| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument. | 1"I will stand at my guard post and station myself on a tower. I will wait and see what the LORD will say about me and what I will answer when he reprimands me. " |
| 2The LORD responded: "Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces it may read it easily. | 2When he answered, the LORD told me: "Write out the revelation, engraving it clearly on the tablets, so that a courier may run with it. |
| 3For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass--it will not arrive late. | 3For the revelation pertains to an appointed time— it speaks truthfully about the end. Though it delays, wait for it, because it will surely come about— it will not be late! |
| 4Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness. | 4"Notice their arrogance— they have no inward uprightness — but the righteous will live by their faith. |
| 5Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! His appetite is as big as Sheol's; like death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations; he seizes all peoples. | 5Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man, he remains restless; he has expanded his appetite— like the afterlife or death itself, he is never satisfied. He gathers to himself all of the nations, taking captive all of the people for himself." |
| 6"But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: 'The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead (How long will this go on?)--he who gets rich by extortion!' | 6"Will not all of these ridicule him with mocking scorn? They will say, 'Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn't his. How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?' |
| 7Your creditors will suddenly attack; those who terrify you will spring into action, and they will rob you. | 7Won't your creditors revolt unexpectedly? Won't those who make you tremble wake up? As a result, you'll become their prey! |
| 8Because you robbed many countries, all who are left among the nations will rob you. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. | 8Because you plundered many nations, all of their remnants will plunder you. Human blood has been shed, and violence has been done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." |
| 9The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster. | 9"Woe to the one who amasses profit upon unjust profit in order to establish his household, so he can establish a secure place on the heights and escape from the power of evil. |
| 10Your schemes will bring shame to your house. Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct. | 10You have brought shame to yourself by killing many people— you are forfeiting your own life. |
| 11For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back. | 11Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall and the rafter will respond from the woodwork." |
| 12The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead--he who starts a town by unjust deeds. | 12"Woe to the one who founds a city upon bloodshed, and constructs a city by lawlessness. |
| 13Be sure of this! The LORD who commands armies has decreed: The nations' efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing. | 13Is it not because of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies that people grow tired putting out fires, and nations weary themselves over nothing? |
| 14For recognition of the LORD's sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea. | 14Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as water fills the sea." |
| 15"You who force your neighbor to drink wine are as good as dead--you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, so you can look at their genitals. | 15"Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink! You are forcing your bottle on him, making him drunk so you can see them naked. |
| 16But you will become drunk with shame, not majesty. Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup of wine in the LORD's right hand is coming to you, and disgrace will replace your majestic glory! | 16You are filled with dishonor instead of glory. So go ahead, drink and be naked! The LORD will turn against you, and utter disgrace will debase your reputation. |
| 17For you will pay in full for your violent acts against Lebanon; terrifying judgment will come upon you because of the way you destroyed the wild animals living there. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. | 17Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you, and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you— because you shed human blood and did violence to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." |
| 18What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things? | 18"Where is the benefit in owning a carved image, that motivates its maker to carve it? It is only a cast image— a teacher that lies— because the engraver entrusts himself to his carving, crafting speechless idols. |
| 19The one who says to wood, 'Wake up!' is as good as dead--he who says to speechless stone, 'Awake!' Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life's breath inside it. | 19"Woe to the one who says to a tree, 'Wake up!' or 'Arise!' to a speechless stone. Idols like this can't teach, can they? Look, even though it is overlaid with gold and silver, there's no breath in it at all." |
| 20But the LORD is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence!" | 20"The LORD is in his holy Temple. All the earth—be quiet in his presence." |
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