4. That beautiful crown of flowers is just a dying plant.It sits on a hill above a rich valley.That city will be like the first fig of summer.When a person sees it,he quickly picks it and eats it.
5. At that time the Lord of heaven’s armieswill be like a beautiful crown.He will be like a wonderful crown of flowersfor his people who are left alive.
6. Then the Lord will give wisdomto the judges who rule his people.The Lord will give strengthto those who battle at the city gate.
7. But now those leaders are drunk with wine.They stumble from drinking too much beer.The priests and prophets are drunk with beer.They are filled with wine.They stumble from too much beer.The prophets are drunk when they see their visions.The judges stumble when they make their decisions.
8. Every table is covered with vomit.There is not a clean place anywhere.
9. The Lord is trying to teach the people a lesson.He is trying to make them understand his teachings.But the people are like little babies.They are like babies who just nursed at their mother’s breast.
10. So they make fun of the Lord’s prophet and say:“A command here, a command there.A rule here, a rule there.A lesson here, a lesson there.”
11. So the Lord will use strange words and foreign languagesto speak to these people.
12. God said to them,“Here is a place of rest.Let the tired people come and rest.This is the place of peace.”But the people would not listen.
13. So the words of the Lord will be,“A command here, a command there.A rule here, a rule there.A lesson here, a lesson there.”They will fall back and will be defeated.They will be trapped and captured.
14. You who brag should listen to the Lord’s message.Pay attention, you leaders in Jerusalem.
15. You say, “We have made an agreement with death.We have a contract with death.When punishment passes by,it won’t hurt us.We will be safe with our lies.We will hide behind our tricks.”