I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,

我说：雅各的首领，以色列家的官长啊，你们要听！你们不当知道公平吗？

于是我说：雅各的领袖，以色列家的官长啊，你们要听！你们岂不知道公平吗？

于是我说：雅各的领袖，以色列家的官长啊，你们要听！你们岂不知道公平吗？

我说：“雅各的首领，以色列家的统治者啊！你们要听！难道你们不知正义吗？

我说：“雅各的首领，你们要听，以色列家的官长，你们也要听；难道你们不知道公平吗？

我說：雅各的首領，以色列家的官長啊，你們要聽！你們不當知道公平嗎？

於是我說：雅各的領袖，以色列家的官長啊，你們要聽！你們豈不知道公平嗎？

於是我說：雅各的領袖，以色列家的官長啊，你們要聽！你們豈不知道公平嗎？

我說：「雅各的首領，以色列家的統治者啊！你們要聽！難道你們不知正義嗎？

我說：“雅各的首領，你們要聽，以色列家的官長，你們也要聽；難道你們不知道公平嗎？

我說：雅各的首領啊，你們要聽；以色列家的官長啊，你們要留心；你們的本分不是應當明白公平麼？

我曰、雅各之首領、以色列家之有司歟、爾其聽之、公義非爾所當知乎、

我曰、雅各之長者、以色列族之士師、宜聽我言、聽訟之理、非爾所當知乎、

我曰、雅各之諸長者、以色列族之秉權者、秉權者或作侯伯當聽我言、聽訟之理、聽訟之理或作按理以審判非爾所當知乎、

Then I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice,

Then I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Jacob’s people! Pay attention, you rulers of Israel! You should want to judge others fairly.

And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?—

Then I said,“ Now listen, leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Aren’t you supposed to know what is just?

And I said,“ Hear now, you leaders of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice?

And I said:“ Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice?

And I said, Hear, I pray you, ye heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not for you to know justice?

Then I said,“ Now listen, leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Aren’t you supposed to know what is just?

And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel;[ Is it] not for you to know judgment?

I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just,

I said,“ Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: Isn’t it for you to know justice?

Then I said,“ But what can we expect from the poor? They are ignorant. They don’t know the ways of the Lord. They don’t understand God’s laws.So I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they know the ways of the Lord and understand God’s laws.” But the leaders, too, as one man, had thrown off God’s yoke and broken his chains.

God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:“ How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Interlude“ Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant! They wander about in darkness, while the whole world is shaken to the core.

“ Hear this, you priests. Pay attention, you leaders of Israel. Listen, you members of the royal family. Judgment has been handed down against you. For you have led the people into a snare by worshiping the idols at Mizpah and Tabor.

Listen to the Lord, you leaders of“ Sodom.” Listen to the law of our God, people of“ Gomorrah.”

Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands,“ Bring us another drink!”

I am saying this to shame you. Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues?

Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.Give glory to the Lord your God before it is too late. Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness and gloom.And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be led away into exile.Say to the king and his mother,“ Come down from your thrones and sit in the dust, for your glorious crowns will soon be snatched from your heads.”

Choose some well respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’“ Then you responded,‘ Your plan is a good one.’So I took the wise and respected men you had selected from your tribes and appointed them to serve as judges and officials over you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten.“ At that time I instructed the judges,‘ You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisionsand impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’

Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.

‘ Listen to this message from the Lord, you king of Judah, sitting on David’s throne. Let your attendants and your people listen, too.This is what the Lord says: Be fair minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!

“ Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

He appointed judges throughout the nation in all the fortified towns,and he said to them,“ Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the Lord. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case.Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.”In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests and clan leaders in Israel to serve as judges for cases involving the Lord’s regulations and for civil disputes.These were his instructions to them:“ You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and an undivided heart.Whenever a case comes to you from fellow citizens in an outlying town, whether a murder case or some other violation of God’s laws, commands, decrees, or regulations, you must warn them not to sin against the Lord, so that he will not be angry with you and them. Do this and you will not be guilty.

Listen to me, you leaders of Israel! You hate justice and twist all that is right.You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption.