33 It will be very bad for you who destroy other nations.
No other nation has destroyed you yet.
It will be very bad for you who deceive other nations.
No other nation has deceived you yet.
But in the end, when you stop destroying,
others will destroy you.
When you stop deceiving,
other nations will deceive you. [ a ]
2 Lord , please be kind to us.
We wait for you to help us.
Make us strong every day.
Rescue us when trouble happens.
3 When they hear the noise of battle,
the nations run away.
When you go to war,
they run in every direction!
4 You nations, after the battle your valuable things will quickly disappear!
It will seem like locusts have eaten them all.
Yes, we will take it all,
like a hungry crowd of locusts.
5 The Lord is greater than all others.
He lives high above the earth.
He will cause Zion's people to do what is right and fair.
6 Whatever happens, he will cause you to be strong.
He will always keep you safe,
and he will make you wise,
so that you understand things.
Respect the Lord with fear,
and he will do all this for you.
7 Look! Our brave soldiers are calling out in the streets.
The people that we sent to make peace with our enemies are weeping.
8 The big roads are empty.
Nobody is travelling anywhere.
People spoil agreements that they have made.
They do not believe what people promise.
They do not respect anyone.
9 The land itself is dry and useless.
Lebanon's forest is dying.
Sharon has become like a desert.
The trees in Bashan and Carmel have no leaves. [ b ]
10 The Lord says, ‘Now I will stand up to do something.
I will show that I am great and powerful.
11 My enemies, everything that you want to do will be useless.
Your thoughts are like dry grass and straw.
Your own breath will destroy you,
like a fire that burns dry grass.
12 Your people will be like wood for the fire,
and only ashes will remain.
They will burn as easily as thorn bushes
that people cut down and throw on the fire.
13 You people who live far away,
listen to what I have done!
You people who are near,
understand that I am very strong.’
14 The sinners who live in Zion are afraid.
The people who do not respect God shake with fear.
They ask, ‘Who among us can stay alive?
This is a fire that burns everything.
Nobody can stop it from burning!’
15 But some people can still live!
Those who are honest in what they do
and fair in what they say.
Those who refuse to cheat other people
so that they can become rich.
Those who refuse to accept bribes.
Those who will not listen to murderers,
and who will not think about evil things.
16 People who are like that will live in a safe place.
Danger will not reach them among the high rocks.
They will always have food to eat,
and plenty of water to drink.
17 With your own eyes, you will see the king.
He will be great and beautiful.
You will see the land that he rules.
It will reach far and wide.
18 Then you will think about the time when you were afraid.
You will say, ‘Where is the enemy's important officer?
Where is the officer that we paid taxes to?
Where is the officer who counted our strong buildings?
They are no longer here to give us trouble!’
19 You will never see those cruel people again.
You could not understand their language.
They laughed at you with strange words.
20 Now, look at Zion, the city where we have our festivals.
Yes, you will see Jerusalem.
It will be a place that is quiet and safe.
It will be like a tent that people will never move.
They will never pull up its pegs.
They will never break its ropes.
21 The Lord will rule there as our powerful God.
Rivers and wide streams will run through it.
Our enemies will not be able to bring their ships there to attack us.
22 The Lord will keep us safe.
He is our judge, our ruler and our king.
23 At this time, your ship is not ready to go anywhere.
You have not tied the ropes.
There is nowhere to hang the sails.
But then, you will take many valuable things from your enemies.
You will share them after the battle.
Even people who cannot walk well
will carry away what they want!
24 Nobody who lives in Zion will say, ‘I am ill.’
And God will forgive their sins.
33 Look at you. You attack others when you have not been attacked. You turn against others when no one has turned against you. So when you stop your attacks, you will be attacked. When you stop turning against others, they will turn against you.
2 Lord , be kind to us.
We have waited for your help.
Give us strength every morning.
Save us when we are in trouble.
3 Your powerful voice makes people run away in fear.
Your greatness causes the nations to run away.
4 You people stole things in war. Those things will be taken from you. Many will come and take your wealth. It will be like the times when locusts come and eat all your crops.
5 The Lord is very great. He lives in a very high place. He fills Zion with justice and goodness.
6 Jerusalem, you are rich with wisdom and knowledge of God. You are rich with salvation. You respect the Lord , and that makes you rich.
7 But listen! The messengers are crying outside. The messengers [ a ] who bring peace are crying very hard. 8 The roads are empty; there is no one walking along the paths. People don’t respect each other. They have broken the agreements they made, and they refuse to believe what witnesses [ b ] tell them. 9 The land is sick and dying. Lebanon is dying and Sharon Valley is dry and empty. Bashan and Carmel once grew beautiful plants—but now those plants have stopped growing.
