22 Yahweh says this:

Listen, an army is about to come from a northern country,

≈ and a powerful nation will be roused from the remotest parts of the world.

23 They carry bows and spears.

It’s cruel and they have no mercy.

They make a noise like the sea roaring

and they ride in battle formation on horses

against you, Tsiyon’s (Zion’s) daughter.

24 We felt weak when we heard the reports about them.

Distress took hold of us and we’re in agony like a woman about to give birth.

25 Don’t go out to the countryside,

≈ and don’t walk on the road

because of the enemy’s sword.

≈ There’s terror all around.

26 My people’s daughter, dress yourself in coarse, abrasive sackcloth

≈ and roll in ashes.

Go into mourning as if you’d lost an only child—

≈ a time of bitter wailing

because the destroyer will suddenly come against us.

27 I’ve appointed you to examine my people like ore,

so you can observe their conduct, and test them.

28 They’re all stubborn rebels who go around slandering others.

≈ They’re all like bronze and iron, behaving corruptly.

29 The bellows fan the fire

but after the thorough refining, the lead remains.

The evil people haven’t been separated out.

30 They’ll be called ‘rejected silver’

because Yahweh has rejected them.