1
I will 1take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and 2look out to see 3what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith
2
And the LORD answered me:4"Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
3
For still 5the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end--it will not lie. If it seems slow, 6wait for it; 7it will surely come; it will not delay.
4
"Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but 8the righteous shall live by his faith.a
5
"Moreover, wineb is 9a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest.c His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death 10he has never enough. 11He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples."
Woe to the Chaldeans
6
Shall not all these 12take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, 13"Woe to him 14who heaps up what is not his own-- for 15how long?-- and 16loads himself with pledges!"
7
17Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them.
8
18Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, 19for the blood of man and 20violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
9
21"Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, 22to 23set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
10
You have devised shame for your house 24by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.
11
For 25the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
13
Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that 28peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14
29For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of 30the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
15
31"Woe to him 32who makes his neighbors drink-- you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze 33at their nakedness!
16
You will have your fill 34of shame instead of glory. 35Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! 36The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and 37utter shame will come upon your glory!
17
38The violence 39done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, 40for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
18
41"What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, 42a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes 43speechless idols!
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)