< Isaiæ 22 >

1 onus vallis Visionis quidnam tibi quoque est quia ascendisti et tu omnis in tecta
[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Jerusalem, about the valley where [Yahweh showed me] this vision. Why is everyone foolishly running up to their [flat] rooftops?
2 clamoris plena urbs frequens civitas exultans interfecti tui non interfecti gladio nec mortui in bello
Everyone in the city [seems to] be shouting. [There are a lot of] corpses [in the city], [but they] were not killed by [their enemies’] swords. They did not die in battles; [instead, they died from diseases and hunger].
3 cuncti principes tui fugerunt simul dureque ligati sunt omnes qui inventi sunt vincti sunt pariter procul fugerunt
All the leaders of the city fled. [But then] they were captured because they did not have bows [and arrows to defend themselves]. Your [soldiers tried to] flee while the enemy [army] was still far away, but they also were captured.
4 propterea dixi recedite a me amare flebo nolite incumbere ut consolemini me super vastitate filiae populi mei
That is why I said, “Allow me to cry alone; do not try to comfort me [about my people being slaughtered].”
5 dies enim interfectionis et conculcationis et fletuum Domino Deo exercituum in valle Visionis scrutans murum et magnificus super montem
The Commander of the armies of angels has [chosen] a time when there will be a great uproar, [soldiers] marching, and people being terrified in the valley [where I received this] vision. [It will be a time when our city] walls will be battered down and [the people’s] cries [for help] will be heard in the mountains.
6 et Aelam sumpsit faretram currum hominis equitis et parietem nudavit clypeus
The armies from Elam and Kir [in Media] will attack, driving chariots and carrying shields.
7 et erunt electae valles tuae plenae quadrigarum et equites ponent sedes suas in porta
Our beautiful valleys will be filled with [our enemies’] chariots and the men who drive the chariots will stand outside [our city] gates.
8 et revelabitur operimentum Iudae et videbis in die illa armamentarium domus saltus
The walls that protect [the cities in] Judah will fall down. You [people of Jerusalem] will run to get the weapons [that are stored in the building called] “the Hall of the Forest”.
9 et scissuras civitatis David videbitis quia multiplicatae sunt et congregastis aquas piscinae inferioris
You will see that there are many breaks/holes in the walls of Jerusalem. You will store water in the lower pool [in the city].
10 et domos Hierusalem numerastis et destruxistis domos ad muniendum murum
You will inspect the houses in Jerusalem, and [some of] them you will tear down to use the stones to repair the [city] wall.
11 et lacum fecistis inter duos muros et aquam piscinae veteris et non suspexistis ad eum qui fecerat eam et operatorem eius de longe non vidistis
Between the walls [of the city] you will build a reservoir to [store] water from the old pool. But you will never request help from the one who made the city; you have never depended on Yahweh, who planned this city long ago.
12 et vocavit Dominus Deus exercituum in die illa ad fletum et ad planctum ad calvitium et ad cingulum sacci
The Commander of the armies of angels told you to weep and mourn; he told you to shave your heads and to wear rough sackcloth to show that you were sorry for the sins that you had committed.
13 et ecce gaudium et laetitia occidere vitulos et iugulare arietes comedere carnes et bibere vinum comedamus et bibamus cras enim moriemur
But instead of doing that, you were happy and celebrating; you slaughtered cattle and sheep, [in order to cook their] meat and eat it and drink wine. You said, “Let’s eat and drink [all that we want to], because [it is possible that] we will die tomorrow!”
14 et revelata est in auribus meis Domini exercituum si dimittetur iniquitas haec vobis donec moriamini dicit Dominus Deus exercituum
[So] the Commander of the armies of angels revealed this to me: “I will never forgive my people for sinning like this!”
15 haec dicit Dominus Deus exercituum vade ingredere ad eum qui habitat in tabernaculo ad Sobnam praepositum templi
The Commander of the armies of angels said this [to me]: “Go to Shebna, the official who supervises the workers in the palace, and give this message to him:
16 quid tu hic aut quasi quis hic quia excidisti tibi hic sepulchrum excidisti in excelso memoriam diligenter in petra tabernaculum tibi
'[Who do you think you are?] Who gave you the authority to build a beautiful tomb where you will be buried, chiseling it out of the rocky cliff high above this valley?
17 ecce Dominus asportari te faciet sicut asportatur gallus gallinacius et quasi amictum sic sublevabit te
You [think that you are] [IRO] a great man, but Yahweh is about to hurl you away. [It will be as though] he will seize you,
18 coronans coronabit te tribulatione quasi pilam mittet te in terram latam et spatiosam ibi morieris et ibi erit currus gloriae tuae ignominia domus Domini tui
and roll/crumple you into a ball and throw you away into a large distant land. You will die [and be buried] there, and your beautiful chariots will stay there [in the hands of your enemies]. And [because of what happens to you], your master, [the king], will be [very] ashamed/disgraced.
19 et expellam te de statione tua et de ministerio tuo deponam te
Yahweh will force you to quit working in the palace; you will be demoted from your important position.
20 et erit in die illa vocabo servum meum Eliachim filium Helciae
Then I will summon Hilkiah’s son Eliakim, who has served serve me [well], to replace you.
21 et induam illum tunicam tuam et cingulo tuo confortabo eum et potestatem tuam dabo in manu eius et erit quasi pater habitantibus Hierusalem et domui Iuda
I will allow him to wear your robe, and to fasten your sash around him, and I will give to him the authority that you had. He will be like [MET] a father to the people of Jerusalem and [all the other] towns in Judah.
22 et dabo clavem domus David super umerum eius et aperiet et non erit qui claudat et claudet et non erit qui aperiat
I will give to him authority [MTY] over [what happens in] the palace where King David [lived]; when he decides something [MET], no one will be able to oppose it; when he refuses to do something, no one will be able to force him to do it.
23 et figam illum paxillum in loco fideli et erit in solium gloriae domui patris sui
I will cause his family to be greatly respected, because I will put him firmly in his position [as supervisor of the workers in the palace], like [SIM] a nail that is firmly hammered into a wall.
24 et suspendent super eum omnem gloriam domus patris eius vasorum diversa genera omne vas parvulum a vasis craterarum usque ad omne vas musicorum
Others will enable him to have much responsibility, with the result that all the members of his family, even the most insignificant ones, will be honored.'”
25 in die illo dicit Dominus exercituum auferetur paxillus qui fixus fuerat in loco fideli et frangetur et cadet et peribit quod pependerat in eo quia Dominus locutus est
[But] the Commander of the armies of angels also says, “[Shebna is like] [MET] a peg that is firmly fastened to the wall. But there will be a time when I will [remove him from his position]; he will lose his power/influence, and everything that he promoted [MET] will fail. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”

< Isaiæ 22 >