15. Beware! I will bring against youa nation from far away,O House of Israel—oracle of the Lord;A long-lived nation, an ancient nation,a people whose language you do not know,whose speech you cannot understand.
16. Their quivers are like open graves;all of them are warriors.
17. They will devour your harvest and your bread,devour your sons and your daughters,Devour your sheep and cattle,devour your vines and fig trees;With their swords they will beat downthe fortified cities in which you trust.
18. Yet even in those days—oracle of the Lord—I will not completely destroy you.
19. And when they ask, “Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?” say to them, “As you have abandoned me to serve foreign gods in your own land, so shall you serve foreigners in a land not your own.”
20. Announce this to the house of Jacob,proclaim it in Judah:
21. Pay attention to this,you foolish and senseless people,Who have eyes and do not see,who have ears and do not hear.
22. Should you not fear me—oracle of the Lord—should you not tremble before me?I made the sandy shore the sea’s limit,which by eternal decree it may not overstep.Toss though it may, it is to no avail;though its billows roar, they cannot overstep.
23. But this people’s heart is stubborn and rebellious;they turn and go away,
24. And do not say in their hearts,“Let us fear the Lord, our God,Who gives us rainearly and late, in its time;Who watches for usover the appointed weeks of harvest.”
25. Your crimes have prevented these things,your sins have turned these blessings away from you.