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Woe to Jerusalem

29 “Woe (A)to [a]Ariel, to Ariel, the city (B)where David dwelt!
Add year to year;
Let feasts come around.
Yet I will distress Ariel;
There shall be heaviness and sorrow,
And it shall be to Me as Ariel.
I will encamp against you all around,
I will lay siege against you with a mound,
And I will raise siegeworks against you.
You shall be brought down,
You shall speak out of the ground;
Your speech shall be low, out of the dust;
Your voice shall be like a medium’s, (C)out of the ground;
And your speech shall whisper out of the dust.

“Moreover the multitude of your (D)foes
Shall be like fine dust,
And the multitude of the terrible ones
Like (E)chaff that passes away;
Yes, it shall be (F)in an instant, suddenly.
(G)You will be punished by the Lord of hosts
With thunder and (H)earthquake and great noise,
With storm and tempest
And the flame of devouring fire.
(I)The multitude of all the nations who fight against [b]Ariel,
Even all who fight against her and her fortress,
And distress her,
Shall be (J)as a dream of a night vision.
(K)It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams,
And look—he eats;
But he awakes, and his soul is still empty;
Or as when a thirsty man dreams,
And look—he drinks;
But he awakes, and indeed he is faint,
And his soul still craves:
So the multitude of all the nations shall be,
Who fight against Mount Zion.”

The Blindness of Disobedience

Pause and wonder!
Blind yourselves and be blind!
(L)They are drunk, (M)but not with wine;
They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.
10 For (N)the Lord has poured out on you
The spirit of deep sleep,
And has (O)closed your eyes, namely, the prophets;
And He has covered your heads, namely, (P)the seers.

11 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a [c]book (Q)that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.”

(R)And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”

12 Then the book is delivered to one who [d]is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.”

And he says, “I am not literate.”

13 Therefore the Lord said:

(S)“Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me (T)with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
14 (U)Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work
Among this people,
A marvelous work and a wonder;
(V)For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”

15 (W)Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord,
And their works are in the dark;
(X)They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”
16 Surely you have things turned around!
Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;
For shall the (Y)thing made say of him who made it,
“He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,
“He has no understanding”?

Future Recovery of Wisdom

17 Is it not yet a very little while
Till (Z)Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,
And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?
18 (AA)In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book,
And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.
19 (AB)The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord,
And (AC)the poor among men shall rejoice
In the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the [e]terrible one is brought to nothing,
(AD)The scornful one is consumed,
And all who (AE)watch for iniquity are cut off—
21 Who make a man an offender by a word,
And (AF)lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,
And turn aside the just (AG)by empty words.

22 Therefore thus says the Lord, (AH)who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“Jacob shall not now be (AI)ashamed,
Nor shall his face now grow pale;
23 But when he sees his children,
(AJ)The work of My hands, in his midst,
They will hallow My name,
And hallow the Holy One of Jacob,
And fear the God of Israel.
24 These also (AK)who erred in spirit will come to understanding,
And those who complained will learn doctrine.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 29:1 Jerusalem, lit. Lion of God
  2. Isaiah 29:7 Jerusalem
  3. Isaiah 29:11 scroll
  4. Isaiah 29:12 Lit. does not know books
  5. Isaiah 29:20 terrifying

29 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt!
add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
Yet I will distress Ariel,
and there shall be heaviness and sorrow:
and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
And I will camp against thee round about,
and will lay siege against thee with a mount,
and I will raise forts against thee.
And thou shalt be brought down,
and shalt speak out of the ground,
and thy speech shall be low out of the dust,
and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground,
and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust,
and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away:
yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts
with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise,
with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel,
even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her,
shall be as a dream of a night vision.
It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth;
but he awaketh, and his soul is empty:
or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh;
but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite:
so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry:
they are drunken, but not with wine;
they stagger, but not with strong drink.
10 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep,
and hath closed your eyes:
the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12 and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

13 Wherefore the Lord said,

Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth,
and with their lips do honour me,
but have removed their heart far from me,
and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14 therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people,
even a marvellous work and a wonder:
for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord,
and their works are in the dark, and they say,
Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay:
for shall the work say of him that made it,
He made me not?
or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it,
He had no understanding?

17 Is it not yet a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book,
and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity,
and out of darkness.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord,
and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the terrible one is brought to nought,
and the scorner is consumed,
and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
21 that make a man an offender for a word,
and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate,
and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

22 Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob,

Jacob shall not now be ashamed,
neither shall his face now wax pale.
23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him,
they shall sanctify my name,
and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,
and shall fear the God of Israel.
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Ariel y sus enemigos

