The Hebrew Prophets

gauze scarves, linen underclothes, turbans and capes.

Then, there will be instead of perfume, a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of well-set hair, a shaved scalp; instead of a rich robe, a sackcloth skirt; and a slave-brand instead of beauty.

Your men will fall by the sword and your warriors in battle.

Her gates will lament and mourn; ravaged, she will sit on the ground.

On that day, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, "We will supply our own food and wear our own clothes. Just let us bear your name; take away our disgrace."

On that day, ADONAI's plant will be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the land will be the pride and splendor of Isra'el's survivors.

Those left in Tziyon and remaining in Yerushalayim will be called holy, and everyone in Yerushalayim written down for life.

When Adonai washes away the filth of the women of Tziyon and cleanses Yerushalayim from the blood shed in it with a blast of searing judgment,

ADONAI will create over the whole site of Mount Tziyon and over those who assemble there a smoking cloud by day and a shining, flaming fire by night; for the Glory will be over everything like a hupah.

A sukkah will give shade by day from the heat; it will also provide refuge and cover from storm and rain.

I want to sing a song for someone I love, a song about my loved one and his vineyard. My loved one had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.

He dug up its stones and cleared them away, planted it with the choicest vines, built a watchtower in the middle of it, and carved out in its rock a winepress. He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only sour, wild grapes.

Now, citizens of Yerushalayim and people of Y'hudah, judge between me and my vineyard.

What more could I have done for my vineyard that I haven't already done in it? So why, when I expected good grapes, did it produce sour, wild grapes?

Now come, I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will remove its hedge, and [its grapes] will be eaten up; I will break through its fence, and [its vines] will be trampled down.

I will let it go to waste: it will be neither pruned nor hoed, but overgrown with briars and thorns. I will also order the clouds not to let rain fall on it.

Now the vineyard of ADONAI-Tzva'ot is the house of Isra'el, and the men of Y'hudah are the plant he delighted in. So he expected justice, but look - bloodshed! - and righteousness, but listen - cries of distress!

Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field, until there's no room for anyone else, and you live in splendor alone on your land.

ADONAI-Tzva'ot said in my ears, "Many houses will be brought to ruin, large, magnificent ones left empty;

for a ten-acre vineyard will produce only five gallons of wine, and seed from five bushels of grain will yield but half a bushel."

Woe to those who get up early to pursue intoxicating liquor; who stay up late at night, until wine inflames them.

They have lutes and lyres, drums and flutes, and wine at their parties; but they pay no attention to how ADONAI works and never look at what his hands have made.

For such lack of knowledge my people go into exile; this is also why their respected men starve and their masses are parched from thirst.

Therefore Sh'ol has enlarged itself and opened its limitless jaws - and down go their nobles and masses, along with their noise and revels.

The masses are lowered, the nobles are humbled - proud looks will be brought down.