X. 1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to scribes that prescribe oppression:
2 To turn aside the weak from judgment, and to strip the right from the poor of I my people, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may prey on orphans.
3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the ruin that cometh from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
4 (Nought remains), but to crouch under the prisoners, and fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
5 Ah, Asshur, the rod of mine anger, and a staff is it in. their hand, mine indignation.
6 I will send him against an impious nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to spoil the spoil and to prey on the prey, and to make them a treading down like the mire of the streets.
7 And he, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to work destruction, and to cut off nations not a few.
8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
9 Is not Calno as Carchemish, or Hamath as Arpad, or Samaria as Damascus?
10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the false— and their images were more than Jerusalem and— rr Shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her false gods, so do to Jerusalem and her offences?
12 And it shall be, when the Lord hath finished his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will visit upon the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glorying of his loftiness of eyes.
13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I (can) discern: and I have removed the bounds of peoples, and robbed their treasures, and brought down, like a mighty one, them that ’enthroned:
14 And my hand hath reached, as a nest, the riches of the peoples; and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there. was none that fluttered a wing, or opened a mouth, or peeped.
15 Shall the axe glory against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that plieth it? as if a rod should ply them that lift it up, as if a staff should lift up what is not wood.
16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory there shall burn a burning like the burning of 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 garden-land, from soul and even to. flesh; and it shall be as when a sick ’man pinetb away.
19 And the remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, and a child may write them.
20 And it shall be in that day, the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them; but shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant shall return, the remnant of Jacob, unto the Mighty God.
22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant (only) of it shall return; destruction is decided, overflowing in righteousness.
23 For a destruction and a decision shall the Lord GOD of Hosts make, in the midst of all the earth.
24 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts, Be not afraid, my people that dwellest in Zion, of Asshur; though he smite thee with a rod, and lift up his staff against thee, in the way of Egypt.
25 For yet a very little while, and indignation shall be at an end, and mine anger shall be to their destruction.
26 And the LORD of Hosts shall stir up a scourge against him like the smiting of Midian at the rock Oreb ; and his rod is upon the sea, and he lifteth it up, in the way of Egypt.
27 And it shall be in that day, his burden shall remove from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from of? thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of fatness.
28 He is come upon Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage;
29 They pass through the pass: in Geba they make their lodging; Ramah trembleth: Gibeah of Saul fleeth.
30 Cry out with thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: listen, Laishah; O thou poor Anathoth!
31 Madmenah wandereth away; the inhabitants of Gebim gather (their goods) to flee.
32 Within this very day he halteth at Nob, waving his hand (at) the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, shall lop the leafy bough with terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a majestic one.
Isaias. . ed. Richard Rusden Ottley. Germany. 2016.
Sponsored by University of Leipzig.
Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.