Armiya 6

Flee for safety, you children of Binyamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction. 2The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Al-Quds, I will cut off. 3Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her all around; they shall feed everyone in his place. 4Prepare war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening have stretched out. 5Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces. 6For thus has Allah, Lord of the universe said, Hew down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. 7As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds. 8Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited. 9Thus says Allah, Lord of the universe, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again your hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets. 10To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen: behold, the word of Allah is become to them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 11Therefore I am full of the wrath of Allah; I am weary with holding in: pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days. 12Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Allah. 13For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. 14They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 15Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, says Allah. 16Thus says Allah, Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein. 17I set watchmen over you, saying, Listen to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not listen. 18Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them. 19Hear, earth: behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my Taurat, they have rejected it. 20To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Saba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. 21Therefore thus says Allah, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. 22Thus says Allah, Behold, a people comes from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the ends of the earth. 23They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Al-Quds. 24We have heard the report of it; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in labour. 25Do not go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, and terror, are on every side. 26Daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth, and wallow yourself in ashes: mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us. 27I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way. 28They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron: they all of them deal corruptly. 29The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away. 30Refuse silver shall men call them, because Allah has rejected them.

 

Next Page