The Sovereignty of God

1  שִׁמְע֣וּ (Hear) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֗ר (the word) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) דִּבֶּ֧ר (speaks) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (to you⁺) בֵּ֥ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel). 2  כֹּ֣ה׀ (Thus) אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH),

אֶל־ (Upon) דֶּ֤רֶךְ (the way) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (of the nations), אַל־ (not) תִּלְמָ֔דוּ (do train)

וּמֵאֹת֥וֹת (from the signs) הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (of the heavens); אַל־ (not) תֵּחָ֑תּוּ (do be dismayed)

כִּֽי־ (for) יֵחַ֥תּוּ (are dismayed) הַגּוֹיִ֖ם (the nations) מֵהֵֽמָּה׃ (by them).

3  כִּֽי־ (For) חֻקּ֥וֹת (the customs) הָֽעַמִּ֖ים (of the peoples) הֶ֣בֶל (vanity); ה֑וּא (are)

כִּֽי־ (for) עֵץ֙ (a tree) מִיַּ֣עַר (from the forest), כְּרָת֔וֹ (one cuts down)

מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (the work) יְדֵ֥י־ (of the hands) חָרָ֖שׁ (of a craftsman),

בַּֽמַּעֲצָֽד׃ (with the ax).

4  בְּכֶ֥סֶף (With silver) וּבְזָהָ֖ב (and with gold); יְיַפֵּ֑הוּ (they decorate it)

בְּמַסְמְר֧וֹת (with nails) וּבְמַקָּב֛וֹת (and with hammers), יְחַזְּק֖וּם (they fasten it)

וְל֥וֹא (so that not) יָפִֽיק׃ (it will totter).

5  כְּתֹ֨מֶר (Like scarecrows), מִקְשָׁ֥ה (in a cucumber patch) הֵ֙מָּה֙ (they are)

וְלֹ֣א (and they do not); יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ (speak)

נָשׂ֥וֹא (being lifted) יִנָּשׂ֖וּא (they are lifted up),

כִּ֣י (because) לֹ֣א (not) יִצְעָ֑דוּ (they step).

אַל־ (You should not) תִּֽירְא֤וּ (be afraid) מֵהֶם֙ (of them) כִּי־ (for) לֹ֣א (not) יָרֵ֔עוּ (they will cause harm),

וְגַם־ (and also) הֵיטֵ֖יב (to do good). אֵ֥ין (Is not) אוֹתָֽם׃ס (in them).

6  מֵאֵ֥ין (There is none) כָּמ֖וֹךָ (like You), יְהוָ֑ה (O YHWH);

גָּד֥וֹל (great), אַתָּ֛ה (You are) וְגָד֥וֹל (and great is) שִׁמְךָ֖ (Your name) בִּגְבוּרָֽה׃ (in might).

7  מִ֣י (Who) לֹ֤א (not) יִֽרָאֲךָ֙ (does fear you) מֶ֣לֶךְ (O King) הַגּוֹיִ֔ם (of the nations)?

כִּ֥י (Indeed) לְךָ֖ (for you) יָאָ֑תָה (it is fitting)!

כִּ֣י (Because) בְכָל־ (among all) חַכְמֵ֧י (the wise ones) הַגּוֹיִ֛ם (of the nations),

וּבְכָל־ (and in all) מַלְכוּתָ֖ם (their kingdoms),

מֵאֵ֥ין (is none) כָּמֽוֹךָ׃ (like You).

8  וּבְאַחַ֖ת (But they are altogether) יִבְעֲר֣וּ (senseless) וְיִכְסָ֑לוּ (and foolish);

מוּסַ֥ר (the teaching of) הֲבָלִ֖ים (of vanities) עֵ֥ץ (of wood) הֽוּא׃ (it is).

9  כֶּ֣סֶף (Silver) מְרֻקָּ֞ע (beaten) מִתַּרְשִׁ֣ישׁ (from Tarshish) יוּבָ֗א (is brought)

וְזָהָב֙ (and gold) מֵֽאוּפָ֔ז (from Uphaz)

מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (the work) חָרָ֖שׁ (of a craftsman),

וִידֵ֣י (and of the hands) צוֹרֵ֑ף (of a refiner);

תְּכֵ֤לֶת (blue) וְאַרְגָּמָן֙ (and purple) לְבוּשָׁ֔ם (are their clothing);

מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (the work) חֲכָמִ֖ים (of skillful ones) כֻּלָּֽם׃ (all of them).

