Isaiæ 28
1 Vae coronae superbiae, ebriis Ephraim, et flori decidenti, gloriae exultationis eius, qui erant in vertice vallis pinguissimae, errantes a vino.
Ho! crown of pride of those who are given up to wine in Ephraim, and the dead flower of his glory which is on the head of those who are overcome by strong drink!
2 Ecce validus et fortis Dominus sicut impetus grandinis: turbo confringens, sicut impetus aquarum multarum inundantium, et emissarum super terram spatiosam.
See, the Lord has a strong and cruel one; like a rain of ice, a storm of destruction, like the overflowing of a strong river, he will violently overcome them.
3 Pedibus conculcabitur corona superbiae ebriorum Ephraim.
The crown of pride of those who are given up to wine in Ephraim will be crushed under foot;
4 Et erit flos decidens gloriae 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 dead flower of his glory, which is on the head of the fertile valley, will be like the first early fruit before the summer; which a man takes and puts in his mouth the minute he sees it.
5 In die illa erit Dominus exercituum corona gloriae, et sertum exultationis residuo populi sui:
In that day will the Lord of armies be a crown of glory, and a fair ornament, to the rest of his people;
6 et spiritus iudicii sedenti super iudicium, et fortitudo revertentibus de bello ad portam.
And a spirit of wisdom to the judge, and strength to those who keep back the attackers at the door of the town.
7 Verum hi quoque prae vino nescierunt, et prae ebrietate erraverunt: sacerdos et propheta nescierunt prae ebrietate, absorpti sunt a vino, erraverunt in ebrietate, nescierunt videntem, ignoraverunt iudicium.
And further, these are uncertain through wine, and have gone out of the right way through strong drink: the priest and the prophet are uncertain through strong drink, they are overcome by wine, they have gone out of the way through strong drink; their vision is false, they go wrong in their decisions.
8 Omnes enim mensae repletae sunt vomitu sordium, ita ut non esset ultra locus.
For all the tables are covered with coughed-up food, so that there is not a clean place.
9 Quem docebit scientiam? et quem intelligere faciet auditum? ablactatos a lacte, avulsos ab uberibus.
To whom will he give knowledge? and to whom will he make clear the word? Will it be to those who have newly given up milk, and who have only now been taken from the breast?
10 Quia manda remanda, manda remanda, expecta reexpecta, expecta reexpecta, modicum ibi, modicum ibi.
For it is one rule after another; one line after another; here a little, there a little.
11 In loquela enim labii, et lingua altera loquetur ad populum istum.
No, but with broken talk, and with a strange tongue, he will give his word to this people:
12 Cui dixit: Haec est requies mea, reficite lassum, et hoc est meum refrigerium: et noluerunt audire.
To whom he said, This is the rest, give rest to him who is tired; and by this you may get new strength; but they would not give ear.
13 Et erit eis verbum Domini: Manda remanda, manda remanda, expecta reexpecta, expecta reexpecta, modicum ibi, modicum ibi: ut vadant, et cadant retrorsum, et conterantur, et illaqueentur, et capiantur.
For this cause the word of the Lord will be to them rule after rule, line after line, here a little, there a little; so that they may go on their way, and falling back may be broken, and taken in the net.
14 Propter hoc audite verbum Domini viri illusores, qui dominamini super populum meum, qui est in Ierusalem.
Give ear then to the word of the Lord, you men of pride, the rulers of this people in Jerusalem:
15 Dixistis enim: Percussimus foedus 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)
Because you have said, We have made death our friend, and with the underworld we have made an agreement; when the overflowing waters come through they will not come near us; for we are looking to false words for help, taking cover in what is untrue: (Sheol h7585)
16 Idcirco haec dicit Dominus Deus: Ecce ego mittam in fundamentis Sion lapidem, lapidem probatum, angularem, pretiosum, in fundamento fundatum, qui crediderit, non festinet.
For this cause says the Lord God, See, I am placing in Zion as a base, a stone, a tested stone, an angle-stone which is certain and of great value: and he who has faith will not give way.
17 Et ponam in pondere iudicium, et iustitiam in mensura: et subvertet grando spem mendacii: et protectionem aquae inundabunt.
And I will make right decision the measuring-line, and righteousness the weight: and the ice-storm will take away the safe place of false words, and the secret place will be covered by the flowing waters.
18 Et delebitur foedus vestrum cum morte, et pactum vestrum cum inferno non stabit: flagellum inundans cum transierit, eritis ei in conculcationem. (Sheol h7585)
And the help you were looking for from death will come to nothing, and your agreement with the underworld will be broken; when the overflowing waters come through, then you will be overcome by them. (Sheol h7585)
19 Quandocumque pertransierit, tollet vos: quoniam in mane diluculo pertransibit in die et in nocte, et tantummodo sola vexatio intellectum dabit auditui.
Whenever they come through they will overtake you; for they will come through morning after morning, by day and by night: and the news will be nothing but fear.
20 Coangustatum est enim stratum, ita ut alter decidat: et pallium breve utrumque operire non potest.
For the bed is not long enough for a man to be stretched out on: and the cover is not wide enough for him to be covered with.
21 Sicut enim in monte divisionum stabit Dominus: sicut in valle, quae est in Gabaon, irascetur: ut faciat opus suum, alienum opus eius: ut operetur opus suum, peregrinum est opus eius ab eo.
For the Lord will come up as on Mount Perazim, he will be moved to wrath as in the valley of Gibeon; so that he may do his work — strange is his work; and give effect to his act — unnatural is his act.
22 Et nunc nolite illudere, ne forte constringantur vincula vestra. consummationem enim et abbreviationem audivi a Domino Deo exercituum super universam terram.
And now, take care that you do not make sport of him, or your bands will be made strong; for I have had word from the Lord, the Lord of armies, of an end, of a complete end, which is to come on all the land.
23 Auribus percipite, et audite vocem meam, attendite, et audite eloquium meum.
Let your ears be open to my voice; give attention to what I say.
24 Numquid tota die arabit arans ut serat, proscindet et sarriet humum suam?
Is the ploughman for ever ploughing? does he not get the earth ready and broken up for the seed?
25 Nonne cum adaequaverit faciem eius, seret gith, et cyminum sparget, et ponet triticum per ordinem, et hordeum, et milium, et viciam in finibus suis?
When the face of the earth has been levelled, does he not put in the different sorts of seed, and the grain in lines, and the barley in its place, and the spelt at the edge?
26 Et erudiet illum in iudicio: Deus suus docebit illum.
For his God is his teacher, giving him the knowledge of these things.
27 Non enim in serris triturabitur gith, nec rota plaustri super cyminum circuibit: sed in virga excutietur gith et cyminum in baculo.
For the fitches are not crushed with a sharp instrument, and a cart-wheel is not rolled over the cummin; but the grain of the fitches is hammered out with a stick, and of the cummin with a rod.
28 Panis autem comminuetur: verum non in perpetuum triturans triturabit illum, neque vexabit eum rota plaustri, neque ungulis suis comminuet eum.
Is the grain for bread crushed? He does not go on crushing it for ever, but he lets his cart-wheels and his horses go over it without crushing it.
29 Et hoc a Domino Deo exercituum exivit, ut mirabile faceret consilium, et magnificaret iustitiam.
This comes from the Lord of armies, purposing wonders, and wise in all his acts.
