Isaiah 29:8–10

8 as when a hungry person dreams of eating,

but awakens hungry still;

as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking,

but awakens faint and thirsty still.

So will it be with the hordes of all the nations

that fight against Mount Zion.

9 Be stunned and amazed,

blind yourselves and be sightless;

be drunk, but not from wine,

stagger, but not from beer.

10 The Lord has brought over you a deep sleep:

He has sealed your eyes (the prophets);

he has covered your heads (the seers).

8 As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating,

and awakes with his hunger not satisfied,

or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking,

and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched,

so shall the multitude of all the nations be

that fight against Mount Zion.

9 Astonish yourselves and be astonished;

blind yourselves and be blind!

Be drunk, but not with wine;

stagger, but not with strong drink!

10 For the Lord has poured out upon you

a spirit of deep sleep,

and has closed your eyes (the prophets),

and covered your heads (the seers).

8 A hungry person dreams of eating

but wakes up still hungry.

A thirsty person dreams of drinking

but is still faint from thirst when morning comes.

So it will be with your enemies,

with those who attack Mount Zion.”

9 Are you amazed and incredulous?

Don’t you believe it?

Then go ahead and be blind.

You are stupid, but not from wine!

You stagger, but not from liquor!

10 For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep.

He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.

8 It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams,

And look—he eats;

But he awakes, and his soul is still empty;

Or as when a thirsty man dreams,

And look—he drinks;

But he awakes, and indeed he is faint,

And his soul still craves:

So the multitude of all the nations shall be,

Who fight against Mount Zion.”

9 Pause and wonder!

Blind yourselves and be blind!

They are drunk, but not with wine;

They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.

10 For the Lord has poured out on you

The spirit of deep sleep,

And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets;

And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

8 They will be like a hungry man who dreams he is eating,

but when he awakens, he is still hungry.

They will be like a thirsty man who dreams he is drinking,

but when he awakens, he is still weak and thirsty.

It will be the same way with all the nations

who fight against Mount Zion.

9 Be surprised and amazed.

Blind yourselves so that you cannot see.

Become drunk, but not from wine.

Trip and fall, but not from beer.

10 The Lord has made you go into a deep sleep.

He has closed your eyes. (The prophets are your eyes.)

He has covered your heads. (The seers are your heads.)

8 And it shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

9 Tarry ye and wonder; take your pleasure and be blind: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath he covered.

8 It shall even be as when the hungry dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; and he awaketh, and his soul is empty; or as when the thirsty dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; and he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul craveth: so shall the multitude of all the nations be that war against mount Zion.

9 Be astounded and astonished, blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For Jehovah hath poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your chiefs, the seers, hath he covered.

8 They will be like hungry people who dream that they’re eating 

and wake up to find they’re hungry. 

They will be like thirsty people who dream that they’re drinking 

and wake up to find they’re lightheaded and parched with thirst. 

This is what will happen to the armies from all the nations 

that fight against Mount Zion. 

9 If you confuse yourselves, you will be confused. 

If you blind yourselves, you will be blinded. 

You are drunk, but not from wine. 

You stagger, but not from liquor. 

10 The Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. 

He will shut your eyes. (Your eyes are the prophets.) 

He will cover your heads. (Your heads are the seers.) 

To you all these visions will be like words in a book that is closed and sealed. You give this book to someone who can read, saying, “Please read this.” 

He answers, “I can’t read it. It’s sealed.” 

8 It will be like a hungry one who dreams he is eating,

then wakes and is still hungry;

and like a thirsty one who dreams he is drinking,

then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for water.

So it will be for all the many nations

who go to battle against Mount Zion.

9 Stop and be astonished;

blind yourselves and be blind!

They are drunk, but not with wine;

they stagger, but not with beer.

10 For the Lord has poured out on you

an overwhelming urge to sleep;

He has shut your eyes—the prophets,

and covered your heads—the seers.

8 Just as when a hungry person dreams of eating

and wakes up still hungry

or a thirsty person dreams of drinking

and wakes up faint, still thirsty,

so shall the multitude of all the nations be

that fight against Mount Zion.

9 Be astounded and stunned;

blind yourselves and be blind!

Be drunk but not from wine;

stagger but not from strong drink!

10 For the Lord has poured out upon you

a spirit of deep sleep;

he has closed your eyes (the prophets)

and covered your heads (the seers).

8 And it shall be as when the hungry person dreams—look, he is eating!

And he wakes up and his inner self is empty.

Or as when the thirsty person dreams—look, he is drinking!

And he wakes up and look, he is faint,

and his inner self is longing for water.

So shall be the multitude of all the nations who fight against Mount Zion.

9 Be astonished and be amazed!

Blind yourselves and be blinded!

They are drunk but not from wine;

they stagger but not from strong drink.

10 For Yahweh has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep,

and he has shut your eyes, the prophets,

and he has covered your heads, the seers.

8 They will be like a hungry person who dreams he is eating.

But when he wakes up, he’s still hungry.

They will be like a thirsty person who dreams he is drinking.

But when he wakes up, he is weak.

His thirst hasn’t been satisfied.

In the same way, the armies from all of the nations

that fight against Mount Zion will disappear.

9 People of Jerusalem, be shocked and amazed.

Make yourselves blind so you can’t see anything.

Get drunk, but not from wine.

Be unsteady on your feet, but not because of beer.

10 The Lord has made you fall into a deep sleep.

He has closed the eyes of your prophets.

He has covered the heads of your seers so they can’t see.

8 It will be as when a hungry man dreams—

And behold, he is eating;

But when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied,

Or as when a thirsty man dreams—

And behold, he is drinking,

But when he awakens, behold, he is faint

And his thirst is not quenched.

Thus the multitude of all the nations will be

Who wage war against Mount Zion.

9 Be delayed and wait,

Blind yourselves and be blind;

They become drunk, but not with wine,

They stagger, but not with strong drink.

10 For the Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep,

He has shut your eyes, the prophets;

And He has covered your heads, the seers.