Isaiah, 28

1. Woe to the majestic garland of the drunkard Ephraim, To the fading blooms of his glorious beauty, on the head of him who is stupefied with wine.

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!

2. Behold, the LORD has a strong one and a mighty, who, like a downpour of hail, a destructive storm, Like a flood of water, great and overflowing, levels to the ground with violence;

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.

3. With feet that will trample the majestic garland of the drunkard Ephraim.

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

4. The fading blooms of his glorious beauty on the head of the fertile valley Will be like an early fig before summer: when a man sees it, he picks and swallows it at once.

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.

5. On that day the LORD of hosts will be a glorious crown And a brilliant diadem to the remnant of his people,

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

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

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

7. But these also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priest and prophet stagger from strong drink, overpowered by wine; Led astray by strong drink, staggering in their visions, tottering when giving judgment.

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.

8. Yes, all the tables are covered with filthy vomit, with no place left clean.

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

9. "To whom would he impart knowledge? To whom would he convey the message? To those just weaned from milk, those taken from the breast?

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?

10. For he says, 'Command on command, command on command, rule on rule, rule on rule, here a little, there a little!'"

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

11. Yes, with stammering lips and in a strange language he will speak to this people

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

12. to whom he said: This is the resting place, give rest to the weary; Here is repose-- but they would not listen.

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.

13. So for them the word of the LORD shall be: "Command on command, command on command, Rule on rule, rule on rule, here a little, there a little!" So that when they walk, they stumble backward, broken, ensnared, and captured.

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.

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

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

15. Because you say, "We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether world we have made a pact; When the overwhelming scourge passes, it will not reach us; For we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have found a hiding place,"--

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.'

16. Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: See, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that has been tested, A precious cornerstone as a sure foundation; he who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.

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.

17. I will make of right a measuring line, of justice a level.-- Hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters shall flood the hiding place.

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;

18. Your covenant with death shall be canceled and your pact with the nether world shall not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes, you shall be trampled down by it.

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;

19. Whenever it passes, it shall take you; morning after morning it shall pass, By day and by night; terror alone shall convey the message.

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.

20. For the bed shall be too short to stretch out in, and the cover too narrow to wrap in.

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

21. For the LORD shall rise up as on Mount Perazim, bestir himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, To carry out his work, his singular work, to perform his deed, his strange deed.

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.

22. Now, be arrogant no more lest your bonds be tightened, For I have heard from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, the destruction decreed for the whole earth.

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.

23. Give ear and hear my voice, pay attention and listen to what I say:

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

24. Is the plowman forever plowing, always loosening and harrowing his land for planting?

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

25. When he has leveled the surface, does he not scatter gith and sow cumin, Put in wheat and barley, with spelt as its border?

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,

26. He has learned this rule, instructed by his God.

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

27. Gith is not threshed with a sledge, nor does a cartwheel roll over cumin. But gith is beaten out with a staff, and cumin crushed for food with a rod.

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.

28. No, he does not thresh it unendingly, nor does he crush it with his noisy cartwheels and horses.

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.

29. This too comes from the LORD of hosts; wonderful is his counsel and great his wisdom.

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