Read the Bible

¹ Woe, spoiler! And you not spoiled, || And treacherous! And they did not deal treacherously with you, || When you finish, O spoiler, you are spoiled, || When you finish dealing treacherously, || They deal treacherously with you.² O YHWH, favor us, || We have waited for You, || Be their arm, in the mornings, || Indeed, our salvation in time of adversity.³ From the voice of a multitude peoples have fled, || From Your exaltation nations have been scattered.⁴ And Your spoil has been gathered, || A gathering of the caterpillar, || As a running to and fro of locusts || He is running on it.⁵ YHWH is set on high, for He is dwelling on high, || He filled Zion [with] judgment and righteousness,⁶ And has been the steadfastness of your times, || The strength of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge, || Fear of YHWH—it [is] His treasure.⁷ Behold, "Their Ariel," they have cried outside, || Messengers of peace weep bitterly.⁸ Highways have been desolated, || He who passes along the path has ceased, || He has broken covenant, || He has despised enemies, || He has not esteemed a man.⁹ The land has mourned, languished, || Lebanon has been confounded, || Sharon has been withered as a wilderness, || And Bashan and Carmel are shaking.¹⁰ Now I arise, says YHWH, || Now I am exalted, now I am lifted up.¹¹ You conceive chaff, you bear stubble; Your spirit—a fire [that] devours you.¹² And peoples have been [as] burnings of lime, || Thorns, as sweepings, they burn with fire.

¹³ Hear, you far off, that which I have done, || And know, you near ones, My might.¹⁴ Sinners have been afraid in Zion, || Trembling has seized the profane: Who dwells for us—consuming fire, || Who dwells for us—burnings of the age?¹⁵ Whoever is walking righteously, || And is speaking uprightly, || Kicking against gain of oppressions, || Shaking his hands from taking hold on a bribe, || Stopping his ear from hearing of blood, || And shutting his eyes from looking on evil,¹⁶ He inhabits high places, || Strongholds of rock [are] his high tower, || His bread has been given, his waters steadfast.¹⁷ Your eyes see a king in his beauty, || They see a far-off land.¹⁸ Your heart meditates [on] terror, || Where [is] he who is counting? Where [is] he who is weighing? Where [is] he who is counting the towers?¹⁹ You do not see the strong people, || A people deeper of lip than to be understood, || Of a scorned tongue, there is no understanding.²⁰ See Zion, the city of our meetings, || Your eyes see Jerusalem—a quiet habitation, || A tent not taken down, its pins are not removed forever, || And none of its cords are broken.²¹ But YHWH [is] mighty for us there, || A place of rivers—streams of broad sides, || No ship with oars goes into it, || And a mighty ship does not pass over it.²² For YHWH, ours who is judging, || YHWH our lawgiver, || YHWH our King—He saves us.²³ Your ropes have been left, || They do not correctly strengthen their mast, || They have not spread out a sail, || Then a prey of much spoil has been apportioned, || The lame have taken spoil.²⁴ Nor does an inhabitant say, "I was sick"; The people dwelling in it [are] forgiven of [their] iniquity!