1I will stand upon my watch , and set me upon the tower , and will look forth to see what he will speak with me , and what I shall answer concerning my complaint. 2And Jehovah answered me , and said , Write the vision , and make it plain upon tablets , that he may run that readeth it . 3For the vision is yet for the appointed time , and it hasteth toward the end , and shall not lie : though it tarry , wait for it ; because it will surely come , it will not delay .
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
4Behold , his soul is puffed up , it is not upright in him ; but the righteous shall live by his faith. 5Yea , moreover , wine is treacherous, a haughty man , that keepeth not at home ; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol , and he is as death , and cannot be satisfied , but gathereth unto him all nations , and heapeth unto him all peoples .
Woes Against the Wicked
6Shall not all these take up a parable against him , and a taunting proverb against him , and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his ! how long ? and that ladeth himself with pledges! 7Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booty unto them ? 8Because thou hast plundered many nations , all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder thee, because of men ’s blood , and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein . 9Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house , that he may set his nest on high , that he may be delivered from the hand of evil ! 10Thou hast devised shame to thy house , by cutting off many peoples , and hast sinned against thy soul . 11For the stone shall cry out of the wall , and the beam out of the timber shall answer it . 12Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood , and establisheth a city by iniquity ! 13Behold , is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labor for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity ? 14For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah , as the waters cover the sea . 15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink , to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness ! 16Thou art filled with shame , and not glory : drink thou also , and be as one uncircumcised ; the cup of Jehovah ’s right hand shall come round unto thee , and foul shame shall be upon thy glory . 17For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover thee , and the destruction of the beasts, which made them afraid ; because of men ’s blood , and for the violence done to the land, to the city and to all that dwell therein . 18What profiteth the graven image , that the maker thereof hath graven it ; the molten image , even the teacher of lies , that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols ? 19Woe unto him that saith to the wood , Awake ; to the dumb stone, Arise ! Shall this teach ? Behold , it is overlaid with gold and silver , and there is no breath at all in the midst of it . 20But Jehovah is in his holy temple : let all the earth keep silence before him .