耶和华说:“如果丈夫休掉妻子,
妻子离去另嫁别人,
前夫怎会再娶她呢?
那样做岂不完全玷污了土地吗?
你曾与许多情人苟合,
现在要归向我吗?

“你举目看看那些光秃的高山,
哪里没有被你玷污过呢?
你坐在路旁等候情郎,
就像旷野的游牧者,
你的淫乱恶行玷污了土地。
因此,秋雨不降,
春雨不来。
你却仍然不知羞耻,
一副娼妓的嘴脸。
你不是刚对我说,
‘我父啊!你从我年幼时就做我的朋友。
难道你会永远发怒、
怀恨到底吗?’
你虽然这样说,
却仍大肆作恶。”

呼吁不忠的以色列悔改

在约西亚王执政期间,耶和华对我说:“你看见以色列的不忠不贞了吗?她在高山上、在绿荫下放纵情欲。 我以为她放纵之后会回到我身边,她却执迷不悟。她不忠的妹妹犹大也看见了这事。 因为以色列不忠贞,我给她休书,把她休掉。她不忠的妹妹犹大却不害怕,竟也去淫乱。 以色列肆意淫乱,拜石头木头,玷污了土地。 10 尽管如此,她不忠的妹妹犹大只是假装归向我,并不诚心。这是耶和华说的。”

11 耶和华对我说:“不忠贞的以色列比奸诈的犹大罪过还轻。 12 你去向北方宣告,

“‘耶和华说,
不忠贞的以色列啊,回转吧!
我必不向你们发怒,
因为我充满慈爱,
不会永远怀怒。’
这是耶和华说的。
13 ‘你必须要承认自己的罪,
承认背叛了你的上帝耶和华,
在绿荫树下祭拜各种外邦的神明,
不听从我的话。’
这是耶和华说的。

14 “‘不忠贞的子民啊,回转吧!
因为我是你们的主人[a]
我要从你们中间选些人带回锡安,
每座城邑或每个宗族选一两个人。’
这是耶和华说的。

15 “我要赐给你们合我心意的牧人,让他们用知识与智慧牧养你们。 16 你们在地上繁衍昌盛的时候,人们不会再提及耶和华的约柜,不会再把它放在心上,不会再感到需要它,也不会再造一个。这是耶和华说的。 17 那时,耶路撒冷会被称为‘耶和华的宝座’,万国都要聚集在耶路撒冷敬拜耶和华,不再执迷不悟地作恶。 18 那时,犹大人必与以色列人一同从北方来到我赐给你们祖先作基业的地方。

19 “我曾想,我多么愿意把你们当成我的儿女,
赐给你们万国中最肥美的土地。
我原以为你们会叫我‘父亲’,
再不离弃我。
20 然而,以色列人啊!
你们竟对我不忠,
就像妻子不忠于丈夫。
这是耶和华说的。”

21 从光秃的山头传来声音,
是以色列子民哭泣呼求的声音,
因为他们走入歧途,
忘掉了他们的上帝耶和华。
22 耶和华说:“不忠贞的子民啊,
归来吧!
我要医治你们不忠贞的病。”
他们说:“是的,我们要到你面前,
因为你是我们的上帝耶和华。
23 在高山丘陵上狂欢、
拜偶像真是枉然,
唯有我们的上帝耶和华才能拯救以色列。

24 “从我们年幼时,那些可耻的神像就吞噬了我们祖先辛苦得来的牛羊和儿女。 25 我们躺在自己的羞耻中,让我们的耻辱遮盖我们吧!因为我们和我们的祖先都得罪了我们的上帝耶和华,我们自幼至今一直没有顺服我们的上帝耶和华。”

耶和华说:“以色列啊,
如果你回转归向我,
回转归向我,
从我眼前除掉可憎的神像,
不再离开我;
如果你本着诚实、正直、公义,
凭永活的耶和华起誓,
你必成为万国的祝福,
得到他们的尊敬[b]。”
耶和华对犹大人和耶路撒冷人说:
“要开垦你们的荒地,
不要在荆棘中撒种。
你们要自行割礼,
除掉心中的污垢,归向耶和华。
不然,我必因你们的恶行而发烈怒,如火燃烧,
无人能够扑灭。

