שׁוֹטְט֞וּ בְּחוּצ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם וּרְאוּ־נָ֤א וּדְעוּ֙ וּבַקְשׁ֣וּ בִרְחוֹבוֹתֶ֔יהָ אִם־תִּמְצְא֣וּ אִ֔ישׁ אִם־יֵ֛שׁ עֹשֶׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֱמוּנָ֑ה וְאֶסְלַ֖ח לָֽהּ׃ Roam the streets of Jerusalem,
Search its squares,
Look about and take note:
You will not find anyone engaged;aanyone engaged Conscientiously, as a covenant partner.
There is no one who acts justly,
Who seeks integrity—
That I should pardon her.
וְאִ֥ם חַי־יְהֹוָ֖ה יֹאמֵ֑רוּ לָכֵ֥ן לַשֶּׁ֖קֶר יִשָּׁבֵֽעוּ׃ Even when they say, “As GOD lives,”
They are sure to be swearing falsely.
יְהֹוָ֗ה עֵינֶ֘יךָ֮ הֲל֣וֹא לֶאֱמוּנָה֒ הִכִּ֤יתָה אֹתָם֙ וְֽלֹא־חָ֔לוּ כִּלִּיתָ֕ם מֵאֲנ֖וּ קַ֣חַת מוּסָ֑ר חִזְּק֤וּ פְנֵיהֶם֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע מֵאֲנ֖וּ לָשֽׁוּב׃ O ETERNAL One, Your eyes look for integrity.
You have struck them, but they sensed no pain;
You have consumed them, but they would accept no discipline.
They made their faces harder than rock,
They refused to turn back.
וַאֲנִ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי אַךְ־דַּלִּ֖ים הֵ֑ם נוֹאֲל֕וּ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽדְעוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ Then I thought: These are just poor folk;
They act foolishly;
For they do not know the way of GOD,
The rules of their God.
אֵֽלְכָה־לִּ֤י אֶל־הַגְּדֹלִים֙ וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אוֹתָ֔ם כִּ֣י הֵ֗מָּה יָֽדְעוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם אַ֣ךְ הֵ֤מָּה יַחְדָּו֙ שָׁ֣בְרוּ עֹ֔ל נִתְּק֖וּ מוֹסֵרֽוֹת׃ So I will go to the wealthy
And speak with them:
Surely they know the way of GOD,
The rules of their God.
But they as well had broken the yoke,
Had snapped the bonds.
עַל־כֵּן֩ הִכָּ֨ם אַרְיֵ֜ה מִיַּ֗עַר זְאֵ֤ב עֲרָבוֹת֙ יְשׇׁדְדֵ֔ם נָמֵ֤ר שֹׁקֵד֙ עַל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם כׇּל־הַיּוֹצֵ֥א מֵהֵ֖נָּה יִטָּרֵ֑ף כִּ֤י רַבּוּ֙ פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֔ם עָצְמ֖וּ מְשֻׁבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ Therefore,
The lion of the forest strikes them down,
The wolf of the desert ravages them.
A leopard lies in wait by their towns;
Whoever leaves them will be torn in pieces.
For their transgressions are many,
Their rebellious acts unnumbered.
אֵ֤י לָזֹאת֙ (אסלוח) [אֶֽסְלַֽח־]לָ֔ךְ בָּנַ֣יִךְ עֲזָב֔וּנִי וַיִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ בְּלֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וָאַשְׂבִּ֤עַ אוֹתָם֙ וַיִּנְאָ֔פוּ וּבֵ֥ית זוֹנָ֖ה יִתְגּוֹדָֽדוּ׃ Why should I forgive you?
Your children have forsaken Me
And sworn by no-gods.
When I fed them their fill,
They committed adultery
And went trooping to the prostitute’s house.
סוּסִ֥ים מְיֻזָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁכִּ֣ים הָי֑וּ אִ֛ישׁ אֶל־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ יִצְהָֽלוּ׃ They were well-fed, lustybwell-fed, lusty Meaning of Heb. uncertain. stallions,
Each neighing at another’s wife.
הַעַל־אֵ֥לֶּה לֽוֹא־אֶפְקֹ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאִם֙ בְּג֣וֹי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתְנַקֵּ֖ם נַפְשִֽׁי׃ {ס} Shall I not punish such deeds?
—says GOD—
Shall I not bring retribution
On a nation such as this?
