Though the inhabitress of Maroth waited for blessing, - yet there came down calamity from Yahweh, to the gate of Jerusalem.

Bind the chariot to the steed, O inhabitress of Lachish, - the beginning of sin, was she to the daughter of Zion, for, in thee, have been found the transgressions of Israel.

Therefore, shalt thou give a dismission, against Moresheth-gath, - The houses of Achzib, served for a deception to the kings of Israel.

The time shall yet be when, the heir, I will bring unto thee, O inhabitress of Mareshah, - as far as Adullam, shall enter the glory of Israel.

Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair, for the children of thy pleasures, - enlarge thy baldness, like a vulture, for they are exiled from thee.

Alas for them who devise iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds, - in the light of the morning, they will execute it, for it is in the power of their hand.

Therefore, - Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! devising, against this family, a calamity, - from which ye shall not remove your neck, neither shall ye walk loftily, for, a time of calamity, shall it be.

Arise ye and depart, for, this, is not the place of rest, - Because it is defiled, it shall make desolate with a desolation that is ruthless.

Therefore, shall it be night to you, for lack of vision, and darkness to you, for lack of divination, - and the sun, shall go in, over the prophets, and the day, shall be overcast because of them;

Her heads, for a bribe, pronounce sentence, and, her priests, for a price, give direction, and, her prophets, for silver, divine, - yet, on Yahweh, they lean, saying, Is not, Yahweh, in our midst? there shall not come upon us, calamity.

Wherefore, for your sake, Zion, as a field, shall be ploughed, and, Jerusalem, unto heaps of ruins, shall be turned, - and, the mountain of the house, shall be like mounds in a jungle.

Yea many nations, shall go, and say - come ye, and let us ascend unto the mountain of Yahweh, and unto the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us of his ways, and we may walk in his paths, - for, out of Zion, shall go forth a law, and, the word of Yahweh, out of Jerusalem;

And he will judge between many peoples, and be umpire to strong nations far and wide, - and they will beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, Nation - against nation - shall not lift up sword, neither shall they learn - any more - to make war.

And they shall dwell - every man - under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, with none to make them afraid, - for, the mouth of Yahweh of hosts, hath spoken.

For, all the peoples, walk, every man in the name of his god, - we, therefore, will walk in the name of Yahweh our God, to times age-abiding and beyond.

And will make of her that was lame a residue, and of her that was removed far away a strong nation, - and Yahweh, shall be king, over them, in Mount Zion, from henceforth, even unto times age-abiding.

Thou, therefore, O Migdal-eder, mound of the daughter of Zion, as far as thee, shall it come, - so shall arrive the chief dominion, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, wherefore shouldst thou cry out aloud? King, is there none within thee? or hath, thy counselor, perished? for labour, hath seized thee, as a woman in child-birth: -

Be in labour, and bear, O daughter of Zion, as a woman in child-birth, - for, meanwhile, shalt thou go forth out of the city, and dwell in the field, and shalt come as far as Babylon, there, shalt thou be delivered, there, will Yahweh, redeem thee, out of the grasp of thine enemies.

But, they, know not the purposes of Yahweh, neither have they discerned his counsel, - for he hath gathered them, as sheaves, to a threshing-floor.

Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for, thy horn, will I make to be iron, and, thy hoofs, will I make to he bronze, so shalt thou beat in pieces many peoples, - and shalt devote to Yahweh their unrighteous gain, and their substance, to the Lord of all the earth.

Then shall he stand, and tend his flock in the strength of Yahweh, In the excellency of the name of Yahweh his God, have they endured, - For, now, shall he be great unto the ends of the earth;

So shall this one be Prosperity. As for Assyria - when he shall enter our land, and when he shall tread down in our palaces, then will we raise up against him, seven shepherds, and eight princes of mankind.

And, the remnant of Jacob, shall be, in the midst of many peoples, as dew from Yahweh, as myriad drops on plants, - which tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of Adam.

Hear, ye mountains, the controversy of Yahweh, and ye lasting rocks, the foundations of the earth, - for, a controversy, hath Yahweh, with his people, and, with Israel, will he dispute.

For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and, out of the house of slaves, I ransomed thee, - and I sent before thee, Moses, Aaron and Miriam.

O my people! remember, I pray you, what Balak king of Moab, counseled, and what Balaam son of Beer, answered him, - from the Acacias as far as Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of Yahweh.

Will Yahweh, be pleased, with thousands of rams? with myriads of torrents of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

The voice of Yahweh, to the city, crieth out, With safety for him who regardeth his name, - Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

For, her rich men, are full of violence, and, her inhabitants, have spoken falsehood, - and, their tongue, is deceitful in their mouth.

For strictly observed are the statutes of Omri, and every doing of the house of Ahab, and ye have walked in their counsels, - to the end I may give thee up to desolation, and her inhabitants to hissing, that, the reproach of peoples, ye may bear.

Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved.