10 The Lord says, “Now, I will stand and show people how great and powerful I am. 11 You people have done useless things. These things are like hay and straw. They are worth nothing! Your breath will be like a fire and burn you. 12 People will be burned until their bones become lime. [ c ] They will burn quickly like thorns and dry bushes.
13 “You people in faraway lands, listen to what I have done. You people who are near me, learn about my power.”
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid. Those who do wrong shake with fear. They say, “Can any of us live through this fire that destroys? Who can live near this fire that burns forever?” [ d ]
15 Good, honest people who refuse to hurt others for money will live through that fire . They refuse to take bribes or listen to plans to murder other people. They refuse to look at plans for doing bad things. 16 They will live safely in high places. They will be protected in high rock fortresses. They will always have food and water.
17 Your eyes will see the King in his beauty. You will see the great land. 18-19 When you think about the troubles you had in the past, you will wonder, “Where are those foreigners who spoke languages we could not understand. Where are the officials and tax collectors from other lands? Where are the spies who counted our defense towers?”
20 Look at Zion, the city of our religious festivals. Look at Jerusalem—that beautiful place of rest. Jerusalem is like a tent that will never be moved. The pegs that hold her in place will never be pulled up. Her ropes will never be broken, 21-23 because the Lord is our powerful leader there. That land is a place with streams and wide rivers, but there will be no enemy boats or powerful ships on those rivers. You men who work on such boats can stop your work with the ropes. You cannot make the mast strong enough. You will not be able to open your sails, because the Lord is our judge. He makes our laws. He is our king. He saves us. The Lord will give us our wealth. Even crippled people will get their share. 24 No one living there will say, “I am sick,” because everyone living there has had their guilt removed.
33 Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
2 O Lord , be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.
4 And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.
5 The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
7 Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
9 The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
10 Now will I rise, saith the Lord ; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.
11 Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
12 And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
21 But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.
23 Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.
33 Woe ( A ) to you, destroyer,
While you were not destroyed;
And he ( B ) who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him.
As soon as you finish destroying, ( C ) you will be destroyed;
As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will ( D ) deal treacherously with you.
2 Lord , ( E ) be gracious to us; we have ( F ) waited for You.
Be [ a ] their [ b ] ( G ) strength every morning,
Our salvation also in the ( H ) time of distress.
3 At the sound of a roar, ( I ) peoples flee;
At the ( J ) lifting up of Yourself, nations disperse.
4 Your plunder is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;
Like an infestation of locusts, people storm it.
5 The Lord is ( K ) exalted, for He dwells on high;
He has ( L ) filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 And He will be the [ c ] ( M ) stability of your times,
A ( N ) wealth of salvation, wisdom, and ( O ) knowledge;
The ( P ) fear of the Lord is his treasure.
7 Behold, their brave men cry out [ d ] in the streets,
The [ e ] ( Q ) ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
8 The highways are desolate, [ f ] the ( R ) traveler has ceased,
He has ( S ) broken the covenant, he has despised the cities,
He has no regard for mankind.
9 ( T ) The land mourns and wastes away,
( U ) Lebanon is shamed and withers;
( V ) Sharon is like a desert plain,
And Bashan and Carmel [ g ] lose their foliage .
10 “Now ( W ) I will arise,” says the Lord ,
“Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.
11 You have ( X ) conceived [ h ] chaff, you will give birth to stubble;
[ i ] My ( Y ) breath will consume you like a fire.
12 The peoples will be burned to lime,
( Z ) Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.
13 “You who are far away, ( AA ) hear what I have done;
And you who are near, [ j ] acknowledge My might.”
14 ( AB ) Sinners in Zion are terrified;
( AC ) Trembling has seized the godless.
“Who among us can live with ( AD ) the consuming fire?
Who among us can live with everlasting ( AE ) burning?”
15 One who ( AF ) walks righteously and speaks with integrity,
One who rejects [ k ] unjust gain
And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;
One who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed
And ( AG ) shuts his eyes from looking at evil;
16 He will dwell on the heights,
( AH ) His refuge will be the [ l ] impregnable rock;
( AI ) His bread will be given him ,
His water will be sure.
17 Your eyes will see ( AJ ) the King in His beauty;
They will see ( AK ) a distant land.
18 Your heart will meditate on ( AL ) terror:
“Where is ( AM ) one who counts?