“你们要在犹大和耶路撒冷宣告,
‘要在全国吹起号角’,高声呼喊,
‘要集合起来,
我们要逃进坚城。’
你们要向锡安举起旗帜,
赶快逃亡,不要迟延,
因为我要从北方降下灾祸,
大肆毁灭。”
毁灭列国者已发起攻击,
如狮子冲出巢穴,
要使你们的土地荒凉,
城邑沦为废墟,无人居住。
为此,你们要腰束麻布,
嚎啕大哭,
因为耶和华向我们发的烈怒还没有止息。

耶和华说:“到那天,君王和官长必丧胆,祭司和先知必惊骇。” 10 我说:“唉!主耶和华啊,你完全欺骗了这群百姓和耶路撒冷人,因为你说,‘你们会安享太平。’其实剑锋已指着他们的咽喉了。”

11 那时,耶和华必对这群百姓和耶路撒冷人说:“一阵热风从荒野光秃的山头吹向我的子民,不是为扬场、吹净糠秕。 12 那是我发出的一阵强风。现在我要宣告我对他们的审判。”

13 看啊,仇敌必如云涌来,
他的战车快如旋风,
他的战马比飞鹰还快。
我们有祸了!
我们灭亡了!
14 耶路撒冷啊,
要洗去你内心的邪恶,
这样你才能得救。
你心怀恶念要到何时呢?
15 从但传来消息,
从以法莲山区报出恶讯。
16 耶和华说:“你们去通知列国,
向耶路撒冷宣告,
‘围攻的人从远方来,
向犹大的城邑高声喊杀,
17 像看守田园一样包围耶路撒冷,
因为耶路撒冷背叛了我。’
这是耶和华说的。
18 你的所作所为给你招致这灾祸,
是你自食恶果,你会痛彻心肺!”

19 我的心啊,我的心啊!
我伤心欲绝,烦躁不安。
我无法保持缄默,
因为我听见了号角声和呐喊声。
20 恶讯频传,山河破碎,
我的帐篷忽然倒塌,
幔子顷刻破裂。
21 我还要看这旌旗、
听这号声到何时呢?
22 耶和华说:“我的子民愚顽,
不认识我,
是蒙昧无知的儿女,
只知行恶,不知行善。”
23 我俯瞰大地,
一片空虚混沌;
我仰望天空,毫无亮光。
24 我眺望群山,大山在颤抖,
小山在摇晃。
25 我四下观看,只见杳无人烟,
飞鸟绝迹。
26 我四下观看,只见良田变荒野,
城邑都在耶和华的烈怒下沦为废墟。
27 耶和华说:“遍地将要荒凉,
然而不会被我彻底毁灭。
28 因此,地要悲哀,
天要昏暗,
因为我言出必行,
决不反悔。”
29 各城的人听到骑兵和弓箭手的呐喊,
都纷纷逃命。
有的跑入丛林,有的爬进岩洞。
各城荒弃,无人居住。
30 你这荒凉的城啊!
你在做什么?
纵然你穿上红袍,
戴上金饰,
描眉画眼,
又有什么用呢?
你的情人藐视你,
要杀害你。
31 我听见好像妇人分娩时的喊叫声,
好像妇人生头胎时的痛苦呻吟。
那是锡安城[c]的喊叫声,
她在喘息,伸出双手说:
“噢!我有祸了,
我要死在杀戮者手上了。”

耶路撒冷的罪

耶和华说:

“你们在耶路撒冷街头四处看看,
在广场找找,
如果你们能找到一个公正诚实的人,
我就赦免这城。
虽然他们凭永活的耶和华起誓,
却口是心非。”
耶和华啊,你要的不是诚实吗?
你责打他们,他们不感到疼痛;
你严惩他们,他们仍不受教。
他们屡教不改,
脸比石头还硬。

我想:“他们贫穷、愚昧,
不明白他们上帝耶和华的道,
也不知道祂的法令。
我要找他们的首领说话,
因为这些首领明白耶和华的道,
知道他们上帝的法令。”
然而,他们却一致违背耶和华的律法,
不服从祂的法令。
因此,林中的狮子必袭击他们,
荒野的豺狼必残害他们,
豹子也蹲伏在他们的城外,
伺机撕裂出城的人,
因为他们罪大恶极,屡屡叛道。

