12. Let the whole world glorify the lord;let it sing his praise.
13. The lord will march forth like a mighty hero;he will come out like a warrior, full of fury.He will shout his battle cryand crush all his enemies.
14. He will say, “I have long been silent;yes, I have restrained myself.But now, like a woman in labor,I will cry and groan and pant.
15. I will level the mountains and hillsand blight all their greenery.I will turn the rivers into dry landand will dry up all the pools.
16. I will lead blind Israel down a new path,guiding them along an unfamiliar way.I will brighten the darkness before themand smooth out the road ahead of them.Yes, I will indeed do these things;I will not forsake them.
17. But those who trust in idols,who say, ‘You are our gods,’will be turned away in shame.
18. “Listen, you who are deaf!Look and see, you blind!
19. Who is as blind as my own people, my servant?Who is as deaf as my messenger?Who is as blind as my chosen people,the servant of the lord?
20. You see and recognize what is rightbut refuse to act on it.You hear with your ears,but you don’t really listen.”
21. Because he is righteous,the lord has exalted his glorious law.
22. But his own people have been robbed and plundered,enslaved, imprisoned, and trapped.They are fair game for anyoneand have no one to protect them,no one to take them back home.
23. Who will hear these lessons from the pastand see the ruin that awaits you in the future?
24. Who allowed Israel to be robbed and hurt?It was the lord, against whom we sinned,for the people would not walk in his path,nor would they obey his law.
25. Therefore, he poured out his fury on themand destroyed them in battle.They were enveloped in flames,but they still refused to understand.They were consumed by fire,but they did not learn their lesson.