1 A nd I said, Hear, I pray you, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?—

And I said, “ Hear now, heads of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know justice?

2 Y ou who hate the good and love the evil, who pluck and steal the skin from off and their flesh from off their bones;

“You who hate good and love evil, Who tear off their skin from them And their flesh from their bones,

3 Y es, you who eat the flesh of my people and strip their skin from off them, who break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot, like meat in a big kettle.

Who eat the flesh of my people, Strip off their skin from them, Break their bones And chop them up as for the pot And as meat in a kettle.”

4 T hen will they cry to the Lord, but He will not answer them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.

Then they will cry out to the Lord, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time Because they have practiced evil deeds.

5 T hus says the Lord: Concerning the false prophets who make My people err, when they have anything good to bite with their teeth they cry, Peace; and whoever gives them nothing to chew, against him they declare a sanctified war.

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; When they have something to bite with their teeth, They cry, “Peace,” But against him who puts nothing in their mouths They declare holy war.

6 T herefore it shall be night to you, so that you shall have no vision; yes, it shall be dark to you without divination. And the sun shall go down over the false prophets, and the day shall be black over them.

Therefore it will be night for you—without vision, And darkness for you—without divination. The sun will go down on the prophets, And the day will become dark over them.

7 A nd the seers shall be put to shame and the diviners shall blush and be confounded; yes, they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God.

The seers will be ashamed And the diviners will be embarrassed. Indeed, they will all cover their mouths Because there is no answer from God.

8 B ut truly I am full of power, of the Spirit of the Lord, and of justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

On the other hand I am filled with power— With the Spirit of the Lord — And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin.

9 H ear this, I pray you, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor and reject justice and pervert all equity,

Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And twist everything that is straight,

10 W ho build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Who build Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

11 I ts heads judge for reward and a bribe and its priests teach for hire and its prophets divine for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us? No evil can come upon us.

Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord saying, “ Is not the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.”

12 T herefore shall Zion on your account be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house like a densely wooded height.

Therefore, on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.