耶和华说:
“耶路撒冷啊,我怎能赦免你呢?
你的儿女背弃我,
凭假神起誓。
我供应他们的一切需要,
他们却纵情淫乱,
涌向娼妓的家。
他们像吃得肥壮、发情的公马,
垂涎邻居的妻子。
我怎能不惩罚他们呢?
我怎能不亲自报应这样的国民呢?
这是耶和华说的。
10 你们要去毁坏她的葡萄园,
但不可彻底毁坏。
要砍掉枝子,
因为那些枝子不属于耶和华。
11 以色列人和犹大人根本不忠于我。
这是耶和华说的。

12 “他们撒谎说,
‘耶和华不会管我们,
我们必不会遇到灾祸、战争和饥荒。
13 先知的话不过是一阵风,
不是来自上帝,
他们预言的灾祸必降临到自己身上。’”

14 因此,万军之上帝耶和华对我说:
“因为他们说了这话,
我要使我的话在你口中成为火,
使他们像柴一样被烧毁。
15 以色列人啊,我要使一个国家,
一个历久不衰的古国从远方来攻击你们,
你们不明白他们的语言,
也听不懂他们说的话。
这是耶和华说的。
16 他们都是勇士,
他们的弓箭杀人无数。
17 他们必吞噬你们的儿女、牛羊、
粮食、葡萄和无花果,
用刀剑摧毁你们所依靠的坚城。”

18 耶和华说:“即使在那时,我也不会彻底毁灭你们。 19 耶利米啊,如果有人问,‘为什么我们的上帝耶和华这样待我们?’你可以对他们说,‘你们怎样背弃耶和华,在自己的土地上供奉外族的神明,也要怎样在异地他乡服侍外族人。’

20 “要在犹大向雅各家高声宣布,
21 ‘听着,你们这群愚昧无知的人啊,
你们视而不见,
听而不闻。
22 难道你们不敬畏我吗?
这是耶和华说的。
难道你们在我面前不颤抖吗?
我以沙石为海的界限,
使水永远不能越过它。
汹涌的波涛不能逾越,
澎湃的海浪不能漫过。
23 但你们这些人顽固不化,
悖逆成性。
你们离我而去。
24 你们心中从未说,
我们要敬畏我们的上帝耶和华,
祂按时降下秋雨和春雨,
让我们按时收割。
25 你们的罪过使你们不再风调雨顺,
你们的罪恶使你们失去祝福。’
26 我的子民中有恶人,
他们像捕鸟人一样埋伏等候,
设下网罗陷害人。
27 他们的家里充满了诡诈,
就像笼子装满了鸟。
他们变得有财有势,
28 吃得肥胖红润,
坏事做尽,不为孤儿申冤,
不为穷人主持公道。”
29 耶和华说:“我怎能坐视不理呢?
我怎能不惩罚这样的国家呢?
30 这地方发生了一件令人震惊、恐惧的事,
31 就是先知说假预言,
祭司滥用权力,
我的子民却以此为乐。
但当最后的结局来临时,
他们还能做什么呢?

Footnotes

  1. 3:14 主人”或译作“丈夫”。
  2. 4:2 你必成为万国的祝福,得到他们的尊敬”或译“万国必得到耶和华的祝福,并以祂为荣”。
  3. 4:31 ”希伯来文是“女子”,可能是对锡安的昵称,下同6:223

“If a man divorces(A) his wife
    and she leaves him and marries another man,
should he return to her again?
    Would not the land be completely defiled?(B)
But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers(C)
    would you now return to me?”(D)
declares the Lord.
“Look up to the barren heights(E) and see.
    Is there any place where you have not been ravished?
By the roadside(F) you sat waiting for lovers,
    sat like a nomad in the desert.
You have defiled the land(G)
    with your prostitution(H) and wickedness.
Therefore the showers have been withheld,(I)
    and no spring rains(J) have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen(K) look of a prostitute;
    you refuse to blush with shame.(L)
Have you not just called to me:
    ‘My Father,(M) my friend from my youth,(N)
will you always be angry?(O)
    Will your wrath continue forever?’
This is how you talk,
    but you do all the evil you can.”

Unfaithful Israel

During the reign of King Josiah,(P) the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless(Q) Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree(R) and has committed adultery(S) there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister(T) Judah saw it.(U) I gave faithless Israel(V) her certificate of divorce(W) and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear;(X) she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land(Y) and committed adultery(Z) with stone(AA) and wood.(AB) 10 In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return(AC) to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,(AD)” declares the Lord.(AE)

11 The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous(AF) than unfaithful(AG) Judah.(AH) 12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:(AI)

“‘Return,(AJ) faithless(AK) Israel,’ declares the Lord,
    ‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’(AL) declares the Lord,
    ‘I will not be angry(AM) forever.
13 Only acknowledge(AN) your guilt—
    you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods(AO)
    under every spreading tree,(AP)
    and have not obeyed(AQ) me,’”
declares the Lord.

