Isaiæ 28

1 Væ coronæ superbiæ, ebriis Ephraim, et flori decidenti, gloriæ exultationis eius, qui erant in vertice vallis pinguissimæ, errantes a vino.

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower the glory of his joy, who were on the head of the fat valley, staggering with wine.

2 Ecce validus et fortis Dominus sicut impetus grandinis: turbo confringens, sicut impetus aquarum multarum inundantium, et emissarum super terram spatiosam.

Behold the Lord is mighty and strong, as a storm of hail: a destroying whirlwind, as the violence of many waters overflowing, and sent forth upon a spacious land.

3 Pedibus conculcabitur corona superbiæ ebriorum Ephraim.

The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet.

4 Et erit flos decidens gloriæ exultationis eius, qui est super verticem vallis pinguium, quasi temporaneum ante maturitatem autumni: quod cum aspexerit videns, statim ut manu tenuerit, devorabit illud.

And the fading flower the glory of his joy, who is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as a hasty fruit before the ripeness of autumn: which when he that seeth it shall behold, as soon as he taketh it in his hand, he will eat it up.

5 In die illa erit Dominus exercituum corona gloriæ, et sertum exultationis residuo populi sui:

In that day the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory, and a garland of joy to the residue of his people:

6 et spiritus iudicii sedenti super iudicium, et fortitudo revertentibus de bello ad portam.

And a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that return out of the battle to the gate.

7 Verum hi quoque præ vino nescierunt, et præ ebrietate erraverunt: sacerdos et propheta nescierunt præ ebrietate, absorpti sunt a vino, erraverunt in ebrietate, nescierunt videntem, ignoraverunt iudicium.

But these also have been ignorant through wine, and through drunkenness have erred: the priest and the prophet have been ignorant through drunkenness, they are swallowed up with wine, they have gone astray in drunkenness, they have not known him that seeth, they have been ignorant of judgment.

8 Omnes enim mensæ repletæ sunt vomitu sordiumque, ita ut non esset ultra locus.

For all tables were full of vomit and filth, so that there was no more place.

9 Quem docebit scientiam? Et quem intelligere faciet auditum? Ablactatos a lacte, avulsos ab uberibus.

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand the hearing? them that are weaned from the milk, that are drawn away from the breasts.

10 Quia manda remanda, manda remanda, expecta reexpecta, expecta reexpecta, modicum ibi, modicum ibi.

For command, command again; command, command again; expect, expect again; expect, expect again: a little there, a little there.

11 In loquela enim labii, et lingua altera loquetur ad populum istum.

For with the speech of lips, and with another tongue he will speak to this people.

12 Cui dixit: Hæc est requies mea, reficite lassum, et hoc est meum refrigerium: et noluerunt audire.

To whom he said: This is my rest, refresh the weary, and this is my refreshing: and they would not hear.

13 Et erit eis verbum Domini: Manda remanda, manda remanda, expecta reexspecta, expecta reexspecta, modicum ibi, modicum ibi: ut vadant, et cadant retrorsum, et conterantur, et illaqueentur, et capiantur.

And the word of the Lord shall be to them: Command, command again; command, command again: expect, expect again; expect, expect again: a little there, a little there: that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

14 Propter hoc audite verbum Domini viri illusores, qui dominamini super populum meum, qui est in Ierusalem.

Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, who rule over my people that is in Jerusalem.

15 Dixistis enim: Percussimus fœdus cum morte, et cum inferno fecimus pactum. Flagellum inundans cum transierit, non veniet super nos: quia posuimus mendacium spem nostram, et mendacio protecti sumus. (Sheol h7585)

For you have said: We have entered into a league with death, and we have made a covenant with hell. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come upon us: for we have placed our hope in lies, and by falsehood we are protected. (Sheol h7585)

16 Idcirco hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego mittam in fundamentis Sion lapidem, lapidem probatum, angularem, pretiosum, in fundamento fundatum, qui crediderit, non festinet.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lay a stone in the foundations of Sion, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, founded in the foundation. He that believeth, let him not hasten.

17 Et ponam in pondere iudicium, et iustitiam in mensura: et subvertet grando spem mendacii: et protectionem aquæ inundabunt.

And I will set judgment in weight, and justice in measure: and hail shall overturn the hope of falsehood: and waters shall overflow its protection.

18 Et delebitur fœdus vestrum cum morte, et pactum vestrum cum inferno non stabit: flagellum inundans cum transierit, eritis ei in conculcationem. (Sheol h7585)

And Sour league with death shall be abolished, and your covenant with hell shall not stand: when the overflowing scourge shall pass, you shall be trodden down by it. (Sheol h7585)

19 Quandocumque pertransierit, tollet vos: quoniam in mane diluculo pertransibit in die et in nocte, et tantummodo sola vexatio intellectum dabit auditui.

Whensoever it shall pass through, it shall take you away: because in the morning early it shall pass through, in the day and in the night, and vexation alone shall make you understand what you hear.

20 Coangustatum est enim stratum, ita ut alter decidat: et pallium breve utrumque operire non potest.

For the bed is straitened, so that one must fall out, and a short covering cannot cover both.

21 Sicut enim in monte divisionum stabit Dominus: sicut in valle, quæ est in Gabaon, irascetur: ut faciat opus suum, alienum opus eius: ut operetur opus suum, peregrinum est opus eius ab eo.

For the Lord shall stand up as in the mountain of divisions: he shall be angry as in the valley which is in Gabaon: that he may do his work, his strange work: that he may perform his work, his work is strange to him.

22 Et nunc nolite illudere, ne forte constringantur vincula vestra. Consummationem enim et abbreviationem audivi a Domino Deo exercituum super universam terram.

And now do not mock, lest your bonds be tied strait. For I have heard of the Lord the God of hosts a consumption and a cutting short upon all the earth.

23 Auribus percipite, et audite vocem meam, attendite, et audite eloquium meum.

Give ear, and hear my voice, hearken, and hear my speech.

24 Numquid tota die arabit arans ut serat, proscindet et sarriet humum suam?

Shall the ploughman plough all the day to sow, shall he open and harrow his ground?

25 Nonne cum adæquaverit faciem eius, seret gith, et cyminum sparget, et ponet triticum per ordinem, et hordeum, et milium, et viciam in finibus suis?

Will he not, when he hath made plain the surface thereof, sow gith, and scatter cummin, and put wheat in order, and barley, and millet, and vetches in their bounds?

26 Et erudiet illum in iudicio: Deus suus docebit illum.

For he will instruct him in judgment: his God will teach him.

27 Non enim in serris triturabitur gith, nec rota plaustri super cyminum circuibit: sed in virga excutietur gith et cyminum in baculo.

For gith shall not be thrashed with saws, neither shall the cart wheel turn about upon cummin: but gith shall be beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a staff.

28 Panis autem comminuetur: verum non in perpetuum triturans triturabit illum, neque vexabit eum rota plaustri, neque ungulis suis comminuet eum.

But bread corn shall be broken small: but the thrasher shall not thrash it for ever, neither shall the cart wheel hurt it, nor break it with its teeth.

29 Et hoc a Domino Deo exercituum exivit, ut mirabile faceret consilium, et magnificaret iustitiam.

This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.