He who loves transgression loves strife; he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

Prepare your work outside, and make ready for yourself in the field; and afterwards build your house.

Woe to those who join house to house, laying field to field, until there is no more space for you to dwell alone in the midst of the earth!

Jehovah of Hosts said in my ears, Truly many big and pleasant houses shall be laid waste, without inhabitant.

And all the people shall know; Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and insolence of heart,

The king spoke and said, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

Whereas Edom says, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says Jehovah of Hosts: They shall build, but I will tear down. And they shall call them the region of wickedness, and the people with whom Jehovah has indignation forever.

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it;

lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is dwelling inside tent curtains.

The great house he paneled with cypress which he covered with fine gold, and he put palm trees and chains on it.

The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, and this house to lie waste?