1
Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; And you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering, You will be plundered; When you make an end of dealing treacherously, They will deal treacherously with you.
2
O Lord, be gracious to us; We have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, Our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3
At the noise of the tumult the people shall flee; When You lift Yourself up, the nations shall be scattered;
4
And Your plunder shall be gathered Like the gathering of the caterpillar; As the running to and fro of locusts, He shall run upon them.
5
The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6
Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.
7
Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside, The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
8
The highways lie waste, The traveling man ceases. He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man.
9
The earth mourns and languishes, Lebanon is shamed and shriveled; Sharon is like a wilderness, And Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
10
"Now I will rise," says the Lord; "Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up.
11
You shall conceive chaff, You shall bring forth stubble; Your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
12
And the people shall be like the burnings of lime; Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire.
13
Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might."
14
The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?"
15
He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from seeing evil:
16
He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
17
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off.
18
Your heart will meditate on terror: "Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?"