2:1 I will stand at my watch post;
I will remain stationed on the city wall. 1
I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to me
and can know 2 how I should answer
when he counters my argument. 3
2:2 The Lord responded: 4
“Write down this message! 5 Record it legibly on tablets,
so the one who announces 6 it may read it easily. 7
2:3 For the message is a witness to what is decreed; 8
it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. 9
Even if the message 10 is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; 11
for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late.
2:4 Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, 12
but the person of integrity 13 will live 14 because of his faithfulness. 15
2:5 Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! 16
His appetite 17 is as big as Sheol’s; 18
like death, he is never satisfied.
He gathers 19 all the nations;
he seizes 20 all peoples.
2:6 “But all these nations will someday taunt him 21
and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: 22
‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead 23
(How long will this go on?) 24 –
he who gets rich by extortion!’ 25
2:7 Your creditors will suddenly attack; 26
those who terrify you will spring into action, 27
and they will rob you. 28
2:8 Because you robbed many countries, 29
all who are left among the nations 30 will rob you.
You have shed human blood
and committed violent acts against lands, cities, 31 and those who live in them.