Where is one who weighs?
Where is one who counts the towers?”
19 You will no longer see a fierce people,
A people of [ m ] ( AN ) unintelligible speech [ n ] which no one comprehends,
Of a stammering tongue [ o ] which no one understands.
20 ( AO ) Look at Zion, the city of our appointed feasts;
Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an ( AP ) undisturbed settlement,
( AQ ) A tent which will not be folded;
Its stakes will never be pulled up,
Nor any of its ropes be torn apart.
21 But there the majestic One , the Lord , will be for us
A place of ( AR ) rivers and wide canals
On which no boat with oars will go,
And on which no mighty ship will pass—
22 For the Lord is our ( AS ) judge,
The Lord is ( AT ) our lawgiver,
The Lord is ( AU ) our king;
( AV ) He will save us—
23 Your ship’s tackle hangs slack;
It cannot hold the base of its mast firmly,
Nor spread out the sail.
Then the ( AW ) prey of an abundant spoil will be divided;
( AX ) Those who limp will take the plunder.
24 And no resident will say, “I am ( AY ) sick”;
The people who live [ p ] there will be ( AZ ) forgiven their wrongdoing.
33 Woe ( A ) to you, destroyer,
you who have not been destroyed!
Woe to you, betrayer,
you who have not been betrayed!
When you stop destroying,
you will be destroyed; ( B )
when you stop betraying,
you will be betrayed. ( C )
2 Lord , be gracious ( D ) to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength ( E ) every morning,
our salvation ( F ) in time of distress. ( G )
3 At the uproar of your army, ( H ) the peoples flee; ( I )
when you rise up, ( J ) the nations scatter.
4 Your plunder, ( K ) O nations, is harvested ( L ) as by young locusts; ( M )
like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.
5 The Lord is exalted, ( N ) for he dwells on high; ( O )
he will fill Zion with his justice ( P ) and righteousness. ( Q )
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation ( R ) and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear ( S ) of the Lord is the key to this treasure. [ a ] ( T )
7 Look, their brave men ( U ) cry aloud in the streets;
the envoys ( V ) of peace weep bitterly.
8 The highways are deserted,
no travelers ( W ) are on the roads. ( X )
The treaty is broken, ( Y )
its witnesses [ b ] are despised,
no one is respected.
9 The land dries up ( Z ) and wastes away,
Lebanon ( AA ) is ashamed and withers; ( AB )
Sharon ( AC ) is like the Arabah,
and Bashan ( AD ) and Carmel ( AE ) drop their leaves.
10 “Now will I arise, ( AF ) ” says the Lord .
“Now will I be exalted; ( AG )
now will I be lifted up.
11 You conceive ( AH ) chaff,
you give birth ( AI ) to straw;
your breath is a fire ( AJ ) that consumes you.
12 The peoples will be burned to ashes; ( AK )
like cut thornbushes ( AL ) they will be set ablaze. ( AM ) ”
13 You who are far away, ( AN ) hear ( AO ) what I have done;
you who are near, acknowledge my power!
14 The sinners ( AP ) in Zion are terrified;
trembling ( AQ ) grips the godless:
“Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? ( AR )
Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?”
15 Those who walk righteously ( AS )
and speak what is right, ( AT )
who reject gain from extortion ( AU )
and keep their hands from accepting bribes, ( AV )
who stop their ears against plots of murder
and shut their eyes ( AW ) against contemplating evil—
16 they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, ( AX )
whose refuge ( AY ) will be the mountain fortress. ( AZ )
Their bread will be supplied,
and water will not fail ( BA ) them.
17 Your eyes will see the king ( BB ) in his beauty ( BC )
and view a land that stretches afar. ( BD )
18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror: ( BE )
“Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
Where is the officer in charge of the towers? ( BF ) ”
19 You will see those arrogant people ( BG ) no more,
people whose speech is obscure,
whose language is strange and incomprehensible. ( BH )
20 Look on Zion, ( BI ) the city of our festivals;
your eyes will see Jerusalem,
a peaceful abode, ( BJ ) a tent ( BK ) that will not be moved; ( BL )
its stakes will never be pulled up,
nor any of its ropes broken.
21 There the Lord will be our Mighty ( BM ) One.
It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. ( BN )
No galley with oars will ride them,
no mighty ship ( BO ) will sail them.
22 For the Lord is our judge, ( BP )
the Lord is our lawgiver, ( BQ )
the Lord is our king; ( BR )
it is he who will save ( BS ) us.
