Isaiah 28

hoy ateret ge'ut shikkore efrayim vetsits novel tsevi tifarto asher al-rosh ge-shemanim halume yayin

Ah, the proud crowns of the drunkards of Ephraim, Whose glorious beauty is but wilted flowers On the heads of those bloated with rich food, Who are overcome by wine!

hinneh khazaq ve'ammits ladonay kezerem barad sa'ar qatev kezerem mayim kabbirim shotefim hinniakh la'arets beyad

Lo, my Sovereign has something strong and mighty, Like a storm of hail, A shower of pestilence. Something like a storm of massive, torrential rain Shall be hurled with force to the ground.

beraglayim teramasnah ateret ge'ut shikkore efrayim

Trampled underfoot shall be The proud crowns of the drunkards of Ephraim,

vehayetah tsitsat novel tsevi tifarto asher al-rosh ge shemanim kevikkurah beterem qayits asher yireh haro'eh otah be'odah bekhappo yivla'ennah

The wilted flowers— On the heads of those bloated with rich food— That are his glorious beauty. They shall be like an early fig Before the fruit harvest; Whoever sees it devours it While it is still in his hand.

bayyom hahu yihyeh Adonai tseva'ot la'ateret tsevi velitsfirat tifarah lishar ammo

In that day, GOD of Hosts shall become a crown of beauty and a diadem of glory for the remnant of this people,

uleruakh mishpat layyoshev al-hammishpat veligvurah meshive milkhamah sha'erah

and a spirit of judgment for the one who sits in judgment and of valor for those who repel attacks at the gate.

vegam-elleh bayyayin shagu uvashekhar ta'u kohen venavi shagu vashekhar nivle'u min-hayyayin ta'u min-hashekhar shagu baro'eh paqu peliliyyah

But these are also muddled by wine And dazed by liquor: Priest and prophet Are muddled by liquor; They are confused by wine, They are dazed by liquor; They are muddled in their visions, They stumble in judgment.

ki kol-shulkhanot male'u qi tso'ah beli maqom

Yea, all tables are covered With vomit and filth, So that no space is left.

et-mi yoreh de'ah ve'et-mi yavin shemu'ah gemule mekhalav attiqe mishadayim

“To whom would he give instruction? To whom expound a message? To those newly weaned from milk, Just taken away from the breast?

ki tsav latsav tsav latsav qav laqav qav laqav ze'er sham ze'er sham

That same mutter upon mutter, Murmur upon murmur, Now here, now there!”

ki bela'age safah uvelashon akheret yedabber el-ha'am hazzeh

Truly, as one who speaks to that people in a stammering jargon and an alien tongue

asher amar alehem zot hammenukhah hanikhu le'ayef vezot hammarge'ah velo avu shemoa

is he who declares to them, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest; this is the place of repose.” They refuse to listen.

vehayah lahem devar-Adonai tsav latsav tsav latsav qav laqav qav laqav ze'er sham ze'er sham lema'an yelekhu vekhashelu akhor venishbaru venoqeshu venilkadu

To them the word of GOD is: “Mutter upon mutter, Murmur upon murmur, Now here, now there.” And so they will march, But they shall fall backward, And be injured and snared and captured.

lakhen shimu devar-Adonai anshe latson moshele ha'am hazzeh asher birushalai͏m

Hear now the word of GOD, You scoffers, Who govern that people In Jerusalem!

ki amartem karatnu verit et-mavet ve'im-she'ol asinu khozeh (shyt) [shot] shotef ki-[ya'avor] (vr) lo yevo'enu ki samnu khazav makhsenu uvasheqer nistarenu

For you have said, “We have made a covenant with Death, Concluded a pact with Sheol. When the sweeping flood passes through, It shall not reach us; For we have made falsehood our refuge, Taken shelter in treachery.”

lakhen koh amar adonay Elohim hinni yissad betsiyyon aven even bokhan pinnat yiqrat musad mussad hamma'amin lo yakhish

Assuredly, Thus said the Sovereign GOD: “Behold, I will found in Zion, Stone by stone, A tower of precious cornerstones, Exceedingly firm; One who trusts need not fear.

vesamti mishpat leqav utsedaqah lemishqalet veya'ah varad makhseh khazav veseter mayim yishtofu

But I will apply judgment as a measuring line And retribution as weights; Hail shall sweep away the refuge of falsehood, And flood-waters engulf your shelter.

vekhuppar beritekhem et-mavet vekhazutekhem et-she'ol lo taqum shot shotef ki ya'avor vihyitem lo lemirmas

Your covenant with Death shall be annulled, Your pact with Sheol shall not endure; When the sweeping flood passes through, You shall be its victims.

midde ovro yiqqakh etkhem ki-vabboqer babboqer ya'avor bayyom uvallayelah vehayah raq-zeva'ah havin shemu'ah

It shall catch you Every time it passes through; It shall pass through every morning, Every day and every night. And it shall be sheer horror To grasp the message.”

ki-qatsar hammatsa mehistarea vehammassekhah tsarah kehitkannes

The couch is too short for stretching out, And the cover too narrow for curling up!

ki khehar-peratsim yaqum Adonai ke'emeq begivon yirgaz la'asot ma'asehu zar ma'asehu vela'avod avodato nokhriyyah avodato

For GOD will arise As on the hill of Perazim; [God] will be roused As in the vale of Gibeon, To do godly work— Strange is this work! And to perform God’s task— Astounding is this task!

ve'attah al-titlotsatsu pen-yekhzequ moserekhem ki-khalah venekheratsah shamati me'et adonay Elohim tseva'ot al-kol-ha'arets

Therefore, refrain from mockery, Lest your bonds be tightened. For I have heard a decree of destruction From my Sovereign GOD of Hosts Against all the land.

ha'azinu veshimu qoli haqshivu veshimu imrati

Give diligent ear to my words, Attend carefully to what I say.

hakhol hayyom yakharosh hakhoresh lizroa yefattakh visadded admato

Do those who plow to sow Plow all the time, Breaking up and furrowing their land?

halo im-shivvah faneha vehefits qetsakh vekhammon yizroq vesam khittah sorah use'orah nisman vekhussemet gevulato

When they have smoothed its surface, Do they not rather broadcast black cumin And scatter cumin, Or set wheat in a row, Barley in a strip, And emmer in a patch?

veyissero lammishpat elohayw yorennu

For they are taught the right manner, Their God instructs them.

ki lo vekharuts yudash qetsakh ve'ofan agalah al-kammon yussav ki vammatteh yekhavet qetsakh vekhammon bashavet

So, too, black cumin is not threshed with a threshing board, Nor is the wheel of a threshing sledge rolled over cumin; But black cumin is beaten out with a stick And cumin with a rod.

lekhem yudaq ki lo lanetsakh adosh yedushennu vehamam gilgal eglato ufarashayw lo yeduqqennu

It is cereal that is crushed. For even if it is threshed thoroughly, And overwhelmed by the wheel of a sledge and horses, It will not be crushed.

gam-zot me'im Adonai tseva'ot yatsa'ah hifli etsah higdil tushiyyah

That, too, is ordered by GOD of Hosts— Whose counsel is unfathomable, And whose wisdom is marvelous.