The Lord says,“ Those who trust in human beings are under my curse. They depend on human strength. Their hearts turn away from me.

耶和华如此说：倚靠人血肉的膀臂，心中离弃耶和华的，那人有祸了！

耶和华如此说：“倚靠人，以血肉为膀臂，心中离弃耶和华的，那人该受诅咒！

耶和华如此说：“倚靠人，以血肉为膀臂，心中离弃耶和华的，那人该受诅咒！

耶和华说：“信靠世人、倚靠血肉之躯、背叛耶和华的人该受咒诅！

耶和华这样说：“倚靠世人，恃凭肉体为自己的力量，心里偏离耶和华的，这人该受咒诅。

耶和華如此說：倚靠人血肉的膀臂，心中離棄耶和華的，那人有禍了！

耶和華如此說：「倚靠人，以血肉為膀臂，心中離棄耶和華的，那人該受詛咒！

耶和華如此說：「倚靠人，以血肉為膀臂，心中離棄耶和華的，那人該受詛咒！

耶和華說：「信靠世人、倚靠血肉之軀、背叛耶和華的人該受咒詛！

耶和華這樣說：“倚靠世人，恃憑肉體為自己的力量，心裡偏離耶和華的，這人該受咒詛。

永恆主這麼說：『那倚靠世人、以人的血肉為自己的膀臂、其心卻轉離永恆主的、那種人該受咒詛。

耶和華曰、凡賴世人、恃血肉之臂、而心離耶和華者、其人見詛、

耶和華曰、人背逆予、求人助己、惟人力是恃、禍必不遠。

主如是云、凡人心棄我、我原文作主倚恃人、倚恃肉體者、倚恃肉體者原文作以肉體為其臂者斯人有禍、

This is what the Lord says:“ Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

Thus says the Lord:“ Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.

This is what the Lord says:“ Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the person who trusts in mankind. He makes human flesh his strength, and his heart turns from the LORD.

This is what the Lord says:“ Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord.

Thus says the Lord:“ Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.

Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.

This is what the Lord says: The man who trusts in mankind, who makes human flesh his strength and turns his heart from the Lord is cursed.

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed[ be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

The LORD says,“ I will put a curse on people who trust in mere human beings, who depend on mere flesh and blood for their strength, and whose hearts have turned away from the LORD.

Yahweh says:“ Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.

It is better to go to the Lord for safety than to trust in mere human beings.It is better to go to the Lord for safety than to trust in human leaders.

Don’t put your trust in human leaders. Don’t trust in people who can’t save you.When they die, they return to the ground. On that day their plans come to nothing.

Stop trusting in mere human beings, who can’t help you. They only live for a little while. What good are they?

How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help! How terrible for those who depend on horses! They trust in how many chariots they have. They trust in how strong their horsemen are. But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t ask the Lord for his help.He too is wise. He can bring horrible trouble. He does what he says he’ll do. He’ll rise up against that evil nation. He’ll fight against those who help them.The men of Egypt are only human beings. They aren’t God. Their horses are only flesh and blood. They aren’t spirits. The Lord will reach out his powerful hand to punish everyone. The Egyptians provide help. But they will be tripped up. The people of Judah receive the help. But they will fall down. All of them will be destroyed.The Lord says to me,“ A powerful lion stands over its food and growls. A lot of shepherds can be brought together to drive it away. But the lion is not frightened by their shouts. It is not upset by the noise they make. In the same way, I will come down from heaven. I will fight on Mount Zion and on its hills. Nothing will drive me away. I am the Lord who rules over all.Like a bird hovering over its nest, I will guard Jerusalem. I will keep it safe. I will‘ pass over’ it and save it. I am the Lord who rules over all.”People of Israel, return to the Lord. He’s the God you have so strongly opposed.You sinned when you made your gods out of silver and gold. The time will come when all of you will turn away from them.The Lord says,“ The Assyrians will be killed by swords. But the swords that kill them will not be used by human beings. The Assyrians will run away from those swords. But their young men will be caught and forced to work hard.Their hiding places will be destroyed when terror strikes them. Their commanders will see their enemy’s battle flags. Then they will be filled with panic,” announces the Lord. His fire blazes out from Mount Zion. His furnace burns in Jerusalem.

“ How terrible it will be for these stubborn children of mine!” announces the Lord.“ How terrible for those who carry out plans that did not come from me! Their agreement with Egypt did not come from my Spirit. So they pile up one sin on top of another.They go down to Egypt without asking me for advice. They look to Pharaoh to help them. They ask Egypt to keep them safe.But looking to Pharaoh will only bring them shame. Asking Egypt for help will bring them dishonor.Their officials have gone to the city of Zoan. Their messengers have arrived in Hanes.But the people of Judah will be put to shame. That’s because they are trusting in a nation that is useless to them. Egypt will not bring them any help or advantage. Instead, it will bring them shame and dishonor.”Here is a prophecy the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert. Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys. They carry their treasures on the humps of camels. They travel through a land of danger and suffering. It’s a land filled with lions. Poisonous snakes are also there. The messengers travel to a nation that can’t do them any good.They travel to Egypt, whose help is totally useless. That’s why I call it Rahab the Do- Nothing.

The only thing he has is human strength. But the Lord our God is with us. He will help us. He’ll fight our battles.” The people had great faith in what Hezekiah, the king of Judah, said.

Look, I know you are depending on Egypt. Why are you doing that? Egypt is nothing but a broken papyrus stem. Try leaning on it. It will only cut your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who depends on him.

Surely ordinary people are only a breath. Important people are not what they seem to be. If they were weighed on a scale, they wouldn’t amount to anything. Together they are only a breath.

You will be taken away to those nations as prisoners. Those of you who escape will remember me. You will recall how much pain your unfaithful hearts gave me. You turned away from me. Your eyes longed to see the statues of your gods. You will hate yourselves because of all the evil things you have done. I hate those things too.

I have lived the way the Lord wanted me to. I am not guilty of turning away from my God.

Then everyone who lives in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.“‘ “You have been like a walking stick made out of a papyrus stem. The people of Israel tried to lean on you.They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore open their shoulders. The people of Israel leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken.” ’ ”

The Lord began to speak through Hosea. He said to him,“ Go. Marry a woman who has sex with anyone she wants. Have children with her. Do this because the people of the land are like that kind of wife. They have not been faithful to me.”

In fact, truth can’t be found anywhere. Those who refuse to do evil are attacked. The Lord sees that people aren’t treating others fairly. That makes him unhappy.