The Lord has sent out a word against Ya’aqob,
and it has fallen on Yisra’el.
But the people, all of it,
acknowledge it (Ephrayim and the inhabitants of Shomron)
with loftiness and big-headedness:
‘Bricks have fallen, but we’ll build with dressed stone;
sycamore-figs have been cut down, but we’ll substitute cedars.’
But Yahweh has lifted high the adversaries of Retsin over it,
and spurred on its enemies,
Aram from the east,
the Pelishtites from the west,
and they’ve devoured Yisra’el with their entire mouth.
For all this, his anger did not turn back;
his hand was still stretched out.
The people didn’t turn back to the one who hit it;
they haven’t enquired of Yahweh of Armies.
So Yahweh cut off from Yisra’el head and tail,
palm branch and reed, in one day.
The elder and the person held in high regard,
he is the head,
and the prophet who instructs in falsehood,
he is the tail.
The guides of this people became ones who make them wander;
the ones who were guided were people who were swallowed up.
Therefore the Lord does not rejoice over its young men,
and does not show compassion for its widows and orphans,
Because all of it is impious and deals badly,
and every mouth speaks villainy.
For all this, his anger did not turn back;
his hand was still stretched out.
Because faithlessness has burned up like fire,
which consumes briar and thorn.
It set light to the forest thickets,
and they swirled as a column of smoke.
By the fury of Yahweh of Armies the country was scorched.
The people became like a fire consuming;
one person would not spare his brother.
He carved to the right but was hungry,
and ate to the left but was not full;
An individual eats the flesh of his offspring,
Menashsheh, Ephrayim, Ephrayim Menashsheh,
all together they were against Yehudah.
For all this, his anger did not turn back;
his hand was still stretched out.
Hey, you who make decrees that bring trouble,
who write documents that bring oppression,
To subvert the case of poor people,
and steal the rights of the humble among my people,
So that widows become their spoil,
and orphans their plunder.
What will you do on the day
when attention is given,
when devastation comes from afar?
To whom will you flee for help,
and where will you abandon your splendour?
Except bend beneath a prisoner,
fall beneath the slain?
For all this, his anger did not turn back;
his hand was still stretched out.
Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.
Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.
Thomas More (c.1478-1535)