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.

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 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 lovers have forgotten you; they no longer look for you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your enormous guilt and your innumerable sins.

For this is what the LORD says: Your injury is incurable; your wound most severe.

Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.”

Because I have sinned against him, I must endure the LORD’s fury until he champions my cause and establishes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see his salvation.

Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, Judah, and the altars you have set up to Shame— altars to burn incense to Baal— as numerous as the streets of Jerusalem.

But I will bring you health and will heal you of your wounds— this is the LORD’s declaration— for they call you Outcast, Zion whom no one cares about.

But look, you keep trusting in deceitful words that cannot help.“‘ Do you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known?Then do you come and stand before me in this house that bears my name and say,“ We are rescued, so we can continue doing all these detestable acts”?Has this house, which bears my name, become a den of robbers in your view? Yes, I too have seen it. This is the LORD’s declaration.

Her adversaries have become her masters; her enemies are at ease, for the LORD has made her suffer because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the adversary.

Your guilty acts have diverted these things from you. Your sins have withheld my bounty from you,for wicked men live among my people. They watch like hunters lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have grown powerful and rich.They have become fat and sleek. They have also excelled in evil matters. They have not taken up cases, such as the case of the fatherless, so they might prosper, and they have not defended the rights of the needy.Should I not punish them for these things? This is the LORD’s declaration. Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?“ An appalling, horrible thing has taken place in the land.The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this. But what will you do at the end of it?

The word of the LORD came to me again:“ Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices.You are to say,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hethite.As for your birth, your umbilical cord wasn’t cut on the day you were born, and you weren’t washed clean with water. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.No one cared enough about you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. But you were thrown out into the open field because you were despised on the day you were born.“‘ I passed by you and saw you thrashing around in your blood, and I said to you as you lay in your blood,“ Live!” Yes, I said to you as you lay in your blood,“ Live!”I made you thrive like plants of the field. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, but you were stark naked.“‘ Then I passed by you and saw you, and you were indeed at the age for love. So I spread the edge of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged myself to you, entered into a covenant with you— this is the declaration of the Lord GOD— and you became mine.I washed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil.I clothed you in embroidered cloth and provided you with fine leather sandals. I also wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.I adorned you with jewelry, putting bracelets on your wrists and a necklace around your neck.I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became extremely beautiful and attained royalty.Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through my splendor, which I had bestowed on you. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.“‘ But you trusted in your beauty and acted like a prostitute because of your fame. You lavished your sexual favors on everyone who passed by. Your beauty became his.You took some of your clothing and made colorful high places for yourself, and you engaged in prostitution on them. These places should not have been built, and this should never have happened!You also took your beautiful jewelry made from the gold and silver I had given you, and you made male images so that you could engage in prostitution with them.Then you took your embroidered clothing to cover them and set my oil and incense before them.The food that I gave you— the fine flour, oil, and honey that I fed you— you set it before them as a pleasing aroma. That is what happened. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.“‘ You even took your sons and daughters you bore to me and sacrificed them to these images as food. Wasn’t your prostitution enough?You slaughtered my children and gave them up when you passed them through the fire to the images.In all your detestable practices and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were stark naked and thrashing around in your blood.“‘ Then after all your evil— Woe, woe to you!— the declaration of the Lord GOD—you built yourself a mound and made yourself an elevated place in every square.You built your elevated place at the head of every street and turned your beauty into a detestable thing. You spread your legs to everyone who passed by and increased your prostitution.You engaged in promiscuous acts with Egyptian men, your well-endowed neighbors, and increased your prostitution to anger me.“‘ Therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your provisions. I gave you over to the desire of those who hate you, the Philistine women, who were embarrassed by your indecent conduct.Then you engaged in prostitution with the Assyrian men because you were not satisfied. Even though you did this with them, you were still not satisfied.So you extended your prostitution to Chaldea, the land of merchants, but you were not even satisfied with this!“‘ How your heart was inflamed with lust— the declaration of the Lord GOD— when you did all these things, the acts of a brazen prostitute,building your mound at the head of every street and making your elevated place in every square. But you were unlike a prostitute because you scorned payment.You adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband!Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors.So you were the opposite of other women in your acts of prostitution; no one solicited you. When you paid a fee instead of one being paid to you, you were the opposite.“‘ Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the LORD!This is what the Lord GOD says: Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness exposed by your acts of prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols and the blood of your children that you gave to them,I am therefore going to gather all the lovers you pleased— all those you loved as well as all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose your nakedness to them so they see you completely naked.I will judge you the way adulteresses and those who shed blood are judged. Then I will bring about the shedding of your blood in jealous wrath.I will hand you over to them, and they will demolish your mounds and tear down your elevated places. They will strip off your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you stark naked.They will bring a mob against you to stone you and to cut you to pieces with their swords.They will burn your houses and execute judgments against you in the sight of many women. I will stop you from being a prostitute, and you will never again pay fees for lovers.So I will satisfy my wrath against you, and my jealousy will turn away from you. Then 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 also bring your conduct down on your own head. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. Haven’t you committed depravity in addition to all your detestable practices?“‘ Look, everyone who uses proverbs will quote this proverb about you:“ Like mother, like daughter.”You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hethite and your father an Amorite.Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you, and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to the south of you.Didn’t you walk in their ways and do their detestable practices? It was only a short time before all your ways were more corrupt than theirs.“‘ As I live— the declaration of the Lord GOD— your sister Sodom and her daughters have not behaved as you and your daughters have.Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy.They were haughty and did detestable acts before me, so I removed them when I saw this.But Samaria did not commit even half your sins. You have multiplied your detestable practices beyond theirs and made your sisters appear righteous by all the detestable acts you have committed.You must also bear your disgrace, since you have helped your sisters out. For they appear more righteous than you because of your sins, which you committed more detestably than they did. So you also, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.“‘ I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and those of Samaria and her daughters. I will also restore your fortunes among them,so you will bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you did when you comforted them.As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her daughters will return to their former state. You and your daughters will also return to your former state.Didn’t you treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn when you were proud,before your wickedness was exposed? It was like the time you were scorned by the daughters of Aram and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines— those who treated you with contempt from every side.You yourself must bear the consequences of your depravity and detestable practices— this is the LORD’s declaration.“‘ For this is what the Lord GOD says: I will deal with you according to what you have done, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a permanent covenant with you.Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant.I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD,so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’”

Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down. A wolf from arid plains will ravage them. A leopard stalks their cities. Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces because their rebellious acts are many, their unfaithful deeds numerous.Why should I forgive you? Your children have abandoned me and sworn by those who are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery; they gashed themselves at the prostitute’s house.They are well-fed, eager stallions, each neighing after someone else’s wife.Should I not punish them for these things? This is the LORD’s declaration. Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt— though you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive—

In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of Israel’s elders 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 with the elders of Israel and tell them,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you coming to inquire of me? As I live, I will not let you inquire of me. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’“ Will you pass judgment against them, will you pass judgment, son of man? Explain the detestable practices of their ancestors to them.Say to them,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob’s house and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying,“ I am the LORD your God.”On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.I also said to them,“ Throw away, each of you, the abhorrent things that you prize, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”“‘ But they rebelled against me and were unwilling to listen to me. None of them threw away the abhorrent things that they prized, and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them, exhausting my anger against them within the land of Egypt.But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.“‘ So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.Then I gave them my statutes and explained my ordinances to them— the person who does them will live by them.I also gave them my Sabbaths to serve as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I am the LORD who consecrates them.“‘ But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my statutes and they rejected my ordinances— the person who does them will live by them. They also completely profaned my Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them.But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them— the most beautiful of all lands, flowing with milk and honey—because they rejected my ordinances, profaned my Sabbaths, and did not follow my statutes. For their hearts went after their idols.Yet I spared them from destruction and did not bring them to an end in the wilderness.“‘ Then I said to their children in the wilderness,“ Don’t follow the statutes of your fathers, defile yourselves with their idols, or keep their ordinances.I am the LORD your God. Follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them.Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you, so you may know that I am the LORD your God.”“‘ But the children rebelled against me. They did not follow my statutes or carefully keep my ordinances— the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned my Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them and exhausting my anger against them in the wilderness.But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out.However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.For they did not practice my ordinances but rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances they could not live by.When they sacrificed every firstborn in the fire, I defiled them through their gifts in order to devastate them so they would know that I am the LORD.’“ Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your ancestors blasphemed me by committing treachery against me:When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices and presented their offensive offerings there. They also sent up their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offerings there.So I asked them,“ What is this high place you are going to?” And it is still called Bamah today.’“ Therefore say to the house of Israel,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your ancestors did, and prostituting yourselves with their abhorrent things?When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your children in the fire, you still continue to defile yourselves with all your idols today. So should I let you inquire of me, house of Israel? As I live— this is the declaration of the Lord GOD— I will not let you inquire of me!“‘ When you say,“ Let’s be like the nations, like the clans of other countries, serving wood and stone,” what you have in mind will never happen.As I live— the declaration of the Lord GOD— I will reign over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath.I will bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you were scattered, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath.I will lead you into the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you there face to face.Just as I entered into judgment with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they live as foreign residents, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.“‘ As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, each of you. But afterward you will surely listen to me, and you will no longer defile my holy name with your gifts and idols.For on my holy mountain, Israel’s high mountain— the declaration of the Lord GOD— there the entire house of Israel, all of them, will serve me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your contributions and choicest gifts, all your holy offerings.When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will demonstrate my holiness through you in the sight of the nations.When I lead you into the land of Israel, the land I swore to give your ancestors, you will know that I am the LORD.There you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you have defiled yourself, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil things you have done.You will know that I am the LORD, house of Israel, when I have dealt with you for the sake of my name rather than according to your evil ways and corrupt acts. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’”The word of the LORD came to me:“ Son of man, face the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest land in the Negev,and say to the forest there,‘ Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame will not be extinguished, and every face from the south to the north will be scorched by it.Then all humanity will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It will not be extinguished.’”Then I said,“ Oh, Lord GOD, they are saying of me,‘ Isn’t he just composing parables?’”

Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Recognize how evil and bitter it is for you to abandon the LORD your God and to have no fear of me. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Armies.

All the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, imitating all the detestable practices of the nations, and they defiled the LORD’s temple that he had consecrated in Jerusalem.But the LORD, the God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of his messengers, sending them time and time again, for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.But they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, until the LORD’s wrath was so stirred up against his people that there was no remedy.So he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their fit young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He had no pity on young men or young women, elderly or aged; he handed them all over to him.

The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned.Because of this, our heart is sick; because of these, our eyes grow dim:

Why should any living person complain, any man, because of the punishment for his sins?

Woe to the city that is rebellious and defiled, the oppressive city!She has not obeyed; she has not accepted discipline. She has not trusted in the LORD; she has not drawn near to her God.The princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the night, which leave nothing for the morning.Her prophets are reckless— treacherous men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to instruction.The righteous LORD is in her; he does no wrong. He applies his justice morning by morning; he does not fail at dawn, yet the one who does wrong knows no shame.

Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt! You have multiplied remedies in vain; there is no healing for you.

From their youth, the Israelites and Judeans have done nothing but what is evil in my sight! They have done nothing but anger me by the work of their hands”— this is the LORD’s declaration—“ for this city has caused my wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. I will therefore remove it from my presencebecause of all the evil the Israelites and Judeans have done to anger me— they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem.They have turned their backs to me and not their faces. Though I taught them time and time again, they do not listen and receive discipline.They have placed their abhorrent things in the house that bears my name and have defiled it.They have built the high places of Baal in Ben Hinnom Valley to sacrifice their sons and daughters in the fire to Molech— something I had not commanded them. I had never entertained the thought that they do this detestable act causing Judah to sin!

The faithful town— what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt in her, but now, murderers!Your silver has become dross to be discarded, your beer is diluted with water.Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love graft and chase after bribes. They do not defend the rights of the fatherless, and the widow’s case never comes before them.Therefore the Lord GOD of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, declares:“ Ah, I will get even with my foes; I will take revenge against my enemies.

But when God is silent, who can declare him guilty? When he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he watches over both individuals and nations,

And I said: My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens.Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our ancestors until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame, as it is today.

this iniquity of yours will be like a crumbling gap, a bulge in a high wall whose collapse will come in an instant— suddenly!Its collapse will be like the shattering of a potter’s jar, crushed to pieces, so that not even a fragment of pottery will be found among its shattered remains— no fragment large enough to take fire from a hearth or scoop water from a cistern.”