14 “Return,(AR) faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband.(AS) I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds(AT) after my own heart,(AU) who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark(AV) of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered;(AW) it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne(AX) of the Lord, and all nations(AY) will gather in Jerusalem to honor(AZ) the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(BA) 18 In those days the people of Judah will join the people of Israel,(BB) and together(BC) they will come from a northern(BD) land to the land(BE) I gave your ancestors as an inheritance.

19 “I myself said,

“‘How gladly would I treat you like my children
    and give you a pleasant land,(BF)
    the most beautiful inheritance(BG) of any nation.’
I thought you would call me ‘Father’(BH)
    and not turn away from following me.
20 But like a woman unfaithful to her husband,
    so you, Israel, have been unfaithful(BI) to me,”
declares the Lord.

21 A cry is heard on the barren heights,(BJ)
    the weeping(BK) and pleading of the people of Israel,
because they have perverted their ways
    and have forgotten(BL) the Lord their God.

22 “Return,(BM) faithless people;
    I will cure(BN) you of backsliding.”(BO)

“Yes, we will come to you,
    for you are the Lord our God.
23 Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills(BP)
    and mountains is a deception;
surely in the Lord our God
    is the salvation(BQ) of Israel.
24 From our youth shameful(BR) gods have consumed
    the fruits of our ancestors’ labor—
their flocks and herds,
    their sons and daughters.
25 Let us lie down in our shame,(BS)
    and let our disgrace cover us.
We have sinned(BT) against the Lord our God,
    both we and our ancestors;(BU)
from our youth(BV) till this day
    we have not obeyed(BW) the Lord our God.”

“If you, Israel, will return,(BX)
    then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols(BY) out of my sight
    and no longer go astray,
and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
    you swear,(BZ) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(CA)
then the nations will invoke blessings(CB) by him
    and in him they will boast.(CC)

This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:

“Break up your unplowed ground(CD)
    and do not sow among thorns.(CE)
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
    circumcise your hearts,(CF)
    you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath(CG) will flare up and burn like fire(CH)
    because of the evil(CI) you have done—
    burn with no one to quench(CJ) it.

Disaster From the North

“Announce in Judah and proclaim(CK) in Jerusalem and say:
    ‘Sound the trumpet(CL) throughout the land!’
Cry aloud and say:
    ‘Gather together!
    Let us flee to the fortified cities!’(CM)
Raise the signal(CN) to go to Zion!
    Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster(CO) from the north,(CP)
    even terrible destruction.”

A lion(CQ) has come out of his lair;(CR)
    a destroyer(CS) of nations has set out.
He has left his place
    to lay waste(CT) your land.
Your towns will lie in ruins(CU)
    without inhabitant.
So put on sackcloth,(CV)
    lament(CW) and wail,
for the fierce anger(CX) of the Lord
    has not turned away from us.

“In that day,” declares the Lord,
    “the king and the officials will lose heart,(CY)
the priests will be horrified,
    and the prophets will be appalled.”(CZ)

10 Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived(DA) this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’(DB) when the sword is at our throats!”

11 At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind(DC) from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; 12 a wind(DD) too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments(DE) against them.”

13 Look! He advances like the clouds,(DF)
    his chariots(DG) come like a whirlwind,(DH)
his horses(DI) are swifter than eagles.(DJ)
    Woe to us! We are ruined!(DK)
14 Jerusalem, wash(DL) the evil from your heart and be saved.(DM)
    How long(DN) will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15 A voice is announcing from Dan,(DO)
    proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.(DP)
16 “Tell this to the nations,
    proclaim concerning Jerusalem:
‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,(DQ)
    raising a war cry(DR) against the cities of Judah.(DS)
17 They surround(DT) her like men guarding a field,
    because she has rebelled(DU) against me,’”
declares the Lord.
18 “Your own conduct and actions(DV)
    have brought this on you.(DW)
This is your punishment.
    How bitter(DX) it is!
    How it pierces to the heart!”

