Isaiah 30:9–14

For they are a rebellious people,

lying children,

children unwilling to hear

the instruction of the Lord;

who say to the seers, “Do not see,”

and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right;

speak to us smooth things,

prophesy illusions,

leave the way, turn aside from the path,

let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel,

“Because you despise this word

and trust in oppression and perverseness

and rely on them,

therefore this iniquity shall be to you

like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse,

whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;

and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel

that is smashed so ruthlessly

that among its fragments not a shard is found

with which to take fire from the hearth,

or to dip up water out of the cistern.”

For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,

children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.

They say to the seers,

“See no more visions!”

and to the prophets,

“Give us no more visions of what is right!

Tell us pleasant things,

prophesy illusions.

Leave this way,

get off this path,

and stop confronting us

with the Holy One of Israel!”

Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“Because you have rejected this message,

relied on oppression

and depended on deceit,

this sin will become for you

like a high wall, cracked and bulging,

that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

It will break in pieces like pottery,

shattered so mercilessly

that among its pieces not a fragment will be found

for taking coals from a hearth

or scooping water out of a cistern.”

They are a rebellious people,

deceptive children,

children who do not want to listen to the Lord’s instruction.

They say to the seers, “Do not see,”

and to the prophets,

“Do not prophesy the truth to us.

Tell us flattering things.

Prophesy illusions.

Get out of the way!

Leave the pathway.

Rid us of the Holy One of Israel.”

Therefore the Holy One of Israel says:

“Because you have rejected this message

and have trusted in oppression and deceit,

and have depended on them,

this iniquity of yours will be

like a crumbling gap,

a bulge in a high wall

whose collapse will come in an instant—suddenly!

Its collapse will be like the shattering

of a potter’s jar, crushed to pieces,

so that not even a fragment of pottery

will be found among its shattered remains—

no fragment large enough to take fire from a hearth

or scoop water from a cistern.”

that these people are stubborn rebels

who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions.

They tell the seers,

“Stop seeing visions!”

They tell the prophets,

“Don’t tell us what is right.

Tell us nice things.

Tell us lies.

Forget all this gloom.

Get off your narrow path.

Stop telling us about your

‘Holy One of Israel.’ ”

This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel:

“Because you despise what I tell you

and trust instead in oppression and lies,

calamity will come upon you suddenly—

like a bulging wall that bursts and falls.

In an instant it will collapse

and come crashing down.

You will be smashed like a piece of pottery—

shattered so completely that

there won’t be a piece big enough

to carry coals from a fireplace

or a little water from the well.”

For it is a people of rebellion, deceitful children,

children who are not willing to hear the instruction of Yahweh,

who say to those who do see, “You must not see!”

and to the seers, “You must not see truth for us;

speak smooth things to us,

see illusions,

turn aside from the way, turn aside from the path,

put an end to the holy one of Israel from our face.”

Therefore the holy one of Israel says this:

“Because you are rejecting this word

and you trust in oppression and cunning

and you rely on it,

therefore this iniquity shall come for you like a breach about to fall,

bulging out on a high wall that breaks suddenly, in an instant.

And he breaks it like a vessel of a potter breaks,

that is crushed; he has no compassion,

and no potsherd is found among its fragments to take fire from the hearth,

or to skim water from the cistern.”

That this is a rebellious people, lying children,

Children that will not hear the law of the Lord:

Which say to the seers, See not;

And to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,

Speak unto us smooth things,

Prophesy deceits:

Get you out of the way,

Turn aside out of the path,

Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel,

Because ye despise this word,

And trust in oppression and perverseness,

And stay thereon:

Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall,

Swelling out in a high wall,

Whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel

That is broken in pieces; he shall not spare:

So that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd

To take fire from the hearth,

Or to take water withal out of the pit.