Chapter 6

1. Doom is coming to those who are comfortable in Los Angeles, 

and for those who feel secure in New York, 

the 1% of billionaires who call the shots, 

before whom the entire world cowers! 

2. Cross over to Norway, and see; 

from there go to Denmark; 

then go down to Germany. 

How are you better than these nation?

Are your people any happier than theirs? 

Or is it just that your GDP is higher? 

3. O you who ravage your grandchildren’s world, 

to make a profit in this quarter.

4. Alas for those who furnish their houses 

with expensive trinkets, 

and lounge on their couches, 

eating whatever they want, 

whenever they want; 

5. who chatter endlessly about celebrity gossip, 

like a jazz musician improvising on a melody; 

6. who drink martinis at noon, 

and spend thousands of dollars on makeup, 

but are not grieved over the desolation 

of their fellow Americans! 

7. Therefore they shall soon be the first in line 

at the soup kitchen, 

and the revelry of the loungers 

shall pass away. 

8. The Lord God has sworn by himself 

(says the Lord, the God of hosts): 

I abhor American pride 

and hate her institutions; 

and I will crush her defenses 

and all that stand in my way.

 

9. Even if only ten people remain in one high rise, they too shall die. 10. And if a sanitation worker were to find one soul still alive, and shall say to him, “Is anyone else with you?” the answer will come, “No. Thank God I survived”. Then the worker shall say, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the Lord or he may come and finish the job”.

11. See, the Lord commands, 

and the great American dynasties 

shall be shattered to bits, 

and even the upper middle class 

shall be broken to pieces. 

12. Can you teach a pig to fly? 

Can you make it to breathe water 

and swim with the fish?

But you have somehow turned justice 

into poison 

and the sweet fruit of righteousness 

into moldy s**t -- 

13. you who gleefully stole this land from the natives,

Who also say, 

“We topple dictators and despots 

in the name of democracy”, 

14. Indeed, I am raising up against you 

a more powerful nation, O arrogant children, 

says the Lord, the God of hosts, 

and they shall oppress you 

from sea to shining sea.