Isaiah 31

1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, And put their trust in horses, And confide in chariots, because they are many, And in horsemen, because their number is great, But look not to the Holy One of Israel, And resort not to Jehovah.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and lean on horses, and trust in chariots (for they are many) and in horsemen (for they are countless). But they are not concerned about the Holy One of Israel, nor do they seek Yahweh!

2 Yet he, too, is wise; He will bring evil, and not take back his words; He will arise against the house of the evil-doers, And against the help of them that do iniquity.

Yet he is wise, and he will bring disaster and will not retract his words. He will arise against the evil house and against the helpers of those who commit sin.

3 The Egyptians are men, and not God, And their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When Jehovah shall stretch forth his hand, Then shall the helper fall, and the helped be overthrown; And they shall all perish together.

Egypt is a man and not God, their horses flesh and not spirit. When Yahweh reaches out with his hand, both the one who helps will stumble, and the one who is helped will fall; both will perish together.

4 For thus hath Jehovah said to me: As when the lion and the young lion growl over their prey, And a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, By their noise he is not terrified, Nor by their tumult disheartened; So shall Jehovah of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and her hill.

This is what Yahweh says to me, “As a lion, even a young lion, growls over its torn prey, when a group of shepherds is called out against it, but it does not tremble at their voices, nor creep away from their sound; thus Yahweh of hosts will descend to fight on Mount Zion, on that hill.

5 As birds hover over their young, So shall Jehovah of hosts defend Jerusalem; He will defend and deliver, spare and save.

Like birds in flight, so Yahweh of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and rescue as he passes over it and preserves it.

6 Turn, O ye children of Israel, To him from whom ye have so deeply revolted! For in that day shall every one cast away his idols of

Return to him from whom you have deeply turned away, people of Israel.

7 silver and his idols of gold, Which your hands have made for sin.

For in that day each one will get rid of his idols of silver and his idols of gold that your own hands have sinfully made.

8 The Assyrian shall fall by a sword not of man, Yea, a sword not of mortal shall devour him; He shall flee before the sword, And his young warriors shall be slaves.

Assyria will fall by the sword; a sword not wielded by man will consume him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will be forced to do hard labor.

9 Through fear shall he pass beyond his stronghold, And his princes shall be afraid of the standard. Thus saith Jehovah, who hath his fire in Zion, And his furnace in Jerusalem.

They will lose all confidence because of terror, and his princes will be afraid at the sight of Yahweh's battle flag— this is Yahweh's declaration—whose fire is in Zion and whose firepot is in Jerusalem.”