Woe them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that prescribe oppression.

To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

And what will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will you flee for help? and where will you leave your glory?

There is nothing to be done except to crouch among the prisoners, and fall among the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Woe to Ashshur the rod of my anger; for the staff in their hand is my indignation.

I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Howbeit he means not so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

For he says, Are not my princes all of them kings?

Is not Kalno as Karkemish? is not Ḥamat as Arpad? is not Shomeron as Dammeseq?

As my hand has reached the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved idols did exceed those of Yerushalayim and of Shomeron,

shall I not, as I have done to Shomeron and her idols, so do to Yerushalayim and her idols?

Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord has performed his whole work upon mount Żiyyon and on Yerushalayim, I will punish the fruit of the proud heart of the king of Ashshur, and the glory of his high looks.

For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the mighty number of their inhabitants.

And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.

Shall the ax boast itself against him that hews with it? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that wields it? as if the rod should shake them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up them that are no wood!

Therefore shall the Master, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory shall be kindled a burning like the burning of a fire.

And the light of Yisra᾽el shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;

and shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a sick person wastes away.

And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them down.

And it shall come to pass on that day, that the remnant of Yisra᾽el, and such as are escaped of the house of Ya῾aqov, shall no more again rely upon him that smote them; but shall rely upon the Lord, the Holy One of Yisra᾽el in truth.

A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Ya῾aqov, to the mighty God.

For though Thy people Yisra᾽el be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: total destruction is decreed but overflowing with righteousness.

For it is determined and decreed; the Lord God of hosts shall do it.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Żiyyon, be not afraid of Ashshur: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Miżrayim.

But yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and my anger shall be turned to their destruction.

And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a whip for him according to the slaughter of Midyan at the rock of ῾Orev: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Miżrayim.

And it shall come to pass on that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the fatness.

He is come to ῾Ayyat, he is passed to Migron; at Mikhmash he has left his baggage:

they are gone over the pass: they have taken up their lodging at Geva; Rama is afraid; Giv῾at-Sha᾽ul is fled.

Lift up thy voice, O Bat-gallim: hearken Laysha, O poor ῾Anatot.

Madmena is removed; the inhabitants of Gevim flee for safety.

This very day he will halt at Nov: he will shake his hands against the mountain of the daughter of Żiyyon, the hill of Yerushalayim.

Behold, the Master, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Levanon shall fall by a mighty one.