1  “Ah, stubborn ^lchildren,” declares the Lord,

“who carry out a plan, but not mine,

and who make an alliance,¹ but not of my Spirit,

that they may add sin to sin;

2  who set out to ^mgo 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  ⁿTherefore 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 Zoan

and his envoys reach Hanes,

5  everyone comes to shame

through a 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 ^oflying 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 help is worthless and empty;

therefore I have called her

^p“Rahab who sits still.”