1 Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley — to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!2 See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.3 That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.4 That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest — as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.5 In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.6 He will be a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.7 And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.8 All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.9 "Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?10 For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that "; a little here, a little there."11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,12 to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose" — but they would not listen.13 So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there — so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.15 You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood "our hiding place."16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.18 Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.19 As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.20 The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.21 The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon — to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.22 Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.23 Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.24 When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?25 When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, "barley in its plot, "and spelt in its field?26 His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.27 Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick.28 Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain.29 All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.

1 [V coron superbi, ebriis Ephraim,et flori decidenti, glori exsultationis ejus,qui erant in vertice vallis pinguissim,errantes a vino.2 Ecce validus et fortis Dominussicut impetus grandinis ; turbo confringens,sicut impetus aquarum multarum inundantiumet emissarum super terram spatiosam.3 Pedibus conculcabiturcorona superbi ebriorum Ephraim.4 Et erit flos decidens glori exsultationis ejus,qui est super verticem vallis pinguium,quasi temporaneum ante maturitatem autumni,quod, cum aspexerit videns,statim ut manu tenuerit, devorabit illud.5 In die illa erit Dominus exercituum corona glori,et sertum exsultationis residuo populi sui ;6 et spiritus judicii sedenti super judicium,et fortitudo revertentibus de bello ad portam.]7 [Verum hi quoque pr vino nescierunt, et pr ebrietate erraverunt ;sacerdos et propheta nescierunt pr ebrietate ;absorpti sunt a vino, erraverunt in ebrietate,nescierunt videntem, ignoraverunt judicium.8 Omnes enim mens replet sunt vomitu sordiumque,ita ut non esset ultra locus.9 Quem docebit scientiam ?et quem intelligere faciet auditum ?Ablactatos a lacte,avulsos ab uberibus.10 Quia manda, remanda ; manda, remanda ;exspecta, reexspecta ; exspecta, reexspecta ;modicum ibi, modicum ibi.11 In loquela enim labii,et lingua alteraloquetur ad populum istum.12 Cui dixit : Hc est requies mea,reficite lassum ;et hoc est meum refrigerium :et noluerunt audire.13 Et erit eis verbum Domini :Manda, remanda ; manda, remanda ;exspecta, reexspecta ; exspecta, reexspecta ;modicum ibi, modicum ibi ;ut vadant, et cadant retrorsum,et conterantur, et illaqueentur, et capiantur.14 Propter hoc audite verbum Domini, viri illusores,qui dominamini super populum meum, qui est in Jerusalem.15 Dixistis enim : Percussimus fdus cum morte,et cum inferno fecimus pactum :flagellum inundans cum transierit, non veniet super nosquia posuimus mendacium spem nostram,et mendacio protecti sumus.16 Idcirco hc dicit Dominus Deus :Ecce ego mittam in fundamentis Sion lapidem,lapidem probatum,angularem, pretiosum, in fundamento fundatum ;qui crediderit, non festinet.17 Et ponam in pondere judicium,et justitiam in mensura ;et subvertet grando spem mendacii,et protectionem aqu inundabunt.18 Et delebitur fdus vestrum cum morte,et pactum vestrum cum inferno non stabit :flagellum inundans cum transierit, eritis ei in conculcationem.19 Quandocumque pertransierit, tollet vos,quoniam in mane diluculo pertransibit in die et in nocte ;et tantummodo sola vexatio intellectum dabit auditui.20 Coangustatum est enim stratum, ita ut alter decidat ;et pallium breve utrumque operire non potest.21 Sicut enim in monte divisionum stabit Dominus ;sicut in valle qu est in Gabaon irascetur,ut faciat opus suum, alienum opus ejus :ut operetur opus suum, peregrinum est opus ejus ab eo.22 Et nunc nolite illudere,ne forte constringantur vincula vestra ;consummationem enim et abbreviationem audivia Domino Deo exercituum, super universam terram.]23 [Auribus percipite, et audite vocem meam :attendite, et audite eloquium meum.24 Numquid tota die arabit arans ut serat ?proscindet et sarriet humum suam ?25 Nonne cum adquaverit faciem ejus,seret gith et cyminum sparget ?et ponet triticum per ordinem, et hordeum,et milium, et viciam in finibus suis ?26 Et erudiet illum in judicio ;Deus suus docebit illum.27 Non enim in serris triturabitur gith,nec rota plaustri super cyminum circuibit ;sed in virga excutietur gith,et cyminum in baculo.28 Panis autem comminuetur ;verum non in perpetuum triturans triturabit illum,neque vexabit eum rota plaustri,neque ungulis suis comminuet eum.29 Et hoc a Domino Deo exercituum exivit,ut mirabile faceret consilium, et magnificaret justitiam.]