Isaiah

30 “Woe to the stubborn sons,”+ is the utterance of Jehovah, “[those disposed] to carry out counsel, but not that from me;+ and to pour out a libation,* but not with my spirit, in order to add sin to sin;+ 2 those who are setting out to go down to Egypt+ and who have not inquired of my own mouth,+ to take shelter in the stronghold of Pharʹaoh and to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!+ 3 And the stronghold of Pharʹaoh must become even for YOU men a reason for shame,+ and the refuge in the shadow of Egypt a cause for humiliation.+ 4 For his princes have come to be in Zoʹan+ itself, and his own envoys* reach even Haʹnes. 5 Every one will certainly become ashamed of a people that bring no benefit to one, that are of no help and bring no benefit, but are a reason for shame and also a cause for reproach.”+

6 The pronouncement against the beasts of the south:*+ Through* the land of distress+ and hard conditions, of the lion and the leopard growling,* of the viper and the flying fiery snake,+ on the shoulders of full-grown asses they carry their resources, and on the humps of camels+ their supplies. In behalf of the people they will prove of no benefit. 7 And the Egyptians are mere vanity, and they will help simply for nothing.+ Therefore I have called this one:* “Raʹhab+—they are for sitting still.”

8 “Now come, write it upon a tablet with them, and inscribe it even in a book,+ that it may serve for a future day, for a witness* to time indefinite.+ 9 For it is a rebellious people,+ untruthful sons,+ sons who have been unwilling to hear the law of Jehovah;+ 10 who have said to the ones seeing, ‘YOU must not see,’ and to the ones having visions, ‘YOU must not envision for us any straightforward things.+ Speak to us smooth* things; envision deceptive things.+ 11 Turn aside from the way; deviate from the path.+ Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease just on account of us.’”+

12 Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel has said: “In view of YOUR rejecting of this word,+ and [since] YOU men trust in defrauding and in what is devious and YOU support yourselves on it,+ 13 therefore for YOU this error will become like a broken section about to fall down, a swelling out in a highly raised wall,+ the breakdown of which may come suddenly, in an instant.+ 14 And one will certainly break it as in the breaking of a large jar of the potters,+ crushed to pieces without one’s sparing [it], so that there cannot be found among its crushed pieces a fragment of earthenware with which to rake the fire from the fireplace or to skim water from a marshy place.”*+

15 For this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel,+ has said: “By coming back and resting YOU people will be saved. YOUR mightiness will prove to be simply in keeping undisturbed and in trustfulness.”+ But YOU were not willing.+ 16 And YOU proceeded to say: “No, but on horses we shall flee!”+ That is why YOU will flee. “And on swift [horses] we shall ride!”+ That is why those pursuing YOU will show themselves swift.+ 17 A thousand will tremble* on account of the rebuke of one;+ on account of the rebuke of five YOU will flee until YOU will have remained over like a mast on the top of a mountain and like a signal* on a hill.+

18 And therefore Jehovah will keep in expectation of showing YOU favor,+ and therefore he will rise up to show YOU mercy.+ For Jehovah is a God of judgment.*+ Happy+ are all those keeping in expectation of him.+ 19 When the very people in Zion+ will dwell in Jerusalem,+ you* will by no means weep.+ He* will without fail show you favor at the sound of your outcry; as soon as he hears it he will actually answer you.+ 20 And Jehovah* will certainly give YOU people bread in the form of distress and water in the form of oppression;+ yet your Grand Instructor* will no longer hide himself, and your eyes must become [eyes] seeing your Grand Instructor.+ 21 And your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: “This is the way.+ Walk in it, YOU people,” in case YOU people should go to the right or in case YOU should go to the left.+

22 And YOU people* must defile the overlaying of your* graven images of silver+ and the close-fitting covering of your molten+ statue of gold.+ You will scatter them.+ Like a menstruating woman, you will say to it: “Mere dirt!”+ 23 And he will certainly give the rain for your seed with which you sow the ground,+ and as the produce of the ground bread, which must become fat and oily.+ Your livestock will graze in that day in a spacious pasture.+ 24 And the cattle and the full-grown asses cultivating the ground will eat fodder seasoned with sorrel, which was winnowed with the shovel+ and with the fork. 25 And upon every high mountain and upon every elevated hill there must come to be streams,+ water ditches, in the day of the big slaughter when the towers fall.+ 26 And the light of the full moon must become as the light of the glowing [sun]; and the very light of the glowing [sun] will become seven times as much,+ like the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah binds up the breakdown+ of his people and heals+ even the severe wound resulting from the stroke by him.

27 Look! The name of Jehovah is coming from far away, burning with his anger+ and with heavy clouds. As for his lips, they have become full of denunciation, and his tongue is like a devouring fire.+ 28 And his spirit* is like a flooding torrent that reaches clear to the neck,+ to swing the nations to and fro with a sieve+ of worthlessness; and a bridle+ that causes one to wander about will be in the jaws of the peoples.+ 29 YOU people will come to have a song+ like that in the night that one sanctifies oneself for a festival,+ and rejoicing of heart like that of one walking with a flute+ to enter into the mountain of Jehovah,+ to the Rock* of Israel.+

30 And Jehovah will certainly make the dignity of his voice+ to be heard and will make the descending of his arm to be seen,+ in the raging of anger+ and the flame of a devouring fire+ [and] cloudburst and rainstorm+ and hailstones.+ 31 For because of the voice of Jehovah As·syrʹi·a will be struck with terror;+ he will strike [it] even with a staff.+ 32 And every swing of his rod of chastisement* that Jehovah will cause to settle down upon [As·syrʹi·a] will certainly prove to be with tambourines and with harps;+ and with battles of brandishing* he will actually fight against them.+ 33 For his Toʹpheth*+ is set in order from recent times; it is also prepared for the king himself.+ He has made its pile deep. Fire and wood are in abundance. The breath* of Jehovah, like a torrent of sulphur, is burning against it.+