הוֹי עֲטֶרֶת גֵּאוּת שִׁכֹּרֵי אֶפְרַיִם וְצִיץ נֹבֵל צְבִי תִפְאַרְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשׁ גֵּיא שְׁמָנִים הֲלוּמֵי יָיִן

Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, a disparaging reference to the leadership of the Kingdom of Israel, and to the wilting flower,the crown, of his magnificent splendor. Woe to the crown that is on a head that is a valley of oils [gei shemanim], stunned with wine. The head upon which the crown is placed is used only for being annointed in oil for pleasure and for getting drunk with wine. Alternatively, gei shemanim means a valley of drunkards, or the reference is to a fertile region called Shemanim Valley.

הִנֵּה חָזָק וְאַמִּץ לַאדֹנָי כְּזֶרֶם בָּרָד שַׂעַר קָטֶב כְּזֶרֶם מַיִם כַּבִּירִים שֹׁטְפִים הִנִּיחַ לָאָרֶץ בְּיָד

Behold, it, a day, is coming that is strong and mighty for the Lord, like a torrent of hail, a storm of destruction, as a torrent of mighty flowing waters; it places it, Ephraim’s crown of pride, on the earth by hand, in a violent manner. The terrifying storm and torrent will shake up, and perhaps even purify, the drunken, dazed nation.

בְּרַגְלַיִם תֵּרָמַסְנָה עֲטֶרֶת גֵּאוּת שִׁכּוֹרֵי אֶפְרָיִם

The crown of pride on the heads of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot,

וְהָיְתָה צִיצַת נֹבֵל צְבִי תִפְאַרְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשׁ גֵּיא שְׁמָנִים כְּבִכּוּרָהּ בְּטֶרֶם קַיִץ אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה הָרֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ — בְּעוֹדָהּ בְּכַפּוֹ יִבְלָעֶנָּה

and the wilting flower of his magnificent splendor that is on a head that is a valley of oils will be noticeable like an early ripened fig before the summer fig harvest; when the observer sees it, while it is still in his hand he will swallow it, without waiting to bring it home. Similarly, Ephraim’s ornaments will be swallowed in a moment.

— בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה' צְבָאוֹת לַעֲטֶרֶת צְבִי וְלִצְפִירַת תִּפְאָרָה לִשְׁאָר עַמּוֹ

Instead of the disintegrating decorations with which the drunkards of Ephraim adorn themselves, on that day, the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory and a diadem of splendor for the remnant of His people, the Kingdom of Judah,

ולְרוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט — לַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט וְלִגְבוּרָה מְשִׁיבֵי מִלְחָמָה שָׁעְרָה

and God will not only glorify and honor the people with His presence, He will also be a spirit of judgment for one who sits in judgment and valor for those who return war to the gate.

וְגַם אֵלֶּה בַּיַּיִן שָׁגוּ וּבַשֵּׁכָר תָּעוּ כֹּהֵן וְנָבִיא שָׁגוּ בַשֵּׁכָר נִבְלְעוּ מִן הַיַּיִן תָּעוּ מִן הַשֵּׁכָר שָׁגוּ בָּרֹאֶה פָּקוּ פְּלִילִיָּה

However, the culture of drinking and decadence has spread to Judah as well. These too erred with wine and strayed with intoxicating drink. Priest and prophet erred with intoxicating drink, they were befuddled by wine; they were confused by intoxicating drink, they erred by not recognizing what was in their sight, they distorted justice. Jerusalem was in the hands of a gang of dazed drunkards.

כִּי כָּל שֻׁלְחָנוֹת מָלְאוּ קִיא צֹאָה בְּלִי מָקוֹם

For all tables are full of vomit, excrement, with no room for anything else. It is not a celebration, but a feast of drunkards who have lost control of their bodily functions.

אֶת מִי יוֹרֶה דֵעָה וְאֶת מִי יָבִין שְׁמוּעָה גְּמוּלֵי מֵחָלָב עַתִּיקֵי מִשָּׁדָיִם!

Since the adults are ignorant hedonists, to whom will one teach knowledge? And who can understand a lesson? Who can be taught? Those so young they have just been weaned from milk, detached from breasts?

כִּי צַו לָצָו צַו לָצָו קַו לָקָו קַו לָקָו זְעֵיר שָׁם זְעֵיר שָׁם

For when one tries to teach Torah and knowledge to the people, it is viewed by them as simply command by command, command by command; line by restrictive line, line by line; a bit here, a bit there. The Torah is perceived by the people as a collection of meaningless restrictions and minute details, irrelevant to sophisticated adults.

כִּי בְּלַעֲגֵי שָׂפָה וּבְלָשׁוֹן אַחֶרֶת יְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם הַזֶּה

The prophet’s speech is foreign to them, and subject to their ridicule: For with garbled language and with a different tongue, one, the prophet, will speak to this people,

אֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֲלֵיהֶם זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה הָנִיחוּ לֶעָיֵף וְזֹאת הַמַּרְגֵּעָה ולֹא אָבוּא שְׁמוֹעַ

saying to them: This is the respite, the means of achieving tranquility: Give rest to the weary, allow the weak and destitute to live in dignity; and this is the relief. The Torah provides guidelines on how to create a fair and stable society. But they, the people, were unwilling to hear the message of this prophecy.

וְהָיָה לָהֶם דְּבַר ה' צַו לָצָו צַו לָצָו קַו לָקָו קַו לָקָו זְעֵיר שָׁם זְעֵיר שָׁם לְמַעַן יֵלְכוּ וְכָשְׁלוּ אָחוֹר וְנִשְׁבָּרוּ וְנוֹקְשׁוּ וְנִלְכָּדוּ

The word of the Lord will be, will remain, for them a meaningless collection, command by command, command by command, line by line, line by line, a bit here, a bit there, so that they will go and falter backward in their blindness and be broken, and they will be tripped and captured.

לָכֵן שִׁמְעוּ דְבַר ה' אַנְשֵׁי לָצוֹן מֹשְׁלֵי הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, men of mockery, rulers of this people that is in Jerusalem:

כִּי אֲמַרְתֶּם כָּרַתְנוּ בְרִית אֶת מָוֶת וְעִם שְׁאוֹל עָשִׂינוּ חֹזֶה שׁוֹט שׁוֹטֵף כִּי יַעֲבֹר — לֹא יְבוֹאֵנוּ כִּי שַׂמְנוּ כָזָב מַחְסֵנוּ וּבַשֶּׁקֶר נִסְתָּרְנוּ

Because when people asked you why you are not concerned about your future, you said in jest, or expressed through your conduct: We established a covenant with death, and with the netherworld we made a pact, and therefore we are unafraid of dying. When the scourging whip will pass through to wreak havoc, it will not come to us, as we have found our shelter in deceit, and with falsehood we have concealed ourselves. This reliance on deceit and trickery is either the people’s actual strategy or the prophet’s interpretation of their behavior. Either way, they do not consider the consequences of their actions or the day of death. They live in denial, with drink and debauchery, ignoring any rebuke.

לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֳלֹהִים הִנְנִי יִסַּד בְּצִיּוֹן אָבֶן — אֶבֶן בֹּחַן פִּנַּת יִקְרַת מוּסָד מוּסָּד הַמַּאֲמִין לֹא יָחִישׁ

Therefore, so said the Lord God: At present the city is based on deceit and everything within is unstable and false, but it will be rebuilt as a steadfast center of truth. Behold, I am laying a foundation in Zion, a stone, a trial stone used for testing precious metals; the mark that the metal leaves on the stone indicates its type and quality. This is a metaphor for a place where people’s characters are assessed. Zion will be a precious cornerstone of a sturdy foundation, where the faithful will not hurry, as they rely on God.

וְשַׂמְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט לְקָו וּצְדָקָה לְמִשְׁקָלֶת וְיָעָה בָרָד מַחְסֵה כָזָב וְסֵתֶר — מַיִם יִשְׁטֹפוּ

I will place justice as the line and righteousness as the plummet. Justice and righteousness will be the standard for everything, and hail will sweep away the shelter of falsehood, and water will flood the concealed place where people thought they could hide.

וְכֻפַּר בְּרִיתְכֶם אֶת מָוֶת וְחָזוּתְכֶם אֶת שְׁאוֹל לֹא תָקוּם שׁוֹט שׁוֹטֵף כִּי יַעֲבֹר — וִהְיִיתֶם לוֹ לְמִרְמָס

The prophet addresses the people’s lack of concern for the future: Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your pact with the netherworld will not stand; when the scourging whip will pass, you will be crushed by it.

מִדֵּי עָבְרוֹ יִקַּח אֶתְכֶם כִּי בַבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר יַעֲבֹר בַּיּוֹם וּבַלָּיְלָה וְהָיָה רַק זְוָעָה הָבִין שְׁמוּעָה

Each time it passes, it will take you, for each and every morning it will pass; alternatively: For it will pass through quickly. The calamity will come by day and by night, and your understanding the message will be sheer horror.

כִּי קָצַר הַמַּצָּע מֵהִשְׂתָּרֵעַ וְהַמַּסֵּכָה צָרָה כְּהִתְכַּנֵּס

For the bedding, the security that you imagined is too short for stretching out as a shelter, and the cover with which you seek to protect yourselves is too narrow for taking shelter beneath it.

כִּי כְהַר פְּרָצִים יָקוּם ה'כְּעֵמֶק בְּגִבְעוֹן יִרְגָּז לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשֵׂהוּ זָר מַעֲשֵׂהוּ ולַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדָתוֹ — נָכְרִיָּה עֲבֹדָתוֹ

For as He did in David’s miraculous battle at Mount Peratzim, the Lord will rise to fight for you; as in the Valley of Givon, where God performed a miracle for Joshua, He will become angry; He will arise to perform His action, but for you, strange and incomprehensible is His action, and when He arises to perform His labor, foreign is His labor in your eyes.

וְעַתָּה אַל תִּתְלוֹצָצוּ פֶּן יֶחְזְקוּ מוֹסְרֵיכֶם כִּי כָלָה וְנֶחֱרָצָה שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֵת ה' אֳלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ

And now, do not behave foolishly, lest your bonds, or your suffering, from which you cannot escape, be strengthened. You may be laughing now, but the calamity that you are determined to ignore or from which you seek to hide will indeed occur, for I have heard utter annihilation is decreed from the Lord, God of hosts, against the entire land.

הַאֲזִינוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ קוֹלִי הַקְשִׁיבוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ אִמְרָתִי

The prophet introduces a parable: Listen and hear my voice; listen and hear my statement.

הֲכֹל הַיּוֹם יַחֲרֹשׁ הַחֹרֵשׁ לִזְרֹעַ יְפַתַּח וִישַׂדֵּד אַדְמָתוֹ

Will the plower plow to sow, will he open and harrow his ground all day? Does a farmer merely plow his field, to prepare it for sowing, without actually sowing it?

הֲלוֹא אִם שִׁוָּה פָנֶיהָ וְהֵפִיץ קֶצַח וְכַמֹּן יִזְרֹק וְשָׂם חִטָּה שׂוֹרָה וּשְׂעֹרָה נִסְמָן וְכֻסֶּמֶת גְּבֻלָתוֹ

Isn’t it that once he has plowed the field and smoothed its surface, he plants the field accordingly: He scatters black cumin, casts cumin seeds, and places wheat, einkorn,and marked barley,and spelt as its border?

וְיִסְּרוֹ לַמִּשְׁפָּט אֱלֹהָיו יוֹרֶנּוּ

He, God, will instruct him, the farmer, in the procedure; his God teaches him the proper order of his work. Grain farming requires a specific sequence of actions: The ground must first be plowed, and only then sown. These also must be performed in accordance with precise instructions.

כִּי לֹא בֶחָרוּץ יוּדַשׁ קֶצַח וְאוֹפַן עֲגָלָה עַל כַּמֹּן יוּסָּב כִּי בַמַּטֶּה יֵחָבֶט קֶצַח וְכַמֹּן בַּשָּׁבֶט

For black cumin is not threshed with a threshing board, because it is too delicate, nor is a cart wheel, sometimes used to thresh wheat or barley, turned on cumin, because that would destroy the cumin; for black cumin is beaten with a staff and cumin with a rod.

לֶחֶם יוּדָק כִּי לֹא לָנֶצַח אָדוֹשׁ יְדוּשֶׁנּוּ וְהָמַם גִּלְגַּל עֶגְלָתוֹ וּפָרָשָׁיו לֹא יְדֻקֶּנּוּ

To have bread, grains must eventually be ground into flour, as one may not thresh it forever. Even if he pounds it with the wheel of his wagon and his fast horses, he will not grind it properly.

גַּם זֹאת מֵעִם ה' צְבָאוֹת יָצָאָה הִפְלִיא עֵצָה הִגְדִּיל תּוּשִׁיָּה

This too emerged from before the Lord of hosts: He is wonderful in counsel, great in His understanding. The prophet denounces the idea that the world is just a collection of coincidences, governed by random interests and deceptions. He illustrates his point with agricultural imagery. Just as no farmer who wants a productive field would disregard the practices of agriculture, so too, no one can avoid obeying the laws of God as transmitted by the prophet. Isaiah tells his audience that if they repudiate God’s order in the world or the laws of the Torah, their achievements will be lost.