“Ifאִםyou return,תָּשׁוּבIsrael,יִשְׂרָאֵלdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהוָהto meאֵלַיreturn;תָּשׁוּבand ifוְאִםyou removeתָּסִירyour detestable thingsשִׁקּוּצֶיךָfrom before meמִפָּנַיand do notוְלֹאwander,תָנוּד
and swear,וְנִשְׁבַּעְתָּ‘As YHWH lives,’חַי יְהוָהin truth,בֶּאֱמֶתin justice,בְּמִשְׁפָּטand in righteousness,וּבִצְדָקָהthen the nationsוְ גּוֹיִםwill bless themselvesהִתְבָּרְכוּin him,בוֹand in himוּבוֹthey will glory.”יִתְהַלָּלוּ
ForכִּיthusכֹהsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהֹוָהto the menלְאִישׁof Judahיְהוּדָהand to Jerusalem:וְלִירוּשָׁלִַם“Break upנִירוּfor yourselvesלָכֶםfallow ground,נִירand do notוְאַלsowתִּזְרְעוּamong thorns.אֶל קוֹצִים
Circumcise yourselvesהִמֹּלוּto YHWH,לַיהֹוָהand removeוְהָסִרוּthe foreskinsעָרְלוֹתof your heart,לְבַבְכֶםmenאִישׁof Judahיְהוּדָהand inhabitantsוְיֹשְׁבֵיof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִָםorפֶּןmy furyחֲמָתִיwill go outתֵּצֵאlike fireכָאֵשׁand burnוּבָעֲרָהwith no oneוְאֵיןto quench it,מְכַבֶּהbecause ofמִפְּנֵיthe evilרֹעַof your deeds.מַעַלְלֵיכֶם
Declareהַגִּידוּin Judah,בִיהוּדָהand in Jerusalemוּבִירוּשָׁלִַםmake it heard,הַשְׁמִיעוּand say,וְאִמְרוּ‘Blowתִּקְעוּthe hornשׁוֹפָרin the land;בָּאָרֶץcry out,קִרְאוּfill your voice,מַלְאוּand say,וְאִמְרוּ“Gather together,הֵאָסְפוּand let us goוְנָבוֹאָהinto the fortifiedהַמִּבְצָרcities.”’אֶל עָרֵי
Raiseשְׂאוּa bannerנֵסtoward Zion;צִיּוֹנָהflee for safety,הָעִיזוּdo notאַלstand still,תַּעֲמֹדוּforכִּיIאָנֹכִיam bringingמֵבִיאevilרָעָהfrom the north,מִצָּפוֹןand a greatגָּדוֹלbreaking.וְשֶׁבֶר
A lionאַרְיֵהhas gone upעָלָהfrom his thicket,מִסֻּבְּכוֹand a destroyerוּמַשְׁחִיתof nationsגּוֹיִםhas set out;נָסַעhe has gone outיָצָאfrom his placeמִמְּקֹמוֹto makeלָשׂוּםyour landאַרְצֵךְa horror;לְשַׁמָּהyour citiesעָרַיִךְwill be laid waste,תִּצֶּינָהwithoutמֵאֵיןinhabitant.יוֹשֵׁב
For thisעַל זֹאתgird yourselves withחִגְרוּsackcloth,שַׂקִּיםlamentסִפְדוּand wail,וְהֵילִילוּforכִּיthe burningחֲרוֹןangerאַףof YHWHיְהֹוָהhas notלֹאturned backשָׁבfrom us.מִמֶּנּוּ
And it will happenוְהָיָהon that day,בַיּוֹם הַהוּאdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהוָהthe heartלֵבof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְwill perish,יֹאבַדand the heartוְלֵבof the princes;הַשָּׂרִיםand the priestsהַכֹּהֲנִיםwill be appalled,וְנָשַׁמּוּand the prophetsוְהַנְּבִיאִיםwill be astounded.יִתְמָהוּ
