5. But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust,and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff. And in an instant, suddenly,
6. you will be visited by the Lord of hostswith thunder and with earthquake and great noise,with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.
7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel,all that fight against her and her stronghold and distress her,shall be like a dream, a vision of the night.
8. As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eatingand awakes with his hunger not satisfied,or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinkingand awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched,so shall the multitude of all the nations bethat fight against Mount Zion.
9. Astonish yourselves and be astonished;blind yourselves and be blind!Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink!
10. For the Lord has poured out upon youa spirit of deep sleep,and has closed your eyes (the prophets),and covered your heads (the seers).
11. And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”
12. And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot read.”
13. And the Lord said:“Because this people draw near with their mouthand honor me with their lips,while their hearts are far from me,and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
14. therefore, behold, I will againdo wonderful things with this people,with wonder upon wonder;and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”
15. Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel,whose deeds are in the dark,and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”
16. You turn things upside down!Shall the potter be regarded as the clay,that the thing made should say of its maker,“He did not make me”;or the thing formed say of him who formed it,“He has no understanding”?
17. Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?
18. In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book,and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.
19. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.