Don't Expect Help from Egypt
1 This is the Lord's message for his rebellious people:
“You follow your own plans
instead of mine;
you make treaties
without asking me,
and you keep on sinning.
2 You trust Egypt for protection.
So you refuse my advice
and send messengers to Egypt
to beg their king for help.
3 “You will be disappointed,
completely disgraced
for trusting Egypt.
4 The king's power reaches
from the city of Zoan
as far south as Hanes.
5 But Egypt can't protect you,
and to trust that nation
is useless and foolish.”
6 This is a message
about the animals
of the Southern Desert:
“You people carry treasures
on donkeys and camels.
You travel to a feeble nation
through a troublesome desert
filled with lions
and flying fiery dragons.
7 Egypt can't help you!
That's why I call that nation
a helpless monster.”
Israel Refuses To Listen
8 The Lord told me to write down his message for his people, so that it would be there forever. 9 They have turned against the Lord and can't be trusted. They have refused his teaching 10 and have said to his messengers and prophets:
Don't tell us what God has shown you and don't preach the truth. Just say what we want to hear, even if it's false. 11 Stop telling us what God has said! We don't want to hear any more about the holy One of Israel.
12 Now this is the answer
of the holy One of Israel:
“You rejected my message,
and you trust in violence
and lies.
13 This sin is like a crack
that makes a high wall
quickly crumble 14 and shatter
like a crushed bowl.
There's not a piece left
big enough to carry hot coals
or to dip out water.”
Trust the Lord
15 The holy Lord God of Israel
had told all of you,
“I will keep you safe
if you turn back to me
and calm down.
I will make you strong
if you quietly trust me.”
Then you stubbornly 16 said,
“No! We will safely escape
on speedy horses.”
But those who chase you
will be even faster.
17 As few as five of them,
or even one, will be enough
to chase a thousand of you.
Finally, all that will be left
will be a few survivors
as lonely as a flag pole
on a barren hill.
The Lord Will Show Mercy
18 The Lord God is waiting
to show how kind he is
and to have pity on you.
The Lord always does right;
he blesses those who trust him.
19 People of Jerusalem, you don't need to cry anymore. The Lord is kind, and as soon as he hears your cries for help, he will come. 20 The Lord has given you trouble and sorrow as your food and drink. But now you will again see the Lord, your teacher, and he will guide you. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.” 22 Then you will treat your idols of silver and gold like garbage; you will throw them away like filthy rags.
23 The Lord will send rain to water the seeds you have planted—your fields will produce more crops than you need, and your cattle will graze in open pastures. 24 Even the oxen and donkeys that plow your fields will be fed the finest grain.
25 On that day people will be slaughtered and towers destroyed, but streams of water will flow from high hills and towering mountains. 26 Then the Lord will bandage his people's injuries and heal the wounds he has caused. The moon will shine as bright as the sun, and the sun will shine seven times brighter than usual. It will be like the light of seven days all at once.
Assyria Will Be Punished
27 The Lord is coming
from far away
with his fiery anger
and thick clouds of smoke.
His angry words flame up
like a destructive fire;
28 he breathes out a flood
that comes up to the neck.
He sifts the nations
and destroys them.
Then he puts a bridle
in every foreigner's mouth
and leads them to doom.
29 The Lord's people will sing as they do when they celebrate a religious festival at night. The Lord is Israel's mighty rock, and his people will be as happy as they are when they follow the sound of flutes to the mountain where he is worshiped.
30 The Lord will get furious. His fearsome voice will be heard, his arm will be seen ready to strike, and his anger will be like a destructive fire, followed by thunderstorms and hailstones. 31 When the Assyrians hear the Lord's voice and see him striking with his iron rod, they will be terrified. 32 He will attack them in battle, and each time he strikes them, it will be to the music of tambourines and harps.
33 Long ago the Lord got a place ready for burning the body of the dead king. The place for the fire is deep and wide, the wood is piled high, and the Lord will start the fire by breathing out flaming sulfur.
Veltīgā paļaušanās uz Ēģipti
1 “Vai! dumpīgiem dēliem,”
saka Kungs,
“ka tie dara ne pēc mana padoma,
ka tie līgst ne pēc mana Gara,
krādami grēku pie grēka!
2 Tie grasās uz Ēģipti doties –
man vis nav prasījuši! –
un tverties faraona patvērumā,
un glābties Ēģiptes ēnā!
3 Bet faraona patvērums jums taps par kaunu
un glābiņš Ēģiptes ēnā par izsmieklu!
4 Kaut gan viņa augstmaņi jau Coanā
un viņa sūtņi jau Hānesā ieradušies –
5 visi piedzīvos kaunu
dēļ tautas, kam nav ko dāvāt, –
tā nevar ne līdzēt, nedz ko dot,
tik kaunu un apsmieklu!”
6 Vēstījums par dienvidu nezvēriem.
Posta un moku zeme,
no turienes nāk lauvas un lauvenes,
odzes un lidojoši pūķi.
Tie nes savas bagātības uz ēzeļu mugurām
un savus dārgumus uz kamieļu kupriem –
tautai, kas tiem neko nedos!
