24. Emaciating hunger and consuming feverand bitter pestilence,And the teeth of wild beasts I will send among them,with the venom of reptiles gliding in the dust.
25. Out in the street the sword shall bereave,and at home the terrorFor the young man and the young woman alike,the nursing babe as well as the gray beard.
26. I said: I will make an end of themand blot out their name from human memory,
27. Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy,that their foes might misunderstand,And say, “Our own hand won the victory;the Lord had nothing to do with any of it.”
28. For they are a nation devoid of reason,having no understanding.
29. If they had insight they would realize this,they would understand their end:
30. “How could one rout a thousand,or two put ten thousand to flight,Unless it was because their Rock sold them,the Lord delivered them up?”
31. Indeed, their “rock” is not like our Rock;our enemies are fools.
32. For their vine is from the vine of Sodom,from the vineyards of Gomorrah.Their grapes are grapes of poison,and their clusters are bitter.
33. Their wine is the venom of serpents,the cruel poison of vipers.
34. Is not this stored up with me,sealed up in my storehouses?
35. Vengeance is mine and recompense,for the time they lose their footing;Because the day of their disaster is at handand their doom is rushing upon them!
36. Surely, the Lord will do justice for his people;on his servants he will have pity.When he sees their strength is gone,and neither bond nor free is left,
37. He will say, Where are their gods,the rock in whom they took refuge,
38. Who ate the fat of their sacrificesand drank the wine of their libations?Let them rise up now and help you!Let them be your protection!
39. See now that I, I alone, am he,and there is no god besides me.It is I who bring both death and life,I who inflict wounds and heal them,and from my hand no one can deliver.
40. For I raise my hand to the heavensand will say: As surely as I live forever,
41. When I sharpen my flashing sword,and my hand lays hold of judgment,With vengeance I will repay my foesand requite those who hate me.