עֲל֤וּ בְשָׁרוֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ וְשַׁחֵ֔תוּ וְכָלָ֖ה אַֽל־תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ הָסִ֙ירוּ֙ נְטִ֣ישׁוֹתֶ֔יהָ כִּ֛י ל֥וֹא לַיהֹוָ֖ה הֵֽמָּה׃ Go up among her vinescvines Lit. “rows.” and destroy;
Lop off her trailing branches,
For they are not of GOD.
(But do not make an end.)
כִּי֩ בָג֨וֹד בָּגְד֜וּ בִּ֗י בֵּ֧ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ For the House of Israel and the House of Judah
Have betrayed Me
—declares GOD.
כִּֽחֲשׁוּ֙ בַּיהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לוֹא־ה֑וּא וְלֹֽא־תָב֤וֹא עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ רָעָ֔ה וְחֶ֥רֶב וְרָעָ֖ב ל֥וֹא נִרְאֶֽה׃ They have been false to GOD
And said: “It is not so!dIt is not so Or “Not He”; cf. Deut. 32.39; Isa. 43.13.
No trouble shall come upon us,
We shall not see sword or famine.
וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ יִהְי֣וּ לְר֔וּחַ וְהַדִּבֵּ֖ר אֵ֣ין בָּהֶ֑ם כֹּ֥ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃ {ס} The prophets shall prove mere wind
For the Word is not in them;
Thus-and-thus shall be done to them!”
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י צְבָא֔וֹת יַ֚עַן דַּבֶּרְכֶ֔ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה הִנְנִ֣י נֹתֵן֩ דְּבָרַ֨י בְּפִ֜יךָ לְאֵ֗שׁ וְהָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה עֵצִ֖ים וַאֲכָלָֽתַם׃ Assuredly, thus said GOD,
The God of Hosts:
Because theyethey Heb. “you.” said that,
I am putting My words into your mouth as fire,
And this people shall be firewood,
Which it will consume.
הִנְנִ֣י מֵבִיא֩ עֲלֵיכֶ֨ם גּ֧וֹי מִמֶּרְחָ֛ק בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה גּ֣וֹי ׀ אֵיתָ֣ן ה֗וּא גּ֤וֹי מֵֽעוֹלָם֙ ה֔וּא גּ֚וֹי לֹא־תֵדַ֣ע לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א תִשְׁמַ֖ע מַה־יְדַבֵּֽר׃ Lo, I am bringing against you, O House of Israel,
A nation from afar
—declares GOD;
It is an enduring nation,
It is an ancient nation;
A nation whose language you do not know—
You will not understand what they say.
אַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ כְּקֶ֣בֶר פָּת֑וּחַ כֻּלָּ֖ם גִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ Their quiversfTheir quivers Emendation yields “Whose mouths.” are like a yawning grave—
They are all mighty warriors.
וְאָכַ֨ל קְצִֽירְךָ֜ וְלַחְמֶ֗ךָ יֹֽאכְלוּ֙ בָּנֶ֣יךָ וּבְנוֹתֶ֔יךָ יֹאכַ֤ל צֹֽאנְךָ֙ וּבְקָרֶ֔ךָ יֹאכַ֥ל גַּפְנְךָ֖ וּתְאֵנָתֶ֑ךָ יְרֹשֵׁ֞שׁ עָרֵ֣י מִבְצָרֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בֹּטֵ֥חַ בָּהֵ֖נָּה בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ They will devour your harvest and food,
They will devour your sons and daughters,
They will devour your flocks and herds,
They will devour your vines and fig trees.
They will batter down with the sword
The fortified towns on which you rely.
וְגַ֛ם בַּיָּמִ֥ים הָהֵ֖מָּה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה אִתְּכֶ֖ם כָּלָֽה׃ But even in those days—declares GOD—I will not make an end of you.
וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י תֹאמְר֔וּ תַּ֣חַת מֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֨ה יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ לָ֖נוּ אֶת־כׇּל־אֵ֑לֶּה וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עֲזַבְתֶּ֤ם אוֹתִי֙ וַתַּעַבְד֞וּ אֱלֹהֵ֤י נֵכָר֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם כֵּ֚ן תַּעַבְד֣וּ זָרִ֔ים בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֥א לָכֶֽם׃ {פ}
And when theygthey Heb. “you.” ask, “Because of what did the ETERNAL our God do all these things?” you shall answer them, “Because you forsook Me and served alien gods on your own land, you will have to serve foreigners in a land not your own.”
