The doom of Israel

8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob,

on Israel it will alight

9 With a power all the people will feel

in Ephraim and in Samaria.

They have stiffened their neck in pride,

in their stoutness of heart they have said:

10 ‘The bricks are fallen down,

but now we will build with hewn stone.

The sycamores are cut down,

but with cedars we will replace them.’

11 So against them the Lord has stirred up their foes,

he has spurred their enemies on;

12 Syrians east, and Philistines west,

have with open mouth devoured Israel.

Yet for all this his anger is not turned back,

but his hand is stretched out still.

13 But the people turned not unto him who smote them,

nor did they resort to the Lord of Hosts.

14 So he cut off from Israel head and tail,

palm-branch and rush in a single day.

15 The elders and men of repute are the head,

and the prophets whose teaching is false are the tail.

16 Those who should lead this people mislead them,

and those whom they ought to have led are destroyed.

17 The Lord will therefore not spare their youths,

on their orphans and widows he takes no pity

for each and all are profane and wicked,

and every mouth speaks impious folly.

Yet for all this his anger is not turned back,

but his hand is stretched out still.

18 For wickedness blazed like a fire

that devours first thorns and briers,

then sets forest thickets aflame,

till they roll in columns of smoke.

19 By the breath of the Lord the land was scorched,

the people became like cannibals.

20 They carved on the right, yet were hungry,

devoured on the left, unappeased;

no man did pity his fellow,

but each ate the flesh of his neighbour –

21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh;

and both against Judah together.

Yet for all this his anger is not turned back,

but his hand is stretched out still.

10 Woe unto those who give mischievous verdicts,

elaborate scrolls that bring sorrow,

2 by robbing the weak of their rights

and by plundering the poor of their due,

so that widows become their spoil,

and orphans fall a prey.

3 But what will you do when called to account,

which will come like a crash from afar?

To whom will you flee for help,

and where will you leave your abundance,

4 that you crouch not under the prisoners

or fall among the slain?

Yet for all this his anger is not turned back,

but his hand is stretched out still.