Violencehas growninto a rodof wickedness.Noneof them [shall remain], noneof their people,noneof their wealth,noranything eminentamong them.
For the scepterof wickednessshall not restupon the landof the righteous,So that the righteouswill not putforththeir handsto do wrong.
They mockand wickedlyspeakof oppression;They speakfrom on high.
His priestsfellby the sword,And His widowscould not weep.
"Do not rejoice,O Philistia,allof you, Becausethe rodthat struckyou is broken;For from the serpent'sroota viperwill comeout, And its fruitwill be a flyingserpent.
For the vineyardof the LORDof hostsis the houseof IsraelAnd the menof JudahHis delightfulplant.Thus He lookedfor justice,but behold,bloodshed;For righteousness,but behold,a cryof distress.
For You shall breakthe yokeof their burdenand the staffon their shoulders,The rodof their oppressor,as at the battleof Midian.
Thereforethussaysthe LORDin regardto Jehoiakimthe sonof Josiah,kingof Judah,"They will not lamentfor him: 'Alas,my brother!'or, 'Alas,sister!'They will not lamentfor him: 'Alasfor the master!'or, 'Alasfor his splendor!'
"Those slainby the LORDon that daywill be from one endof the earthto the other.They will not be lamented,gatheredor buried;they will be like dungon the faceof the ground.
"As a wellkeepsits watersfresh,Soshe keepsfreshher wickedness.Violenceand destructionare heardin her; Sicknessand woundsare everbeforeMe.
"Then I will make to ceasefrom the citiesof Judahand from the streetsof Jerusalemthe voiceof joyand the voiceof gladness,the voiceof the bridegroomand the voiceof the bride;for the landwill becomea ruin.
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Enough,you princesof Israel;putawayviolenceand destruction,and practicejusticeand righteousness.Stopyour expropriationsfrom My people,"declaresthe LordGOD.
Soas I live,'declaresthe LordGOD,'surely,becauseyou have defiledMy sanctuarywith allyour detestableidolsand with allyour abominations,therefore I will alsowithdraw,and My eyewill havenopityand I will not spare.
"Takeagainsomeof them and throwthem into the fireand burnthem in the fire;from it a firewill spreadto allthe houseof Israel.
"Thussaysthe LordGOD,'Clapyour hand,stampyour footand say,"Alas,becauseof allthe evilabominationsof the houseof Israel,whichwill fallby sword,famineand plague!
Even when their survivorsescape,they will be on the mountainslike dovesof the valleys,allof them mourning,eachover his own iniquity.
"And you, sonof man,thussaysthe LordGODto the landof Israel,An end!The endis comingon the fourcornersof the land.
Makethe chain,for the landis fullof bloodycrimesand the cityis fullof violence.
He saidto me, "Do you see[this], sonof man?Is it too lighta thingfor the houseof Judahto committhe abominationswhichthey have committedhere,that they have filledthe landwith violenceand provokedMe repeatedly?For behold,they are puttingthe twigto their nose.
"But they do not knowhow to dowhatis right,"declaresthe LORD,"these who hoardup violenceand devastationin their citadels."
Do you putoffthe dayof calamity,And would you bringnearthe seatof violence?
They covetfieldsand then seize[them], And houses,and take[them] away. They roba manand his house,A manand his inheritance.
Whoeatthe fleshof my people,Stripofftheir skinfrom them, Breaktheir bonesAnd chop[them] up as for the potAnd as meatin a kettle."
"For the richmenof [the] city are fullof violence,Her residentsspeaklies,And their tongueis deceitfulin their mouth.
Neithertheir silvernortheir goldWill be ableto deliverthem On the dayof the LORD'Swrath;And allthe earthwill be devouredIn the fireof His jealousy,For He will makea completeend,Indeeda terrifyingone, Of allthe inhabitantsof the earth.
For judgment[will be] mercilessto one who has shownnomercy;mercytriumphs overjudgment.
