1
Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards,
to the fading flower, his glorious beauty,
set on the head of a fertile valley -
to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!
2
See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong.
Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind,
like a driving rain and a flooding downpour,
he will throw it forcefully to the ground.
3
That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's drunkards,
will be trampled underfoot.
4
That fading flower, his glorious beauty,
set on the head of a fertile valley,
will be like figs ripe before harvest -
as soon as people see them and take them in hand,
they swallow them.
5
In that day the Lord Almighty
will be a glorious crown,
a beautiful wreath
for the remnant of his people.
6
He will be a spirit of justice
to the one who sits in judgment,
a source of strength
to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7
And these also stagger from wine
and reel from beer:
Priests and prophets stagger from beer
and are befuddled with wine;
they reel from beer,
they stagger when seeing visions,
they stumble when rendering decisions.
8
All the tables are covered with vomit
and there is not a spot without filth.
9
"Who is it he is trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk,
to those just taken from the breast?
10
For it is:
Do this, do that,
a rule for this, a rule for that 1 ;
a little here, a little there."
11
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
God will speak to this people,
12
to whom he said,
"This is the resting place, let the weary rest";
and, "This is the place of repose" -
but they would not listen.
13
So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
Do this, do that,
a rule for this, a rule for that;
a little here, a little there -
so that as they go they will fall backward;
they will be injured and snared and captured.