1 Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees 2 to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their plunder, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! 3 What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?

4 They will only bow down under the prisoners,

and will fall under the slain.

For all this his anger is not turned away,

but his hand is stretched out still.

5 Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation! 6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me I will give him a command to take the plunder and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 However, he doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations. 8 For he says, "Aren’t all of my princes kings? 9 Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?" 10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images exceeded those of Jerusalem and of Samaria, 11 shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

12 Therefore it will happen that when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the willful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his arrogant looks. 13 For he has said, "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers. 14 My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, I have gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing, or that opened their mouth, or chirped."

15 Should an ax brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood. 16 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire. 17 The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. 18 He will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints. 19 The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child could write their number.

20 It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. 22 For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23 For the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will make a full end, and that determined, throughout all the earth.

24 Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, says, "My people who dwell in Zion, don’t be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did. 25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction." 26 Yahweh of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt. 27 It will happen in that day that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

28 He has come to Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he stores his baggage. 29 They have gone over the pass. They have taken up their lodging at Geba. Ramah trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled. 30 Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth! 31 Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. 32 This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low. 34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

1 Woe unto those that establish unrighteous laws and that wilfully prescribe tyranny

2 to turn aside the poor from [right] judgment and to take away the right from the afflicted of my people that widows may be their prey and [that] they may rob the fatherless!

3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation [which] shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help and where will ye leave your glory?

4 They shall bow down among the prisoners, and they shall fall among the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

5 O Assyrian, rod and staff of my anger, in thy hand have I placed my indignation.

6 I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and upon [the] people of my wrath will I send him to take spoil and to take prey and to ready them that they might be tread down like the mire of the streets.

7 Howbeit he shall not think like this; not even in his heart shall he imagine this way [of doing things], but his thought shall be to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

8 For he shall say, [Are] not my princes altogether kings?

9 [Is] not Calno as Carchemish? [Is] not Hamath as Arpad? [Is] not Samaria as Damascus?

10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel those of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

11 shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, [that] when the Lord has performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will come upon the fruit of the pride of the heart of the king of Assyria, and upon the glory of his high looks.

13 For he said, By the strength of my hand I have done [it], and by my wisdom; for I have been prudent: and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and I have cast down as valiant [ones] those who were seated:

14 And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the peoples: and as one gathers eggs [that are] left, I have taken control over all the earth; and there was no one that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that hews with it? [or] shall the saw magnify itself against him that moves it? as if the rod should rise up against those that lift it up, [or] as if the staff should lift [itself] up. Is it not wood?

16 Therefore shall the Lord, the LORD of the hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.

17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;

18 and shall consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, from the soul unto the flesh; and they shall come to be as [a] standard-bearer in defeat.

19 And the trees that shall remain in his forest shall be in number such that a child may count them.

20 And it shall come to pass in that day [that] those who shall be left of Israel and those who shall be left of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 The remnant shall become converted, [even] the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [yet] the remnant of them shall become converted; when the consumption comes to an end, righteousness shall overflow.

23 For the Lord GOD of the hosts shall make a consumption and an end in the midst of all the land.

24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of the hosts, O my people, dweller of Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod and shall lift up his stick against thee by the way of Egypt;

25 yet from now until a very little while the indignation and my anger shall cease, to make an end of them.

26 And the LORD of the hosts shall raise up a scourge against him as the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb and shall raise up his rod upon the sea, by the way of Egypt.

27 And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be consumed in the presence of the anointing.

28 He is come to Aiath; he is passed unto Migron; in Michmash he shall number his army:

29 They are gone over the fords; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim; Laish cause poor Anathoth to hear thee.

31 Madmenah is in upheaval; the inhabitants of Gebim shall gather themselves together.

32 Even yet [shall come] a day when he shall rest at Nob; he shall raise his hand unto the mountain of the daughter of Zion unto the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of the hosts, shall lop the bough with force, and the high ones of stature [shall be] hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

34 And he shall cut down the thickness of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by force.: