¹⁷ I will make justice^(A) the measuring line
    and righteousness the plumb line;^(B)
hail^(C) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
    and water will overflow^(D) your hiding place.
¹⁸ Your covenant with death will be annulled;
    your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.^(E)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(F)
    you will be beaten down^(G) by it.
¹⁹ As often as it comes it will carry you away;^(H)
    morning after morning,^(I) by day and by night,
    it will sweep through.”

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

²³ Listen^(R) and hear my voice;
    pay attention and hear what I say.
²⁴ When a farmer plows for planting,^(S) 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?^(T)
Does he not plant wheat in its place,^[a]
    barley^(U) in its plot,^[b]
    and spelt^(V) in its field?
²⁶ His God instructs him
    and teaches^(W) him the right way.

²⁷ Caraway is not threshed^(X) with a sledge,^(Y)
    nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,^(Z)
    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^(AA) 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,^(AB)
    whose wisdom is magnificent.^(AC)

⁸ “Will not the land tremble^(A) for this,
    and all who live in it mourn?
The whole land will rise like the Nile;
    it will be stirred up and then sink
    like the river of Egypt.^(B)