Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards Efrayim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty which is at the head of the rich valley of those who are overcome with wine!

Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong, as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing; he will cast down to the earth with might.

The crown of pride of the drunkards of Efrayim shall be trodden under feet:

and the fading flower of the glorious beauty, which is at the head of the rich valley, shall be as the first ripe fig before the summer; which when one sees, while it is yet in his hand he swallows it up.

In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, to the residue of his people,

and for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle to the gate.

But they also reel through wine, and stagger through strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel through strong drink, they are confused by wine, they stagger through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

For all tables are full of vomit and filth, so that there is no place clean.

Whom shall one teach knowledge? and whom shall one make to understand doctrine? those that are weaned from the milk, and removed from the breasts?

For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

for with stammering lips and another tongue shall one speak to this people.

When he said to them, This is the rest; cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing: they would not hear.

Therefore the word of the Lord was to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, scornful men, that rule this people which is in Yerushalayim.

Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with She᾽ol are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come to us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Żiyyon for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste.

Judgment also will I lay by a line, and righteousness by a plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters shall overflow the hiding place.

And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with She᾽ol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it.

As often as it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and the mere understanding of the report shall bring terror.

For the bed is too short for a man to stretch himself; and the covering too narrow for him to wrap himself up.

For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perażim, he shall be full of anger as in the valley of Giv῾on, that he may do his work, though strange be his work; and bring to pass his act, though strange be his act.

Now therefore be not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts that destruction is decreed upon the whole land.

Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

Does the plowman all day plow to sow? open and harrow his ground?

When he has prepared a smooth surface, does he not then scatter the black seeds, and cast the cummin, and throw in wheat by rows, and barley in the marked spot, and spelt along its border.

And he strictly raises it according to the method prescribed; his God instructs him.

For the black seeds are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the black crop is beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

Is the bread corn crushed? No, he will not ever be threshing it; and when he drives the wheel of his cart and his horses over it, he does not crush it.

This also came from the Lord of hosts. He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.