7. Or repel an arrow shot by a strong archer?
8. The Lord God sends disasters; who can ward them off?
9. His anger blazes like fire; who can extinguish it?
10. When lightning flashes, who isn’t afraid? When it thunders, who doesn’t feel fear?
11. The Lord threatens, and who isn’t shaken to the core in his presence?
12. The earth and its foundations shake. The sea heaves from the deep; its waves and fish are sent into turmoil when the Lord shows his face and reveals the glory of his power.
13. The one who shoots the arrow is mighty in glory; the tip of the arrow he releases is sharp and won’t miss when it’s shot to the ends of the earth.
14. Look, disasters are sent forth, and they don’t turn back until they fall upon the earth.
15. Fire is lit and not extinguished until it consumes the foundations of the earth.
16. As an arrow that is shot by a powerful archer doesn’t turn back, so the disasters that will be unleashed upon the earth won’t turn back.
17. I am doomed! I am doomed! Who will save me when those days arrive?
18. The beginning of groaning and an abundance of sighing! The beginning of famine, and many will perish; the beginning of wars, and powerful ones will be afraid; the beginning of disasters, and all will be terrified.
19. What will they do when the disasters come?
20. Look! A plague of famine has been sent out, and the distress it inflicts is like a whip, a punishment for discipline.
21. But in the midst of all these, they won’t turn from their sins and won’t keep the plagues in mind.
22. Look! In a short time provisions will be so cheap on earth that people will think that peace has been established for them, but then disasters will blossom all over the earth—the sword and famine.
23. They will lack life’s necessities, and the sword will scatter those who survive the famine.
24. The dead will be tossed out like dung, and there will be no one to console them, for the earth will be left abandoned, and its cities will be cast down.