17. "I will make justice the measuring line And righteousness the level; Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies And the waters will overflow the secret place.
18. "Your covenant with death will be canceled, And your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the overwhelming scourge passes through, Then you become its trampling place.
19. "As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, And it will be sheer terror to understand what it means."
20. The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the blanket is too small to wrap oneself in.
21. For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the valley of Gibeon, To do His task, His unusual task, And to work His work, His extraordinary work.
22. And now do not carry on as scoffers, Or your fetters will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts Of decisive destruction on all the earth.
23. Give ear and hear my voice, Listen and hear my words.
24. Does the farmer plow continually to plant seed? Does he continually turn and harrow the ground?
25. Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter cummin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area?