I have seen people plow fields of evil and plant wickedness like seed; now they harvest wickedness and evil.

When they sow the wind, they will reap a storm! A field of grain that doesn't ripen can never produce any bread. But even if it did, foreigners would eat it up.

But instead you planted evil and reaped its harvest. You have eaten the fruit produced by your lies. "Because you trusted in your chariots and in the large number of your soldiers,

Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant.

If you plant in the field of your natural desires, from it you will gather the harvest of death; if you plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit you will gather the harvest of eternal life.

Proud fools talk too much; the words of the wise protect them.

The wicked will not always rule over the land of the righteous; if they did, the righteous themselves might do evil.

For you have broken the yoke that burdened them and the rod that beat their shoulders. You have defeated the nation that oppressed and exploited your people, just as you defeated the army of Midian long ago.

The LORD said, "Assyria! I use Assyria like a club to punish those with whom I am angry.

People of Philistia, the rod that beat you is broken, but you have no reason to be glad. When one snake dies, a worse one comes in its place. A snake's egg hatches a flying dragon.

The Assyrians will be terrified when they hear the LORD's voice and feel the force of his punishment.