1 “ Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.

“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man, If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her.

2 T hough they say, ‘As Yahweh lives;’ surely they swear falsely.”

Though they say, ‘ As the Lord lives,’ Surely they swear falsely.”

3 O Yahweh, don’t your eyes look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return.

4 T hen I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they don’t know the way of Yahweh, nor the law of their God.

Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.

5 I will go to the great men, and will speak to them; for they know the way of Yahweh, and the law of their God.” But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.” But these have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds.

6 T herefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backsliding is increased.

Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.

7 “ How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes’ houses.

“How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, Then they committed adultery And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

8 T hey were as fed horses roaming at large: everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife.

They were like well-fed lusty stallions; Every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.

9 S houldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh; “and shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Shall I not punish them for these things? ” says the Lord. “And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?

10 “ Go up on her walls, and destroy; but don’t make a full end. Take away her branches; for they are not Yahweh’s.

“Go up on her walls and destroy, But do not make a complete end. Take away her branches, For they are not the Lord ’s.

11 F or the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me,” says Yahweh.

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” says the Lord.

12 T hey have denied Yahweh, and said, “It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine.

They have lied about the Lord, And said, “ It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword or famine.

13 T he prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them.”

And the prophets become wind, For the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them.”

14 T herefore Yahweh, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, And this people wood, And it shall devour them.

15 B ehold, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel,” says Yahweh. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don’t know, neither understand what they say.

Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” says the Lord. “It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.

16 T heir quiver is an open tomb, they are all mighty men.

Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men.

17 T hey shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds. They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees. They shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.

And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword.

18 “ But even in those days,” says Yahweh, “I will not make a full end with you.

“Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not make a complete end of you.

19 I t will happen, when you say, ‘Why has Yahweh our God done all these things to us?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Just like you have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’

And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’

20 “ Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

“Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,

21 ‘ Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and don’t see; who have ears, and don’t hear:

‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:

22 D on’t you fear me?’ says Yahweh ‘Won’t you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can’t pass it? and though its waves toss themselves, yet they can’t prevail; though they roar, yet they can’t pass over it.’

Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.

23 “ But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they have revolted and gone.

But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed.

24 N either do they say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear Yahweh our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.’

They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”

25 “ Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.

Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.

26 F or among my people are found wicked men. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.

‘For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.

27 A s a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich.

As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.

28 T hey have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t judge the right of the needy.

They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.

29 “ Shall I not punish for these things?” says Yahweh. “Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Shall I not punish them for these things? ’ says the Lord. ‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

30 “ An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land.

“An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:

31 T he prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?

The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?