13. The Lord goes out to fight like a warrior;he is ready and eager for battle.He gives a war cry, a battle shout;he shows his power against his enemies.
14. God says,“For a long time I kept silent;I did not answer my people.But now the time to act has come;I cry out like a woman in labour.
15. I will destroy the hills and mountainsand dry up the grass and trees.I will turn the river valleys into desertsand dry up the pools of water.
16. “I will lead my blind peopleby roads they have never travelled.I will turn their darkness into lightand make rough country smooth before them.These are my promises,and I will keep them without fail.
17. All who trust in idols,who call images their gods,will be humiliated and disgraced.”
18. The Lord says,“Listen, you deaf people!Look closely, you that are blind!
19. Is anyone more blind than my servant,more deaf than the messenger I send?
20. Israel, you have seen so much,but what has it meant to you?You have ears to hear with,but what have you really heard?”
21. The Lord is a God who is eager to save,so he exalted his laws and teachings,and he wanted his people to honour them.
22. But now his people have been plundered;they are locked up in dungeonsand hidden away in prisons.They were robbed and plundered,with no one to come to their rescue.
23. Will any of you listen to this?From now on will you listen with care?
24. Who gave Israel up to the looters?It was the Lord himself, against whom we sinned!We would not live as he wanted us to liveor obey the teachings he gave us.
25. So he made us feel the force of his angerand suffer the violence of war.Like fire his anger burned throughout Israel,but we never knew what was happening;we learnt from it nothing at all.