| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1I will stand at my watch post; I will remain stationed on the city wall. I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me and can know how I should answer when he counters my argument. | 1I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. |
| 2The LORD responded: "Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces it may read it easily. | 2Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. |
| 3For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass--it will not arrive late. | 3For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. |
| 4Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness. | 4"See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright-- but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness -- |
| 5Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! His appetite is as big as Sheol's; like death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations; he seizes all peoples. | 5indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. |
| 6"But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: 'The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead (How long will this go on?)--he who gets rich by extortion!' | 6"Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, "'Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?' |
| 7Your creditors will suddenly attack; those who terrify you will spring into action, and they will rob you. | 7Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey. |
| 8Because you robbed many countries, all who are left among the nations will rob you. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. | 8Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. |
| 9The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster. | 9"Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin! |
| 10Your schemes will bring shame to your house. Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct. | 10You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. |
| 11For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back. | 11The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. |
| 12The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead--he who starts a town by unjust deeds. | 12"Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice! |
| 13Be sure of this! The LORD who commands armies has decreed: The nations' efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing. | 13Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people's labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? |
| 14For recognition of the LORD's sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea. | 14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. |
| 15"You who force your neighbor to drink wine are as good as dead--you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, so you can look at their genitals. | 15"Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies! |
| 16But you will become drunk with shame, not majesty. Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup of wine in the LORD's right hand is coming to you, and disgrace will replace your majestic glory! | 16You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the LORD's right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. |
| 17For you will pay in full for your violent acts against Lebanon; terrifying judgment will come upon you because of the way you destroyed the wild animals living there. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. | 17The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. |
| 18What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things? | 18"Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. |
| 19The one who says to wood, 'Wake up!' is as good as dead--he who says to speechless stone, 'Awake!' Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life's breath inside it. | 19Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it." |
| 20But the LORD is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence!" | 20The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him. |
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