Woe to those who issue unjust laws, and to those who write oppressive decrees; 2to deprive the needy of justice, and to rob the poor of my people of their rights, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! 3What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your riches? 4They shall only bow down among the prisoners, and shall fall with the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 5Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation! 6I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7However he does not mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations. 8For he says, Aren’t my princes all kings? 9Isn’t Calno as Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath as Arpad? Isn’t Samaria as Damascus? 10As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images excelled those of Jerusalem and of Samaria; 11shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? 12Therefore it shall happen that, when the Lord has performed his whole work on Al-Quds and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the bounds of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures, and like a valiant man I have brought down those who sit on thrones: 14and my hand has found as a nest the riches of the peoples; and as one gathers eggs that are forsaken, have I gathered all the earth: and there was none that moved the wing, or that opened the mouth, or chirped. 15Shall the axe boast itself against him who wields it? Shall the saw magnify itself against him who uses it? As if a rod would wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff would lift up him who is not wood! 16Therefore will the Lord, Allah, Lord of the universe, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire. 17The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. 18He will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and it shall be as when a standard-bearer faints. 19The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child may write them. 20It shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and those who are escaped of the house of Yaqub, shall no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Allah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Yaqub, to the mighty God. 22For though your people, Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant shall return: a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23For a full end, and that determined, will the Lord, Allah, Lord of the universe, make in the midst of all the earth.[1] 24Therefore thus says the Lord, Allah, Lord of the universe, my people who dwell in Al-Quds, do not be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, after the manner of Egypt. 25For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you shall be accomplished, and my anger shall be directed to his destruction. 26Allah, Lord of the universe will stir up against him a scourge, as in the slaughter of Madyan at the rock of Oreb: and his rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up as he did over Egypt. 27It shall happen in that day, that his burden shall depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of fatness. 28He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmash he lays up his equipment; 29they are gone over the pass; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Talut flees. 30Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth! 31Madmenah is a fugitive; the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety. 32That very day shall he halt at Nob: he shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Al-Quds, the hill of Jerusalem. 33Behold, the Lord, Allah, Lord of the universe, will lop the boughs with terror: and the high of stature shall be cut down, and the lofty shall be brought low. 34He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
[1] 10:22,23 See the Injil, Romans 9:27,28.