7 Ēģipte ir nieks un neko nevar līdzēt,
tādēļ es to saucu par lepno, kam jāiznīkst!
Stūrgalvīgā un dumpīgā tauta
8 Tagad ej un raksti to viņiem uz dēlīša,
ieraksti grāmatā,
lai paliek nākamām dienām,
par liecību uz mūžiem!
9 Jo tā ir dumpīga tauta –
dēli, kas pieviļ,
dēli, kas negrib klausīt
Kunga bauslībai!
10 Tie redzētājiem saka: neredziet!
Un praviešiem: neskatiet mums taisnību –
runājiet, kā mums patīk,
skatiet tik tīkamu vien,
11 aizvācieties no ceļa,
nost no takas,
prom no mums Israēla Svēto! –
12 Tādēļ tā saka Israēla Svētais:
“Tādēļ ka jūs nicināt šo vārdu,
paļaujaties uz varmācību un negodīgumu
un uzticaties tām,
13 pār jums nāks vaina,
kā plaisa, kas liek krist greizam mūrim –
augsts, bet piepeši sabrūk!
14 Viņš tos sadauzīs kā podnieks krūku,
sadragās bez žēlastības,
ka neatradīsies pat māla lauska,
ar ko krāsnī izgrābt ogles
vai pasmelt ūdeni.”
15 Jo tā saka Kungs Dievs, Israēla Svētais:
“Atgriežoties un rimstot jūs būtu glābti,
klusi un paļāvīgi jūs būtu vareni –
bet jūs negribat!”
16 Turklāt jūs sakāt:
nē! Zirgos aizbēgsim!
– Tad nu bēdziet! –
Rumakos aiztrauksim!
– Ātri būs jūsu vajātāji! –
17 Tūkstotis – no viena vīra kara sauciena
un no piecu vīru kara sauciena – visi!
Tā jūs bēgsiet!
No jums tikai karoga kāts kalngalā paliks,
tik miets paugura galā!
Dieva apsolījums Ciānai
18 Taču Kungs gaida jūs apžēlot,
tādēļ viņš ceļas, lai būtu jums žēlsirdīgs, –
jo Kungs ir taisnas tiesas Dievs,
svētīti visi, kas cer uz viņu.
19 Ciānas tauta, kas mīti Jeruzālemē,
raudāt tev nebūs jāraud,
žēlot viņš žēlos, kad tu kliegsi,
tikko sadzirdēs – tūdaļ atbildēs!
20 Kungs jums dos
sēru maizi un spaidu ūdeni,
bet tavs Skolotājs vairs neslēpsies,
pats savām acīm tu redzēsi Skolotāju.
21 Kad tu griezīsies pa labi vai kreisi,
tad dzirdēsi aiz muguras sakām:
šis ir ceļš, ejiet pa to! –
22 tad tu aizmēzīsi savus sudraba pārklātos tēlus,
savus zeltā kaltos lējumus aizmetīsi kā nešķīstību.
Ejiet! – tu teiksi tiem.
23 Tad viņš sēklai dos lietu,
un labība, ko dos zeme,
būs lekna un trekna,
tajā dienā tavi ganāmpulki
ganīsies plašā zālainē.
24 Vērši un ēzeļi, kas strādā zemi,
ēdīs skābētu mistru,
kas ar liekšķeri un dakšām maisīts.
25 Tad visos augstajos kalnos
un visos dižajos pauguros
būs straumes, kur ritēs ūdens, –
lielā slaktiņa dienā grūs torņi!
26 Tad mēnessgaisma būs kā karsētājas gaisma,
bet karsētājas gaisma būs septiņkārša,
kā to septiņu dienu gaisma,
kad Kungs pārsies savas tautas vātis
un dziedēs brūces, ko bija sitis.
Dieva pārmācība Asīrijai
27 Redzi, Kunga vārds no tālienes nāk,
deg viņa dusmas un mākoņi griežas,
viņa lūpas ir niknuma pilnas
un viņa mēle kā rijoša uguns,
28 viņa elpa kā plūstoša upe,
kas līdz kaklam sniedzas, –
nu šūpos tautas nīcības sietā,
nu tautām žokļos būs maldu iemaukti!
29 Tad jums būs dziesma
kā naktī, kad svētkus svin,
līksma sirds, kā stabulei līdzi ejot,
tekot uz Kunga kalnu, uz Israēla klinti!
30 Kungs liks, lai atskan viņa godības balss –
tad redzēs, kā viņa elkonis noliecas
dusmu kvēlē un rijošā uguns liesmā,
vētrā, negaisā un akmens krusā!
31 No Kunga balss izbīsies Asīrija,
kad viņš to sitīs ar rīksti!
32 Ikreiz, kad pāri ies pārmācības rīkste,
ar kuru tos šaustīs Kungs, –
ar bungām un stīgām,
ar cīņai paceltu roku viņš karos pret tiem,
33 jo kurtuve jau sen ierīkota –
arī ķēniņam tā jau gatava – dziļa un plata,
un uguns sārts, un malkas papilnam –
Kunga dvesma kā sēra straume to aizdedzinās!
