Isaiah, 31

1. Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who depend upon horses: Who put their trust in chariots because of their number, and in horsemen because od their combined power, But look not to the Holy One of Israel nor seek the LORD!

1. Woe to those going down to Egypt for help, who put their trust in horses, who rely on the quantity of chariots, and on great strength of cavalrymen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult Yahweh.

2. Yet he too is wise and will bring disaster; he will not turn from what he has threatened to do. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against those who help evildoers.

2. Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster and he will not go back on his word; he will rise against the breed of evil-doers and against those who protect wrong-doers.

3. The Egyptians are men, not God, their horses are flesh, not spirit; When the LORD stretches forth his hand, the helper shall stumble, the one helped shall fall, and both of them shall perish together.

3. The Egyptian is human, not divine, his horses are flesh, not spirit; Yahweh will stretch out his hand: the protector will stumble, the protected will fall and all will perish together.

4. Thus says the LORD to me: As a lion or a lion cub growling over its prey, With a band of shepherds assembled against it, Is neither frightened by their shouts nor disturbed by their noise, So shall the LORD of hosts come down to wage war upon the mountain and hill of Zion.

4. Yes, this is what Yahweh has said to me: As a lion or lion cub growls over its prey, when scores of shepherds are summoned to drive it off, without being frightened by their shouting or cowed by the noise they make, just so will Yahweh Sabaoth descend to fight for Mount Zion and for its hill.

5. Like hovering birds, so the LORD of hosts shall shield Jerusalem, To protect and deliver, to spare and rescue it.

5. Like hovering birds, so will Yahweh Sabaoth protect Jerusalem; by protecting it, he will save it, by supporting it, he will deliver it.

6. Return, O children of Israel, to him whom you have utterly deserted.

6. Come back to the one whom the Israelites have so deeply betrayed!

7. On that day each one of you shall spurn his sinful idols of shlver and gold, which he made with his hands.

7. For, that day, each of you will throw away the false gods of silver and the false gods of gold which your own sinful hands have made.

8. He shall rush past his crag in panic, and his princes shall flee in terror from his standard, Says the LORD who has a fire in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem.

8. Assyria will fall by the sword, not that of a man, will be devoured by the sword, of no human being, he will flee before the sword and his young warriors will be enslaved.

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9. In his terror he will abandon his rock, and his panic-stricken officers desert the standard -- declares Yahweh, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace, in Jerusalem.