Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

因此律法放松，公理也不显明；恶人围困义人，所以公理显然颠倒。”

因此律法无效，公理从未彰显。恶人围困义人，所以公理遭受扭曲。

因此律法无效，公理从未彰显。恶人围困义人，所以公理遭受扭曲。

因此律法失效，正义不彰，恶人包围义人，正义被扭曲。

因此律法不能生效（“律法不能生效”原文作“律法松懈”），公理无法彰显。因为恶人把义人包围，所以公理颠倒。

因此律法放鬆，公理也不顯明；惡人圍困義人，所以公理顯然顛倒。

因此律法無效，公理從未彰顯。惡人圍困義人，所以公理遭受扭曲。

因此律法無效，公理從未彰顯。惡人圍困義人，所以公理遭受扭曲。

因此律法失效，正義不彰，惡人包圍義人，正義被扭曲。

因此律法不能生效（“律法不能生效”原文作“律法鬆懈”），公理無法彰顯。因為惡人把義人包圍，所以公理顛倒。

因此律法僵化，公理總不出現。因為惡人圍困着義人，故此公理就使出現、也彎曲了。

緣此法律廢弛、公義不彰、惡者環繞義人、公義顯然違反、

惡者枉法、環攻義人、律例俱廢、伸其冤者、卒無一人。

緣此律法已廢、是非不循理而決、惡者圍攻善人、以致曲直顛倒、○

The law can’t do what it’s supposed to do. Fairness never comes out on top. Sinful people surround those who do what is right. So people are never treated fairly.

So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Therefore the Law is ignored, And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out confused.

Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

Therefore the law is slacked, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore justice goeth forth perverted.

This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.

Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.

See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers!Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

It is time for you to act, Lord; your law is being broken.

You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

He answered me,“ The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say,‘ The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’

Can a corrupt throne be allied with you— a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

“ Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.

rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity?No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her.Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain.Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says’— when the Lord has not spoken.The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.“ I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.

“ Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.

For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed.So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerfuland have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord.“ Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets.Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.

Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.

How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?

Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.

But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

And he continued,“ You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forwardand declared,“ This fellow said,‘ I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus,“ Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him,“ I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”“ You have said so,” Jesus replied.“ But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,“ He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.What do you think?”“ He is worthy of death,” they answered.

The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.More than forty men were involved in this plot.They went to the chief priests and the elders and said,“ We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

Then I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice,you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;who eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?”

“ That’s not true!” Jeremiah said.“ I am not deserting to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison.Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time.

Deliver me from evildoers and save me from those who are after my blood.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed,“ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

All the people answered,“ His blood is on us and on our children!”Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men.They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)

I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said,“ You must die!

God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the“ gods”:“ How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.“ The‘ gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying,“ Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.

Then the officials said to the king,“ This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin.”“ He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered.“ The king can do nothing to oppose you.”So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

Your relatives, members of your own family— even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.No one calls for justice; no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes; acts of violence mark their ways.The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace.

There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground.