16. But the Lord of heavenly forces will be exalted in justice,and the holy God will show himself holy in righteousness.
17. Lambs will graze as if in their pasture;young goats will feed among the ruins of the rich.
18. Doom to those who drag guilt along with cords of fraud,and haul sin as if with cart ropes,
19. who say, "God should hurry and work faster so we can see;let the plan of Israel’s holy one come quickly, so we can understand it."
20. Doom to those who call evil good and good evil,who present darkness as light and light as darkness,who make bitterness sweet and sweetness bitter.
21. Doom to thosewho consider themselves wise,who think of themselves as clever.
22. Doom to the wine-swigging warriors,mighty at mixing drinks,
23. who spare the guilty for bribes,and rob the innocent of their rights.
24. Therefore, as a tongue of fire devours stubble,and as hay shrivels in a flame,so their roots will rot,and their blossoms turn to dust,for they have rejected the teaching of the Lord of heavenly forces,and have despised the word of Israel’s holy one.
25. This is why the Lord’s anger burned against the people:he extended his hand to strike them,the mountains trembled,and their corpses lay in the middle of the streets like dung.Even then God’s anger didn’t turn away;God’s hand was still extended.
26. God will raise a signal to a nation from far awayand whistle to them from the end of the earth—now look—hurrying, swiftly they come!
27. Not one is tired; not one stumbles;they don’t rest or sleep;no belt is loose; no sandal broken;
28. their arrows are sharp;all their bows drawn;their horses’ hooves are like flint;their wheels like the whirlwind.