1. Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim,whose glorious beauty is a fading flowerwhich is at the head of the fertile valleyof those who are overcome with wine!
2. See, the Lord has a mighty and strong one,as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm,as a flood of mighty overflowing waters,He has cast it down to the earth with His hand.
3. The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraimis trodden under foot;
4. and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,which is at the head of the fertile valley,shall be like a first-ripe fig before the summer,which when one sees, while it is yet in his hand,he eats it up.
5. In that day the Lord of Hostsshall become a crown of gloryand a diadem of beautyto the remnant of His people,
6. a spirit of justicefor him who sits in judgment,and strengthto those who turn away the battle at the gate.
7. But they also have erred through wineand stagger from strong drink;the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink,they are confused by wine,they stagger from strong drink;they err while having visions,they stumble when rendering judgment.
8. For all the tables are full of vomitand filthiness so that there is no clean place.
9. “To whom shall He teach knowledge,and to whom shall He interpret the message?Those just weaned from the milkand drawn from the breasts?
10. For He says,‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,line upon line, line upon line,here a little, there a little.’ ”
11. For with stammering lips and foreign tongueHe will speak to this people,
12. He who said to them,“This is the rest. Give rest to the weary,”and, “This is repose,”yet they would not listen.