Behold,the day!Behold,it is coming![Your] doomhas goneforth;the rodhas budded,arrogancehas blossomed.
Then I will punishtheir transgressionwith the rodAnd their iniquitywith stripes.
In the mouthof the foolishis a rodfor [his] back,But the lipsof the wisewill protectthem.
Pride[goes] beforedestruction,And a haughtyspiritbeforestumbling.
Woeto Assyria,the rodof My angerAnd the staffin whose handsis My indignation,
The watchmansays,"Morningcomesbut alsonight.Ifyou would inquire,inquire;Comebackagain."
Woeto the proudcrownof the drunkardsof Ephraim,And to the fadingflowerof its gloriousbeauty,Whichis at the headof the fertilevalleyOf those who are overcomewith wine!
"Thereforesayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"I will make thisproverbceaseso that they will nolongeruseit as a proverbin Israel."But tellthem, "The daysdrawnearas well as the fulfillmentof everyvision.
And firehas goneout from [its] branch;It has consumedits shoots[and] fruit,So that there is not in it a strongbranch,A scepterto rule.'"Thisis a lamentation,and has becomea lamentation.
Sharpenedto makea slaughter,Polishedto flashlike lightning!'Orshall we rejoice,the rodof My sondespisingeverytree?
"For [there is] a testing;and whatifeventhe rodwhich despiseswill be nomore?" declaresthe LordGOD.
"For the dayis near,Even the dayof the LORDis near;It will be a dayof clouds,A time[of doom] for the nations.
The timehas come,the dayhas arrived.Let not the buyerrejoicenorthe sellermourn;for wrathis againstalltheir multitude.
An endis coming;the endhas come!It has awakenedagainstyou; behold,it has come!
My eyewill shownopitynorwill I spare.I will repayyou according to your ways,while your abominationsare in your midst;then you will knowthat I, the LORD,do the smiting.
"NowI, Nebuchadnezzar,praise,exaltand honorthe Kingof heaven,for allHis worksare true and His waysjust,and He is ableto humblethose whowalkin pride."
Alasfor the day!For the dayof the LORDis near,And it will comeas destructionfrom the Almighty.
Now on the nextdayMoseswentinto the tentof the testimony;and behold,the rodof Aaronfor the houseof Levihad sproutedand putforthbudsand producedblossoms,and it boreripealmonds.
Whilethey are saying,"Peaceand safety!"thendestructionwill comeupon them suddenlylikelabor painsupon a woman with child,and they will not escape.
But He givesa greatergrace.Therefore[it] says,"GODIS OPPOSEDTO THE PROUD,BUT GIVESGRACETO THE HUMBLE."
