¹Woe to those going down to Egypt

expecting help — relying on horses;

trusting in chariots, because they have many,

and in the strength of their cavalrymen —

but not looking to the Holy One of Isra’el,

not consulting Adonai .

²But he too is wise and can bring disaster,

and he does not take back his words;

he will rise against the house of evildoers

and against the help of those who do wrong.

³Now the Egyptians are men and not God,

and their horses flesh and not spirit.

So when Adonai stretches out his hand,

both he who helps will stumble,

and he who is helped will fall;

both will perish together.

⁴For here is what Adonai says to me:

“As a lion or lion cub growls at its prey

and isn’t frightened away by the shouts

of hordes of shepherds called out against him —

their voices do not upset him —

so likewise Adonai -Tzva’ot will descend

to fight on Mount Tziyon, on its hill.

⁵Like hovering birds, Adonai -Tzva’ot

will protect Yerushalayim.

In protecting it, he will rescue it;

in sparing it, he will save it.

⁶People of Isra’el! Return to him

to whom you have been so deeply disloyal!

⁷For on that day everyone will discard

his idols of silver and idols of gold,

which you made for yourselves

with your own sinful hands.

⁸Then Ashur will fall by a sword not of mortals,

a sword, not of humans, will devour him;

he will flee before the sword,

and his young men will be put to forced labor.

⁹His rock, out of terror, will pass away,

and his panicked officers will desert the standard.”

So says Adonai , whose fire is in Tziyon,

whose furnace is in Yerushalayim.