| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint. The LORD’s Second Reply | 1I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the ramparts. I will watch to see what He will say to me, and how I should answer when corrected. |
| 2Then the LORD said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. | 2Then the LORD answered me: “Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it. |
| 3This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. | 3For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay. |
| 4“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. | 4Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith— |
| 5Wealth is treacherous, and the arrogant are never at rest. They open their mouths as wide as the grave, and like death, they are never satisfied. In their greed they have gathered up many nations and swallowed many peoples. | 5and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own. |
| 6“But soon their captives will taunt them. They will mock them, saying, ‘What sorrow awaits you thieves! Now you will get what you deserve! You’ve become rich by extortion, but how much longer can this go on?’ | 6Will not all of these take up a taunt against him, speaking with mockery and derision: ‘Woe to him who amasses what is not his and makes himself rich with many loans! How long will this go on?’ |
| 7Suddenly, your debtors will take action. They will turn on you and take all you have, while you stand trembling and helpless. | 7Will not your creditors suddenly arise and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey. |
| 8Because you have plundered many nations, now all the survivors will plunder you. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence. | 8Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you—because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers. |
| 9“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses with money gained dishonestly! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger. | 9Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster! |
| 10But by the murders you committed, you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives. | 10You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life. |
| 11The very stones in the walls cry out against you, and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint. | 11For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork. |
| 12“What sorrow awaits you who build cities with money gained through murder and corruption! | 12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by iniquity! |
| 13Has not the LORD of Heaven’s Armies promised that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes? They work so hard, but all in vain! | 13Is it not indeed from the LORD of Hosts that the labor of the people only feeds the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain? |
| 14For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD. | 14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. |
| 15“What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup on them so you can gloat over their shameful nakedness. | 15Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! |
| 16But soon it will be your turn to be disgraced. Come, drink and be exposed! Drink from the cup of the LORD’s judgment, and all your glory will be turned to shame. | 16You will be filled with shame instead of glory. You too must drink and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory. |
| 17You cut down the forests of Lebanon. Now you will be cut down. You destroyed the wild animals, so now their terror will be yours. You committed murder throughout the countryside and filled the towns with violence. | 17For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of animals will terrify you, because of your bloodshed against men and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers. |
| 18“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk! | 18What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it—or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. |
| 19What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, ‘Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say, ‘Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. | 19Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.” |
| 20But the LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.” | 20But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him. |
|
