10 5 Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff of my fury! 10 6 Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 10 7 But he does not so intend, and his mind does not so think; but it is in his mind to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few; 10 8 for he says: "Are not my commanders all kings? 10 9 Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? 10 10 As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, 10 11 shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?"
10 12 When Yahweh has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride. 10 13 For he says:
10 15 Shall the axe vaunt itself over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood! 10 16 Therefore Yahweh, Yahweh of hosts, will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire. 10 17 The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day. 10 18 The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land Yahweh will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away. 10 19 The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down.