28 ¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, you scoffers,
who rule this people in Jerusalem!
28 ¹⁵ Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death,
and with Sheol we have an agreement;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through
it will not come to us;
for we have made lies our refuge,
and in falsehood we have taken shelter";
28 ¹⁶ therefore thus says Yahweh GOD,
"Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
'He who believes will not be in haste.'
28 ¹⁷ And I will make justice the line,
and righteousness the plummet;
and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,
and waters will overwhelm the shelter."
28 ¹⁸ Then your covenant with death will be annulled,
and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;
when the overwhelming scourge passes through
you will be beaten down by it.
28 ¹⁹ As often as it passes through it will take you;
for morning by morning it will pass through,
by day and by night;
and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.
28 ²⁰ For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it,
and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in it.
28 ²¹ For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim,
he will be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon;
to do his deed - strange is his deed!
and to work his work - alien is his work!
28 ²² Now therefore do not scoff,
lest your bonds be made strong;
for I have heard a decree of destruction
from Yahweh GOD of hosts upon the whole land.