29 ¡Ay de Ariel, de Ariel, ciudad donde habitó David! Añadid un año a otro, las fiestas sigan su curso. Mas yo pondré a Ariel en apretura, y será desconsolada y triste; y será a mí como Ariel. Porque acamparé contra ti alrededor, y te sitiaré con campamentos, y levantaré contra ti baluartes. Entonces serás humillada, hablarás desde la tierra, y tu habla saldrá del polvo; y será tu voz de la tierra como la de un fantasma, y tu habla susurrará desde el polvo. Y la muchedumbre de tus enemigos será como polvo menudo, y la multitud de los fuertes como tamo que pasa; y será repentinamente, en un momento. Por Jehová de los ejércitos serás visitada con truenos, con terremotos y con gran ruido, con torbellino y tempestad, y llama de fuego consumidor. Y será como sueño de visión nocturna la multitud de todas las naciones que pelean contra Ariel, y todos los que pelean contra ella y su fortaleza, y los que la ponen en apretura. Y les sucederá como el que tiene hambre y sueña, y le parece que come, pero cuando despierta, su estómago está vacío; o como el que tiene sed y sueña, y le parece que bebe, pero cuando despierta, se halla cansado y sediento; así será la multitud de todas las naciones que pelearán contra el monte de Sion.

Ceguera e hipocresía de Israel

Deteneos y maravillaos; ofuscaos y cegaos; embriagaos, y no de vino; tambalead, y no de sidra. 10 Porque Jehová derramó sobre vosotros espíritu de sueño, y cerró los ojos(A) de vuestros profetas, y puso velo sobre las cabezas de vuestros videntes. 11 Y os será toda visión como palabras de libro sellado, el cual si dieren al que sabe leer, y le dijeren: Lee ahora esto; él dirá: No puedo, porque está sellado. 12 Y si se diere el libro al que no sabe leer, diciéndole: Lee ahora esto; él dirá: No sé leer.

13 Dice, pues, el Señor: Porque este pueblo se acerca a mí con su boca, y con sus labios me honra, pero su corazón está lejos de mí,(B) y su temor de mí no es más que un mandamiento de hombres que les ha sido enseñado; 14 por tanto, he aquí que nuevamente excitaré yo la admiración de este pueblo con un prodigio grande y espantoso; porque perecerá la sabiduría de sus sabios, y se desvanecerá la inteligencia de sus entendidos.(C)

15 ¡Ay de los que se esconden de Jehová, encubriendo el consejo, y sus obras están en tinieblas, y dicen: ¿Quién nos ve, y quién nos conoce?! 16 Vuestra perversidad ciertamente será reputada como el barro del alfarero. ¿Acaso la obra dirá de su hacedor: No me hizo? ¿Dirá la vasija de aquel que la ha formado: No entendió?

Redención de Israel

17 ¿No se convertirá de aquí a muy poco tiempo el Líbano en campo fructífero, y el campo fértil será estimado por bosque? 18 En aquel tiempo los sordos oirán las palabras del libro, y los ojos de los ciegos verán en medio de la oscuridad y de las tinieblas. 19 Entonces los humildes crecerán en alegría en Jehová, y aun los más pobres de los hombres se gozarán en el Santo de Israel. 20 Porque el violento será acabado, y el escarnecedor será consumido; serán destruidos todos los que se desvelan para hacer iniquidad, 21 los que hacen pecar al hombre en palabra; los que arman lazo al que reprendía en la puerta, y pervierten la causa del justo con vanidad.

22 Por tanto, Jehová, que redimió a Abraham, dice así a la casa de Jacob: No será ahora avergonzado Jacob, ni su rostro se pondrá pálido; 23 porque verá a sus hijos, obra de mis manos en medio de ellos, que santificarán mi nombre; y santificarán al Santo de Jacob, y temerán al Dios de Israel. 24 Y los extraviados de espíritu aprenderán inteligencia, y los murmuradores aprenderán doctrina.

Woe to the City of David

29 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel,
    the city where David lived!
Add year to year,
    observe your feasts on schedule.
Yet I will distress Ariel,
    and she shall be a city of lamenting and sorrow,
    and she shall be as an Ariel to me.
I will encamp against you all around,
    and will lay siege against you with a mound,
    and I will raise forts against you.
You shall be brought down, and shall speak from the ground,
    and from the dust where you are prostrate your speech shall come;
your voice shall also be as that of a ghost from the ground;
    and your speech shall whisper from the dust.

Moreover the multitude of your enemies shall become like fine dust,
    and the multitude of the ruthless ones as chaff which blows away;
and it shall happen in an instant, suddenly.
    You shall be punished from the Lord of Hosts
with thunder and earthquake and loud noise,
    with storm and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.
The multitude of all the nations who fight against Ariel,
    even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her,
shall be as a dream
    of a night vision.
It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, and he eats;
    but when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied;
or as when a thirsty man dreams, and he is drinking;
    but when he awakens, he is faint, and his thirst is not quenched;
so shall the multitude of all the nations be
    who fight against Mount Zion.

Be delayed and wait,
    blind yourselves and be blind.
They are drunk, but not with wine.
    They stagger, but not with strong drink.
10 For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep
    and has closed your eyes, the prophets;
    and He has covered your heads, the seers.

11 The whole vision will be to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which when they deliver it to one who is learned, saying, “Read this, please,” he shall say, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” 12 Then the book shall be delivered to him who is not learned, saying, “Read this, please.” And he shall say, “I cannot read.”

