What troubles you now,
    that you have all gone up on the roofs,^(D)
2 you town so full of commotion,
    you city of tumult^(E) and revelry?^(F)
Your slain^(G) were not killed by the sword,^(H)
    nor did they die in battle.
³ All your leaders have fled^(I) together;
    they have been captured^(J) without using the bow.
All you who were caught were taken prisoner together,
    having fled while the enemy was still far away.
⁴ Therefore I said, “Turn away from me;
    let me weep^(K) bitterly.
Do not try to console me
    over the destruction of my people.”^(L)

⁵ The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day^(M)
    of tumult and trampling^(N) and terror^(O)
    in the Valley of Vision,^(P)
a day of battering down walls^(Q)
    and of crying out to the mountains.
⁶ Elam^(R) takes up the quiver,^(S)
    with her charioteers and horses;
    Kir^(T) uncovers the shield.
⁷ Your choicest valleys^(U) are full of chariots,
    and horsemen are posted at the city gates.^(V)

⁸ The Lord stripped away the defenses of Judah,
    and you looked in that day^(W)
    to the weapons^(X) in the Palace of the Forest.^(Y)
9 You saw that the walls of the City of David
    were broken through^(Z) in many places;
you stored up water
    in the Lower Pool.^(AA)
10 You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
    and tore down houses^(AB) to strengthen the wall.^(AC)
11 You built a reservoir between the two walls^(AD)
    for the water of the Old Pool,^(AE)
but you did not look to the One who made it,
    or have regard^(AF) for the One who planned^(AG) it long ago.

¹² The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    called you on that day^(AH)
to weep^(AI) and to wail,
    to tear out your hair^(AJ) and put on sackcloth.^(AK)
13 But see, there is joy and revelry,^(AL)
    slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
    eating of meat and drinking of wine!^(AM)
“Let us eat and drink,” you say,
    “for tomorrow we die!”^(AN)

“Go, say to this steward,
    to Shebna^(AQ) the palace^(AR) administrator:^(AS)
16 What are you doing here and who gave you permission
    to cut out a grave^(AT) for yourself^(AU) here,
hewing your grave on the height
    and chiseling your resting place in the rock?

¹⁷ “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you
    and hurl^(AV) you away, you mighty man.
¹⁸ He will roll you up tightly like a ball
    and throw^(AW) you into a large country.
There you will die
    and there the chariots^(AX) you were so proud of
    will become a disgrace to your master’s house.
¹⁹ I will depose you from your office,
    and you will be ousted^(AY) from your position.^(AZ)

11 The Lord detests dishonest scales,^(A)
    but accurate weights find favor with him.^(B)

² When pride comes, then comes disgrace,^(C)
    but with humility comes wisdom.^(D)

³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
    but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.^(E)

⁴ Wealth^(F) is worthless in the day of wrath,^(G)
    but righteousness delivers from death.^(H)

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,^(I)
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.^(J)

⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.^(K)

⁷ Hopes placed in mortals die with them;^(L)
    all the promise of^[a] their power comes to nothing.^(M)

⁸ The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
    and it falls on the wicked instead.^(N)

⁹ With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
    but through knowledge the righteous escape.^(O)

¹⁰ When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;^(P)
    when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.^(Q)

¹¹ Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,^(R)
    but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.^(S)

¹² Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,^(T)
    but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.^(U)

¹³ A gossip betrays a confidence,^(V)
    but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.^(W)

¹⁴ For lack of guidance a nation falls,^(X)
    but victory is won through many advisers.^(Y)

¹⁵ Whoever puts up security^(Z) for a stranger will surely suffer,
    but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.^(AA)

¹⁶ A kindhearted woman gains honor,^(AB)
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

¹⁷ Those who are kind benefit themselves,
    but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

¹⁸ A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.^(AC)