Isaiah 28

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Woe to the haughty crown of Ephraim's drunkards, to the fading flower of its proud splendour sited atthe head of the lush val ey, to those prostrated by wine!	1 Woe to the majestic garland of the drunkard Ephraim, To the fading blooms of his glorious beauty, on the head of him who is stupefied with wine.
2 See, a strong and mighty man in the Lord's service, like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, likeimmense flood-waters overflowing, with his hand he throws them to the ground.	2 Behold, the LORD has a strong one and a mighty, who, like a downpour of hail, a destructive storm, Like a flood of water, great and overflowing, levels to the ground with violence;
3 They wil be trampled underfoot, the haughty crown of Ephraim's drunkards,	3 With feet that will trample the majestic garland of the drunkard Ephraim.
4 and the faded flower of its proud splendour sited at the head of the lush val ey. Like a fig ripe beforesummer comes: whoever spots it forthwith picks and swal ows it.	4 The fading blooms of his glorious beauty on the head of the fertile valley Will be like an early fig before summer: when a man sees it, he picks and swallows it at once.
5 That day Yahweh Sabaoth wil be a crown of splendour and a proud diadem for the remnant of hispeople,	5 On that day the LORD of hosts will be a glorious crown And a brilliant diadem to the remnant of his people,
6 a spirit of fair judgement for him who sits in judgement, and the strength of those who repel the assaulton the gate.	6 A spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7 These too have been confused by wine, have gone astray owing to liquor. Priest and prophet havebecome confused by liquor, are sodden with wine, have strayed owing to liquor, have become confused in theirvisions, have strayed in their decisions.	7 But these also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priest and prophet stagger from strong drink, overpowered by wine; Led astray by strong drink, staggering in their visions, tottering when giving judgment.
8 Yes, every table is covered in filthy vomit, not one is clean!	8 Yes, all the tables are covered with filthy vomit, with no place left clean.
9 'Whom does he think he is lecturing? Whom does he think his message is for? Babies just weaned?Babies just taken from the breast?	9 "To whom would he impart knowledge? To whom would he convey the message? To those just weaned from milk, those taken from the breast?
10 With his "Sav lasav, sav lasav, kav lakav, kav lakav, zeer sham, zeer sham!"	10 For he says, 'Command on command, command on command, rule on rule, rule on rule, here a little, there a little!'"
11 Now, with stammering lips and in a foreign language, he wil talk to this nation.	11 Yes, with stammering lips and in a strange language he will speak to this people
12 He used to say to them, 'Here you can rest! Here you can let the weary rest! Here al is quiet.' But theyrefused to listen.	12 to whom he said: This is the resting place, give rest to the weary; Here is repose-- but they would not listen.
13 Now Yahweh is going to say this to them, 'Sav lasav, sav lasav, kav lakav, kav lakav, zeer sham, zeersham.' So that when they walk they wil fal over backwards and so be broken, trapped and taken captive.	13 So for them the word of the LORD shall be: "Command on command, command on command, Rule on rule, rule on rule, here a little, there a little!" So that when they walk, they stumble backward, broken, ensnared, and captured.
14 Hence listen to Yahweh's word, you insolent men, rulers of this people in Jerusalem.	14 Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, you arrogant, who rule this people in Jerusalem:
15 Because you have said, 'We have made a treaty with Death and have struck a pact with Sheol. Whenthe scourging flood comes over, it wil not touch us, for we have made lies our refuge and hidden underfalsehood.'	15 Because you say, "We have made a covenant with death, and with the nether world we have made a pact; When the overwhelming scourge passes, it will not reach us; For we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have found a hiding place,"--
16 So the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Now I shall lay a stone in Zion, a granite stone, a precious corner-stone, a firm foundation-stone: no one who relies on this will stumble.	16 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: See, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that has been tested, A precious cornerstone as a sure foundation; he who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.
17 And I wil make fair judgement the measure, and uprightness the plumb-line.' But hail wil sweep awaythe refuge of lies and floods wash away the hiding-place;	17 I will make of right a measuring line, of justice a level.-- Hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters shall flood the hiding place.
18 your treaty with Death wil be broken and your pact with Sheol wil not hold. When the scourging floodcomes over, you wil be trodden down by it;	18 Your covenant with death shall be canceled and your pact with the nether world shall not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes, you shall be trampled down by it.
19 every time it comes over, it wil seize on you, for it wil come over, morning after morning, day by dayand night by night. Nothing but fear will make you understand what you hear.	19 Whenever it passes, it shall take you; morning after morning it shall pass, By day and by night; terror alone shall convey the message.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch in, the blanket too narrow for covering.	20 For the bed shall be too short to stretch out in, and the cover too narrow to wrap in.
21 Yes, as on Mount Perazim, Yahweh will rise, as in the Val ey of Gibeon, he wil storm to do his work,his mysterious work, to do his deed, his extraordinary deed.	21 For the LORD shall rise up as on Mount Perazim, bestir himself as in the Valley of Gibeon, To carry out his work, his singular work, to perform his deed, his strange deed.
22 Stop scoffing, then, or your bonds wil be tightened further, for I have heard it: it has been irrevocablydecided as regards the whole country by the Lord Yahweh Sabaoth.	22 Now, be arrogant no more lest your bonds be tightened, For I have heard from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, the destruction decreed for the whole earth.
23 Listen closely to my words, be attentive, understand what I am saying.	23 Give ear and hear my voice, pay attention and listen to what I say:
24 Does the ploughman plough al day to sow, breaking up and harrowing his ground?	24 Is the plowman forever plowing, always loosening and harrowing his land for planting?
25 Once he has level ed its surface, does he not scatter fennel, sow cummin? Then he puts in wheat,mil et, barley and, round the edges, spelt,	25 When he has leveled the surface, does he not scatter gith and sow cumin, Put in wheat and barley, with spelt as its border?
26 for his God has taught him this rule and instructed him.	26 He has learned this rule, instructed by his God.
27 Fennel must not be crushed with a sledge, nor cart-wheels driven over cummin; fennel must bebeaten with a stick, and cummin with a flail.	27 Gith is not threshed with a sledge, nor does a cartwheel roll over cumin. But gith is beaten out with a staff, and cumin crushed for food with a rod.
28 When you are threshing wheat, you do not waste time crushing it; you get the horse and cart-wheelmoving, but you do not grind it fine.	28 No, he does not thresh it unendingly, nor does he crush it with his noisy cartwheels and horses.
29 Al this is a gift from Yahweh Sabaoth, marvel ous advice leading to great achievements.	29 This too comes from the LORD of hosts; wonderful is his counsel and great his wisdom.