הַגִּ֥ידוּ זֹ֖את בְּבֵ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְהַשְׁמִיע֥וּהָ בִיהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ Proclaim this to the House of Jacob
And announce it in Judah:
שִׁמְעוּ־נָ֣א זֹ֔את עַ֥ם סָכָ֖ל וְאֵ֣ין לֵ֑ב עֵינַ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א יִרְא֔וּ אׇזְנַ֥יִם לָהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמָֽעוּ׃ Hear this, O foolish people,
Devoid of intelligence,
That have eyes but can’t see,
That have ears but can’t hear!
הַאוֹתִ֨י לֹא־תִירָ֜אוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֗ה אִ֤ם מִפָּנַי֙ לֹ֣א תָחִ֔ילוּ אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֤מְתִּי חוֹל֙ גְּב֣וּל לַיָּ֔ם חׇק־עוֹלָ֖ם וְלֹ֣א יַעַבְרֶ֑נְהוּ וַיִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יוּכָ֔לוּ וְהָמ֥וּ גַלָּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א יַעַבְרֻֽנְהוּ׃ Should you not revere Me
—says GOD—
Should you not tremble before Me,
Who set the sand as a boundary to the sea,
As a limit for all time, not to be transgressed?
Though its waves toss, they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, they cannot pass it.
וְלָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ הָיָ֔ה לֵ֖ב סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמוֹרֶ֑ה סָ֖רוּ וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ׃ Yet this people has a wayward and defiant heart;
They have turned aside and gone their way.
וְלֽוֹא־אָמְר֣וּ בִלְבָבָ֗ם נִ֤ירָא נָא֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ הַנֹּתֵ֗ן גֶּ֛שֶׁם (וירה) [יוֹרֶ֥ה] וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ בְּעִתּ֑וֹ שְׁבֻעֹ֛ת חֻקּ֥וֹת קָצִ֖יר יִשְׁמׇר־לָֽנוּ׃ They have not said to themselves,
“Let us revere the ETERNAL our God,
Who gives the rain,
The early and late rain in season,
Who keeps for our benefit
The weeks appointed for harvest.”
עֲוֺנוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם הִטּוּ־אֵ֑לֶּה וְחַטֹּ֣אותֵיכֶ֔ם מָנְע֥וּ הַטּ֖וֹב מִכֶּֽם׃ It is your iniquities that have diverted these things,
Your sins that have withheld the bounty from you.
כִּֽי־נִמְצְא֥וּ בְעַמִּ֖י רְשָׁעִ֑ים יָשׁוּר֙ כְּשַׁ֣ךְ יְקוּשִׁ֔ים הִצִּ֥יבוּ מַשְׁחִ֖ית אֲנָשִׁ֥ים יִלְכֹּֽדוּ׃ For among My people are found evildoers,
Who lurk, like fowlers lying in wait;hWho lurk, like fowlers lying in wait Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
They set up a trap to catch other people.
כִּכְלוּב֙ מָ֣לֵא ע֔וֹף כֵּ֥ן בָּתֵּיהֶ֖ם מְלֵאִ֣ים מִרְמָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֥ן גָּדְל֖וּ וַֽיַּעֲשִֽׁירוּ׃ As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of guile;
That is why they have grown so wealthy.
שָֽׁמְנ֣וּ עָֽשְׁת֗וּ גַּ֚ם עָבְר֣וּ דִבְרֵי־רָ֔ע דִּ֣ין לֹא־דָ֔נוּ דִּ֥ין יָת֖וֹם וְיַצְלִ֑יחוּ וּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט אֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֥א שָׁפָֽטוּ׃ They have become fat and sleek;
They pass beyond the bounds of wickedness,ipass beyond the bounds of wickedness Some ancient versions read “have transgressed My words for evil.”
And they prosper.
They will not judge the case of the orphan,
Nor give a hearing to the plea of the needy.
הַעַל־אֵ֥לֶּה לֹֽא־אֶפְקֹ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה אִ֚ם בְּג֣וֹי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתְנַקֵּ֖ם נַפְשִֽׁי׃ {ס} Shall I not punish such deeds
—says GOD—
Shall I not bring retribution
On a nation such as this?
שַׁמָּה֙ וְשַׁ֣עֲרוּרָ֔ה נִהְיְתָ֖ה בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ An appalling, horrible thing
Has happened in the land:
הַנְּבִאִ֞ים נִבְּא֣וּ בַשֶּׁ֗קֶר וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ יִרְדּ֣וּ עַל־יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וְעַמִּ֖י אָ֣הֲבוּ כֵ֑ן וּמַֽה־תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ לְאַחֲרִיתָֽהּ׃ The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule accordingly;jrule accordingly Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
And My people like it so.
But what will you do at the end of it?