Perished is the man of lovingkindness out of the earth, and, upright among men, is there none, - they all, for bloodshed, lie in wait. Every man - for his brother, do they hunt as for one devoted to destruction.

Of wickedness with both hands to make sure, the ruler, doth make demand - and the judge - for a recompense, - and, as for the great man, he, is putting into words the desire of his soul, So have they woven the net!

For, the son, treateth as foolish, the father, and, the daughter, riseth up against, her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, - The foes of a man, are the men of his own house.

But, I, for Yahweh, will watch, I will wait for the God of my salvation, - My God, will hear me.

The indignation of Yahweh, will I bear, for I have sinned against him, - until he take up my controversy, then will he do me justice, he will bring me forth to the light, I shall behold his righteousness.

So shall she who had been mine enemy fear, and shame, shall cover her, who used to say unto me - Where is Yahweh thy God? Mine own eyes, shall look upon her, Now, shall she become one to he trodden down, like the mire of the lanes.

On the day for building thy walls, - on that day, far away shall be thy boundary:

They shall lick the dust like the serpent, Like the crawlers of the earth, shall they come quaking out of their fastnesses, - Towards Yahweh our God, shall they pay adoration, and shall fear because of thee.

Who is a GOD like unto thee, taking away the iniquity - and passing over the transgression - of the remnant of his inheritance? He hath not held fast, perpetually, his anger, for, one who delighteth in lovingkindness, is he!

Yahweh, is slow to anger, but great in vigour, He will not leave, unpunished, as for Yahweh, in storm-wind and in tempest, is his way, and, clouds, are the dust of his feet.

Before his indignation, who shall stand? And who shall abide the glow of his anger? His wrath, hath been poured forth like fire, and, the rocks, have been broken down because of him.

Then will Yahweh give command concerning thee, None of thy name shall be sown any more, - out of the house of thy gods, will I cut off carved image and molten image, I will appoint thy grave, for thou art of little esteem.

Lo! upon the mountains, The feet of one, who bringeth Good Tidings! who publisheth Prosperity! Celebrate, O Judah, thy pilgrim festivals, fulfil thy vows, for, not again, any more, shall the Abandoned One, pass through thee, he hath been wholly cut off.

For Yahweh hath restored the excellency of Jacob, like the excellency of Israel, - for the plunderers have plundered them, and, their vine branches, have they marred.

The shield of his heroes, is made red, the men of war, are clad in crimson, on fire, are the chariot-steels, on the day he maketh ready, - and, the lances, are put in motion.

Yet, as for Nineveh, like a reservoir of waters, are her waters, - but, those men, are in flight! Stand! stand but no one is turning.

The lion, used to tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and to strangle for his lionesses, - and then fill with prey his holes, and his lairs with what he had torn.

Alas for the city of bloodshed! All of it, deceit, of violence full, none releaseth prey!

Because of the multitude of the unchaste doings of the unchaste one, fair in grace, mistress of secret arts, - who hath been selling nations by her unchaste doings, families by her secret arts,

Yet, she, was given up to exile, she went into captivity, even her babes, were dashed to the ground, at the head of all the streets, - and, for her honourable men, cast they lots, and, all her great men, were bound together in chains.

Lo! thy people, are women, in thy midst, to thy foes, have been set wide open the gates of thy and, - a fire, hath devoured, thy bars.

Siege-water, draw for thyself, strengthen thy fortresses, - go into the clay, and tread thou the mortar, make strong the brick.

There, shall a fire devour thee, the sword, shall cut thee off, it shall devour thee like the grass locust, make thyself numerous like the grass locust, make thyself numerous as the swarming locust:

No lessening of thine injury, grievous is thy wound, - all who have heard the report of thee, have clapped their hands over thee, for, upon whom, hath not thy cruelty passed without ceasing?

For which cause, benumbed is the law, and there is never any going forth of justice, - for, the lawless, doth circumvent the righteous, for which cause, justice doth go forth perverted?

Behold ye, among the nations, and look around, Yea stand stock still - stare, - for, a work, is being wrought in your days, ye will not believe, when it is recounted.

For, behold me! raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and headlong nation, - that marcheth to the breadths of the earth, to take possession of habitations, not his.

Solely for violence, will he come, the intent of their faces, is - To the east! And he hath gathered, as the sand, a captive host;

For yet is the vision for an appointed time, still, it presseth towards an end, and will not deceive, - if it tarry, wait thou for it, for it, surely cometh, - will not be too late.

Lo! as for the conceited one, crooked is his soul within him,- but, one who is righteous, by his faithfulness, shall live.

Shall not, these, all of them, against him, take up - a taunt, a mocking poem, enigmatical sentences - concerning him? And say - Alas! for him who maketh abundance in what is not his own, How long? that he should be burdening himself with heavy debts?

Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto them!

Because, thou, hast plundered many nations, all the residue of the peoples, shall plunder thee, - for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.

Alas! for him who extorteth an extortion of wrong for his own house, - that he may set on high his nest, that he may be delivered from the grasp of calamity.

