Study Desk

All day long, doth the plowman plow for sowing? Doth he continue laying open and harrowing his soil?

Yea One hath trained him to good judgment, His God, directeth him.

Bread-corn, must be crushed, - Yet would he not be evermore, threshing, it, So he hasteneth over it the wheel of his cart, with his horsemen, He crusheth it not!

Yea it shall be As when the hungry man dreameth and lo! he is eating, But he awaketh, and his soul, is empty, Or as when the thirsty man dreameth and lo! he is drinking, But he awaketh and lo! he is faint and his soul, is craving, So, shall it be with the multitude of all the nations, that have come forth to war against Mount Zion.

For, when he seeth his children the work of my hands, in his midst, They will hallow my Name, - Yea they will hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And the God of Israel, will they regard with awe.

Then shall the light of the moon, be as the light of the sun, And, the light of the sun, shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, - In the day - When Yahweh, bindeth up, the laceration of his people, and When the severe wound caused by smiting them, he healeth.

Lo! the Name of Yahweh, coming in from afar, His anger kindling, A heavy storm, - His lips, are full of indignation, And, his tongue, is like a fire that devoureth;

And, his breath like an overflowing torrent, even unto the neck, doth reach, To sift nations with a sieve of calamity, - A bridle leading to ruin, being upon the jaws of the peoples.

Then will Yahweh cause to be heard - the resounding of his voice And the bringing down of his arm, shall be seen, In a rage of anger, And with the flame of a devouring fire, - A burst and a downpour, and a hailstone!

For at the voice of Yahweh, shall Assyria be crushed, - With his rod, will he smite.

But, he also, is wise, and hath brought in calamity, And his own words, hath he not set aside, - Therefore will he rise up, Against the house of evil-doers, and Against the help of the workers of iniquity.

Now, the Egyptians, are, men, and not, GOD, And their horses, flesh, and not, spirit; When, Yahweh, shall stretch out his hand, Then I he that is giving help, shall stumble And I he that is receiving help shall fall, And together, shall all of them vanish!

For Thus, hath Yahweh said unto me - Like as a lion or a young lion growleth over his prey. Who - though there be called out against him a multitude of shepherds - Will not at their voice, be dismayed, Nor, at their noise, be daunted, So, will Yahweh of hosts come down, to make war over Mount Zion, and over the hill thereof.

For in that day, will every man reject his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, - Which your hands had made for you as a sin!

Then shall the Assyrian fall, by the sword, not of a great man, And the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him, - Howbeit he shall take his flight from the face of a sword, And his young men, shall come under tribute;

And his own Cliff, through terror, shall he pass by, And his princes shall be dismayed at an ensign, - Declareth Yahweh. Who hath a flame in Zion, And hath a furnace in Jerusalem.

For, a base man, with baseness, will speak, And, his heart, will practise iniquity, - Practising profanity, And speaking, against Yahweh that which misleadeth, Emptying the soul of the hungry, And the drink of the thirsty, he causeth to fail;

Yea, a knave, his weapons are wicked, - He, base schemes, hath devised To ruin the oppressed with speeches of falsehood Even when the needy pleadeth, for justice.

So shall a wealth of deliverances, wisdom and knowledge, become the stability of thy times, - the reverence of Yahweh, the game is his treasure.

He that walketh righteously, And speaketh uprightly, - He that refuseth the gain of exactions That shaketh his hands free from holding a bribe, That stoppeth his ear from hearkening to deeds of blood, And shutteth his eyes from giving countenance to wrong,