Isaiah 10

1 Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees;

Woe to those who enact unjust laws and write unfair decrees.

2 to deprive the needy from justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey.

They deprive the needy of justice, rob the poor of my people of their rights, plunder widows, and make the fatherless their prey!

3 What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth,

What will you do on judgment day when the destruction comes from far away? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth?

4 so as not to kneel with the prisoners, or fall among the slain? For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Nothing remains, and you crouch among the prisoners or fall among the killed. In all these things, his anger does not subside; instead, his hand is still stretched out.

5 Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation.

Woe to the Assyrian, the club of my anger, the rod by whom I wield my fury!

6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me will I give him a command to take the spoil and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

I send him against an arrogant nation and against the people who bear my overflowing wrath. I order him to take the spoil, to take the prey, and to trample them like mud in the streets.

7 However he doesn't mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations.

But this is not what he intends, nor does he think this way. It is in his heart to destroy and eliminate many nations.

8 For he says, "Aren't all of my officials kings?

For he says, “Are not all my princes kings?

9 Isn't Calno like Carchemish? Isn't Hamath like Arpad? Isn't Samaria like Damascus?

Is not Kalno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?

10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images exceeded those of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

As my hand has overcome idolatrous kingdoms, whose carved figures were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

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

just as I did to Samaria and her worthless idols, will I not also do the same to Jerusalem and to her idols?”

12 Therefore it will happen that, when Jehovah has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the fruit of the willful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his haughty looks.

When the Lord has finished his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and his prideful looks.

13 For he has said, "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.

For he says, “By my strength and by my wisdom I acted. I have understanding, and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples. I have stolen their treasures, and like a bull I have brought down the inhabitants.

14 My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, have I gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing, or that opened their mouth, or chirped."

My hand has seized, as from a nest, the wealth of nations, and as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth. None fluttered their wings or opened their mouth or chirped.”

15 Should an axe brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood.

Will the ax boast about itself against the one who wields it? Will the saw praise itself more than the one who cuts with it? It is as if a rod could lift up those who raise it, or as if a wooden club could lift up a person.

16 Therefore Jehovah of hosts will send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire.

Therefore the Lord Yahweh of hosts will send emaciation among his elite warriors; and under his glory there will be kindled a burning like fire.

17 The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.

The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame; it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day.

18 He will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints.

Yahweh will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful land, both soul and body; it will be like when a sick man's life wastes away.

19 The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child could write their number.

The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few, that a child could count them.

20 It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

On that day, the remnant of Israel, the family of Jacob that has escaped, will no longer rely on the one who defeated them, but will indeed depend on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel.

21 A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

A remnant of Jacob will return to the mighty God.

22 For though your people, Israel, are as the sand of the sea, a remnant will be kept safe. For he will fulfill the word and decisively in righteousness;

For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the seashore, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, as overflowing righteousness demands.

23 because Jehovah will carry out the word decisively in the midst of the earth.

For the Lord Yahweh of hosts, is about to carry out the destruction determined throughout the land.

24 Therefore Jehovah of hosts says: "My people who dwell in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did.

Therefore the Lord Yahweh of hosts says, “My people who live in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian. He will strike you with the rod and raise his staff against you, as the Egyptians did.

25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction."

Do not fear him, for in a very short time my anger against you will end, and my anger will lead to his destruction.”

26 Jehovah of hosts will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt.

Then Yahweh of hosts will wield a whip against them, as when he defeated Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise his rod over the sea and lift it up as he did in Egypt.

27 It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

On that day, his burden is lifted from your shoulder and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of fatness.

28 He has come to Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he stores his baggage.

The enemy has come to Aiath and has passed through Migron; at Michmash he has stored his provisions.

29 He went through the pass. He has lodged at Geba. Ramah trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled.

They have crossed over the pass and they lodge at Geba. Ramah trembles and Gibeah of Saul has fled.

30 Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim. Listen, Laishah. You poor Anathoth.

Cry aloud, daughter of Gallim! Give attention, Laishah! You poor Anathoth!

31 Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.

Madmenah is fleeing, and the inhabitants of Gebim run for safety.

32 This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

This very day he will halt at Nob and shake his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

33 Look, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.

Behold, the Lord Yahweh of hosts will lop off the boughs with a terrifying crash; the tallest trees will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.

34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

He will chop down the thickets of the forest with an ax, and Lebanon in his majesty will fall.