¹² “Do not call conspiracy^(C)
    everything this people calls a conspiracy;
do not fear what they fear,^(D)
    and do not dread it.^(E)
13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,^(F)
    he is the one you are to fear,^(G)
    he is the one you are to dread.^(H)
14 He will be a holy place;^(I)
    for both Israel and Judah he will be
a stone^(J) that causes people to stumble^(K)
    and a rock that makes them fall.^(L)
And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
    a trap and a snare.^(M)
15 Many of them will stumble;^(N)
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

¹⁶ Bind up this testimony of warning^(O)
    and seal^(P) up God’s instruction among my disciples.
¹⁷ I will wait^(Q) for the Lord,
    who is hiding^(R) his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.^(S)

² The people walking in darkness^(AL)
    have seen a great light;^(AM)
on those living in the land of deep darkness^(AN)
    a light has dawned.^(AO)
3 You have enlarged the nation^(AP)
    and increased their joy;^(AQ)
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.^(AR)
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,^(AS)
    you have shattered^(AT)
the yoke^(AU) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,^(AV)
    the rod of their oppressor.^(AW)
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,^(AX)
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,^(AY)
    to us a son is given,^(AZ)
    and the government^(BA) will be on his shoulders.^(BB)
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor,^(BC) Mighty God,^(BD)
    Everlasting^(BE) Father,^(BF) Prince of Peace.^(BG)
7 Of the greatness of his government^(BH) and peace^(BI)
    there will be no end.^(BJ)
He will reign^(BK) on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice^(BL) and righteousness^(BM)
    from that time on and forever.^(BN)
The zeal^(BO) of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

Yet for all this, his anger^(CA) is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(CB)

¹³ But the people have not returned^(CC) to him who struck^(CD) them,
    nor have they sought^(CE) the Lord Almighty.
¹⁴ So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed^(CF) in a single day;^(CG)
15 the elders^(CH) and dignitaries^(CI) are the head,
    the prophets^(CJ) who teach lies^(CK) are the tail.
¹⁶ Those who guide^(CL) this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.^(CM)
17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,^(CN)
    nor will he pity^(CO) the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly^(CP) and wicked,^(CQ)
    every mouth speaks folly.^(CR)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(CS)

¹⁸ Surely wickedness burns like a fire;^(CT)
    it consumes briers and thorns,^(CU)
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,^(CV)
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
¹⁹ By the wrath^(CW) of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched^(CX)
and the people will be fuel for the fire;^(CY)
    they will not spare one another.^(CZ)
20 On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;^(DA)
on the left they will eat,^(DB)
    but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring^[b]:
²¹     Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;^(DC)
    together they will turn against Judah.^(DD)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.^(DE)

10 Woe^(DF) to those who make unjust laws,
    to those who issue oppressive decrees,^(DG)
2 to deprive^(DH) the poor of their rights
    and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,^(DI)
making widows their prey
    and robbing the fatherless.^(DJ)
3 What will you do on the day of reckoning,^(DK)
    when disaster^(DL) comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help?^(DM)
    Where will you leave your riches?
⁴ Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives^(DN)
    or fall among the slain.^(DO)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,^(DP)
    his hand is still upraised.

“‘By the strength of my hand^(EP) I have done this,^(EQ)
    and by my wisdom, because I have understanding.
I removed the boundaries of nations,
    I plundered their treasures;^(ER)
    like a mighty one I subdued^[c] their kings.^(ES)
14 As one reaches into a nest,^(ET)
    so my hand reached for the wealth^(EU) of the nations;
as people gather abandoned eggs,
    so I gathered all the countries;^(EV)
not one flapped a wing,
    or opened its mouth to chirp.^(EW)’”

¹⁵ Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it,
    or the saw boast against the one who uses it?^(EX)
As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up,
    or a club^(EY) brandish the one who is not wood!
¹⁶ Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    will send a wasting disease^(EZ) upon his sturdy warriors;^(FA)
under his pomp^(FB) a fire^(FC) will be kindled
    like a blazing flame.
¹⁷ The Light of Israel will become a fire,^(FD)
    their Holy One^(FE) a flame;
in a single day it will burn and consume
    his thorns^(FF) and his briers.^(FG)
18 The splendor of his forests^(FH) and fertile fields
    it will completely destroy,^(FI)
    as when a sick person wastes away.
¹⁹ And the remaining trees of his forests^(FJ) will be so few^(FK)
    that a child could write them down.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable^(A)—
    how much more so when brought with evil intent!^(B)

²⁸ A false witness^(C) will perish,^(D)
    but a careful listener will testify successfully.

²⁹ The wicked put up a bold front,
    but the upright give thought to their ways.^(E)

³⁰ There is no wisdom,^(F) no insight, no plan
    that can succeed against the Lord.^(G)

³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but victory rests with the Lord.^(H)

22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.^(I)

² Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.^(J)

³ The prudent see danger and take refuge,^(K)
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(L)

⁴ Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor^(M) and life.^(N)

⁵ In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,^(O)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

⁶ Start^(P) children off on the way they should go,^(Q)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.^(R)