⁹ “Who is it he is trying to teach?^(A)
    To whom is he explaining his message?^(B)
To children weaned^(C) from their milk,^(D)
    to those just taken from the breast?
¹⁰ For it is:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that^[a];
    a little here, a little there.^(E)”

¹¹ Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues^(F)
    God will speak to this people,^(G)
12 to whom he said,
    “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;^(H)
and, “This is the place of repose”—
    but they would not listen.
¹³ So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that;
    a little here, a little there^(I)—
so that as they go they will fall backward;
    they will be injured^(J) and snared and captured.^(K)

¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of the Lord,^(L) you scoffers^(M)
    who rule this people in Jerusalem.
¹⁵ You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,^(N)
    with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(O)
    it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie^(P) our refuge
    and falsehood^[b] our hiding place.^(Q)”

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,^(R) a tested stone,^(S)
    a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;^(T)
the one who relies on it
    will never be stricken with panic.^(U)
17 I will make justice^(V) the measuring line
    and righteousness the plumb line;^(W)
hail^(X) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
    and water will overflow^(Y) your hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death will be annulled;
    your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.^(Z)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(AA)
    you will be beaten down^(AB) by it.
¹⁹ As often as it comes it will carry you away;^(AC)
    morning after morning,^(AD) by day and by night,
    it will sweep through.”

The understanding of this message
    will bring sheer terror.^(AE)
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on,
    the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.^(AF)
21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,^(AG)
    he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon^(AH)—
to do his work,^(AI) his strange work,
    and perform his task, his alien task.
²² Now stop your mocking,^(AJ)
    or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me
    of the destruction decreed^(AK) against the whole land.^(AL)

³ May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
    the hills the fruit of righteousness.
⁴ May he defend the afflicted^(C) among the people
    and save the children of the needy;^(D)
    may he crush the oppressor.^(E)
5 May he endure^[a](F) as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon, through all generations.^(G)
6 May he be like rain^(H) falling on a mown field,
    like showers watering the earth.
⁷ In his days may the righteous flourish^(I)
    and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

⁸ May he rule from sea to sea
    and from the River^[b](J) to the ends of the earth.^(K)
9 May the desert tribes bow before him
    and his enemies lick the dust.
¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish^(L) and of distant shores^(M)
    bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba^(N) and Seba
    present him gifts.^(O)
11 May all kings bow down^(P) to him
    and all nations serve^(Q) him.

¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
¹³ He will take pity^(R) on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
¹⁴ He will rescue^(S) them from oppression and violence,
    for precious^(T) is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵ Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba^(U) be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.^(V)
16 May grain^(W) abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops^(X) flourish like Lebanon^(Y)
    and thrive^[c] like the grass of the field.^(Z)
17 May his name endure forever;^(AA)
    may it continue as long as the sun.^(AB)

Then all nations will be blessed through him,^[d]
    and they will call him blessed.^(AC)

¹⁸ Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,^(AD)
    who alone does marvelous deeds.^(AE)
19 Praise be to his glorious name^(AF) forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.^(AG)
Amen and Amen.^(AH)

²⁰ This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.^(AI)