10  וַֽיהוָ֤ה (And YHWH is) אֱלֹהִים֙ (God), אֱמֶ֔ת (the true)

הֽוּא־ (He is) אֱלֹהִ֥ים (God), חַיִּ֖ים (the living) וּמֶ֣לֶךְ (and King). עוֹלָ֑ם (Forever)

מִקִּצְפּוֹ֙ (at His wrath) תִּרְעַ֣שׁ (trembles), הָאָ֔רֶץ (the earth)

וְלֹֽא־ (cannot) יָכִ֥לוּ (endure) גוֹיִ֖ם (and the nations) זַעְמֽוֹ׃ס (His indignation).

11  כִּדְנָה֙ (Thus) תֵּאמְר֣וּן (you⁺ shall say) לְה֔וֹם (to them) אֱלָ֣הַיָּ֔א (The gods) דִּֽי־ (that) שְׁמַיָּ֥א (the heavens) וְאַרְקָ֖א (and the earth), לָ֣א (have not) עֲבַ֑דוּ (made) יֵאבַ֧דוּ (shall perish) מֵֽאַרְעָ֛א (from the earth) וּמִן־ (and from), תְּח֥וֹת (under) שְׁמַיָּ֖א (heavens) אֵֽלֶּה׃ס (these).

12  עֹשֵׂ֥ה (He has made) אֶ֙רֶץ֙ (the earth) בְּכֹח֔וֹ (by His power),

מֵכִ֥ין (He established) תֵּבֵ֖ל (the world) בְּחָכְמָת֑וֹ (by His wisdom),

וּבִתְבוּנָת֖וֹ (and by His understanding) נָטָ֥ה (He has stretched out) שָׁמָֽיִם׃ (the heavens).

13  לְק֨וֹל (His voice), תִּתּ֜וֹ (When He gives forth)

הֲמ֥וֹן (a tumult) מַ֙יִם֙ (of waters) בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם (is in the heavens),

וַיַּעֲלֶ֥ה (to rise) נְשִׂאִ֖ים (and He makes the vapors)

מִקְצֵ֣ה (from the end) אֶרֶץ (of the earth);

בְּרָקִ֤ים (the lightning) לַמָּטָר֙ (for the rain), עָשָׂ֔ה (He makes)

וַיּ֥וֹצֵא (and He brings forth) ר֖וּחַ (the wind) מֵאֹצְרֹתָֽיו׃ (from His storehouses).

14  נִבְעַ֤ר (Has become stupid) כָּל־ (all) אָדָם֙ (mankind) מִדַּ֔עַת (in knowledge);

הֹבִ֥ישׁ (is put to shame) כָּל־ (every) צוֹרֵ֖ף (refiner) מִפָּ֑סֶל (by an idol);

כִּ֛י (for) שֶׁ֥קֶר (is falsehood), נִסְכּ֖וֹ (his molten image)

וְלֹא־ (and there is not) ר֥וּחַ (breath) בָּֽם׃ (in them).

15  הֶ֣בֶל (Vanity), הֵ֔מָּה (they are) מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה (a work) תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים (of errors);

בְּעֵ֥ת (in the time) פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם (of their punishment) יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ (they shall perish).

16  לֹֽא־ (Is not) כְאֵ֜לֶּה (like these); חֵ֣לֶק (the portion) יַעֲקֹ֗ב (of Jacob)

כִּֽי־ (for) יוֹצֵ֤ר (the Maker) הַכֹּל֙ (of all) ה֔וּא (is He)

וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל (and Israel is) שֵׁ֖בֶט (the tribe) נַֽחֲלָת֑וֹ (of His inheritance);

יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH of) צְבָא֖וֹת (Hosts) שְׁמֽוֹ׃ס (is His name).

