It is in a sort of enigma: "Behold, his soul is
puffed up, it is not upright within him; but the just shall live by
his faith." Then the rest of the book is the expansion of the thought
of this enigma. And what is its meaning? It could be expressed
somewhat in this way: "Be patient; hold faith in God. In faith in him
is the promise of life. Wickedness contains the germs of its own
destruction, and will inevitably fall, Wait and you will see that this
is so.")

I

WARNINGS OF THE WATCHMAN

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look
forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer
concerning my complaint.

And the Lord answered me, and said, "Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is
yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall
not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it
will not {393} delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright
in him: but the just shall live by his faith."

Woe to him that getteth an evil gain for his house, that he may set
his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the hand of evil! Thou
hast consulted shame to thy house, by cutting off many peoples, and
hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall,
and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by
iniquity! Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the peoples
labour for the fire, and the nations weary themselves for vanity? For
the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea.

Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink.

What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven
it; the molten image, and the teacher of lies, that the maker of his
work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to
the wood, "Awake;" to the dumb stone, "Arise!" Shall this teach?
Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath
at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all
the earth keep silence before him.

II

A PRAYER OF THE PROPHET

O Lord, I have heard the report of thee, and am afraid:
O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, {394}
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.

God came from Teman,
And the H