Isaiah 28
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
World English Bible
1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are smitten down with wine!
1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine!
2Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, as a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction, as a storm of mighty waters overflowing, that casteth down to the earth with violence.
2Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand.
3The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot;
3The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot.
4And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer, which when one looketh upon it, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.
4The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it.
5In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people;
5In that day, the LORD of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people,
6And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.
6and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7But these also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused because of wine, they stagger because of strong drink; they reel in vision, they totter in judgment.
7They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.
8For all tables are full of filthy vomit, and no place is clean.
8For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness.
9Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom shall one make to understand the message? Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn from the breasts?
9Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
10For it is precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little.
10For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.
11For with stammering lips and with a strange tongue shall it be spoken to this people;
11But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language,
12To whom it was said: 'This is the rest, give ye rest to the weary; and this is the refreshing'; yet they would not hear.
12to whom he said, “This is the resting place. Give rest to the weary,” and “This is the refreshing;” yet they would not hear.
13And so the word of the LORD is unto them precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
13Therefore the LORD’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.
14Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scoffers, the ballad-mongers of this people which is in Jerusalem:
14Therefore hear the LORD’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:
15Because ye have said: 'We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether-world are we at agreement; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood have we hid ourselves';
15“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we are in agreement with Sheol. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won’t come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.’”
16Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a costly corner-stone of sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste.
16Therefore the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily.
17And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place.
17I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.
18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled and your agreement with the nether-world shall not stand; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it,
18Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.
19As often as it passeth through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be sheer terror to understand the message.
19As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message.”
20For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself; and the covering too narrow when he gathereth himself up.
20For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in.
21For the LORD will rise up as in mount Perazim, He will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon; that He may do His work, strange is His work, and bring to pass His act, strange is His act.
21For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act.
22Now therefore be ye not scoffers, lest your bands be made strong; for an extermination wholly determined have I heard from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, upon the whole land.
22Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, GOD of Armies, on the whole earth.
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; attend, and hear my speech.
23Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!
24Is the plowman never done with plowing to sow, with the opening and harrowing of his ground?
24Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?
25When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the black cummin, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the appointed place and the spelt in the border thereof?
25When he has leveled its surface, doesn’t he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?
26For He doth instruct him aright; his God doth teach him.
26For his God instructs him in right judgment and teaches him.
27For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing-sledge, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the black cummin is beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
27For the dill isn’t threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
28Is bread corn crushed? Nay, he will not ever be threshing it; and though the roller of his wagon and its sharp edges move noisily, he doth not crush it.
28Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don’t grind it.
29This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts: Wonderful is His counsel, and great His wisdom.
29This also comes out from the LORD of Armies, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
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