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.2:1 Or and what to answer when I am rebuked

The Lord’s answer

2Then the Lord replied:

‘Write down the revelation

and make it plain on tablets

so that a herald2:2 Or so that whoever reads it may run with it.

3For the revelation awaits an appointed time;

it speaks of the end

and will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it;

it2:3 Or Though he linger, wait for him; / he will certainly come

and will not delay.

4‘See, the enemy is puffed up;

his desires are not upright –

but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness2:4 Or faith –

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‘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?”

7Will not your creditors suddenly arise?

Will they not wake up and make you tremble?

Then you will become their prey.

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.

9‘Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,

setting his nest on high

to escape the clutches of ruin!

10You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,

shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.

11The stones of the wall will cry out,

and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

12‘Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and establishes a town by injustice!

13Has not the Lord Almighty determined

that the people’s labour is only fuel for the fire,

that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?

14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.

15‘Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbours,

pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,

so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!

16You will be filled with shame instead of glory.

Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed2:16 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) and stagger!

The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming round to you,

and disgrace will cover your glory.

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.

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.

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.’

20The Lord is in his holy temple;

let all the earth be silent before him.