Isaias 28:1
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower the glory of his joy, who were on the head of the fat valley, staggering with wine.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Væ coronæ superbiæ, ebriis Ephraim, et flori decidenti, gloriæ exsultationis ejus, qui erant in vertice vallis pinguissimæ, errantes a vino.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Οὐαὶ τῷ στεφάνῳ τῆς ὕβρεως, οἱ μισθωτοὶ Ἐφράιμ, τὸ ἄνθος τὸ ἐκπεσὸν ἐκ τῆς δόξης ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ παχέος, οἱ μεθύοντες ἄνευ οἴνου.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- ה֗וֹי עֲטֶ֤רֶת גֵּאוּת֙ שִׁכֹּרֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְצִ֥יץ נֹבֵ֖ל צְבִ֣י תִפְאַרְתּ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֛ר עַל רֹ֥אשׁ גֵּֽיא שְׁמָנִ֖ים הֲל֥וּמֵי יָֽיִן
Haydock's commentary
Ephraim. That is, the kingdom of the ten tribes. (Challoner)
Flower. The pride of the kingdom shall thus decay. (Menochius)
Head. Samaria, situated on a hill, having under it a most fertile valley. (Challoner)
See Amos ii. 6., and iv. 2. Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Ezechias.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Gregory Nazianzen The Last Farewell in the Presence of the One Hundred and Fifty Bishops
11. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see, thou critic of my words! See the crown which has been platted in return for the hirelings of Ephraim and the crown of insolence; see the assembly of the presbyters, honoured for years and wisdom, the fair order of the deacons, who are not far from the same Spirit, the good conduct of the readers, the people’s eagerness for teaching, both of men and women, who are equally renowned for virtue: the men, whether philosophers or simple folk, being alike wise in divine things, whether rulers or ruled, being all in this respect duly under rule; whether soldiers or nobles, students or men of letters, being all soldiers of God, though in all other respects meek, ready to fight for the Spirit, all reverencing the assembly above, to which we obtain an entrance, not by the mere letter, but by the quickening Spirit, all in very deed being men of reason, an …