¹¹ Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues^(A)
    God will speak to this people,^(B)
12 to whom he said,
    “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;^(C)
and, “This is the place of repose”—
    but they would not listen.
¹³ So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that;
    a little here, a little there^(D)—
so that as they go they will fall backward;
    they will be injured^(E) and snared and captured.^(F)

¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of the Lord,^(G) you scoffers^(H)
    who rule this people in Jerusalem.
¹⁵ You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,^(I)
    with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(J)
    it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie^(K) our refuge
    and falsehood^[a] our hiding place.^(L)”

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,^(M) a tested stone,^(N)
    a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;^(O)
the one who relies on it
    will never be stricken with panic.^(P)
17 I will make justice^(Q) the measuring line
    and righteousness the plumb line;^(R)
hail^(S) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
    and water will overflow^(T) your hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death will be annulled;
    your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.^(U)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(V)
    you will be beaten down^(W) by it.
¹⁹ As often as it comes it will carry you away;^(X)
    morning after morning,^(Y) by day and by night,
    it will sweep through.”

The understanding of this message
    will bring sheer terror.^(Z)
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on,
    the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.^(AA)
21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,^(AB)
    he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon^(AC)—
to do his work,^(AD) his strange work,
    and perform his task, his alien task.
²² Now stop your mocking,^(AE)
    or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me
    of the destruction decreed^(AF) against the whole land.^(AG)

²³ Listen^(AH) and hear my voice;
    pay attention and hear what I say.
²⁴ When a farmer plows for planting,^(AI) does he plow continually?
    Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
²⁵ When he has leveled the surface,
    does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?^(AJ)
Does he not plant wheat in its place,^[b]
    barley^(AK) in its plot,^[c]
    and spelt^(AL) in its field?
²⁶ His God instructs him
    and teaches^(AM) him the right way.

²⁷ Caraway is not threshed^(AN) with a sledge,^(AO)
    nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,^(AP)
    and cumin with a stick.
²⁸ Grain must be ground to make bread;
    so one does not go on threshing it forever.
The wheels of a threshing cart^(AQ) may be rolled over it,
    but one does not use horses to grind grain.
²⁹ All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
    whose plan is wonderful,^(AR)
    whose wisdom is magnificent.^(AS)