Isaiah 10

1 Woe unto them that decree iniquitous decrees, and to the writers that prescribe oppression,

Woe unto those that decree decrees of unrighteousness, and the writers who write down wrongful things;

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

To turn aside from judgment the needy, and to rob the just due of the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and [that] they may plunder the fatherless!

3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the sudden destruction [which] shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory?

And what will ye do on the day of the visitation, and at the desolation which will come from afar? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

4 They can but crouch under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.

Without me they shall kneel down under the prisoners, and under the slain shall they fall. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand still remaineth stretched out.

5 Ah! the Assyrian! the rod of mine anger! and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

Woe over Asshur, the rod of my anger; and a staff is in their hand my indignation.

6 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 seize the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Against a hypocritical nation will I send him, and against the people of my fury will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to carry off the prey, and to render them trodden down like the mire of the streets.

7 But he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; for it is in his heart to extirpate and cut off nations not a few.

But he deemeth it not so, and his heart doth not think so; but to destroy is in his heart, and to cut off nations not a few.

8 For he saith, Are not my princes all kings?

For he saith, “Are not my princes altogether kings?

9 Is not Calno as Karkemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?

Is not Calno like Karkemish? is not Chamath like Arpad? is not Samaria like Damascus?

10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, — and their graven images exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

As my hand hath reached the kingdoms of the idols, whose graven images exceeded in number those of Jerusalem and of Samaria:

11 — shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her images?

Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, do so unto Jerusalem and unto her idols?”

12 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stoutness of heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

Wherefore shall it come to pass, that when the Lord hath completed all his work on mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the haughtiness of the king of Asshur, and the vain-glory of his proud looks.

13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done [it], and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent; and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and, like a valiant man, I have brought down them that sit [on thrones];

For he hath said, “By the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom, for I have intelligence; and I have removed the boundaries of nations, and their laid-up treasures have I plundered, and brought down low those that were powerfully seated.

14 and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples, and as one gathereth forsaken eggs, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.

And my hand hath reached, as a bird's nest, the wealth of the people: and as one gathereth up eggs that are forsaken, have I myself gathered up all the earth: and there was not one that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.”

15 — Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? As if the rod should wield them that lift it up; as if the staff should lift up [him who is] not wood!

Shall the axe boast itself over him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that swingeth it? as if the rod should swing about those that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up him who is no wood.

16 Therefore shall the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness, and under his glory he shall kindle a burning, like the burning of a fire:

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

17 and the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briars in one day,

And the light of Israel shall become a fire, and his Holy One a flame; and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers on one day.

18 and it shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a sick man fainteth.

And the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body, will he destroy: and he shall be as [a tree] eaten to powder by the worms.

19 And the remainder of the trees of his forest shall be few: yea, a child might write them.

And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few in number, so that a boy may write them down.

20 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again rely upon him that smote them; but they shall rely upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

And it shall come to pass on that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall not farther lean for support upon him that smiteth them; but they shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy one of Israel, in truth.

21 The remnant shall return, the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

The remnant shall return, the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [only] a remnant of them shall return: the consumption determined shall overflow in righteousness.

For though thy people Israel should be as the sand of the sea, [yet] a remnant [only] of them shall return: destruction is decreed, it overfloweth with righteousness.

23 For a consumption, and [one] determined, will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, accomplish in the midst of all the land.

For it is completed and decreed: the Lord, the Eternal of hosts will do it in the midst of all the land.

24 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts: O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt:

Therefore thus hath said the Lord the Eternal of hosts, Be not afraid, O my people that dwellest in Zion, of Asshur, who will smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

25 for yet a very little while, and the indignation shall be accomplished, and mine anger, in their destruction.

For yet but a very little while more, and the indignation shall cease, and my anger shall be for their destruction.

26 And Jehovah of hosts will stir up a scourge against him, according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and his rod [shall be] upon the sea, and he will lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

And the Lord shall lift up a scourge over him like [at] the smiting of Midian at the rock of 'Oreb: and as his staff was lifted over the sea, so will he carry him off after the manner of Egypt.

27 And it shall come to pass in 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 anointing. ...

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be removed from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be broken because of the fatness.

28 He is come to Aiath, he hath passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage.

He cometh to 'Ayath, he passeth on to Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage;

29 They are gone through the pass; they make their lodging at Geba: Ramah trembleth, Gibeah of Saul is fled.

They go through the pass; they take up their lodging at Geba'; Ramah trembleth; Gib'ah of Saul fleeth.

30 Lift up thy voice, daughter of Gallim! Hearken, O Laish! — Poor Anathoth!

Let thy voice resound, O daughter of Gallim; listen Layshah; O poor 'Anathoth!

31 Madmenah is fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim take to flight.

Madmenah is in motion; the inhabitants of Gebim are assembled to flee.

32 Still a day of halting at Nob; he shaketh his hand [against] the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. ...

As yet today will he remain at Nob: then will he swing his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Behold the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, shall lop the boughs with violence; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be brought low;

Behold, the Lord, the Eternal of hosts, will lop off the fruitful bough with terrific might: and those of towering growth shall be hewn down, and the high shall be laid low.

34 and he shall make clearings in the thickets of the forest with iron; and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

And he will cut down the thickets of the forests with iron, and the Lebanon shall fall by [means of] a mighty one.