Isaiah, 28

1. Woe to the haughty crown of Ephraim's drunkards, to the fading flower of its proud splendour sited at the head of the lush valley, to those prostrated by wine!

1. Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of E'phraim, and to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley of those overcome with wine!

2. See, a strong and mighty man in the Lord's service, like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like immense flood-waters overflowing, with his hand he throws them to the ground.

2. Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he will cast down to the earth with violence.

3. They will be trampled underfoot, the haughty crown of Ephraim's drunkards,

3. The proud crown of the drunkards of E'phraim will be trodden under foot;

4. and the faded flower of its proud splendour sited at the head of the lush valley. Like a fig ripe before summer comes: whoever spots it forthwith picks and swallows it.

4. and the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley, will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer: when a man sees it, he eats it up as soon as it is in his hand.

5. That day Yahweh Sabaoth will be a crown of splendour and a proud diadem for the remnant of his people,

5. In that day the LORD of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people;

6. a spirit of fair judgement for him who sits in judgement, and the strength of those who repel the assault on the gate.

6. and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

7. These too have been confused by wine, have gone astray owing to liquor. Priest and prophet have become confused by liquor, are sodden with wine, have strayed owing to liquor, have become confused in their visions, have strayed in their decisions.

7. These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are confused with wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in giving judgment.

8. Yes, every table is covered in filthy vomit, not one is clean!

8. For all tables are full of vomit, no place is without filthiness.

9. 'Whom does he think he is lecturing? Whom does he think his message is for? Babies just weaned? Babies just taken from the breast?

9. "Whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?

10. With his "Sav lasav, sav lasav, kav lakav, kav lakav, zeer sham, zeer sham!"

10. For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."

11. Now, with stammering lips and in a foreign language, he will talk to this nation.

11. Nay, but by men of strange lips and with an alien tongue the LORD will speak to this people,

12. He used to say to them, 'Here you can rest! Here you can let the weary rest! Here all is quiet.' But they refused to listen.

12. to whom he has said, "This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose"; yet they would not hear.

13. Now Yahweh is going to say this to them, 'Sav lasav, sav lasav, kav lakav, kav lakav, zeer sham, zeer sham.' So that when they walk they will fall over backwards and so be broken, trapped and taken captive.

13. Therefore the word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14. Hence listen to Yahweh's word, you insolent men, rulers of this people in Jerusalem.

14. Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem!

15. Because you have said, 'We have made a treaty with Death and have struck a pact with Sheol. When the scourging flood comes over, it will not touch us, for we have made lies our refuge and hidden under falsehood.'

15. Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement; when the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter";

16. So the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Now I shall lay a stone in Zion, a granite stone, a precious corner-stone, a firm foundation-stone: no one who relies on this will stumble.

16. therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: `He who believes will not be in haste.'

17. And I will make fair judgement the measure, and uprightness the plumb-line.' But hail will sweep away the refuge of lies and floods wash away the hiding-place;

17. And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter."

18. your treaty with Death will be broken and your pact with Sheol will not hold. When the scourging flood comes over, you will be trodden down by it;

18. Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through you will be beaten down by it.

19. every time it comes over, it will seize on you, for it will come over, morning after morning, day by day and night by night. Nothing but fear will make you understand what you hear.

19. As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.

20. For the bed is too short to stretch in, the blanket too narrow for covering.

20. For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in it.

21. Yes, as on Mount Perazim, Yahweh will rise, as in the Valley of Gibeon, he will storm to do his work, his mysterious work, to do his deed, his extraordinary deed.

21. For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Pera'zim, he will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; to do his deed -- strange is his deed! and to work his work -- alien is his work!

22. Stop scoffing, then, or your bonds will be tightened further, for I have heard it: it has been irrevocably decided as regards the whole country by the Lord Yahweh Sabaoth.

22. Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD of hosts upon the whole land.

23. Listen closely to my words, be attentive, understand what I am saying.

23. Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

24. Does the ploughman plough all day to sow, breaking up and harrowing his ground?

24. Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? does he continually open and harrow his ground?

25. Once he has levelled its surface, does he not scatter fennel, sow cummin? Then he puts in wheat, millet, barley and, round the edges, spelt,

25. When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cummin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and spelt as the border?

26. for his God has taught him this rule and instructed him.

26. For he is instructed aright; his God teaches him.

27. Fennel must not be crushed with a sledge, nor cart-wheels driven over cummin; fennel must be beaten with a stick, and cummin with a flail.

27. Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cummin; but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cummin with a rod.

28. When you are threshing wheat, you do not waste time crushing it; you get the horse and cart-wheel moving, but you do not grind it fine.

28. Does one crush bread grain? No, he does not thresh it for ever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it.

29. All this is a gift from Yahweh Sabaoth, marvellous advice leading to great achievements.

29. This also comes from the LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.