1. The city of Samariaabove a fertile valleyis in for trouble!Its leaders are drunkards,who stuff themselveswith food and wine.But they will be like flowersthat dry up and wilt.
2. Only the Lord is strongand powerful!His mighty handwill strike them downwith the force of a hailstormor a mighty whirlwindor an overwhelming flood.
3. Every drunkard in Ephraimtakes pride in Samaria,but it will be crushed.
4. Samaria above a fertile valleywill quickly lose its glory.It will be gobbled uplike the first ripe figat harvest season.
5. When this time comes,the Lord All-Powerfulwill be a glorious crownfor his people who survive.
6. He will see that justice rulesand that his people are ableto defend their cities.
7. Priests and prophets stumblebecause they are drunk.Their minds are too confusedto receive God's messagesor give honest decisions.
8. Their tables are covered,completely covered,with their stinking vomit.
9. You drunken leadersare like babies!How can you possibly understandor teach the Lord's message?
10. You don't even listen—all you hear is senseless soundafter senseless sound.
11. So, the Lord will speakto his peoplein strange soundsand foreign languages.
12. He promised youperfect peace and rest,but you refused to listen.
13. Now his message to youwill be senseless soundafter senseless sound.Then you will fall backwards,injured and trapped.
14. You rulers of Jerusalemdo nothing but sneer;now you must listento what the Lord says.
15. Do you think you havean agreement with deathand the world of the dead?Why do you trust in your liesto keep you safe from dangerand the mighty flood?
16. And so the Lord says,“I'm laying a firm foundationfor the city of Zion.It's a valuable cornerstoneproved to be trustworthy;no one who trusts itwill ever be disappointed.
17. Justice and fairnesswill be the measuring linesthat help me build.”Hailstones and floodswill destroy and wash awayyour shelter of lies.
18. Your agreement with deathand the world of the deadwill be broken.Then angry, roaring waveswill sweep over you.
19. Morning, noon, and nightan overwhelming floodwill wash you away.The terrible things that happenwill teach you this lesson:
20. your bed is too short,your blanket too skimpy.
21. The Lord will fiercely attackas he did at Mount Perazimand in Gibeon Valley.But this time the Lordwill do something surprising,not what you expect.
22. So you had better stop sneeringor you will be in worse shapethan ever before.I heard the Lord All-Powerfulthreaten the whole countrywith destruction.
23. Pay close attentionto what I am saying.
24. Farmers don't just ploughand break up the ground.
25. When a field is ready,they scatter the seedsof dill and cumin;they plant the seedsof wheat and barleyin the proper places.
26. They learn this from their God.
27. After dill and cuminhave been harvested,the stalks are beaten,not run over with a wagon.
28. Wheat and barley are pounded,but not beaten to pulp;they are run over with a wagon,but not ground to dust.
29. This wonderful knowledge comesfrom the Lord All-Powerful,who has such great wisdom.