For Jerusalem has stumbled
and Judah has fallen
because they have spoken and acted against the Lord,(A)
defying his glorious presence.(B)
The look on their faces testifies against them,
and like Sodom,(C) they flaunt their sin;
they do not conceal it.
Woe to them,
for they have brought disaster on themselves.(D)
10 Tell the righteous that it will go well for them,
for they will eat the fruit of their labor.
11 Woe to the wicked—it will go badly for them,
for what they have done will be done to them.
12 Youths oppress my people,(E)
and women rule over them.
My people, your leaders mislead you;
they confuse the direction of your paths.(F)

13 The Lord rises to argue the case
and stands to judge the people.(G)
14 The Lord brings this charge
against the elders and leaders of his people:(H)
“You have devastated the vineyard.
The plunder from the poor is in your houses.(I)
15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”
This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.

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For Jerusalem will stumble,
    and Judah will fall,
because they speak out against the Lord and refuse to obey him.
    They provoke him to his face.
The very look on their faces gives them away.
    They display their sin like the people of Sodom
    and don’t even try to hide it.
They are doomed!
    They have brought destruction upon themselves.

10 Tell the godly that all will be well for them.
    They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
11 But the wicked are doomed,
    for they will get exactly what they deserve.

12 Childish leaders oppress my people,
    and women rule over them.
O my people, your leaders mislead you;
    they send you down the wrong road.

13 The Lord takes his place in court
    and presents his case against his people.[a]
14 The Lord comes forward to pronounce judgment
    on the elders and rulers of his people:
“You have ruined Israel, my vineyard.
    Your houses are filled with things stolen from the poor.
15 How dare you crush my people,
    grinding the faces of the poor into the dust?”
    demands the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:13 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads against the peoples.