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¹ Upon my watch-tower, will I stand, and will station myself upon the bulwark, - so will I keep outlook, to see - what he will speak with me, and what I shall reply, when I am reproved.² Then Yahweh answered me, and said, Write the vision, Yea, make it plain on tablets, that one may swiftly read it;³ For yet is the vision for an appointed time, still, it presseth towards an end, and will not deceive, - if it tarry, wait thou for it, for it, surely cometh, - will not be too late.⁴ Lo! as for the conceited one, crooked is his soul within him,- but, one who is righteous, by his faithfulness, shall live.

⁵ Moreover also, when wine betrayeth, a man, is arrogant, and findeth no rest, - because he hath enlarged, like hades, his desire, yea, he, is like death, and cannot be satisfied, - but hath gathered unto himself, all the nations, and assembled unto himself, all the peoples.⁶ Shall not, these, all of them, against him, take up - a taunt, a mocking poem, enigmatical sentences - concerning him? And say - Alas! for him who maketh abundance in what is not his own, How long? that he should be burdening himself with heavy debts?⁷ Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto them!⁸ Because, thou, hast plundered many nations, all the residue of the peoples, shall plunder thee, - for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.⁹ Alas! for him who extorteth an extortion of wrong for his own house, - that he may set on high his nest, that he may be delivered from the grasp of calamity.¹⁰ Thou hast counseled shame to thy house - making an end of many peoples, and endangering thine own life.¹¹ Surely, the stone out of the wall, will make outcry, - and, the tie out of the timber, will answer it.¹² Alas! for him who buildeth a city with deeds of blood, - and establisheth a town with perversity.¹³ Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts - that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves?¹⁴ For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, - as, the waters, cover the sea.

¹⁵ Alas! for him who causeth his neighbour to drink, from the goblet of thy fury, and also, making him drunk, - to the end thou mayest gloat over their parts of shame.¹⁶ Thou art sated with contempt, more than glory, drink, thou too, and expose thy person, - the cup of the right hand of Yahweh, shall come round unto thee, and ignominious filth be upon thy glory;¹⁷ For, the violence done to Lebanon, shall cover thee, and wasting by wild beasts shall cause them terror, - for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein. ¹⁸ What hath a carved image, profited, though the fashioner thereof, carved it? a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood, - though the fashioner of his fashioned thing trusted therein? that men should make Dumb Nonentities!¹⁹ Alas! for him who saith to wood, Awake, bestir thee! to a silent stone, he, shall teach! Though he is overlaid with gold and silver, yet, no spirit whatsoever, is in him!²⁰ Howbeit, Yahweh, is in his holy temple, - Hush before him, all the earth.