Israel’s prophets are blind. They don’t know the Lord. All of them are like watchdogs that can’t even bark. They just lie around and dream. They love to sleep.

他看守的人是瞎眼的，都没有知识，都是哑巴狗，不能叫唤；但知做梦，躺卧，贪睡，

以色列的守望者都瞎了眼，没有知识；都是哑狗，不会吠叫，只知做梦，躺卧，贪睡，

以色列的守望者都瞎了眼，没有知识；都是哑狗，不会吠叫，只知做梦，躺卧，贪睡，

以色列的守望者瞎眼无知，是不会叫的哑巴狗，只喜欢躺下睡觉做梦。

他的守望者都是瞎眼的，都没有知识；他们都是哑巴狗，不能吠；只会作梦、躺卧，贪爱睡觉。

以色列的守望者都是瞎眼的，全都无知；他们都是哑巴狗，不会叫；只会做梦、躺卧、爱打盹。

他看守的人是瞎眼的，都沒有知識，都是啞巴狗，不能叫喚；但知做夢，躺臥，貪睡，

以色列的守望者都瞎了眼，沒有知識；都是啞狗，不會吠叫，只知做夢，躺臥，貪睡，

以色列的守望者都瞎了眼，沒有知識；都是啞狗，不會吠叫，只知做夢，躺臥，貪睡，

以色列的守望者瞎眼無知，是不會叫的啞巴狗，只喜歡躺下睡覺做夢。

他的守望者都是瞎眼的，都沒有知識；他們都是啞巴狗，不能吠；只會作夢、躺臥，貪愛睡覺。

他的守望人是瞎眼的，都沒有知識；他們都是啞巴狗，不能叫喚；只是躺臥着，瞇瞇地睡，貪愛打盹。

以色列的守望者都是瞎眼的，全都無知；他們都是啞巴狗，不會叫；只會做夢、躺臥、愛打盹。

彼之守望、瞽目無知、啞犬不吠、喜夢幻、好偃臥、貪寢睡、

民之戍卒、目眯不明、守夜之犬、喑不能吠、或偃卧、或假寐。

民之守望者、皆瞽目、皆無知、皆似瘖犬不能吠、皆作夢者、偃臥者、貪寢者、

Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.

His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

For the leaders of my people— the Lord’s watchmen, his shepherds— are blind and ignorant. They are like silent watchdogs that give no warning when danger comes. They love to lie around, sleeping and dreaming.

Israel’s watchmen are blind, all of them, they know nothing; all of them are mute dogs, they cannot bark; they dream, lie down, and love to sleep.

His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Israel’s watchmen are blind, all of them, they know nothing; all of them are mute dogs, they cannot bark; they dream, lie down, and love to sleep.

His watchmen[ are] blind: they are all ignorant, they[ are] all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.

His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark— dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Watch out for those dogs. They are people who do evil things. When they circumcise, it is nothing more than a useless cutting of the body.

The Lord has made you fall into a deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets. He has covered the heads of your seers so they can’t see.

Leave the Pharisees. They are blind guides. If one blind person leads another blind person, both of them will fall into a pit.”

The time when God will punish you is coming. The day when he will judge you is near. I want Israel to know this. You have committed many sins. And you hate me very much. That’s why you think the prophet is foolish. You think the person the Lord speaks through is crazy.People of Ephraim, the prophet, along with my God, is warning you of danger. But you set traps for him everywhere he goes. You hate him so much you even wait for him in God’s house.

King of Assyria, your leaders are asleep. Your nobles lie down to rest. Your people are scattered on the mountains. No one is left to gather them together.

You prophets of Israel prophesied to Jerusalem. You saw visions of peace for its people. But there wasn’t any peace,’ announces the Lord and King.” ’

The Lord told me,“ Shout out loud. Do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Tell my people that they have refused to obey me. Tell the family of Jacob how much they have sinned.

But I said,“ Lord and King, the prophets keep telling them something else. They say,‘ You won’t have to suffer from war or hunger. Instead, the Lord will give you peace and rest in this place.’ ”Then the Lord said to me,“ The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them. I have not even spoken to them. Everything they tell you about their visions or secret knowledge is a lie. They pretend to bring you messages from other gods. They try to get you to believe their own mistaken ideas.

Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the Lord returning to Zion. So they shout for joy.

But suppose the guard sees the enemies coming. And he does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. The enemies come and kill one of them. Then their life has been taken away from them because they sinned. But I will hold the guard responsible for their death.’

