1 Nevertheless the darkness shall not be as when the distress was in the {land}, at the time he at first lightly, and afterwards heavily, visited the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, -the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:2 the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them light hath shone.3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, hast increased its joy: they joy before thee like to the joy in harvest; as {men} rejoice when they divide the spoil.4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.5 For every boot of him that is shod for the tumult, and the garment rolled in blood, shall be for burning, fuel for fire.6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty *God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.8 The Lord sent a word unto Jacob, and it lighteth upon Israel.9 And all the people shall know {it}, Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and stoutness of heart,10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamore trees are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.11 And Jehovah will set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and arm his enemies,12 the Syrians on the east, and the Philistines on the west; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.13 But the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, and they do not seek Jehovah of hosts.14 And Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day:15 the ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.16 For the guides of this people mislead {them}; and they that are guided by them are swallowed up.17 Therefore the Lord will not rejoice in their young men, neither will he have mercy on their fatherless and on their widows; for every one is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.18 For wickedness burneth as a fire: it devoureth briars and thorns, and kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they go rolling up like a pillar of smoke.19 Through the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land burned up, and the people is as fuel for fire: a man spareth not his brother;20 and he snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry, and eateth on the left hand; and they are not satisfied. They eat every man the flesh of his own arm:21 Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh; {and} they together are against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

1 Die volk wat in duisternis wandel, het 'n groot lig gesien; die wat woon in die land van die doodskaduwee, oor hulle het 'n lig geskyn.2 U het die nasie vermenigvuldig, hulle vreugde groot gemaak; hulle is vrolik voor u aangesig soos iemand vrolik is in die oestyd, soos iemand juig as die buit verdeel word.3 Want die juk wat op hulle gedruk het, en die stok wat hulle rug getref het, die roede van hulle drywer, het U verbreek soos op die dag van M¡dian.4 Want elke soldateskoen wat daar wegstap met gedreun, en die kleed wat in bloed gerol is, dien tot verbranding, 'n prooi van die vuur.5 Want 'n Kind is vir ons gebore, 'n Seun is aan ons gegee; en die heerskappy is op sy skouer, en Hy word genoem: Wonderbaar, Raadsman, Sterke God, Ewige Vader, Vredevors --6 tot vermeerdering van die heerskappy en tot vrede sonder einde, op die troon van Dawid en oor sy koninkryk, om dit te bevestig en dit te versterk deur reg en deur geregtigheid, van nou af tot in ewigheid. Die ywer van die HERE van die leërskare sal dit doen.7 Die HERE stuur 'n woord in Jakob, en dit val in Israel;8 en die hele volk sal dit gewaarword, Efraim en die inwoners van Samar¡a, wat in trotsheid en grootsheid van hart sê:9 Die bakstene het geval, maar met gekapte klip sal ons bou; die wildevyebome is afgekap, maar ons sal seders in hulle plek neem!10 Maar die HERE gee aan die teëstanders van Resin die oorhand oor hulle, en hulle vyande sal Hy ophits:11 die Arameërs van voor en die Filistyne van agter, dat hulle Israel met volle mond kan opeet. Ondanks dit alles is sy toorn nie afgewend nie, maar sy hand is nog uitgestrek.12 Maar die volk bekeer hulle nie tot Hom wat hulle slaan nie, en hulle soek nie die HERE van die leërskare nie.13 Daarom sny die HERE van Israel af kop en stert, palmtak en biesie, op een dag.14 Die oudste en aansienlike, die is die kop, en die profeet wat leuens profeteer, die is die stert;15 en die leiers van hierdie volk het verleiers geword, en die van hulle wat gelei word, is op 'n dwaalweg gebring.16 Daarom sal die Here oor hulle jongmanne nie bly wees nie en Hom nie ontferm oor hulle wese en hulle weduwees nie; want hulle is almal roekelose mense en kwaaddoeners, en elke mond spreek goddeloosheid. Ondanks dit alles is sy toorn nie afgewend nie, maar sy hand is nog uitgestrek.17 Want die goddeloosheid brand soos vuur; dit verteer dorings en distels en steek die digte takke van die bos aan die brand, sodat hulle in 'n rookpilaar opstyg.18 Deur die grimmigheid van die HERE van die leërskare staan die land in vlamme en het die volk geword soos 'n prooi van die vuur; die een spaar die ander nie.19 En hulle byt na regs en het honger; hulle vreet na links en word nie versadig nie; hulle eet elkeen die vlees van sy eie arm:20 Manasse vir Efraim, en Efraim vir Manasse, en hulle saam is teen Juda. Ondanks dit alles is sy toorn nie afgewend nie, maar sy hand is nog uitgestrek.