3. That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards,will be trampled underfoot.
4. That fading flower, his glorious beauty,set on the head of a fertile valley,will be like figs ripe before harvest –as soon as people see them and take them in hand,they swallow them.
5. In that day the Lord Almightywill be a glorious crown,a beautiful wreathfor the remnant of his people.
6. He will be a spirit of justiceto the one who sits in judgment,a source of strengthto those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7. And these also stagger from wineand reel from beer:priests and prophets stagger from beerand are befuddled with wine;they reel from beer,they stagger when seeing visions,they stumble when rendering decisions.
8. All the tables are covered with vomitand there is not a spot without filth.
9. ‘Who is it he is trying to teach?To whom is he explaining his message?To children weaned from their milk,to those just taken from the breast?
10. For it is:do this, do that,a rule for this, a rule for that;a little here, a little there.’
11. Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tonguesGod will speak to this people,
12. to whom he said,‘This is the resting-place, let the weary rest’;and, ‘This is the place of repose’ –but they would not listen.