| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1"I will stand at my guard post and station myself on a tower. I will wait and see what the LORD will say about me and what I will answer when he reprimands me. " | 1I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what He will say to me and what I should reply about my complaint. |
| 2When he answered, the LORD told me: "Write out the revelation, engraving it clearly on the tablets, so that a courier may run with it. | 2The LORD answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it. |
| 3For the revelation pertains to an appointed time— it speaks truthfully about the end. Though it delays, wait for it, because it will surely come about— it will not be late! | 3For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late. |
| 4"Notice their arrogance— they have no inward uprightness — but the righteous will live by their faith. | 4Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith. |
| 5Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man, he remains restless; he has expanded his appetite— like the afterlife or death itself, he is never satisfied. He gathers to himself all of the nations, taking captive all of the people for himself." | 5Moreover, wine betrays; an arrogant man is never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself; he collects all the peoples for himself. |
| 6"Will not all of these ridicule him with mocking scorn? They will say, 'Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn't his. How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?' | 6Won't all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say: Woe to him who amasses what is not his-- how much longer?-- and loads himself with goods taken in pledge. |
| 7Won't your creditors revolt unexpectedly? Won't those who make you tremble wake up? As a result, you'll become their prey! | 7Won't your creditors suddenly arise, and those who disturb you wake up? Then you will become spoil for them. |
| 8Because you plundered many nations, all of their remnants will plunder you. Human blood has been shed, and violence has been done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." | 8Since you have plundered many nations, all the peoples who remain will plunder you-- because of human bloodshed and violence against lands, cities, and all who live in them. |
| 9"Woe to the one who amasses profit upon unjust profit in order to establish his household, so he can establish a secure place on the heights and escape from the power of evil. | 9Woe to him who dishonestly makes wealth for his house to place his nest on high, to escape from the reach of disaster! |
| 10You have brought shame to yourself by killing many people— you are forfeiting your own life. | 10You have planned shame for your house by wiping out many peoples and sinning against your own self. |
| 11Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall and the rafter will respond from the woodwork." | 11For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will answer them from the woodwork. |
| 12"Woe to the one who founds a city upon bloodshed, and constructs a city by lawlessness. | 12Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and founds a town with injustice! |
| 13Is it not because of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies that people grow tired putting out fires, and nations weary themselves over nothing? | 13Is it not from the LORD of Hosts that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire and countries exhaust themselves for nothing? |
| 14Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as water fills the sea." | 14For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD's glory, as the waters cover the sea. |
| 15"Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink! You are forcing your bottle on him, making him drunk so you can see them naked. | 15Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink, pouring out your wrath and even making them drunk, in order to look at their nakedness! |
| 16You are filled with dishonor instead of glory. So go ahead, drink and be naked! The LORD will turn against you, and utter disgrace will debase your reputation. | 16You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory. You also--drink, and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD's right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory. |
| 17Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you, and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you— because you shed human blood and did violence to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." | 17For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you; the destruction of animals will terrify you because of your human bloodshed and violence against lands, cities, and all who live in them. |
| 18"Where is the benefit in owning a carved image, that motivates its maker to carve it? It is only a cast image— a teacher that lies— because the engraver entrusts himself to his carving, crafting speechless idols. | 18What use is a carved idol after its craftsman carves it? It is only a cast image, a teacher of lies. For the one who crafts its shape trusts in it and makes idols that cannot speak. |
| 19"Woe to the one who says to a tree, 'Wake up!' or 'Arise!' to a speechless stone. Idols like this can't teach, can they? Look, even though it is overlaid with gold and silver, there's no breath in it at all." | 19Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up! or to mute stone: Come alive! Can it teach? Look! It may be plated with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all. |
| 20"The LORD is in his holy Temple. All the earth—be quiet in his presence." | 20But the LORD is in His holy temple; let everyone on earth be silent in His presence. |
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