And I said,וָאֹמַר“Ah,אֲהָהּAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH!יְהוִהSurelyאָכֵןyou have utterly deceivedהַשֵּׁא הִשֵּׁאתָthis peopleלָעָם הַזֶּהand Jerusalem,וְלִירוּשָׁלִַםsaying,לֵאמֹר‘You will haveיִהְיֶה לָכֶםpeace,’שָׁלוֹםand the swordוְ חֶרֶבhas reachedנָגְעָהto the soul.”עַד הַנָּפֶשׁ
At that timeבָּעֵת הַהִיאit will be saidיֵאָמֵרto this peopleלָעָם הַזֶּהand to Jerusalem,וְלִירוּשָׁלִַם“A scorchingצַחwindרוּחַfrom the bare heightsשְׁפָיִיםin the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּרcomes on the wayדֶּרֶךְof the daughterבַּתof my people,עַמִּיnotלוֹאto winnowלִזְרוֹתand notוְלוֹאto cleanse,לְהָבַר
a windרוּחַtoo strongמָלֵאfor theseמֵאֵלֶּהwill comeיָבוֹאfrom me.לִיNowעַתָּהIאֲנִיalsoגַּםwill pronounceאֲדַבֵּרjudgmentsמִשְׁפָּטִיםagainst them.”אוֹתָם
Look,הִנֵּהlike cloudsכַּעֲנָנִיםhe comes up,יַעֲלֶהand like the whirlwindוְכַסּוּפָהare his chariots;מַרְכְּבוֹתָיוswifterקַלּוּthan eaglesמִנְּשָׁרִיםare his horses.סוּסָיוWoeאוֹיto us,לָנוּforכִּיwe are devastated!שֻׁדָּדְנוּ
Washכַּבְּסִיyour heartלִבֵּךְfrom evil,מֵרָעָהJerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִַםso thatלְמַעַןyou may be saved.תִּוָּשֵׁעִיHow longעַד מָתַיwill your thoughtsמַחְשְׁבוֹתof wickednessאוֹנֵךְlodgeתָּלִיןwithin you?בְּקִרְבֵּךְ
Forכִּיa voiceקוֹלdeclaresמַגִּידfrom Dan,מִדָּןand proclaimsוּמַשְׁמִיעַcalamityאָוֶןfrom the mountainsמֵהַרof Ephraim.אֶפְרָיִם
Remindהַזְכִּירוּthe nations,לַגּוֹיִםlook,הִנֵּהproclaimהַשְׁמִיעוּagainst Jerusalem:עַל יְרוּשָׁלִַם“Besiegersנֹצְרִיםare comingבָּאִיםfrom a landמֵאֶרֶץfar away,הַמֶּרְחָקand they raiseוַיִּתְּנוּtheir voiceקוֹלָםagainst the citiesעַל עָרֵיof Judah.יְהוּדָה
Like keepersכְּשֹׁמְרֵיof a fieldשָׂדַיthey areהָיוּagainst herעָלֶיהָall around,מִסָּבִיבforכִּיshe has rebelledמָרָתָהagainst me,אֹתִיdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.יְהוָה
Your wayדַּרְכֵּךְand your deedsוּמַעֲלָלַיִךְhave doneעָשׂוֹthese thingsאֵלֶּהto you;לָךְthis isזֹאתyour evil,רָעָתֵךְforכִּיit is bitter,מָרforכִּיit has reachedנָגַעto your heart.”עַד לִבֵּךְ
My insides,מֵעַיmy insides!מֵעַיI writhe in pain!אוֹחִילָהThe wallsקִירוֹתof my heart!לִבִּיMy heartלִבִּיis poundingהֹמֶהwithin me;לִּיI cannotלֹאkeep silent,אַחֲרִישׁforכִּיyou have heard,שָׁמַעַתְּmy soul,נַפְשִׁיthe soundקוֹלof the horn,שׁוֹפָרthe battle cryתְּרוּעַתof war.מִלְחָמָה
Breakingשֶׁבֶרupon breakingעַל שֶׁבֶרis proclaimed,נִקְרָאforכִּיthe wholeכָּלlandהָאָרֶץis devastated;שֻׁדְּדָהsuddenlyפִּתְאֹםmy tentsאֹהָלַיare devastated,שֻׁדְּדוּin a momentרֶגַעmy curtains.יְרִיעֹתָי
