Jerusalem
1Woe to the city of oppressors,
rebellious and defiled!
2She obeys no-one,
she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the Lord,
she does not draw near to her God.
3Her officials within her
are roaring lions;
her rulers are evening wolves,
who leave nothing for the morning.
4Her prophets are unprincipled;
they are treacherous people.
Her priests profane the sanctuary
and do violence to the law.
5The Lord within her is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,
and every new day he does not fail,
yet the unrighteous know no shame.
Jerusalem remains unrepentant
6‘I have destroyed nations;
their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
with no-one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;
they are deserted and empty.
7Of Jerusalem I thought,
“Surely you will fear me
and accept correction!”
Then her place of refuge3:7 Or her sanctuary would not be destroyed,
nor all my punishments come upon3:7 Or all those I appointed over her.
But they were still eager
to act corruptly in all they did.
8Therefore wait for me,’ declares the Lord,
‘for the day I will stand up to testify.3:8 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew will rise up to plunder
I have decided to assemble the nations,
to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath on them –
all my fierce anger.
The whole world will be consumed
by the fire of my jealous anger.
Restoration of Israel’s remnant
9‘Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10From beyond the rivers of Cush3:10 That is, the upper Nile region
my worshippers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings.
11On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame
for all the wrongs you have done to me,
because I will remove from you
your arrogant boasters.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
12But I will leave within you
the meek and humble.
The remnant of Israel
will trust in the name of the Lord.
13They will do no wrong;
they will tell no lies.
A deceitful tongue
will not be found in their mouths.
They will eat and lie down
and no-one will make them afraid.’
14Sing, Daughter Zion;
shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
‘Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.’
18‘I will remove from you
all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
which is a burden and reproach for you.
19At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honour
in every land where they have suffered shame.
20At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honour and praise
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes3:20 Or I bring back your captives
before your very eyes,’
says the Lord.
1Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!3.1 her…: or, gluttonous: Heb. craw 2She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.3.2 correction: or, instruction 3Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. 4Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. 5The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.3.5 every…: Heb. morning by morning 6I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.3.6 towers: or, corners 7I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
8¶ Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. 9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.3.9 language: Heb. lip3.9 consent: Heb. shoulder 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering. 11In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.3.11 because…: Heb. in my holy 12I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. 13The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14¶ Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.3.16 slack: or, faint 17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.3.17 rest: Heb. be silent 18I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.3.18 reproach…: Heb. the burden upon it was reproach 19Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.3.19 get…: Heb. set them for a praise3.19 where…: Heb. of their shame 20At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD.
