¹⁵ Ephraim was the most fruitful of all his brothers,
    but the east wind—a blast from the Lord—
    will arise in the desert.
All their flowing springs will run dry,
    and all their wells will disappear.
Every precious thing they own
    will be plundered and carried away.

¹⁶ The people of Israel are struck down.
    Their roots are dried up,
    and they will bear no more fruit.
And if they give birth,
    I will slaughter their beloved children.”

⁷ “They have planted the wind
    and will harvest the whirlwind.
The stalks of grain wither
    and produce nothing to eat.
And even if there is any grain,
    foreigners will eat it.

⁶ May they be as useless as grass on a rooftop,
    turning yellow when only half grown,
⁷ ignored by the harvester,
    despised by the binder.

²⁶ That is why their people have so little power
    and are so frightened and confused.
They are as weak as grass,
    as easily trampled as tender green shoots.
They are like grass sprouting on a housetop,
    scorched before it can grow lush and tall.