1The people who walk in the darkness have seen a great light; the dwellers in the land of the shadow of death, light has shone upon them.
2You have multiplied the nation, you have made its joy great; they rejoice before you like the joy in the harvest, as they exult when they divide spoil.
3For the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of the one oppressing him, you have shattered as in the day of Midian.
4For every boot of the one tramping in tumult, and the garment rolled in bloods, shall be for burning, fuel of fire.
5For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; and the dominion is upon his shoulder; and one calls his name Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibbor), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace;
6to the increase of the dominion and to peace there is no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgment (mishpat) and in righteousness, from now and forever. The zeal of YHWH of hosts (tzevaot) shall do this.
7A word my Lord (Adonai) sent into Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel.
8And the people shall know, all of it, Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, who say in pride and in greatness of heart:
9"The bricks have fallen, but with hewn stone we will build; the sycamores have been cut down, but cedars we will put in their place."
10And YHWH set on high the adversaries of Rezin against him, and his enemies he goads;
11Aram from the east, and the Philistines from behind, and they devour Israel with all the mouth. In all this his anger has not turned, and still his hand is stretched out.
12But the people has not returned to the one striking it, and YHWH of hosts (tzevaot) they have not sought.
13And YHWH cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and reed, in one day.
14The elder and the lifted of face, he is the head; and the prophet teaching falsehood, he is the tail.
15And the leaders of this people became those who lead astray, and those led by them are swallowed up.
16Therefore over its young men my Lord (Adonai) shall not rejoice, and on its orphans and its widows he shall not have mercy; for all of it is profane and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. In all this his anger has not turned, and still his hand is stretched out.
17For wickedness burns like the fire; briers and thorns it devours; and it kindles in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward, a rising of smoke.
18In the wrath of YHWH of hosts (tzevaot) the land is scorched, and the people are like the fuel of fire; a man (ish) to his brother they do not spare.
19And one cuts on the right and is hungry, and he eats on the left and they are not satisfied; each man (ish) the flesh (basar) of his own arm they eat:
20Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh; together they are against Judah. In all this his anger has not turned, and still his hand is stretched out.