你为何因损伤哀号呢？你的痛苦无法医治。我因你的罪孽甚大，罪恶众多，曾将这些加在你身上。

你为何因所受的损伤哀号呢？你的痛苦无法医治。我因你罪孽甚大，罪恶众多，曾将这些加在你身上。

你为何因所受的损伤哀号呢？你的痛苦无法医治。我因你罪孽甚大，罪恶众多，曾将这些加在你身上。

你们为何因自己无法医治的创伤而哭泣呢？因为你们罪大恶极，罪过无数，我才这样惩罚你们。

你为什么因你的损伤哀叫呢？你的病痛无法痊愈。我这样对你，是因你的罪孽甚多，你的罪恶无数。

你為何因損傷哀號呢？你的痛苦無法醫治。我因你的罪孽甚大，罪惡眾多，曾將這些加在你身上。

你為何因所受的損傷哀號呢？你的痛苦無法醫治。我因你罪孽甚大，罪惡眾多，曾將這些加在你身上。

你為何因所受的損傷哀號呢？你的痛苦無法醫治。我因你罪孽甚大，罪惡眾多，曾將這些加在你身上。

你們為何因自己無法醫治的創傷而哭泣呢？因為你們罪大惡極，罪過無數，我才這樣懲罰你們。

你為甚麼因你的損傷哀叫呢？你的病痛無法痊愈。我這樣對你，是因你的罪孽甚多，你的罪惡無數。

你為甚麼因你的破爛而哀呼你痛苦之無法醫治呢？我將這些刑罰施在你身上、都因你罪孽之眾多，你罪惡之重大呀。

爾曷因創傷而哀號乎、爾之痛苦、不可療也、我之待爾若此、以爾愆尤重大、罪惡增多也、

爾既遭難、何哭泣若此、因爾咎戾眾多、故予責爾、傷殘殊甚。

爾雖受傷損、痛苦難堪、豈可鳴冤、爾愆尤甚多、罪惡加增、故我待爾若是、

Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you.

Why do you cry out about your wound? Your pain can’t be healed. Your guilt is very great. And you have committed many sins. That is why I have done all these things to you.

Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant, I have done these things to you.

Why do you protest your punishment— this wound that has no cure? I have had to punish you because your sins are many and your guilt is great.

Why do you cry out about your injury? Your pain has no cure! I have done these things to you because of your enormous guilt and your innumerable sins.

Why do you cry out over your injury? Your pain is incurable. Because your wrongdoing is great And your sins are numerous, I have done these things to you.

Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.

Why criest thou for thy hurt? thy pain is incurable: for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

Why do you cry out about your injury? Your pain has no cure! I have done these things to you because of your enormous guilt and your innumerable sins.

Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow[ is] incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity:[ because] thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.

Why do you cry over your injury? Your pain is incurable. For the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.

All your allies have forgotten you; they care nothing for you. I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel, because your guilt is so great and your sins so many. (niv)

“ This is what the Lord says:“‘ Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing. (niv)

Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’ (niv)

Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. (niv)

You, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns; and the altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’ (niv)

But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord,‘ because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’ (niv)

But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.“‘ Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known,and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say,“ We are safe”— safe to do all these detestable things?Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord. (niv)

Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The Lord has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile, captive before the foe. (niv)

Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.“ Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.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?“ A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land:The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end? (niv)

The word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practicesand say,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.“‘ Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you,“ Live!”I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.“‘ Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.“‘ I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you.I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.“‘ But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them.Also the food I provided for you— the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat— you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.“‘ And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.“‘ Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness,you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square.At every street corner you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by.You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger with your increasing promiscuity.So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct.You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied.Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia, a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.“‘ I am filled with fury against you, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.“‘ You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.“‘ Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord!This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood,therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked.I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked.They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords.They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers.Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.“‘ Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?“‘ Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you:“ Like mother, like daughter.”You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom.You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they.As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.“‘ Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done.Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.“‘ However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them,so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort.And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride,before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines— all those around you who despise you.You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.“‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you.So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord.Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” (niv)

Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will ravage them, a leopard will lie in wait near their towns to tear to pieces any who venture out, for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many.“ Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife.Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord.“ Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this? (niv)

“ What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. (niv)

In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.Then the word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’“ Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestorsand say to them:‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them,“ I am the Lord your God.”On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.And I said to them,“ Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”“‘ But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites.Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.“‘ Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws— by which the person who obeys them will live— and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and destroy them in the wilderness.But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them— a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands—because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols.Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness.I said to their children in the wilderness,“ Do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols.I am the Lord your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”“‘ But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws, of which I said,“ The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries,because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents’ idols.So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;I defiled them through their gifts— the sacrifice of every firstborn— that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.’“ Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me:When I brought them into the land I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.Then I said to them: What is this high place you go to?’”( It is called Bamah to this day.)“ Therefore say to the Israelites:‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?When you offer your gifts— the sacrifice of your children in the fire— you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.“‘ You say,“ We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen.As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered— with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you.As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“‘ As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols.For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations.Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done.You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”The word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest of the southland.Say to the southern forest:‘ Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it.Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.’”Then I said,“ Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me,‘ Isn’t he just telling parables?’” (niv)

Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. (niv)

Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. (niv)

The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!Because of this our hearts are faint, because of these things our eyes grow dim (niv)

Why should the living complain when punished for their sins? (niv)

Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord, she does not draw near to her God.Her officials within her are roaring lions; her rulers are evening wolves, who leave nothing for the morning.Her prophets are unprincipled; they are treacherous people. Her priests profane the sanctuary and do violence to the law.The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame. (niv)

“ Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt. But you try many medicines in vain; there is no healing for you. (niv)

“ The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger with what their hands have made, declares the Lord.From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight.The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done— they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem.They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.They set up their vile images in the house that bears my Name and defiled it.They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, though I never commanded— nor did it enter my mind— that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin. (niv)

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.Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares:“ Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies. (niv)

But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over individual and nation alike, (niv)

and prayed:“ I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. (niv)

this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern.” (niv)

The word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practicesand say:‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and defiles herself by making idols,you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.“‘ See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; in you they have oppressed the foreigner and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood; in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts.In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed; in you are those who violate women during their period, when they are ceremonially unclean.In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife, another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law, and another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign Lord.“‘ I will surely strike my hands together at the unjust gain you have made and at the blood you have shed in your midst.Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you through the countries; and I will put an end to your uncleanness.When you have been defiled in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the Lord.’”Then the word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are but the dross of silver.Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:‘ Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem.As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.I will gather you and I will blow on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath on you.’”Again the word of the Lord came to me: (niv)

Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.“ They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.“ Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says:“ See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors, but in their hearts they set traps for them.Should I not punish them for this?” declares the Lord.“ Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?” (niv)

For Samaria’s plague is incurable; it has spread to Judah. It has reached the very gate of my people, even to Jerusalem itself. (niv)

“ From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. (niv)

He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. (niv)

But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous. (niv)

“ Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty.“ Not a root or a branch will be left to them.But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well- fed calves. (niv)

Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. (niv)

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.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. (niv)

Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.“ Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the Lord.“ In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion. (niv)

For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: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. (niv)

Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. (niv)

and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan— Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.And our elders and all those living in our country said to us,‘ Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them,“ We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ (niv)

I am like a moth to Ephraim, like rot to the people of Judah.“ When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores. (niv)

This is what the Lord Almighty says:“ Cut down the trees and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; it is filled with oppression.As a well pours out its water, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and destruction resound in her; her sickness and wounds are ever before me. (niv)

“ But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they turned their backs on your law. They killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies.So you delivered them into the hands of their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.“ But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.“ You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said,‘ The person who obeys them will live by them.’ Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff- necked and refused to listen.For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.“ Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes— the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep.Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.“ But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. (niv)