Behold among the Heathen, and look well: wonder at it, and be abashed: For I will do a thing in your time, which though it be told you, ye shall not believe.

For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and swift people: which shall go as wide as the land is, to take possession of dwelling places that be not their own.

A grim and boisterous people is it, these shall sit in judgment and punish.

They come all to spoil: out of them cometh an east wind, which bloweth and gathereth their captives, like as the sand.

They shall mock the kings, and laugh the princes to scorn. They shall not set by any strong hold, for they shall lay ordinance against it, and take it.

They take up all with their angle, they catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarn: whereof they rejoice and are glad.

Therefore offer they unto their net, and do sacrifice unto their yarn: because that through it their portions is become so fat, and their meat so plenteous.

Wherefore they cast out their net again, and never cease to slay the people.

I stood upon my watch, and set me upon my bulwark, to look and see what he would say unto me, and what answer I should give him that reproveth me.

But the LORD answered me, and said, "Write the vision plainly upon thy tables, that whoso cometh by, may read it:

for the vision is yet far off for a time, but at the last it shall come to pass, and not fail. And though he tarry, yet wait thou for him, for in very deed he will come, and not be slack.

Like as the wine deceiveth the drunkard, even so the proud shall fail and not endure. He openeth his desire wide up as the hell, and is as insatiable as death. All Heathen gathereth he to him, and heapeth unto him all people."

so that the very stones of the wall shall cry out of it, and the timber that lieth betwixt the joints of the building shall answer.

What help then will the Image do, whom the workman hath fashioned? Or the vain cast Image, wherein because the craftsmen putteth his trust, therefore maketh he dumb Idols?

Woe unto him, that sayeth unto a piece of wood, "Arise," and to a dumb stone, "Stand up." For what instruction may such one give? Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath in it.

O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in thy wrath remember mercy.

His glory covereth the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise. His shine is as the sun, and beams of light go out of his hands; there is his power hid.

The mountains saw thee, and they tembled, the water stream went away: the deep made a noise at the lifting up of thine hand.

The Sun and Moon remained still in their habitation. Thine arrows went out glistering, and thy spears as the shine of the lightning.

Thou didst strike through with his scepter, the heads of his plan people: which come as a stormy wind to scatter me abroad, and are glad when they may eat up the poor secretly.

When I hear this, my body is vexed, my lips tremble at the voice thereof, my bones corrupt, I am afraid where I stand. O that I might rest in the day of trouble, that I might go up unto our people, which are already prepared.

For the fig trees shall not be green, and the vines shall bear no fruit. The labour of the olive shall be but lost, and the land shall bring no corn: the sheep shall be taken out of the fold, and there shall be no cattle in the stalls.