How longעַד מָתַיmust I seeאֶרְאֶהthe banner,נֵּסmust I hearאֶשְׁמְעָהthe soundקוֹלof the horn?שׁוֹפָר
“Forכִּיmy peopleעַמִּיis foolish;אֱוִילmeאוֹתִיthey do notלֹאknow.יָדָעוּThey areהֵמָּהsenselessסְכָלִיםchildren,בָּנִיםand they areוְ הֵמָּהnotלֹאdiscerning.נְבוֹנִיםThey areהֵמָּהwiseחֲכָמִיםto do evil,לְהָרַעbut to do goodוּלְהֵיטִיבthey do notלֹאknow.”יָדָעוּ
I looked atרָאִיתִיthe earth,אֶת הָאָרֶץand look,וְהִנֵּהit was formlessתֹהוּand void;וָבֹהוּand to the heavens,וְאֶל הַשָּׁמַיִםand their lightאוֹרָםwas not there.וְאֵין
I looked atרָאִיתִיthe mountains,הֶהָרִיםand look,וְהִנֵּהthey were quaking,רֹעֲשִׁיםand allוְכָלthe hillsהַגְּבָעוֹתwere swaying.הִתְקַלְקָלוּ
I looked,רָאִיתִיand look,וְהִנֵּהthere was noאֵיןhuman being,הָאָדָםand allוְכָלthe birdsעוֹףof the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםhad fled.נָדָדוּ
I looked,רָאִיתִיand look,וְהִנֵּהthe orchard landהַכַּרְמֶלwas the wilderness,הַמִּדְבָּרand allוְכָלits citiesעָרָיוwere torn downנִתְּצוּbefore YHWH,מִפְּנֵי יְהוָהbefore his burningמִפְּנֵי חֲרוֹןanger.אַפּוֹ
ForכִּיthusכֹהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָה“The wholeכָּלlandהָאָרֶץwill beתִהְיֶהa desolation,שְׁמָמָהyet a full endוְכָלָהI will notלֹאmake.אֶעֱשֶׂה
For thisעַל זֹאתthe earthהָאָרֶץwill mourn,תֶּאֱבַלand the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםaboveמִמָּעַלwill grow dark,וְקָדְרוּbecauseעַל כִּיI have spoken,דִבַּרְתִּיI have purposed,זַמֹּתִיand I have notוְלֹאrelented,נִחַמְתִּיand I will notוְלֹאturn backאָשׁוּבfrom it.”מִמֶּנָּה
At the noiseמִקּוֹלof horsemanפָּרָשׁand archerוְרֹמֵה קֶשֶׁתeveryכָּלcityהָעִירflees;בֹּרַחַתthey goבָּאוּinto the thicketsבֶּעָבִיםand climb up among the rocks;וּבַכֵּפִים עָלוּeveryכָּלcityהָעִירis forsaken,עֲזוּבָהand noוְאֵיןmanאִישׁlivesיוֹשֵׁבin them.בָּהֵן
And you,וְאַתְּdevastated one,שָׁדוּדwhatמַהwill you do?תַּעֲשִׂיThoughכִּיyou dressתִלְבְּשִׁיin scarlet,שָׁנִיthoughכִּיyou adorn yourselfתַעְדִּיwith ornamentsעֲדִיof gold,זָהָבthoughכִּיyou enlargeתִקְרְעִיyour eyesעֵינַיִךְwith antimony,בַפּוּךְin vainלַשָּׁוְאyou make yourself beautiful.תִּתְיַפִּיThe loversעֹגְבִיםdespise you;מָאֲסוּ בָךְthey seekיְבַקֵּשׁוּyour soul.נַפְשֵׁךְ
ForכִּיI heardשָׁמַעְתִּיa voiceקוֹלas of a woman in labor,כְּחוֹלָהanguishצָרָהas of one bearing her first child,כְּמַבְכִּירָהthe voiceקוֹלof the daughterבַּתof Zionצִיּוֹןgasping for breath,תִּתְיַפֵּחַspreading outתְּפָרֵשׂher palms:כַּפֶּיהָ“Woeאוֹיto meלִיnow,נָאforכִּיmy soulנַפְשִׁיfaintsעָיְפָהbefore murderers!”לְהֹרְגִים