1Ask ye of the Lord rain in late time, and the Lord shall make snows, and rain of might of cloud; and he shall give to them, to each by himself, herb in the field. (Ask ye of the Lord for a late rain, and the Lord shall make snows, and rain out of the might, or out of the power, of the clouds; and he shall give to all, to each one in his turn, grass, or hay, in his field.)

2For simulacra spake unprofitable things, and diviners saw leasing; and dreamers spake vainly, idly they comforted; therefore they be led away as a flock, they shall be tormented, for a shepherd is not to them. (For idols spoke unprofitable things, and diviners saw lies; and dreamers spoke in vain, yea, they comforted in vain; and so the people be led away like a flock of sheep, and they shall be tormented, for they do not have a shepherd.)

3On shepherds my strong vengeance is wroth, and on the bucks of goats I shall visit; for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and hath put them as an horse of his glory in battle. (My strong vengeance is very angry against the shepherds, and I shall punish the goat-bucks; for the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and hath made them like a horse of his glory in battle.)

4Of him shall be a corner(stone), and of him a little pale, of him a bow of battle, and of him each exactor, either unjust asker, shall go out together. (From out of them shall come a cornerstone, and a little post, or a peg, and out of them a bow of battle, and every oppressor, or all the commanders, shall go out together.)

5And they shall be as strong men, defouling (in the) clay of ways in battle, and they shall fight, for the Lord is with them; and riders of horses shall be confounded. (And they shall be like the strong men, who defile, or who trample, the clay of the ways in battle, and they shall fight, for the Lord is with them; and the riders of horses shall be confused, or shall be routed.)

6And I shall comfort the house of Judah, and I shall save the house of Joseph; and I shall convert them, for I shall have mercy on them; and they shall be as they were, when I had not cast away them; for I shall be the Lord God of them, and I shall graciously hear them. (And I shall strengthen the house of Judah, and I shall save the house of Joseph; and I shall restore them, for I shall have mercy upon them, and they shall be as they were, when I had not cast them away; for I shall be the Lord their God, and I shall graciously hear, or I shall graciously answer, them.)

7And they shall be as the strong men of Ephraim, and the heart of them shall be glad, as of wine; and the sons of them shall see, and be glad, and the heart of them shall make joy withoutforth in the Lord. (And they shall be like the strong men of Ephraim, and their hearts shall be happy, as if from wine; and their sons shall see, and be happy, and their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.)

8I shall hiss to them, and I shall gather them, for I again-bought them, and I shall multiply them, as they were multiplied before. (I shall whistle for them, and I shall gather them together, for I have redeemed them, and I shall multiply them, so that they become as numerous as they were before.)

9And I shall sow them among peoples, and from far they shall bethink of me; and they shall live with their sons, and shall turn again. (And I shall sow them among the nations, and from far off they shall remember me; and they shall live with their children, and then shall return.)

10And I shall bring again them from the land of Egypt, and I shall gather them from Assyrians; and I shall bring them to the land of Gilead and of Lebanon, and place shall not be found to them. (And I shall bring them back from the land of Egypt, and I shall gather them from Assyria; and I shall bring them to the lands of Gilead and of Lebanon, until there be no more places found for them.)

11And he shall pass in the wave of the sea, and shall smite waves in the sea, and all depths of flood shall be confounded; and the pride of Assur shall be meeked, and the sceptre of Egypt shall go away. (And they shall pass through their sea of trouble, and I shall strike the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the River, or of the Nile, shall dry up; and the pride of Assyria shall be made humble, and the sceptre, or the power, of Egypt shall pass away.)

12I shall comfort them in the Lord, and they shall walk in the name of him, saith the Lord. (I shall strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk proudly in his name, saith the Lord.)