1 »You will have trouble Ariel. The years go by, year after year in Ariel the city where David camped! Jerusalem You celebrate your festivals on schedule.

2 »I will still make you suffer Ariel. Your people will cry and mourn when I make you like the lion of God, Jerusalem. Ariel is symbolic name for Jerusalem.

3 »I will surround you with a military blockade and attack you from all sides.

4 »From deep in the earth, you will call out for help. Your voice will sound like a mumble indistinct voice from out of the dust. It will be faint like a whisper.

5 »Your cruel enemies will be swept away like dust in a windstorm. It will be sudden and unexpected like chaff in the wind.

6 »Jehovah of Hosts will visit you with a thundering earthquake. A huge whirlwind will bring loud noise and a devouring fire.«

7 The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel Jerusalem will be like a bad dream, a vision in the night. Many will fight against her and bring distress to her.

8 It will be like a hungry man who dreams that he eats. But when he awakes he is empty and still hungry! It will also be like a thirsty man who dreams that he drinks. When he awakes he is thirsty and weak and hungry. The multitude of nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like this.

9 Stand still and wonder. Refuse to see and be blind. Get drunk and stagger, but not from wine.

10 Jehovah has made you drowsy. He shut your eyes in a deep sleep you prophets and visionaries. He overwhelmed your leaders.

11 His message is like a sealed book to you. You say to someone read this out loud. And they respond, »We cannot read it, because it is sealed.«

12 The illiterate say: »We cannot read it because we do not know how to read.«

13 »These people praise me with their words,« said Jehovah, »but they never draw near to me in their hearts deepest thoughts. Their reverence for me comes from the repetitious tradition of men.

14 »I will do things that shock and amaze them. I will destroy the wisdom of those who claim to know and understand discern.«

15 You are in for trouble, if you try to hide your plans from Jehovah! You think what you do in the dark cannot be seen. So you ask: »Who sees us, who knows us?«

16 You have it all backwards. A clay dish does not say to the potter, »You did not make me.« And should the one made say to the maker, »You do not understand?«

17 Soon the forest of Lebanon will become a fertile field thick with trees.

18 The deaf will be able to hear the words of the book read to them. The blind will be freed from gloom and darkness.

19 The meek, the poor, and the needy will celebrate and shout because of Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel.

20 All who are cruel and arrogant will be extinguished. Those who live by crime will be removed.

21 God will destroy those who slander others. He will destroy those who prevent the punishment of criminals and those who tell lies to keep honest people from getting justice.

22 Jehovah said to the house of Jacob: »I am the God of Israel, who rescued Abraham from trouble. My people will not be disgraced any longer. You will no longer be filled with shame.

23 »When you see the children that I will give you, then you will acknowledge and sanctify my name. I am the Holy God of Israel! You will honor me and stand in awe of me.

24 »People who stray will learn to understand. Those who always grumble will be glad to be taught.«