Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead, ¹  who turn darkness into light and light into darkness, who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter. ² 

If you have a willing attitude and obey, ¹  then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

Predict how future events will turn out, ¹  so we might know you are gods. Yes, do something good or bad, so we might be frightened and in awe. ² 

How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains ¹  the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” ² 

The land of buzzing wings is as good as dead, ¹  the one beyond the rivers of Cush,

Those who think they are wise are as good as dead, ¹  those who think they possess understanding. ² 

Those who are champions ¹  at drinking wine are as good as dead, ²  who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, ¹  those who are always instituting unfair regulations, ² 

Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead, ¹  who pull sin as with cart ropes. ² 

Assyria, the club I use to vent my anger, is as good as dead, ¹  a cudgel with which I angrily punish. ² 

Ariel is as good as dead ¹  – Ariel, the town David besieged! ²  Keep observing your annual rituals, celebrate your festivals on schedule. ³ 

Lord, do not be too angry! Do not hold our sins against us continually! ¹  Take a good look at your people, at all of us! ² 

The many nations massing together are as good as dead, ¹  those who make a commotion as loud as the roaring of the sea’s waves. ²  The people making such an uproar are as good as dead, ³  those who make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves. ⁴ 

Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead, ¹  those who keep drinking long after dark until they are intoxicated with wine. ² 

For this is what the sovereign Lord says: “In the beginning my people went to live temporarily in Egypt; Assyria oppressed them for no good reason.

The destroyer is as good as dead, ¹  you who have not been destroyed! The deceitful one is as good as dead, ²  the one whom others have not deceived! When you are through destroying, you will be destroyed; when you finish ³  deceiving, others will deceive you!

Those who try to hide their plans from the Lord are as good as dead, ¹  who do their work in secret and boast, ²  “Who sees us? Who knows what we’re doing?” ³ 

I will tell of the faithful acts of the Lord, of the Lord’s praiseworthy deeds. I will tell about all ¹  the Lord did for us, the many good things he did for the family of Israel, ²  because of ³  his compassion and great faithfulness.

Those who accumulate houses are as good as dead, ¹  those who also accumulate landed property ²  until there is no land left, ³  and you are the only landowners remaining within the land. ⁴ 

“The rebellious ¹  children are as good as dead,” ²  says the Lord, “those who make plans without consulting me, ³  who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, ⁴  and thereby compound their sin. ⁵