The Coming Captivity of Judah

17  אִסְפִּ֥י (Gather up) מֵאֶ֖רֶץ (from the land), כִּנְעָתֵ֑ךְ (your bundle) יֹשַׁבְתִּי (O inhabitant) בַּמָּצֽוֹר׃ס (of the fortress). 18  כִּֽי־ (For) כֹה֙ (thus) אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH)

הִנְנִ֥י (Behold, I) קוֹלֵ֛עַ (am slinging out) אֶת־ (-) יוֹשְׁבֵ֥י (the dwellers) הָאָ֖רֶץ (of the land)

בַּפַּ֣עַם (time), הַזֹּ֑את (at this)

וַהֲצֵר֥וֹתִי (and I will cause distress) לָהֶ֖ם (for them)

לְמַ֥עַן (so that) יִמְצָֽאוּ׃ס (they are found out).

19  א֥וֹי (Woe) לִי֙ (to me) עַל־ (because of) שִׁבְרִ֔י (my brokenness)!

נַחְלָ֖ה (Is grievous). מַכָּתִ֑י (My wound)

וַאֲנִ֣י (and I) אָמַ֔רְתִּי (said), אַ֛ךְ (Truly) זֶ֥ה (this is) חֳלִ֖י (a sickness),

וְאֶשָּׂאֶֽנּוּ׃ (and I must bear it).

20  אָהֳלִ֣י (My tent) שֻׁדָּ֔ד (is plundered),

וְכָל־ (and all) מֵיתָרַ֖י (my cords) נִתָּ֑קוּ (are broken);

בָּנַ֤י (my children) יְצָאֻ֙נִי֙ (have gone forth from me)

וְאֵינָ֔ם (and they are no more);

אֵין־ (there is no one) נֹטֶ֥ה (stretching out) עוֹד֙ (anymore), אָהֳלִ֔י (my tent)

וּמֵקִ֖ים (and raising up) יְרִיעוֹתָֽי׃ (my curtains).

21  כִּ֤י (For) נִבְעֲרוּ֙ (have become stupid), הָֽרֹעִ֔ים (the shepherds)

וְאֶת־ (and) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH); לֹ֣א (not) דָרָ֑שׁוּ (they have sought)

עַל־ (upon) כֵּן֙ (thus) לֹ֣א (not) הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ (they have prospered),

וְכָל־ (and all) מַרְעִיתָ֖ם (their flock) נָפֽוֹצָה׃ס (is scattered).

22  ק֤וֹל (The sound) שְׁמוּעָה֙ (of a report) הִנֵּ֣ה (behold), בָאָ֔ה (it is coming),

וְרַ֥עַשׁ (commotion) גָּד֖וֹל (and a great) מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (from the land) צָפ֑וֹן (of the north)

לָשׂ֞וּם (to appoint) אֶת־ (-) עָרֵ֧י (the cities) יְהוּדָ֛ה (of Judah) שְׁמָמָ֖ה (a desolation),

מְע֥וֹן (a habitation) תַּנִּֽים׃ס (for jackals).

23  יָדַ֣עְתִּי (I know) יְהוָ֔ה (O YHWH), כִּ֛י (that) לֹ֥א (is not in himself) לָאָדָ֖ם (of man) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (the way)

לֹֽא־ (not) לְאִ֣ישׁ (of man) הֹלֵ֔ךְ (is the going) וְהָכִ֖ין (and establishing) אֶֽת־ (-) צַעֲדֽוֹ׃ (his steps).

24  יַסְּרֵ֥נִי (Discipline me) יְהוָ֖ה (O YHWH),

אַךְ־ (but) בְּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט (with justice);

אַל־ (not) בְּאַפְּךָ֖ (in Your anger),

פֶּן־ (lest) תַּמְעִטֵֽנִי׃ (You bring me to nothing).

25  שְׁפֹ֣ךְ (Pour out) חֲמָתְךָ֗ (Your fury) עַל־ (on) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (the nations)

אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who) לֹֽא־ (not), יְדָע֔וּךָ (do know you)

וְעַל֙ (and on) מִשְׁפָּח֔וֹת (the families)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) בְּשִׁמְךָ֖ (on Your name); לֹ֣א (not) קָרָ֑אוּ (do call)

כִּֽי־ (for) אָכְל֣וּ (they have eaten up) אֶֽת־ (-) יַעֲקֹ֗ב (Jacob),

וַאֲכָלֻ֙הוּ֙ (and have devoured him) וַיְכַלֻּ֔הוּ (and consumed him)

וְאֶת־ (and) נָוֵ֖הוּ (his habitation) הֵשַֽׁמּוּ׃פ (have made desolate).