1 A nd I say, `Hear, I pray you, heads of Jacob, And ye judges of the house of Israel, Is it not for you to know the judgment?

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 e who are hating good, and loving evil, Taking violently their skin from off them, 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 A nd who have eaten the flesh of My people, And their skin from off them have stript, And their bones they have broken, And they have spread out as in a pot, And as flesh in the midst of a caldron.

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 do they cry unto Jehovah, And He doth not answer them, And hideth His face from them at that time, As they have made evil their doings.

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 said Jehovah concerning the prophets Who are causing My people to err, Who are biting with their teeth, And have cried `Peace,' And he who doth not give unto their mouth, They have sanctified against him 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 a night ye have without vision, And darkness ye have without divination, And gone in hath the sun on the prophets, And black over them hath been the day.

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 ashamed have been the seers, And confounded have been the diviners, And covered their lip have all of them, For their is no answer, O 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 A nd yet I have been full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, And of judgment, and of 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, heads of the house of Jacob, And ye judges of the house of Israel, Who are making judgment abominable, And all uprightness do pervert.

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 B uilding up Zion with blood, And Jerusalem with iniquity.

Who build Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

11 H er heads for a bribe do judge, And her priests for hire do teach, And her prophets for silver divine, And on Jehovah they lean, saying, `Is not Jehovah in our midst? Evil doth not come in 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, for your sake, Zion is ploughed a field, and Jerusalem is heaps, And the mount of the house for high places of a forest!

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.