1. O people of Israel,do not rejoice as other nations do.For you have been unfaithful to your God,hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.
2. So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.There will be no grapes for making new wine.
3. You may no longer stay here in the lord’s land.Instead, you will return to Egypt,and in Assyria you will eat foodthat is ceremonially unclean.
4. There you will make no offerings of wine to the lord.None of your sacrifices there will please him.They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.They may eat this food themselves,but they may not offer it to the lord.
5. What then will you do on festival days?How will you observe the lord’s festivals?
6. Even if you escape destruction from Assyria,Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis will bury you.Nettles will take over your treasures of silver;thistles will invade your ruined homes.
7. The time of Israel’s punishment has come;the day of payment is here.Soon Israel will know this all too well.Because of your great sin and hostility,you say, “The prophets are crazyand the inspired men are fools!”