The Written Vision, 'The Righteous Live by Faith,' and Woes on the Proud
2
Chapter 2
2And the LORD answered me and said, "Write the vision, and make it plain on the tablets so that a reader may run with it."3For still a vision is for an appointed time, and it puffs toward the end and does not lie. If it delays, wait for it, for it comes, it will come, it does not delay.4Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright in him—but the righteous one in his faithfulness will live.5Moreover, wine betrays a mighty man, a haughty one who does not rest. He has enlarged his nephesh like Sheol, and he is like Death and does not satisfy. He gathers to himself all the nations and collects to himself all the peoples.6Will not all of them lift up a proverb against him and riddles as a melitzah to him and say, "Woe to the one who multiplies what is not his—until when? And makes heavy upon him pledges."7Will not your biters rise up suddenly and awaken your shakers, and you will be plunder to them?8For you have plundered many nations; all the remnant of peoples will plunder you because of the blood of humanity and violence of the land, city, and all its inhabitants.9Woe to the greed of evil for putting his house in heavenly heights, their reed to deliver from the palm of evil.10You counseled shame to your house, the ends of many peoples, and sinning your soul.11For the stone from the wall will cry out, and the beam from the tree will answer it.12Woe to the builder of the city by bloods and the establisher of the town by iniquity!13Is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor for fuel of fire, and peoples weary themselves for fuel of emptiness?14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.15Woe to one making his companion drink by joining your wrath and indeed beer in order to look on their nakednesses.16You have been sated with shame instead of glory. Drink also—you and the uncircumcised one. It will reel upon you, the cup of the right hand of the LORD, and shame upon your glory.17For the violence against Lebanon will cover you, and the devastation of beasts will terrify them, because of the blood of humanity and the violence of the land, of the city, and all its inhabitants.18What did a carved image profit, that its fashioner formed it a molten image and a teacher of a lie? For its fashioner trusted in his fashioner upon it to make mute idols.19Woe! Say to the wood, "Awake!" to the stone, "Stir up!" He who causes to fear—behold, he! Grasping gold and silver, and no spirit at all in its midst.20And the LORD in his holy temple—let all the earth be silent before him.