In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-21 is numbered 9:1-20. 1Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan –
2The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
The Lord’s anger against Israel
8The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
it will fall on Israel.
9All the people will know it –
Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria –
who say with pride
and arrogance of heart,
10‘The bricks have fallen down,
but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig-trees have been felled,
but we will replace them with cedars.’
11But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them
and has spurred their enemies on.
12Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
have devoured Israel with open mouth.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
13But the people have not returned to him who struck them,
nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
14So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
both palm branch and reed in a single day;
15the elders and dignitaries are the head,
the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
16Those who guide this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.
17Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,
nor will he pity the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and wicked,
every mouth speaks folly.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
18Surely wickedness burns like a fire;
it consumes briers and thorns,
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,
so that it rolls upwards in a column of smoke.
19By the wrath of the Lord Almighty
the land will be scorched
and the people will be fuel for the fire;
they will not spare one another.
20On the right they will devour,
but still be hungry;
on the left they will eat,
but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring9:20 Or arm:
21Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;
together they will turn against Judah.
Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
his hand is still upraised.
未來的君王
1但那些受過痛苦的人必不再遇見黑暗。從前，耶和華使西布倫人和拿弗他利人住的地方受人藐視，日後必使這些地方，即約旦河對岸、沿海一帶、外族人居住的加利利得到榮耀。
2走在黑暗中的人必看見大光，
活在死亡陰影下的人必被光照亮。
3耶和華啊，你必使以色列成為大國，
人民都喜氣洋洋，
在你面前歡喜快樂，
好像豐收時那樣歡喜，
如同瓜分戰利品時那樣快樂。
4因為你必折斷他們負的軛和欺壓者的棍棒，
好像昔日你毀滅米甸人一樣；
5戰士的靴子和染血的征袍都要被丟進火裡燒掉。
6必有一個嬰兒為我們誕生，
有一個孩子要賜給我們。
祂必統治我們，
祂被稱為奇妙的策士、全能的上帝、永存的父、和平的君。
7祂的國必長治久安。
祂必坐在大衛的寶座上以公平和公義治國，
使國家永固。
萬軍之耶和華必熱切地成就此事。
耶和華要審判以色列
8主已發言責備雅各家，
他的責備落在以色列，
9住在以法蓮和撒瑪利亞的以色列人都知道。
他們驕傲自大地說：
10「磚牆倒塌了，
我們可以鑿石重建；
桑樹砍倒了，
我們可以再種香柏樹。」
11因此耶和華必驅使敵人來攻擊他們。
12東有亞蘭人，西有非利士人，
他們必吞噬以色列。
雖然如此，耶和華的怒氣還沒有止息，
祂的懲罰還沒有停止。
13但以色列人沒有歸向萬軍之耶和華，
也不尋求祂。
14因此，耶和華要在一日之間剷除以色列的頭和尾。
15頭是指他們的長老和首領，
尾是指教人虛謊之事的假先知。
16這些帶領者使百姓步入歧途、
走向滅亡。
17他們目無上帝，
行事邪惡，口出狂言。
所以，主不喜歡他們的青年，
也不憐憫他們的孤兒寡婦。
雖然如此，耶和華的怒氣還沒有止息，
祂降罰的手沒有收回。
18邪惡像燃燒的火焰，
焚毀荊棘和蒺藜，點燃密林，
煙柱旋轉上騰。
19萬軍之耶和華的烈怒必如火一般燒焦大地，
人們成為燒火的柴，
甚至弟兄彼此相煎。
20他們到處搶奪食物，
仍饑餓難忍，
甚至吃自己的骨肉9·20 「骨肉」或譯「臂膀的肉」。。
21以法蓮和瑪拿西必自相殘殺，
又聯合起來攻打猶大。
雖然如此，耶和華的怒氣還沒有止息，
祂降罰的手沒有收回。
