Chapter 2

The LORD Answers Again

¹I will stand at my guard post

and station myself on the ramparts.

I will watch to see what He will say to me,

and how I should answer when corrected.

²Then the LORD answered me:

“Write down this vision

and clearly inscribe it on tablets,

so that a herald may run with it.

³For the vision awaits an appointed time;

it testifies of the end and does not lie.

Though it lingers, wait for it,

since it will surely come and will not delay.^a

⁴Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright^b—

but the righteous will live by faith^c—

⁵and wealth^d indeed betrays him.

He is an arrogant man never at rest.

He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,

and like Death, he is never satisfied.

He gathers all the nations to himself

and collects all the peoples as his own.

Woe to the Chaldeans

⁶Will not all of these take up a taunt against him,

speaking with mockery and derision:

‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his

and makes himself rich with many loans!

How long will this go on?’

⁷Will not your creditors suddenly arise

and those who disturb you awaken?

Then you will become their prey.

⁸Because you have plundered many nations,

the remnant of the people will plunder you—

because of your bloodshed against man

and your violence against the land, the city,

and all their dwellers.

⁹Woe to him who builds his house

by unjust gain,

to place his nest on high

and escape the hand of disaster!

¹⁰You have plotted shame for your house

by cutting off many peoples

and forfeiting your life.^e

¹¹For the stones will cry out from the wall,

and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork.

¹²Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and establishes a town by iniquity!

¹³Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts

that the labor of the people only feeds the fire,

and the nations weary themselves in vain?

¹⁴For the earth will be filled

with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁵Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors,

pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk,

in order to gaze at their nakedness!

¹⁶You will be filled with shame instead of glory.

You too must drink

and expose your uncircumcision!^f

The cup in the LORD’s right hand

will come around to you,

and utter disgrace will cover your glory.

¹⁷For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you,

and the destruction of animals will terrify you,

because of your bloodshed against men

and your violence against the land, the city,

and all their dwellers.

¹⁸What use is an idol,

that a craftsman should carve it—

or an image,

a teacher of lies?

For its maker trusts in his own creation;

he makes idols that cannot speak.

¹⁹Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’

or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’

Can it give guidance?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

yet there is no breath in it at all.”

²⁰But the LORD is in His holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before Him.