19 Oh, my anguish, my anguish!(DY)
    I writhe in pain.(DZ)
Oh, the agony of my heart!
    My heart pounds(EA) within me,
    I cannot keep silent.(EB)
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;(EC)
    I have heard the battle cry.(ED)
20 Disaster follows disaster;(EE)
    the whole land lies in ruins.(EF)
In an instant my tents(EG) are destroyed,
    my shelter in a moment.
21 How long must I see the battle standard(EH)
    and hear the sound of the trumpet?(EI)

22 “My people are fools;(EJ)
    they do not know me.(EK)
They are senseless children;
    they have no understanding.(EL)
They are skilled in doing evil;(EM)
    they know not how to do good.”(EN)

23 I looked at the earth,
    and it was formless and empty;(EO)
and at the heavens,
    and their light(EP) was gone.
24 I looked at the mountains,
    and they were quaking;(EQ)
    all the hills were swaying.
25 I looked, and there were no people;
    every bird in the sky had flown away.(ER)
26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;(ES)
    all its towns lay in ruins(ET)
    before the Lord, before his fierce anger.(EU)

27 This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined,(EV)
    though I will not destroy(EW) it completely.
28 Therefore the earth will mourn(EX)
    and the heavens above grow dark,(EY)
because I have spoken and will not relent,(EZ)
    I have decided and will not turn back.(FA)

29 At the sound of horsemen and archers(FB)
    every town takes to flight.(FC)
Some go into the thickets;
    some climb up among the rocks.(FD)
All the towns are deserted;(FE)
    no one lives in them.

30 What are you doing,(FF) you devastated one?
    Why dress yourself in scarlet
    and put on jewels(FG) of gold?
Why highlight your eyes with makeup?(FH)
    You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers(FI) despise you;
    they want to kill you.(FJ)

31 I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,(FK)
    a groan as of one bearing her first child—
the cry of Daughter Zion(FL) gasping for breath,(FM)
    stretching out her hands(FN) and saying,
“Alas! I am fainting;
    my life is given over to murderers.”(FO)

Not One Is Upright

“Go up and down(FP) the streets of Jerusalem,
    look around and consider,(FQ)
    search through her squares.
If you can find but one person(FR)
    who deals honestly(FS) and seeks the truth,
    I will forgive(FT) this city.
Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(FU)
    still they are swearing falsely.(FV)

Lord, do not your eyes(FW) look for truth?
    You struck(FX) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.(FY)
They made their faces harder than stone(FZ)
    and refused to repent.(GA)
I thought, “These are only the poor;
    they are foolish,(GB)
for they do not know(GC) the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.
So I will go to the leaders(GD)
    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.(GE)
Therefore a lion from the forest(GF) will attack them,
    a wolf from the desert will ravage(GG) them,
a leopard(GH) will lie in wait near their towns
    to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
    and their backslidings many.(GI)

“Why should I forgive you?
    Your children have forsaken me
    and sworn(GJ) by gods that are not gods.(GK)
I supplied all their needs,
    yet they committed adultery(GL)
    and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.(GM)
They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
    each neighing for another man’s wife.(GN)
Should I not punish them for this?”(GO)
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge(GP) myself
    on such a nation as this?

10 “Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
    but do not destroy them completely.(GQ)
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(GR) to me,”
declares the Lord.

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

14 Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:

“Because the people have spoken these words,
    I will make my words in your mouth(GX) a fire(GY)
    and these people the wood it consumes.(GZ)
15 People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
    “I am bringing a distant nation(HA) against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
    a people whose language(HB) you do not know,
    whose speech you do not understand.
16 Their quivers(HC) are like an open grave;
    all of them are mighty warriors.
17 They will devour(HD) your harvests and food,
    devour(HE) your sons and daughters;
they will devour(HF) your flocks and herds,
    devour your vines and fig trees.(HG)
With the sword(HH) they will destroy
    the fortified cities(HI) in which you trust.(HJ)

18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy(HK) you completely. 19 And when the people ask,(HL) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods(HM) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners(HN) in a land not your own.’

20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim(HO) it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,(HP)
    who have eyes(HQ) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:(HR)
22 Should you not fear(HS) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble(HT) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,(HU)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,(HV) but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious(HW) hearts;
    they have turned aside(HX) and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear(HY) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains(HZ) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’(IA)
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.(IB)

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

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