1 B ut there shall be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He will make it glorious, by the way of the Sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

2 T he people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.

The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

3 Y ou have multiplied the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before You like the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

4 F or the yoke of burden, and the staff or rod for their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, You have broken as in the day of Midian.

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

5 F or every warrior’s war boots and all his armor in the battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

6 F or to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7 O f the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from the time forth, even forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. God’s Anger with Israel’s Arrogance

8 T he Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.

The Lord sends a message against Jacob, And it falls on Israel.

9 A nd all the people shall know it—even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria —who said in pride and stoutness of heart,

And all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:

10 T he bricks have fallen, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.

“The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with smooth stones; The sycamores have been cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.”

11 T herefore the Lord has stirred up the adversaries of Rezin against, and He will stir up their enemies and arm and join them together,

Therefore the Lord raises against them adversaries from Rezin And spurs their enemies on,

12 T he Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they will devour Israel with open mouth. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.

The Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west; And they devour Israel with gaping jaws. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.

13 Y et the people turn not to Him Who smote them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts.

Yet the people do not turn back to Him who struck them, Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts.

14 T herefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail — palm branch and rush in one day;

So the Lord cuts off head and tail from Israel, Both palm branch and bulrush in a single day.

15 T he elderly and honored man, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

The head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.

16 F or they who lead this people cause them to err, and they who are led by them are swallowed up (destroyed).

For those who guide this people are leading them astray; And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion.

17 T herefore the Lord will not rejoice over their young men, neither will He have compassion on their fatherless and widows, for everyone is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.

Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men, Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.

18 F or wickedness burns like a fire; it devours the briers and thorns, and it kindles in the thickets of the forest; they roll upward in a column of smoke.

For wickedness burns like a fire; It consumes briars and thorns; It even sets the thickets of the forest aflame And they roll upward in a column of smoke.

19 T hrough the wrath of the Lord of hosts the land is darkened and burned up, and the people are like fuel for the fire; no man spares his brother.

By the fury of the Lord of hosts the land is burned up, And the people are like fuel for the fire; No man spares his brother.

20 T hey snatch in discord on the right hand, but are still hungry; and they devour and destroy on the left hand, but are not satisfied. Each devours and destroys his own flesh or his neighbor’s.

They slice off what is on the right hand but still are hungry, And they eat what is on the left hand but they are not satisfied; Each of them eats the flesh of his own arm.

21 M anasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; but together they are against Judah. For all this, anger is not turned away, but His hand is still stretched out.

Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, And together they are against Judah. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.