1. I will stand at my watchand station myself on the ramparts;I will look to see what he will say to me,and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
2. Then the Lord replied:‘Write down the revelationand make it plain on tabletsso that a herald may run with it.
3. For the revelation awaits an appointed time;it speaks of the endand will not prove false.Though it linger, wait for it;it will certainly comeand will not delay.
4. ‘See, the enemy is puffed up;his desires are not upright –but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness –
5. indeed, wine betrays him;he is arrogant and never at rest.Because he is as greedy as the graveand like death is never satisfied,he gathers to himself all the nationsand takes captive all the peoples.
6. ‘Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,‘ “Woe to him who piles up stolen goodsand makes himself wealthy by extortion!How long must this go on?”
7. Will not your creditors suddenly arise?Will they not wake up and make you tremble?Then you will become their prey.
8. Because you have plundered many nations,the peoples who are left will plunder you.For you have shed human blood;you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.
9. ‘Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,setting his nest on highto escape the clutches of ruin!
10. You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
11. The stones of the wall will cry out,and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
12. ‘Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshedand establishes a town by injustice!
13. Has not the Lord Almighty determinedthat the people’s labour is only fuel for the fire,that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
14. For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lordas the waters cover the sea.