¹⁶ therefore thus says the Lord God,
^(A)“Behold, I am the one who has laid^[a] as a foundation ^(B)in Zion,
    a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
    ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

¹⁸ Then ^(A)your covenant with death will be annulled,
    and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through,
    you will be beaten down by it.
¹⁹ As often as it passes through it will take you;
    ^(B)for morning by morning it will pass through,
    by day and by night;
and it will be ^(C)sheer terror to understand the message.