The Darby Translation DBY
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer as to my reproof.
1
I will stand at my guard post. I will station myself on the wall. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what answer I will get to my complaint.
2 And Jehovah answered me and said, Write the vision, and engrave it upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.
2
Then the LORD answered me, "Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but it hasteth to the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; for it will surely come, it will not delay.
3
The vision will still happen at the appointed time. It hurries toward its goal. It won't be a lie. If it's delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won't be late.
4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright within him: but the just shall live by his faith.
4
"Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself. But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.
5 And moreover, the wine is treacherous: he is a proud man, and keepeth not at rest, he enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is like death and cannot be satisfied; and he assembleth unto him all nations, and gathereth unto him all peoples.
5
Also because wine is treacherous he is arrogant and never rests. He has a large appetite like the grave. He is like death--never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself. He collects all the people to himself.
6 Shall not all these take up a proverb about him, and a taunting riddle against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? -- and to him that loadeth himself with pledges!
6
Won't all of them ridicule him, directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like: "'How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich with what is not his own and makes himself wealthy on loans. How long will this go on?'
7 Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and they awake up that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
7
Won't your creditors suddenly rise up and those who are going to shake you wake up? Then you will become their prize.
8 Because thou hast plundered many nations, all the rest of the peoples shall plunder thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence [done] to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.
8
You have looted many nations. All the rest of the people will loot you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.
9 Woe to him that getteth iniquitous gain to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the grasp of evil!
9
"'How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence to get things for his own household in order to set his nest up high and save himself from disaster.'
10 Thou hast devised shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and hast sinned against thine own soul.
10
You have planned disgrace for your household by cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life.
11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
11
A stone in the wall will cry out. A beam in the roof will answer it.
12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by unrighteousness!
12
"'How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter and founds a town by crime.'
13 Behold, is it not of Jehovah of hosts that the peoples labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves in vain?
13
Isn't it from the LORD of Armies that people grow tired only to feed the flames and nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as the waters cover the sea.
14
But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD's glory like the water covers the sea.
15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, -- that pourest out thy flask, and makest [him] drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
15
"'How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink from the bowl of God's rage, making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.'
16 Thou art filled with shame instead of glory; drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of Jehovah's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and a shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.
16
You are filled with disgrace rather than glory. Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless. The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.
17 For the violence [done] to Lebanon shall cover thee, and the destruction of beasts which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence [done] to the land, to the city, and all that dwell therein.
17
The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.
18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it? the molten image, and the teacher of falsehood, that the maker of his work dependeth thereon, to make dumb idols?
18
"What benefit is there in a carved idol when its maker has carved it? What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies, when its maker has molded it? The one who formed it trusts himself to make worthless idols that cannot speak.
19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake! to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall it teach? Behold it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
19
'How horrible it will be for the one who says to a piece of wood, "Wake up!" and to a stone that cannot talk, "Get up!"' Can that thing teach [anyone]? Just look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there's absolutely no life in it."
20 But Jehovah is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him!
20
The LORD is in his holy temple. All the earth should be silent in his presence.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.