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.