you must listen

to what the Lord says.

15 * Do you think you have

an agreement with death

and the world of the dead?

Why do you trust in your lies

to keep you safe from danger

and the mighty flood?

16 * And so the Lord says,

"I'm laying a firm foundation

for the city of Zion.

It's a valuable cornerstone

proven to be trustworthy;

no one who trusts it

will ever be disappointed.

17 Justice and fairness

will be the measuring lines

that help me build."

Hailstones and floods

will destroy and wash away

your shelter of lies.

18 Your agreement with death

and the world of the dead

will be broken.

Then angry, roaring waves

will sweep over you.

19 Morning, noon, and night

an overwhelming flood

will wash you away.

The terrible things that happen

will teach you this lesson:

20 Your bed is too short,

your blanket too skimpy.*

21 * The Lord will fiercely attack

as he did at Mount Perazim*

and in Gibeon Valley.*

But this time the Lord

will do something surprising,

not what you expect.

22 So you had better stop sneering

or you will be in worse shape

than ever before.

I heard the Lord All-Powerful

threaten the whole country

with destruction.

23 Pay close attention

to what I am saying.

24 Farmers don't just plow

and break up the ground.

25 When a field is ready,

they scatter the seeds

of dill and cumin;

they plant the seeds

of wheat and barley

in the proper places

and sow other grains

around the edges.

26 They learn this from their God.

27 After dill and cumin

have been harvested,

the stalks are pounded,

not run over with a wagon.

28 Wheat and barley are pounded,

but not beaten to pulp;

they are run over with a wagon,

but not ground to dust.

29 This wonderful knowledge comes

from the Lord All-Powerful,

who has such great wisdom.