²⁶ Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,^(A)
    and for their children it will be a refuge.^(B)

³ Lord, do not your eyes^(H) look for truth?
    You struck^(I) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.^(J)
They made their faces harder than stone^(K)
    and refused to repent.^(L)
4 I thought, “These are only the poor;
    they are foolish,^(M)
for they do not know^(N) the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.
⁵ So I will go to the leaders^(O)
    and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
    and torn off the bonds.^(P)
6 Therefore a lion from the forest^(Q) will attack them,
    a wolf from the desert will ravage^(R) them,
a leopard^(S) will lie in wait near their towns
    to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
    and their backslidings many.^(T)

⁷ “Why should I forgive you?
    Your children have forsaken me
    and sworn^(U) by gods that are not gods.^(V)
I supplied all their needs,
    yet they committed adultery^(W)
    and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.^(X)
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
    each neighing for another man’s wife.^(Y)
9 Should I not punish them for this?”^(Z)
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(AA) myself
    on such a nation as this?

¹⁰ “Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
    but do not destroy them completely.^(AB)
Strip off her branches,
    for these people do not belong to the Lord.
¹¹ The people of Israel and the people of Judah
    have been utterly unfaithful^(AC) to me,”
declares the Lord.

¹² They have lied^(AD) about the Lord;
    they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;^(AE)
    we will never see sword or famine.^(AF)
13 The prophets^(AG) are but wind^(AH)
    and the word is not in them;
    so let what they say be done to them.”

“Because the people have spoken these words,
    I will make my words in your mouth^(AI) a fire^(AJ)
    and these people the wood it consumes.^(AK)
15 People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
    “I am bringing a distant nation^(AL) against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
    a people whose language^(AM) you do not know,
    whose speech you do not understand.
¹⁶ Their quivers^(AN) are like an open grave;
    all of them are mighty warriors.
¹⁷ They will devour^(AO) your harvests and food,
    devour^(AP) your sons and daughters;
they will devour^(AQ) your flocks and herds,
    devour your vines and fig trees.^(AR)
With the sword^(AS) they will destroy
    the fortified cities^(AT) in which you trust.^(AU)

²⁰ “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim^(AZ) it in Judah:
²¹ Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,^(BA)
    who have eyes^(BB) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:^(BC)
22 Should you not fear^(BD) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble^(BE) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,^(BF)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,^(BG) but they cannot cross it.
²³ But these people have stubborn and rebellious^(BH) hearts;
    they have turned aside^(BI) and gone away.
²⁴ They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear^(BJ) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains^(BK) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’^(BL)
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.^(BM)

²⁶ “Among my people are the wicked^(BN)
    who lie in wait^(BO) like men who snare birds
    and like those who set traps^(BP) to catch people.
²⁷ Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;^(BQ)
they have become rich^(BR) and powerful
²⁸     and have grown fat^(BS) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
    they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;^(BT)
    they do not defend the just cause of the poor.^(BU)
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(BV) myself
    on such a nation as this?

³⁰ “A horrible^(BW) and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
³¹ The prophets prophesy lies,^(BX)
    the priests^(BY) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?^(BZ)

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming^(Y) will come
    and will not delay.”^[c](Z)

“But my righteous^[d] one will live by faith.^(AA)
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”^[e](AB)