1. Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley— to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!
2. See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.
3. That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.
4. That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before harvest— as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.
5. In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.
6. He will be a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7. And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.
8. All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.
9. “Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?
10. For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that ; a little here, a little there.”
11. Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
12. to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose”— but they would not listen.
13. So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there— so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.
14. Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15. You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”
16. So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.
17. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
18. Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it.
19. As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
20. The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.