Justiceis turnedback,And righteousnessstandsfaraway;For truthhas stumbledin the street,And uprightnesscannotenter.
and seattwoworthlessmenbeforehim, and let them testifyagainst him, saying,You cursedGodand the king.'Then takehim out and stonehim to death."
So the menof his city,the eldersand the nobleswholivedin his city,didas Jezebelhad sent[word] to them, justas it was writtenin the letterswhichshe had sentthem.
Those who followafter wickednessdrawnear;They are farfrom Your law.
Furthermore,I have seenunderthe sun[that] in the placeof justicethereis wickednessand in the placeof righteousnessthereis wickedness.
Howthe faithfulcityhas becomea harlot,She [who] was fullof justice!Righteousnessonce lodgedin her, But nowmurderers.
"Listento Me, you stubborn-minded,Who are farfrom righteousness.
Who justifythe wickedfor a bribe,And takeawaythe rightsof the ones whoare in the right!
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.
Allof us growllike bears,And moansadlylike doves;We hopefor justice,but thereis none,For salvation,[but] it is farfrom us.
Noonesuesrighteouslyand noonepleadshonestly.They trustin confusionand speaklies;They conceivemischiefand bringforthiniquity.
Thereforejusticeis farfrom us, And righteousnessdoes not overtakeus; We hopefor light,but behold,darkness,For brightness,but we walkin gloom.
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"You shall sayto them, 'Thisis the nationthat did not obeythe voiceof the LORDtheir Godor acceptcorrection;truthhas perishedand has been cutofffrom their mouth.
And on account of transgressionthe hostwill be givenover [to the horn] alongwith the regularsacrifice;and it will flingtruthto the groundand perform[its will] and prosper.
When I would healIsrael,The iniquityof Ephraimis uncovered,And the evildeedsof Samaria,For they dealfalsely;The thiefentersin, Banditsraidoutside,
Thereforebecauseyou imposeheavyrenton the poorAnd exacta tributeof grainfrom them, [Though] you have builthousesof well-hewnstone,Yet you will not livein them; You have plantedpleasantvineyards,yet you will not drinktheir wine.
[For] those who turnjusticeinto wormwoodAnd castrighteousnessdownto the earth."
Do horsesrunon rocks?Ordoes one plowthem with oxen?Yetyou have turnedjusticeinto poisonAnd the fruitof righteousnessinto wormwood,
Thereforethe lawis ignoredAnd justiceis neverupheld.For the wickedsurroundthe righteous;Thereforejusticecomesout perverted.
