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Complacent Self-Indulgence Will Be Punished

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion
    and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
the notables of the first of the nations,
    to whom the house of Israel resorts!(A)
Cross over to Calneh and see;
    from there go to Hamath the great;
    then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better[a] than these kingdoms?
    Or is your[b] territory greater than their[c] territory,(B)
you who put far away the evil day
    and bring near a reign of violence?(C)

Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory
    and lounge on their couches
and eat lambs from the flock
    and calves from the stall,(D)
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
    and like David improvise on instruments of music,(E)
who drink wine from bowls
    and anoint themselves with the finest oils
    but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!(F)
Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile,
    and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 6.2 Or Are they better
  2. 6.2 Heb their
  3. 6.2 Heb your

Woe to the Complacent

Alas for those being at ease in Zion, and those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the best of the nations! The house of Israel resorts to them. Cross over to Calneh and see, and go from there to Hamath Rabbah and go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms, or is their territory greater than your territory? You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence! Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches, and those eating young rams from the sheep and goats, and bull-calves from the middle of the animal stall. Alas for those who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music. Alas for those who drink from sprinkling bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the best of olive oils and are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore, they shall now go into exile at the head of the exiles and the feast of lounging shall pass away.

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