Why should ye be smitten any more? Ye would again turn aside! The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faint:

If Yahweh of hosts had not left us survivors, we would have been as few as Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.

And after working the earth of it with a spade, he took away its stones, and put in it a very special vine; and he put up a watchtower in the middle of it, hollowing out in the rock a place for the grape-crushing; and he was hoping that it would give the best grapes, but it gave common grapes.

What more could have been done to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected that it would bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

Then you must recall the Lord's instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened.

Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?
That would be like a club wielding those who lift it,
Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood.

Therefore, thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh of hosts, Do not fear O my people dwelling in Zion, because of Assyria, - When with his rod, he would smite thee, And when his staff, he would lift up against thee in the manner of Egypt;

Who made the world like a wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who did not permit his prisoners to return home?’

But now Yahweh has spoken, saying, "Within three years, as a worker bound by contract would count them, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude; and the remnant will be very small and feeble."

And it shall become a sign and a witness unto Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt, - For they will make outcry unto Yahweh, because of oppressors, That he would send them a saviour - and a great one Then will he deliver them.

The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning the Desert of the Sea (the seasonally flooded plains just south of Babylon):

As windstorms in the Negev (the South) sweep through,
So it (God’s judgment) comes from the desert, from [the hostile armies of] a terrifying land.

The watchman says,
“Morning comes but also night.
If you would inquire, inquire;
Come back again.”

For the Lord said to me, "Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will fail,

Should he spread forth his hands in the midst thereof, As a swimmer spreadeth forth to swim, Then would be laid low his pride, together with the devices of his hands.

O Yahweh though thy hand be lifted up, - yet do they not see, Would they might see - and turn pale at a peoples zeal, - Surely, the fire of thine enemies, must consume them!

Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

“Or let him (Israel) cling to My strength and rely on My protection [My stronghold],
Let him make peace with Me,
Let him make peace with Me.”

Even a spirit of justice - to him that presideth over justice, And strength to them who would turn back the battle at the gate.

Whom, would he teach knowledge? And, whom, would he cause to understand the message? Them who are weaned from the milk? taken from the breasts?

To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow when he would wrap himself in it.

Bread corn is crushed, because he will not ever be threshing it; and if he drove the wheels of his cart and his horses over it, he would not crush it.

Alas! for them who would fain have been too deep for Yahweh by giving secret counsel, - and therefore in the dark, have been their doings, and they have said Who can see us? and - Who can understand us?

You turn things around!
Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay,
That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”;
Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

For their princes have been, in Zoan, - And, their messengers unto Hanes, would draw near.

The Oracle on the Beasts of the South, - Through a land of distress and oppression - Lioness and lion coming therefrom, Viper and fiery flying serpent, They would carry, on the shoulders of young asses their wealth And on the humps of camels their treasures Unto a people that cannot serve them.

But, the Egyptians, with vanity and emptiness, would help, - Therefore have I proclaimed concerning this, Insolent, they sit still!

For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

So shall, thine own ears, hear a word from behind thee saying, - This, is the way, walk ye therein, When ye would turn to the right hand Or when ye would turn to the left.

Alas! for them who are going down to Egypt for help, On horses, would rely, - And have trusted - In chariots - because they are many, and In horsemen, because they are very bold, But have not looked unto the Holy One of Israel, And onto Yahweh, have not sought.

Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting, that you would dare to rebel against me?

Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the Lord would deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”

I thought I would have lived unto the morrow, but he bruised my bones like a lion, and made an end of me in one day.

Lebanon would not provide enough fuel, nor are its animals enough for a burnt offering.

“To whom then will you liken Me
That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One.

Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

All the nations have gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them (the idolaters) can predict this [that Judah would return from captivity]
And proclaim to us the former events?
Let them provide their witnesses so that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say [in acknowledgement], “It is the truth.”

Who would form a god and cast an image of [which] he cannot profit?

For the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker says this,

“Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons,
And give Me orders concerning the work of My hands.

“To whom would you liken Me
And make Me equal and compare Me,
That we would be alike?

And you said, I will be a queen for ever: you did not give attention to these things, and did not keep in mind what would come after.

And I declared [them] to you from of old; I { announced} [them] to you before they came [to pass] so that you would not say, 'My idol did them, and my image and my cast image commanded them.'

Neither have you heard, nor have you known, nor from {of old} has your ear been opened. For I knew you would deal treacherously, very treacherously, and you [are] called a rebel from [the] womb.

“For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it [I refrain and do not completely destroy you];
For how can My Name be defiled and profaned [as it would if My chosen people were completely destroyed]?
And I will not give My glory to another [by permitting the worshipers of idols to triumph over you].

Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then would thy peace have been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea;

thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the grains thereof: his name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before me.

As for thy land that lieth desolate, wasted and destroyed: it shall be too narrow for them, that shall dwell in it. And they that would devour thee, shall be far away.

For why would no man receive me, when I came? And when I called, no man gave me answer. Was my hand clean smitten off, that it might not help? Or had I not power to deliver? Lo, at a word I drink up the sea, and of water floods I make dry land: so that for want of water, the fish corrupt and die of thirst.

Because, My Lord, Yahweh, would help me, Therefore was I not deterred by insult, - Therefore did I set my face like flint, And I knew that I should not be put to shame.

Who would have had faith in the word which has come to our ears, and to whom had the arm of the Lord been unveiled?

But the Lord was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

Lo! they would, quarrel, with thee - not at all from me, - Whoso hath quarrelled with thee, over thee, shall fall.

Against whom would ye disport yourselves? Against whom would ye widen the mouth and lengthen the tongue, - Are not, ye, Children of transgression, A Seed of falsehood.

You grew tired with your many wanderings, but you wouldn't say: "It is hopeless.' You found new strength for your desire, and so you did not falter.

Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made.

Then should the light break out as doth the dayspring, and then health should shortly bud out. And thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the LORD would come upon thee.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; I will be overjoyed because of my God. For he clothes me in garments of deliverance; he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would; I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry.

He led them through the deep, like a horse in the wilderness, so that they would not stumble.

Oh, that You would tear open the heavens and come down,
That the mountains might quake at Your presence—

At thy presence, had mountains, quaked: As fire kindleth brushwood, As fire causeth, water, to boil, So if thou wouldst make known thy Name to thine adversaries, At thy presence, nations, would tremble.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD: like as when one would gather holy grapes, men say unto him, "Break it not off, for it is holy," even so will I do also for my servants' sakes, that I will not destroy them all.

This is what the Lord says,

“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where, then, is a house that you could build for Me?
And where will My resting place be?

Therefore will I also have pleasure in laughing them to scorn, and the thing that they fear, will I bring upon them. For when I called, no man gave answer; when I spake, they would not hear: But did wickedness before mine eyes, and chose the things that displease me.