1. Woe unto them that decree iniquitous decrees, and to the writers that prescribe oppression,
2. to turn away the poor from judgment, and to take away the right from the afflicted of my people; that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
3. And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the sudden destruction which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help, and where will ye leave your glory?
4. They can but crouch under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
5. Ah! the Assyrian! the rod of mine anger! and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
6. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge; to take the spoil, and to seize the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7. But he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; for it is in his heart to extirpate and cut off nations not a few.
8. For he saith, Are not my princes all kings?
9. Is not Calno as Karkemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?
10. As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, --and their graven images exceeded those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11. --shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her images?
12. And it shall come to pass, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stoutness of heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
13. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent; and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and, like a valiant man, I have brought down them that sit on thrones;
14. and my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the peoples, and as one gathereth forsaken eggs, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or chirped.