1  For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district of the nations.

1  Drink this first. Act quickly, O land of Zabulon, land of Nephthalim, and the rest inhabiting the sea-coast, and the land beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

1  In the earlier time, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were lifted up. But in the later time, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, was weighed down.

2  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

2  O people walking in darkness, behold a great light: ye that dwell in the region and shadow of death, a light shall shine upon you.

2  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. A light has risen for the inhabitants of the region of the shadow of death.

3  Thou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast increased their joy; they joy before Thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

3  The multitude of the people which thou hast brought down in thy joy, they shall even rejoice before thee as they that rejoice in harvest, and as they that divide the spoil.

3  You have increased the nation, but you have not increased the rejoicing. They will rejoice before you, like those who rejoice at the harvest, like the victorious exulting after capturing the prey, when they divide the spoils.

4  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, Thou hast broken as in the day of Midian.

4  Because the yoke that was laid upon them has been taken away, and the rod that was on their neck: for he has broken the rod of the exactors, as in the day of Madiam.

4  For you have prevailed over the yoke of their burden, and over the rod of their shoulder, and over the scepter of their oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

5  For every boot stamped with fierceness, and every cloak rolled in blood, shall even be for burning, for fuel of fire.

5  For they shall compensate for every garment that has been acquired by deceit, and all raiment with restitution; and they shall be willing, even if they were burnt with fire.

5  For every violent plunder with a tumult, and every garment mixed with blood, will be burned up and will become fuel for the fire.

6  For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele- joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;

6  For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.

7  That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it through justice and through righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of YHWH of hosts doth perform this.

7  His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: it shall be upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to support it with judgement and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

8  YHWH sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

8  The Lord has sent death upon Jacob, and it has come upon Israel.

8  The Lord sent a word to Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.

9  And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in pride and in arrogancy of heart

10  'The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but cedars will we put in their place.'

10  The bricks are fallen down, but come, let us hew stones, and cut down sycamores and cedars, and let us build for ourselves a tower.

10  We shall lay bricks and hew stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

11  Therefore YHWH doth set upon high the adversaries of Rezin against him, and spur his enemies;

11  And God shall dash down them that rise up against him on mount Sion, and shall scatter his enemies;

11  And the Lord will raise up the enemies of Rezin over him, and he will turn his adversaries into a tumult

12  The Arameans on the east, and the Philistines on the west; and they devour Israel with open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

12  even Syria from the rising of the sun, and the Greeks from the setting of the sun, who devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but still his hand is exalted.

12  the Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west. And they will devour Israel with their whole mouth. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

13  Yet the people turneth not unto Him that smiteth them, neither do they seek YHWH of hosts.

13  But the people turned not until they were smitten, and they sought not the Lord.

13  And the people did not return to the One who struck them, and they did not seek the Lord of hosts.

14  Therefore YHWH doth cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day.

14  So the Lord took away from Israel the head and tail, great and small, in one day

14  And so, the Lord will disperse, away from Israel, the head and the tail, he who bows down and he who refrains, in one day.

15  The elder and the man of rank, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

15  the old man, and them that respect persons, this is the head; and the prophet teaching unlawful things, he is the tail.

15  The long-lived and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.

16  For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

16  And those who deceitfully praise this people, and those who are praised, will be thrown down violently.

17  Therefore YHWH shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall He have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for every one is ungodly and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh wantonness. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

17  For this reason, the Lord will not rejoice over their youths. And he will not take pity on their orphans and widows. For each one is a hypocrite, and each one is wicked, and every mouth has spoken foolishness. After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.

18  For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in thick clouds of smoke.

18  And iniquity shall burn as fire, and shall be devoured by fire as dry grass: and it shall burn in the thickets of the wood, and shall devour all that is round about the hills.

18  For impiety has been kindled like a fire: it will devour brier and thorn, and it will burn in the dense forest, and it will be interwoven with the ascending smoke.

19  Through the wrath of YHWH of hosts is the land burnt up; the people also are as the fuel of fire; no man spareth his brother.

19  The whole earth is set on fire because of the fierce anger of the Lord, and the people shall be as men burnt by fire: no man shall pity his brother.

19  The earth has been shaken by the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and the people will become like fuel for the fire. A man will not spare his own brother.

20  And one snatcheth on the right hand, and is hungry; and he eateth on the left hand, and is not satisfied; they eat every man the flesh of his own arm

20  But one shall turn aside to the right hand, for he shall be hungry; and shall eat on the left, and a man shall by no means be satisfied with eating the flesh of his own arm.

20  And he will turn toward the right, and he will be hungry. And he will eat toward the left, and he will not be satisfied. Each one will eat the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they will be against Judah.

21  Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; and they together are against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

21  For Manasses shall eat the flesh of Ephraim, and Ephraim the flesh of Manasses; for they shall besiege Juda together. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is yet exalted.

21  After all this, his fury was not turned away; instead, his hand was still extended.