For the shepherdshave becomestupidAnd have not soughtthe LORD;Thereforethey have not prospered,And alltheir flockis scattered.
Everymanis stupid,devoidof knowledge;Everygoldsmithis putto shameby his idols;For his moltenimagesare deceitful,And there is nobreathin them.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
"Manyshepherdshave ruinedMy vineyard,They have trampleddownMy field;They have madeMy pleasantfieldA desolatewilderness.
"The priestsdid not say,'Whereis the LORD?'And those who handlethe lawdid not knowMe; The rulersalso transgressedagainst Me, And the prophetsprophesiedby BaalAnd walkedafterthings that did not profit.
"Thussaysthe LORD,'Writethismandownchildless,A manwho will not prosperin his days;For nomanof his descendantswill prosperSittingon the throneof DavidOr rulingagainin Judah.'"
"Their camelswill becomeplunder,And their manycattlefor booty,And I will scatterto allthe windsthose who cutthe corners[of their hair]; And I will bringtheir disasterfrom everyside,"declaresthe LORD.
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"Israelis a scatteredflock,the lionshave driven[them] away.The firstone[who] devouredhim was the kingof Assyria,and thislastone[who] has brokenhis bonesis Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon.
"The wisemenare putto shame,They are dismayedand caught;Behold,they have rejectedthe wordof the LORD,And whatkind of wisdomdo they have?
"As a shepherdcaresfor his herdin the daywhen he is amonghis scatteredsheep,soI will carefor My sheepand will deliverthem from allthe placesto whichthey were scatteredon a cloudyand gloomyday.
"My angeris kindledagainstthe shepherds,And I will punishthe malegoats;For the LORDof hostshas visitedHis flock,the houseof Judah,And will makethem like His majestichorsein battle.
"Awake,O sword,againstMy Shepherd,And againstthe man,My Associate,"Declaresthe LORDof hosts."Strikethe Shepherdthat the sheepmay be scattered;And I will turnMy handagainstthe littleones.