Alas! for him who buildeth a city with deeds of blood, - and establisheth a town with perversity.

Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts - that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves?

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, - as, the waters, cover the sea.

Alas! for him who causeth his neighbour to drink, from the goblet of thy fury, and also, making him drunk, - to the end thou mayest gloat over their parts of shame.

For, the violence done to Lebanon, shall cover thee, and wasting by wild beasts shall cause them terror, - for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.

Alas! for him who saith to wood, Awake, bestir thee! to a silent stone, he, shall teach! Though he is overlaid with gold and silver, yet, no spirit whatsoever, is in him!

Against the rivers, is Yahweh wroth? Against the rivers, is thine anger? Against the sea, is thine indignation? For thou wilt ride on Thy horses, Thy chariots, shall be salvation!

And them who turn away from following Yahweh, - and have neither sought Yahweh, nor enquired for him.

Hush! at the presence of My Lord, Yahweh, - for, near, is the day of Yahweh, for Yahweh hath prepared his sacrifice, hath hallowed his guests.

Neither their silver nor yet their gold, shall be able to deliver them, in the day of the indignation of Yahweh, but, in the fire of his jealousy, shall the whole earth be consumed; For, a destruction, surely a terrible one, will he make, with all them who dwell in the earth.

For, Gaza, forsaken, shall be, and, Ashkelon, a desolation, - Ashdod! at high noon, shall they drive her forth, and, Ekron, be uprooted:

Alas! for the inhabitants of the line of the sea, the nation of Kerethim, - The word of Yahweh, is against you, O Canaan of the land of the Philistines, therefore will I destroy thee, to the last inhabitant.

And the line shall belong to the remnant of the house of Judah, Thereon, shall they feed their flocks, - In the houses of Ashkelon, shall they, at eventide, lie down, for Yahweh their God will visit them, and bring their captives back.

Wherefore, as I live, declareth Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Surely, Moab, like Sodom, shall become, and, the sons of Ammon, like Gomorrah, a possession for the thorn, and a pit of salt, Yea a desolation, unto times age-abiding: The remnant of my people, shall make of them a prey, and, the residue of my nation, shall inherit them.

Terrible will Yahweh be against them, for he hath caused to waste away all the gods of the earth, that men may bow down to him, every one from his place, all the coastlands of the nations:

So shall lie down in her midst - flocks, each living thing of a nation, both pelican and bittern, in her capitals, shall roost, - a voice, shall resound in the window, the bustard, on the sill, for he hath destroyed, hath laid bare.

Alas for her that is rebellious, and polluted, the city that oppresseth!

I have cut off nations, deserted are their towers, have made desolate their streets, that none passeth through; ruined are their cities, for want of men of note, from lack of any dweller!

Wherefore, wait for me, urgeth Yahweh, until the day when I rise up as witness, for, my decision, is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them mine indignation, all the glow of mine anger, for, in the fire of my jealousy, shall be devoured the whole earth.

From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, shall come my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bear along a gift for me.

In that day, wilt thou not turn pale for all thy deeds, wherein thou hast transgressed against me? For, then, will I take away out of thy midst thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt not again be haughty any more in my holy mountain:

Yahweh, hath set aside, thy judgments, hath turned back thy foe, - The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in thy midst, thou shalt not fear calamity, any more.

In that day, shall it be said - to Jerusalem, Do not fear, - O Zion, Let not thy hands hang down:

Thus, speaketh Yahweh of hosts, saying, - This people, have said, Not yet hath come the time for the house of Yahweh to be built.

When ye looked for much, then lo! it came to little, when ye brought it home, then I did blow into it, - Because of what? Demandeth Yahweh of hosts, Because of my house, the which is in ruins, while ye keep running every man to his own house.

And I have called for drought, upon the land and upon the mountains, and upon the corn and upon the new wine and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground, bringeth forth, - and upon man, and upon beast, and upon all the labour of the hands.

Now, therefore - Be strong, O Zerubbabel, urgeth Yahweh, and be strong, O Jehoshua son of Jehozadak the high priest, and be strong, all ye people of the land, urgeth Yahweh, and work; For, I, am with you, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.

The very thing that I solemnized with you, when ye came forth out of the land of Egypt, That, my spirit abiding in your midst, ye should not fear.

For, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet once, a little, it is, - and I am shaking the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land;

Then said Haggai, If one who is defiled for a dead person touch any of these, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered and said, It shall be defiled.

On that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel - my servant, declareth Yahweh, and will set thee as a signet-ring; For, thee, have I chosen, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.

Howbeit, as for my words and my statutes with which I charged my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and so they returned and said, Just as Yahweh of hosts planned to do unto us, according to our ways and according to our practices, So hath he dealt with us?

So the man who was standing among the myrtle-trees responded, and said, - These, are they whom Yahweh, hath sent, to go to and fro through the earth.

Then responded they to the messenger of Yahweh, who was standing among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have gone to and fro through the earth, - and lo! all the earth, resteth and is quiet.