Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹ Happy is the one who has not walked in the advice of the wicked,
nor stood in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seat of scoffers.
² But his delight is in the Torah of Adonai,
and on His Torah he meditates day and night.
³ He will be like a planted tree over streams of water,
producing its fruit during its season.
Its leaf never droops—
    but in all he does, he succeeds.

²⁰ Lift up your eyes and see
        those coming from the north.
    Where is the flock given to you,
        Your beautiful sheep?
²¹ What will you say, when He sets up the allies
    you cultivated for yourself, over you as head?
    Will not labor pains seize you,
        like a woman in travail?
²² Suppose you say in your heart,
    “Why did these things happen to me?”
    Because of your great iniquity,
        your skirts are uncovered
        and your heels suffer violence.
²³ Can the Ethiopian change his skin?
        Or the leopard his spots?
    So, could you do good,
        that are accustomed to doing evil?
²⁴ “Therefore I will scatter them
    like drifting straw in the desert wind.
²⁵ This is your lot, the portion
        measured for you from Me.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
    “For you have forgotten Me
        and trusted in falsehood.
²⁶ Therefore I will also uncover your skirts over your face,
    expose your shame.
²⁷ Your adulteries, your lustful neighings,
    the lewdness of your prostitution—
    on the hills in the field
        I have seen your loathsome acts.
    Oy you, Jerusalem! You are unclean!
        How much longer?”