15. Behold, I bring a nation upon you from afar, house of Israel, saith Jehovah: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest thou what they say.
16. Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; they are all mighty men.
17. And they shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, they shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds, they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall destroy with the sword thy strong cities, wherein thou trustedst.
18. Nevertheless in those days, saith Jehovah, I will not make a full end with you.
19. And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore hath Jehovah our God done all these things unto us? then shalt thou say to them, As ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
20. Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21. Hear now this, O foolish and heartless people, who have eyes and see not; who have ears, and hear not.
22. Will ye not fear me? saith Jehovah. Will ye not tremble at my presence, who have set the sand a bound for the sea by a perpetual decree, and it shall not pass it? and its waves toss themselves, but they do not prevail; and they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23. But this people hath a stubborn and a rebellious heart; they have turned aside and are gone.
24. And they say not in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God that giveth rain, both the early and the latter, in its season; who preserveth unto us the appointed weeks of harvest.
25. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden from you what is good.
26. For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as fowlers stoop down; they set a trap, they catch men.
27. As a cage full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and have enriched themselves.
28. They are become fat, they shine, yea, they surpass in deeds of wickedness; they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not adjudge.
29. Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?