The word of the LORD came to me:“ As for you, son of man, will you pass judgment? Will you pass judgment against the city of blood? Then explain all her detestable practices to her.You are to say,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: A city that sheds blood within her walls so that her time of judgment has come and who makes idols for herself so that she is defiled!You are guilty of the blood you have shed, and you are defiled from the idols you have made. You have brought your judgment days near and have come to your years of punishment. Therefore, I have made you a disgrace to the nations and a mockery to all the lands.Those who are near and those far away from you will mock you, you infamous one full of turmoil.“‘ Look, every prince of Israel within you has used his strength to shed blood.Father and mother are treated with contempt, and the resident alien is exploited within you. The fatherless and widow are oppressed in you.You despise my holy things and profane my Sabbaths.There are men within you who slander in order to shed blood. People who live in you eat at the mountain shrines; they commit depraved acts within you.Men within you have sexual intercourse with their father’s wife and violate women during their menstrual impurity.One man within you commits a detestable act with his neighbor’s wife; another defiles his daughter-in-law with depravity; and yet another violates his sister, his father’s daughter.People who live in you accept bribes in order to shed blood. You take interest and profit on a loan and brutally extort your neighbors. You have forgotten me. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.“‘ Now look, I clap my hands together against the dishonest profit you have made and against the blood shed among you.Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the days when I deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will act.I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you among the countries; I will purge your uncleanness.You will be profaned in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”The word of the LORD came to me:“ Son of man, the house of Israel has become merely dross to me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are just dross from silver.Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: Because all of you have become dross, I am about to gather you into Jerusalem.Just as one gathers silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin into the furnace to blow fire on them and melt them, so I will gather you in my anger and wrath, put you inside, and melt you.Yes, I will gather you together and blow on you with the fire of my fury, and you will be melted within the city.As silver is melted inside a furnace, so you will be melted inside the city. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my wrath on you.”The word of the LORD came to me:

If my head were a flowing spring, my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over the slain of my dear people.If only I had a traveler’s lodging place in the wilderness, I would abandon my people and depart from them, for they are all adulterers, a solemn assembly of treacherous people.They bent their tongues like their bows; lies and not faithfulness prevail in the land, for they proceed from one evil to another, and they do not take me into account. This is the LORD’s declaration.Everyone has to be on guard against his friend. Don’t trust any brother, for every brother will certainly deceive, and every friend spread slander.Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to speak lies; they wear themselves out doing wrong.You live in a world of deception. In their deception they refuse to know me. This is the LORD’s declaration.Therefore, this is what the LORD of Armies says: I am about to refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of my dear people?Their tongues are deadly arrows— they speak deception. With his mouth one speaks peaceably with his friend, but inwardly he sets up an ambush.Should I not punish them for these things? This is the LORD’s declaration. Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

For her wound is incurable and has reached even Judah; it has approached my people’s city gate, as far as Jerusalem.

For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is making profit dishonestly. From prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

He broke up the soil, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the finest vines. He built a tower in the middle of it and even dug out a winepress there. He expected it to yield good grapes, but it yielded worthless grapes.

Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.

“ For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,” says the LORD of Armies,“ not leaving them root or branches.But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall.

Oh sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, brood of evildoers, depraved children! They have abandoned the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel; they have turned their backs on him.Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep on rebelling? The whole head is hurt, and the whole heart is sick.

Indeed, the LORD’s arm is not too weak to save, and his ear is not too deaf to hear.But your iniquities are separating you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not listen.For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers, with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongues mutter injustice.No one makes claims justly; no one pleads honestly. They trust in empty and worthless words; they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

But where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them rise up and save you in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah.Why do you bring a case against me? All of you have rebelled against me. This is the LORD’s declaration.I have struck down your children in vain; they would not accept discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.

For our transgressions have multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us. For our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities:transgression and deception against the LORD, turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far off. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The LORD saw that there was no justice, and he was offended.

Why has my pain become unending, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You truly have become like a mirage to me— water that is not reliable.

and all that he did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan— King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth.So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us,‘ Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say,“ We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.”’

So I am like rot to Ephraim and like decay to the house of Judah.When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria and sent a delegation to the great king. But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.

For this is what the LORD of Armies says: Cut down the trees; raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished. There is nothing but oppression within her.As a well gushes out its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her. Sickness and wounds keep coming to my attention.

But they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They flung your law behind their backs and killed your prophets who warned them in order to turn them back to you. They committed terrible blasphemies.So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. In their time of distress, they cried out to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the power of their enemies.But as soon as they had relief, they again did what was evil in your sight. So you abandoned them to the power of their enemies, who dominated them. When they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven and rescued them many times in your compassion.You warned them to turn back to your law, but they acted arrogantly and would not obey your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, which a person will live by if he does them. They stubbornly resisted, stiffened their necks, and would not obey.You were patient with them for many years, and your Spirit warned them through your prophets, but they would not listen. Therefore, you handed them over to the surrounding peoples.However, in your abundant compassion, you did not destroy them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and compassionate God.So now, our God— the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant— do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us, our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the Assyrian kings until today.You are righteous concerning all that has happened to us, because you have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your law or listen to your commands and warnings you gave them.When they were in their kingdom, with your abundant goodness that you gave them, and in the spacious and fertile land you set before them, they would not serve you or turn from their wicked ways.Here we are today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so that they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness. Here we are— slaves in it!