19. “Hear, O earth! See, I am bringing evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to My words, nor My Torah – and they rejected it.
20. “What need have I of frankincense from Sheḇa, and sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your slaughterings have not been sweet to Me.”
21. Therefore thus said יהוה, “See, I am laying stumbling-blocks before this people. And the fathers and the sons together shall stumble on them, the neighbour and his friend shall perish.”
22. Thus said יהוה, “See, a people shall come from the land of the north, and a great nation is stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth,
23. they seize bow and spear, they are cruel and have no compassion, their voice roars like the sea. And they ride on horses, set in array as a man for battle against you, O daughter of Tsiyon.”
24. We have heard the report of it, our hands grow weak. Distress has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labour.
25. Do not go out into the field, nor walk by the way. Because of the sword of the enemy, fear is on every side.
26. O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, and roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation because suddenly the ravager shall come upon us.
27. “I have made you a trier and a stronghold among My people, so that you know, and shall try their way.
28. “All of them are rebels of rebels, walking as slanderers. They are bronze and iron, all of them are corrupters.
29. “The bellows have burned, the lead has been consumed by fire. The refiner has refined in vain, for those who are evil have not been seperated.
30. “They shall call them rejected silver, because יהוה has rejected them.”