4. and the fading flower of its splendid comeliness that is on the head of the fertile valley, like the first fruit before the summer, which, when one sees it, he eats it up while it is still in his hand.
5. In that day יהוה of hosts is for a crown of splendour and a head-dress of comeliness to the remnant of His people,
6. and a spirit of right-ruling to him who sits in right-ruling, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
7. And these too have gone astray through wine, and through strong drink wandered about. Priest and prophet have gone astray through strong drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they wander about through strong drink, they go astray in vision, they stumble in right-ruling.
8. For all tables shall be covered with vomit, no place without filth.
9. Whom would He teach knowledge? And whom would He make to understand the message? Those weaned from milk, those taken from the breasts!
10. For it is: command upon command, command upon command, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.
11. For with a jabbering lip and a foreign tongue He speaks to this people,
12. to whom He said, “This is the rest, give rest to the weary,” and, “This is the refreshing.” But they would not hear.
13. But the Word of יהוה was to them, “Command upon command, command upon command, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,” so that they go and shall stumble backward, and be broken and snared and taken captive.
14. Therefore hear the Word of יהוה, you men of scorn, who rule this people who are in Yerushalayim,
15. because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with the grave we have effected a vision. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it does not come to us, for we have made lying our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”
16. Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am laying in Tsiyon a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a settled foundation. He who trusts shall not hasten away.
17. And I shall make right-ruling the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet. And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lying, and the waters overflow the hiding place.
18. And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your vision with the grave not stand. When an overflowing scourge passes through, then you shall be trampled down by it.
19. As often as it passes through it shall take you, for it shall pass through every morning, and by day and by night. And it shall be only trembling to understand the message.”