1 T he burden of the Valley of Vision. What -- to thee, now, that thou hast gone up, All of thee -- to the roofs?

The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

2 F ull of stirs -- a noisy city -- an exulting city, Thy pierced are not pierced of the sword, Nor dead in battle.

Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.

3 A ll thy rulers fled together from the bow, Bound have been all found of thee, They have been kept bound together, Afar off they have fled.

All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.

4 T herefore I said, `Look ye from me, I am bitter in my weeping, Haste not to comfort me, For the destruction of the daughter of my people.'

Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

5 F or a day of noise, and of treading down, And of perplexity, to the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, In the valley of vision, digging down a wall, And crying unto the mountain.

For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

6 A nd Elam hath borne a quiver, In a chariot of men -- horsemen, And Kir hath exposed a shield.

And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.

7 A nd it cometh to pass, The choice of thy valleys have been full of chariots, And the horsemen place themselves diligently at the gate.

And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 A nd one removeth the covering of Judah, And thou lookest in that day Unto the armour of the house of the forest,

And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

9 A nd the breaches of the city of David ye have seen, For they have become many, And ye gather the waters of the lower pool,

Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

10 A nd the houses of Jerusalem ye did number, And ye break down the houses to fence the wall.

And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

11 A nd a ditch ye made between the two walls, For the waters of the old pool, And ye have not looked unto its Maker, And its Framer of old ye have not seen.

Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

12 A nd call doth the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, In that day, to weeping and to lamentation, And to baldness and to girding on of sackcloth,

And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

13 A nd lo, joy and gladness, slaying of oxen, And slaughtering of sheep, Eating of flesh, and drinking of wine, Eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.

And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

14 A nd revealed it hath been in mine ears, Jehovah of Hosts: Not pardoned is this iniquity to you, Till ye die, said the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts.

And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts.

15 T hus said the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts: `Go, enter in unto this steward, Unto Shebna, who over the house:

Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,

16 W hat -- to thee here? And who -- to thee here? That thou hast hewn out to thee here -- a sepulchre? Hewing on high his sepulchre, Graving in a rock a dwelling for himself.

What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

17 L o, Jehovah is casting thee up and down, A casting up and down, O mighty one,

Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

18 A nd thy coverer covering, wrapping round, Wrappeth thee round, O babbler, On a land broad of sides -- there thou diest, And there the chariots of thine honour the shame of the house of thy lord.

He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.

19 A nd I have thrust thee from thy station, And from thine office he throweth thee down.

And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

20 A nd it hath come to pass, in that day, That I have called to my servant, To Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:

21 A nd I have clothed him with thy coat, And with thy girdle I strengthen him, And thy garment I give into his hand, And he hath been for a father to the inhabitant of Jerusalem, And to the house of Judah.

And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

22 A nd I have placed the key Of the house of David on his shoulder, And he hath opened, and none is shutting, And hath shut, and none is opening.

And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

23 A nd I have fixed him a nail in a stedfast place, And he hath been for a throne of honour To the house of his father.

And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.

24 A nd they have hanged on him All the honour of the house of his father, The offspring and the issue, All vessels of small quality, From vessels of basins to all vessels of flagons.

And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

25 I n that day -- an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, Moved is the nail that is fixed In a stedfast place, Yea, it hath been cut down, and hath fallen, And cut off hath been the burden that on it, For Jehovah hath spoken!'

In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it.