1  “Ah, ⁿstubborn children,” declares the Lord,

^o“who carry out a plan, but not mine,

and who make ^pan alliance,¹ but not of my Spirit,

that they may add sin to sin;

2  ^qwho set out to go down to Egypt,

without asking for my direction,

to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh

and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

3  ^rTherefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame,

and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.

4  For though his officials are at ^sZoan

and ^this envoys reach ^uHanes,

5  everyone comes to shame

through ^va people that cannot profit them,

that brings neither help nor profit,

but shame and disgrace.”

Through a land of trouble and anguish,

from where come the lioness and the lion,

the adder and the ^zflying fiery serpent,

they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,

and their treasures on the humps of camels,

to a people that cannot profit them.

7  Egypt’s ^ahelp is worthless and empty;

therefore I have called her

^b“Rahab who sits still.”

1  Woe¹ to ^vthose who go down to Egypt for help

and rely on horses,

who ^wtrust in chariots because they are many

and in horsemen because they are very strong,

but ^xdo not look to the Holy One of Israel

or consult the Lord!

2  And ^yyet he is wise and brings disaster;

^zhe does not call back his words,

but ^awill arise against the house of the evildoers

and against the helpers of ^bthose who work iniquity.

3  The Egyptians are man, and not God,

and their horses ^care flesh, and not spirit.

When the Lord stretches out his hand,

the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall,

and they will all perish together.