13 Therefore, the Lord said:

Because this people draw near with their mouths
    and honor Me with their lips,
    but have removed their hearts far from Me,
and their fear toward Me
    is tradition by the precept of men,
14 therefore I will once again do a marvelous work among this people,
    even a marvelous work and a wonder;
for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
    and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

15 Woe to those who deeply
    hide their counsel from the Lord
and whose works are done in the dark, and they say,
    “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?”
16 Surely you turn things upside down!
    Shall the potter be esteemed as the potter’s clay?
Shall what is made say to its maker,
    “He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say to him who formed it,
    “He has no understanding”?

17 Is it not yet a very little while before Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,
    and the fruitful field shall be counted as a forest?
18 And on that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book,
    and the eyes of the blind shall see
    out of obscurity and darkness.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord,
    and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the ruthless shall come to nothing,
    and the scorner will be consumed,
    and all who are intent on doing iniquity shall be cut off—
21 those who cause a man to be indicted by a word,
    and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,
    and turn aside the righteous with meaningless arguments.

22 Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

Jacob shall not now be ashamed,
    nor shall his face now turn pale;
23 but when he sees his children,
    the work of My hands, in his midst,
they shall sanctify My name
    and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,
    and fear the God of Israel.
24 Those also who err in spirit shall know the truth,
    and those who murmured shall accept instruction.

29 Hoy (woe, doom) to Ariel [i.e., Yerushalayim], to Ariel, the city where Dovid dwelt! Add ye shanah to shanah; let chaggim (feasts) cycle around.

Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow; and it shall be unto me as ariel (altar hearth) [see Ezekiel 43:15]).

And I will besiege thee all around, and will lay siege against thee with towers, and I will raise metzurot (siegeworks) against thee.

And thou shalt be brought low, and shalt speak me’eretz (out of the ground), and thy speech shall whisper out of the aphar, and thy voice shall be, like an ov (medium’s that has a familiar spirit), out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the aphar.

Moreover the multitude of thy foes shall be like fine dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as motz (chaff) that in passing bloweth away; indeed, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

Thou shalt be visited [in punishment] by Hashem Tzva’os with ra’am (thunder), and with earthquake, and a kol gadol, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring eish.

And the multitude of kol HaGoyim that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her metzadah, and that besiege her, shall be as a chalom (dream) of a chazon lailah (night vision).

It shall even be as when a hungry man hath a chalom, and, hinei, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his nefesh is empty; or as when a thirsty man hath a chalom, and, hinei, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, hinei, he is faint, and his nefesh still thirsts; so shall the multitude of kol HaGoyim be, that fight against Har Tziyon.

Pause, and wonder? Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with yayin; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

10 For Hashem hath poured out upon you the ruach tardemah (spirit of deep sleep), and hath closed your eynayim; namely, that of the nevi’im and your heads, you seers, hath He covered.

11 And the whole vision is become unto you as the devarim of a sefer that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, now; and he saith, I am not able; for it is sealed;

12 And the sefer is delivered to him that with the sefer has no da’as, saying, Read this, now; and he saith, I cannot read this. With sefer I have no da’as.

13 Therefore Adonoi says, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their peh, and with their sfatayim do honor Me, but have removed their lev far from Me, and their fear toward Me is mitzvat anashim melummadah (human commandments taught by rote);

14 Therefore, hineni, I will again do an astonishing work among this people, even a marvellous work and a peleh (wonder); for the chochmah of their chachamim shall perish, and the binah (understanding) of their sages shall vanish.

15 Hoy (woe, doom) unto them that go to great depths to hide their etzah (plan) from Hashem, and their ma’asim are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? And who knoweth us?

16 Surely you have things turned around. Shall the Yotzer be esteemed as equal with the khomer (clay); for shall the ma’aseh say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing formed say of Him that formed it, He had no understanding?

17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Levanon shall be turned into a carmel, and the carmel shall be esteemed as a ya’ar (forest)?

18 And in that day shall the chereshim (deaf persons) hear the devarim of the sefer, and the eynayim of the ivrim shall see out of obscurity, and out of choshech.

19 The anaviyim also shall increase their simchah in Hashem, and the evyonei adam (needy of humankind) shall rejoice in the Kadosh Yisroel.

20 For the terrifying one is brought to naught, and the scoffer is consumed, and all that strive for avon are cut off;

21 That make an adam an offender with a devar, and lay a snare for the mokhiach (reprover, defender) in the sha’ar (gate, court), and turn aside the tzaddik from justice.

22 Therefore thus saith Hashem, who redeemed Avraham, concerning Bais Ya’akov, Ya’akov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow fearfully pale.

23 But when he seeth his banim, the ma’aseh of Mine hands, in his midst, they shall set apart as kodesh Shmi (My Name), and set apart as kodesh the Kadosh Ya’akov, and shall fear the Elohei Yisroel.

24 They also that erred in ruach shall know binah (understanding), and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.