1. The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
2. O thou that art full of shoutings, a tumultuous city, a joyous town; thy slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they dead in battle.
3. All thy rulers fled away together, they were bound by the archers: all that were found of thee were bound together, they fled afar off.
4. Therefore said I, Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; labour not to comfort me, for the spoiling of the daughter of my people.
5. For it is a day of discomfiture, and of treading down, and of perplexity, from the Lord, the LORD of hosts, in the valley of vision; a breaking down of the walls, and a crying to the mountains.
6. And Elam bare the quiver, with chariots of men and horsemen; and Kir uncovered the shield.
7. And it came to pass, that thy choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen set themselves in array at the gate.
8. And he took away the covering of Judah; and thou didst look in that day to the armour in the house of the forest.
9. And ye saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
10. and ye numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and ye brake down the houses to fortify the wall.
11. ye made also a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye looked not unto him that had done this, neither had ye respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.
12. And in that day did the Lord, the LORD of hosts, call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
13. and behold, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine: let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.
14. And the LORD of hosts revealed himself in mine ears, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
15. Thus saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,