1 Alas, for those disobedient children," sayeth the LORD, "that will take counsel without me. Alas, that they will take a secret advice, and not out of my spirit: and therefore add they sin unto sin.
2 They go down into Egypt, and ask me no counsel; to seek help at he power of Pharaoh, and comfort in the shadow of the Egyptians.
3 But Pharaoh's help shall be your confusion, and the comfort in the Egyptian's shadow shall be your own shame.
4 Your rulers have been at Zoan, and your messengers came unto Hanes.
5 They were all ashamed of the people that could do them no good, and that might not help them, nor show them any profit - but were their confusion and rebuke."
6 Your beasts have born burdens upon their backs toward the South, through the way that is full of peril and trouble, because of the lion and lioness; of the Cockatrice and shooting dragon. Yea the Mules bare your substance, and the Camels brought your treasure, upon their crooked backs, unto a people that cannot help you.
7 For the Egyptian's help shall be but vain and lost. Therefore I told you also that your pride should have an end.
8 Now therefore, go thy way; and write them this before them in a table, and note it in a book: that it may finally remain and be kept still forever.
9 For it is an obstinate people, unfaithful children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD.
10 They dare say to the Prophets, "See not," and unto them that be clear of judgment, "Tell us of nothing for to come, but speak friendly words unto us, and preach us false things.
11 Tread out of the way, go out of the path, turn the holy one of Israel from us."
12 Therefore, thus sayeth the holy one of Israel, "Insomuch as ye have cast off your beauty, and comforted yourselves with power and nimbleness, and put your confidence therein:
13 therefore shall ye have this mischief again for your destruction and fall, like as a high wall, that falleth because of some rift or blast, whose breaking cometh suddenly.
14 And your destruction shall be like as an earthen pot, which breaketh no man touching it, yea and breaketh so sore, that a man shall not find a shiver of it to fetch fire in, or to take water withal out of the pit."
15 For the LORD God, even the holy one of Israel, hath promised this: "In repentance and in rest shall ye be safe; in quietness and hope shall your strength lie."
16 For ye have said, "No, but we will escape through horses!" Therefore shall ye flee. And, "We will get us up upon swift beasts!" Therefore shall your persecutors be swifter.
17 A thousand of you shall flee for one, or at the most for five, which do but only give you evil words: until ye be desolate, as a ship mast upon a high mountain, and as a beacon upon a hill.
18 Yet standeth the LORD waiting, that he may have mercy upon you, and lifteth himself up, that he may receive you to grace. For the LORD God is righteous. Happy are all they that wait for him.
19 For thus, O thou people of Zion and ye citizens of Jerusalem, shall ye never be in heaviness; for doubtless he will have mercy upon thee. As soon as he heareth the voice of thy cry, he will help thee.
20 And though the LORD giveth you the bread of adversity, and the water of trouble, thine instructor flyeth not far from thee; if thine eyes look unto thine instructor,
21 and thine ears hearken to his word that cryeth after thee and sayeth, "This is the way. Walk ye in it. Turn not aside; neither to the righthand nor to the left."
22 Ye shall destroy also the covering of your silver images, and the decking of your golden idols. Even as filthiness shall ye put them away, and say, "Get you hence."
23 Then will he give rain to the seed that ye shall sow in the earth, and give you bread of the increase of the earth, so that all shall be plenteous and abundant. Thy cattle also shall he feed in the broad meadows;
24 yea, thine oxen and Mules that till the ground, shall eat good fodder which is purged with the fan.
25 Goodly rivers shall flow out of all his mountains and hills. In the day of the great slaughter when the towers shall fall,
26 the moon shall shine as the sun, and the sunshine shall be seven fold, and have as much shine, as in seven days beside. In that day shall the LORD bind up the bruised sores of his people, and heal their wounds.
27 Behold, the glory of the LORD shall come from far, his face shall burn, that no man shall be able to abide it, his lips shall wag for very indignation, and his tongue shall be as a consuming fire.
28 His breath is like a vehement flood of water, which goeth up to the throat. That he may take away the people, which have turned themselves unto vanity, and the bridle of error, that lieth in other folks' jaws.
29 But ye shall sing, as the use is in the night of the holy solemnity. Ye shall rejoice from your heart, as they that come with the pipe, when they go up to the mount of the LORD, unto the rock of Israel.
30 The LORD also shall set up the power of his voice, and declare his terrible arm, with his angry countenance; yea, and the flame of the consuming fire, with earthquake, tempest of wind, and hailstones.
31 Then shall the Assyrians fear also because of the voice of the LORD, which shall smite him with the rod.
32 And it shall come to pass that whithersoever he goeth the rod shall cleave unto him which the LORD shall lay upon him, with tabrets and harps: and with a great war shall he fight against his host.
33 For the fire of pain is ordained from the beginning: yea, even for kings it is prepared. This hath the LORD set in the deep, and made it wide: the burning whereof is fire and much wood. The breath of the LORD, which is a river of brimstone, doth kindle it.