Væ qui descendunt in Ægyptum ad auxilium, in equis sperantes, et habentes fiduciam super quadrigis, quia multæ sunt; et super equitibus, quia prævalidi nimis; et non sunt confisi super Sanctum Israël, et Dominum non requisierunt!

Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, trusting in horses, and putting their confidence in chariots, because they are many: and in horsemen, because they are very strong: and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought after the Lord.

Out upon you, that betake yourselves to Egypt for succour! Horses must be your speed in the hour of peril; great array of chariots you must have, and horsemen without number, to bring you confidence; to the Holy One of Israel turn you never, confidence in the Lord is none.

Ipse autem sapiens adduxit malum, et verba sua non abstulit; et consurget contra domum pessimorum, et contra auxilium operantium iniquitatem.

But he that is the wise one hath brought evil, and hath not removed his words: and he will rise up against the house of the wicked, and against the aid of them that work iniquity.

And yet he too is a wise counsellor; brings he trouble to a man’s door, he does not lightly change his purpose; doubt not he will take arms against a rebellious race, the unholy alliance bring to nothing.

Ægyptus homo, et non deus; et equi eorum caro, et non spiritus; et Dominus inclinabit manum suam, et corruet auxiliator, et cadet cui præstatur auxilium, simulque omnes consumentur.

Egypt is man, and not God: and their horses, flesh, and not spirit: and the Lord shall put down his hand, and the helper shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall, and they shall all be confounded together.

Strength of Egypt is human, not divine; its horses are weak flesh, not immortal spirit; one movement of the Lord’s hand, and down comes rescuer, down falls the rescued, to lie there forgotten.

Quia hæc dicit Dominus ad me: Quomodo si rugiat leo et catulus leonis super prædam suam; et cum occurrerit ei multitudo pastorum, a voce eorum non formidabit, et a multitudine eorum non pavebit: sic descendet Dominus exercituum ut prælietur super montem Sion et super collem ejus.

For thus saith the Lord to me: Like as the lion roareth, and the lion’s whelp upon his prey, and when a multitude of shepherds shall come against him, he will not fear at their voice, nor be afraid of their multitude: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight upon mount Sion, and upon the hill thereof.

A promise from the Lord God! Here is lion, or cub of a lion, growling over his prey; what though the shepherds rally, and go out to meet him? Nothing cares he for their shouts, is not awed by their numbers. So it will be with the Lord of hosts, when he comes down to war, here on mount Sion, with his own hill-side for battle-ground.

Sicut aves volantes, sic proteget Dominus exercituum Jerusalem, protegens et liberans, transiens et salvans.

As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem, protecting and delivering, passing over and saving.

As parent bird hovers over nest, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem; protect her and bring her safe through, grant signal deliverance.

Convertimini, sicut in profundum recesseratis, filii Israël.

Return as you had deeply revolted, O children of Israel.

Come back, sons of Israel, that have hidden yourselves away so deep.

In die enim illa abjiciet vir idola argenti sui, et idola auri sui, quæ fecerunt vobis manus vestræ in peccatum.

For in that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your hands have made for you to sin.

Time, then, for each man to cast away his idols of gold and silver, idols your guilty hands have made.

Et cadet Assur in gladio non viri, et gladius non hominis vorabit eum: et fugiet non a facie gladii, et juvenes ejus vectigales erunt.

And the Assyrian shall fall by the sword not of a man, and the sword not of a man shall devour him, and he shall flee not at the face of the sword: and his young men shall be tributaries.

Not by the sword of man Assur shall fall, earthly weapon is none shall boast it slew him. Flee he must ere sword threaten him, and never warrior of his be left, but to slavery.

Et fortitudo ejus a terrore transibit, et pavebunt fugientes principes ejus, dixit Dominus: cujus ignis est in Sion et caminus ejus in Jerusalem.

And his strength shall pass away with dread, and his princes fleeing shall be afraid: the Lord hath said it, whose fire is in Sion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

All that stubborn strength of his by terror unmanned, all his princes fled away! Such comfort the Lord sends to Sion, where his fire is lit, to Jerusalem, where glows his furnace.