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.

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 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 do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased.

“ For thus says the Lord:‘ Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe.

Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.

For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.

For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord,‘ Because they called you an outcast saying:“ This is Zion; No one seeks her.”’

“ Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit.Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know,and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say,‘ We are delivered to do all these abominations’?Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.

Her adversaries have become the master, Her enemies prosper; For the Lord has afflicted her Because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.

Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.‘ For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.‘ shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’“ An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,“ Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,and say,‘ Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:“ Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born.“ And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood,‘ Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood,‘ Live!’I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.“ When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord God.“ Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk.I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck.And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty.Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord GOD.“ But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be.You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from My gold and My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them.You took your embroidered garments and covered them, and you set My oil and My incense before them.Also My food which I gave you— the pastry of fine flour, oil, and honey which I fed you— you set it before them as sweet incense; and so it was,” says the Lord GOD.“ Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter,that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire?And in all your abominations and acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, struggling in your blood.“ Then it was so, after all your wickedness—‘ Woe, woe to you!’ says the Lord GOD—that you also built for yourself a shrine, and made a high place for yourself in every street.You built your high places at the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry.You also committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to provoke Me to anger.“ Behold, therefore, I stretched out My hand against you, diminished your allotment, and gave you up to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior.You also played the harlot with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; indeed you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied.Moreover you multiplied your acts of harlotry as far as the land of the trader, Chaldea; and even then you were not satisfied.“ How degenerate is your heart!” says the Lord God,“ seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot.“ You erected your shrine at the head of every road, and built your high place in every street. Yet you were not like a harlot, because you scorned payment.You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband.Men make payment to all harlots, but you made your payments to all your lovers, and hired them to come to you from all around for your harlotry.You are the opposite of other women in your harlotry, because no one solicited you to be a harlot. In that you gave payment but no payment was given you, therefore you are the opposite.”‘ Now then, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord!Thus says the Lord GOD:“ Because your filthiness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your harlotry with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them,surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.“ They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords.They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers.So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more.Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head,” says the Lord GOD.“ And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.“ Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you:‘ Like mother, like daughter!’You are your mother’s daughter, loathing husband and children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.“ Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters.You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways.“ As I live,” says the Lord God,“ neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done.Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.“ Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done.You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters.“ When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them,that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them.When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state.For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride,before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and of the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere.You have paid for your lewdness and your abominations,” says the Lord.For thus says the Lord GOD:“ I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant.“ Nevertheless I will remember My covenant 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 older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you.And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord,that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord God.’”

Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.“ How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, Then they committed adultery And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.They were like well-fed lusty stallions; Every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord.“ And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?

And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this,

It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,“ Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them,‘ Thus says the Lord God:“ Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord God,“ I will not be inquired of by you.”’Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.“ Say to them,‘ Thus says the Lord God:“ On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying,‘ I am the Lord your God.’On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them,‘ flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands.Then I said to them,‘ Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said,‘ I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.“ Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments,‘ which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments,‘ which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them,‘ flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands,because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.“ But I said to their children in the wilderness,‘ Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them;hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’“ Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments,‘ which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries,because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.“ Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live;and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the Lord.”’“ Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them,‘ Thus says the Lord GOD:“ In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me.When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings.Then I said to them,‘ What is this high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.”’Therefore say to the house of Israel,‘ Thus says the Lord GOD:“ Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations?For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord GOD,“ I will not be inquired of by you.What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say,‘ We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’“ As I live,” says the Lord GOD,“ surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you.I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face.Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the Lord GOD.“ I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“ As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord GOD:“ Go, serve every one of you his idols— and hereafter— if you will not obey me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the Lord GOD,“ there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things.I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers.And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed.Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the Lord God.’”Furthermore the word of the Lord came to me, saying,“ Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,and say to the forest of the South,‘ Hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord GOD:“ Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it.All flesh shall see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.”’”Then I said,“ Ah, Lord God! They say of me,‘ Does he not speak parables?’”

Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.

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

Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, To the oppressing city!She has not obeyed His voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the Lord, She has not drawn near to her God.Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning.Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have done violence to the law.The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails, But the unjust knows no shame.

“ Go up to Gilead and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt; In vain you will use many medicines; You shall not be cured.

because the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only evil before Me from their youth. For the children of Israel have provoked Me only to anger with the work of their hands,’ says the Lord.‘ For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day; so I will remove it from before My facebecause of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger— they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.And they have turned to Me the back, and not the face; though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.But they set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.’

How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, But now murderers.Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water.Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.Therefore the Lord says, The Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,“ Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies.

When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—

And I said:“ O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day.

Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern.”

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,“ Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations!Then say,‘ Thus says the Lord GOD:“ The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself.You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries.Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult.“ Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow.You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness.In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity.One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter.In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord GOD.“ Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst.Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it.I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you.You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”The word of the Lord came to me, saying,“ Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:‘ Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst.As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’”And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.“ And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know Me,” says the Lord.“ Everyone take heed to his neighbor, And do not trust any brother; For every brother will utterly supplant, And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity.Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the Lord.Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:“ Behold, I will refine them and try them; For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?Their tongue is an arrow shot out; It speaks deceit; One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, But in his heart he lies in wait.Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord.“ Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”

For her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come to the gate of My people— To Jerusalem.

“ Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, Everyone deals falsely.

He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes.

Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just.

“ For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts,“ That will leave them neither root nor branch.But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.

Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints.

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.“ Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me,” says the Lord.“ In vain I have chastened your children; They received no correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.

For our transgressions are multiplied before You, And our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, And as for our iniquities, we know them:In transgressing and lying against the Lord, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice.

Why is my pain perpetual And my wound incurable, Which refuses to be healed? Will You surely be to me like an unreliable stream, As waters that fail?

and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan— to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying,‘ Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them,“ We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.”’

Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, And to the house of Judah like rottenness.“ When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you of your wound.

For thus has the Lord of hosts said:“ Cut down trees, And build a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished. She is full of oppression in her midst.As a fountain wells up with water, So she wells up with her wickedness. Violence and plundering are heard in her. Before Me continually are grief and wounds.

“ Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations.Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.“ But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies,And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments,‘ Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear.Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.“ Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly.Neither our kings nor our princes, Our priests nor our fathers, Have kept Your law, Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies, With which You testified against them.For they have not served You in their kingdom, Or in the many good things that You gave them, Or in the large and rich land which You set before them; Nor did they turn from their wicked works.“ Here we are, servants today! And the land that You gave to our fathers, To eat its fruit and its bounty, Here we are, servants in it!