I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth. Then you will be silent. You will not be able to correct them. That’s because they always refuse to obey me.But later I will speak to you. I will open your mouth. Then you will tell them,‘ Here is what the Lord and King says.’ Those who listen will listen. And those who refuse to listen will refuse. They always refuse to obey me.

I came to my people who had been brought as prisoners to Tel Aviv. It was near the Kebar River. I went to where they were living. There I sat among them for seven days. I was very sad and scared about everything that had happened.After seven days, a message from the Lord came to me.The Lord said,“ Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.Suppose I say to a sinful person,‘ You can be sure you will die.’ And you do not warn them. You do not try to get them to change their evil ways in order to save their life. Then that sinful person will die because they have sinned. And I will hold you responsible for their death.

I went past the field of someone who didn’t want to work. I went past the vineyard of someone who didn’t have any sense.Thorns had grown up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds. The stone wall had fallen down.I applied my heart to what I observed. I learned a lesson from what I saw.You might sleep a little or take a little nap. You might even fold your hands and rest.Then you would be poor, as if someone had robbed you. You would have little, as if someone had stolen from you.

My people are destroyed because they do not know me.“ You priests have refused to obey me. So I will refuse to accept you as my priests. You have not paid any attention to my law. So I will not let your children be my priests.

“ Among the prophets of Samaria I saw something I can’t stand. They were prophesying in the name of Baal. They were leading my people Israel astray.I have also seen something horrible among Jerusalem’s prophets. They are not faithful to me. They are not living by the truth. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil. So not one of them turns from their sinful ways. All of them are like the people of Sodom to me. They are just like the people of Gomorrah.”

Don’t let your eyes go to sleep. Don’t let your eyelids close.As a deer frees itself from a hunter, free yourself. As a bird frees itself from a trapper, free yourself.You people who don’t want to work, think about the ant! Consider its ways and be wise!It has no commander. It has no leader or ruler.But it stores up its food in summer. It gathers its food at harvest time.You lazy people, how long will you lie there? When will you get up from your sleep?You might sleep a little or take a little nap. You might even fold your hands and rest.

“ How terrible for you, blind guides! You say,‘ If anyone makes a promise in the name of the temple, it means nothing. But anyone who makes a promise in the name of the gold of the temple must keep that promise.’You are blind and foolish! Which is more important? Is it the gold? Or is it the temple that makes the gold holy?You also say,‘ If anyone makes a promise in the name of the altar, it means nothing. But anyone who makes a promise in the name of the gift on the altar must keep that promise.’You are blind! Which is more important? Is it the gift? Or is it the altar that makes the gift holy?So anyone making a promise in the name of the altar makes a promise in the name of it and everything on it.And anyone making a promise in the name of the temple makes a promise in the name of it and the one who lives in it.And anyone making a promise in the name of heaven makes a promise in the name of God’s throne and the one who sits on it.“ How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You give God a tenth of your spices, like mint, dill and cumin. But you have not practiced the more important things of the law, which are fairness, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the last things without failing to do the first.You blind guides! You remove the smallest insect from your food. But you swallow a whole camel!“ How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You clean the outside of a cup and dish. But on the inside you are full of greed. You only want to satisfy yourselves.Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish. Then the outside will also be clean.

Jesus also gave them another example. He asked,“ Can a blind person lead another blind person? Won’t they both fall into a pit?The student is not better than the teacher. But everyone who is completely trained will be like their teacher.

Everyone wants to get richer and richer, from the least important of them to the most important. Prophets and priests alike try to fool everyone they can.They bandage the wounds of my people as if they were not very deep.‘ Peace, peace,’ they say. But there isn’t any peace.

It’s like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge. Each one is given a task to do. He tells the one at the door to keep watch.“ So keep watch! You do not know when the owner of the house will come back. It may be in the evening or at midnight. It may be when the rooster crows or at dawn.He may come suddenly. So do not let him find you sleeping.What I say to you, I say to everyone.‘ Watch!’ ”

“ Go to the great city of Nineveh. Preach against it. The sins of its people have come to my attention.”But Jonah ran away from the Lord. He headed for Tarshish. So he went down to the port of Joppa. There he found a ship that was going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board. Then he sailed for Tarshish. He was running away from the Lord.But the Lord sent a strong wind over the Mediterranean Sea. A wild storm came up. It was so wild that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.All the sailors were afraid. Each one cried out to his own god for help. They threw the ship’s contents into the sea. They were trying to make the ship lighter. But Jonah had gone below deck. There he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.The captain went down to him and said,“ How can you sleep? Get up and call out to your god for help! Maybe he’ll pay attention to what’s happening to us. Then we won’t die.”