Thereforea lionfrom the forestwill slaythem, A wolfof the desertswill destroythem, A leopardis watchingtheir cities.Everyonewho goesout of them will be tornin pieces,Becausetheir transgressionsare many,Their apostasiesare numerous.
Furthermore,allthe officialsof the priestsand the peoplewere veryunfaithful[following] allthe abominationsof the nations;and they defiledthe houseof the LORDwhichHe had sanctifiedin Jerusalem.
Then Ezrathe prieststoodup and saidto them, "You have beenunfaithfuland have marriedforeignwivesaddingto the guiltof Israel.
and I said,"O my God,I am ashamedand embarrassedto liftup my faceto You, my God,for our iniquitieshave risenaboveour headsand our guilthas grownevento the heavens.
Should [my head] be liftedup, You would huntme like a lion;And againYou would showYour poweragainst me.
You appointdarknessand it becomesnight,In which allthe beastsof the forestprowlabout.
A boarfrom the foresteatsit awayAnd whatevermovesin the fieldfeedson it.
Your rulersare rebelsAnd companionsof thieves;Everyonelovesa bribeAnd chasesafter rewards.They do not defendthe orphan,Nordoes the widow'spleacomebeforethem.
For our transgressionsare multipliedbeforeYou, And our sinstestifyagainst us; For our transgressionsare with us, And we knowour iniquities:
"Althoughour iniquitiestestifyagainst us, O LORD,actfor Your name'ssake!Trulyour apostasieshave beenmany,We have sinnedagainst You.
"The younglionshave roaredat him, They have roaredloudly.And they have madehis landa waste;His citieshave been destroyed,withoutinhabitant.
"Have you not donethisto yourself By your forsakingthe LORDyour GodWhenHe ledyou in the way?
"Your own wickednesswill correctyou, And your apostasieswill reproveyou; Knowtherefore and seethat it is eviland bitterFor you to forsakethe LORDyour God,And the dreadof Me is not in you," declaresthe LordGODof hosts.
"O generation,heedthe wordof the LORD.Have I beena wildernessto Israel,Ora landof thickdarkness?Whydo My peoplesay,We [are free to] roam;We will nolongercometo You'?
"He has leftHis hidingplacelike the lion;For their landhas becomea horrorBecauseof the fiercenessof the oppressing[sword] And becauseof His fierceanger."
Allyour lovershave forgottenyou, They do not seekyou; For I have woundedyou with the woundof an enemy,With the punishmentof a cruelone,Becauseyour iniquityis great[And] your sinsare numerous.
Whydo you cryout overyour injury?Your painis incurable.Becauseyour iniquityis great[And] your sinsare numerous,I have donethesethingsto you.
The fierceangerof the LORDwill not turnbackUntilHe has performedand untilHe has accomplishedThe intentof His heart;In the latterdaysyou will understandthis.
"A lionhas goneup from his thicket,And a destroyerof nationshas setout; He has goneout from his placeTo makeyour landa waste.Your citieswill be ruinsWithoutinhabitant.
"Behold,one will comeup like a lionfrom the thicketsof the Jordanagainsta perenniallywatered pasture;for in an instantI will make him runaway from it, and whoeveris chosenI shall appointoverit. For whois likeMe, and whowill summonMe [into court]? And whothenis the shepherdwhocan standagainstMe?"
"Whythen has thispeople,Jerusalem,Turnedawayin continualapostasy?They holdfastto deceit,They refuseto return.
"Eventhe storkin the skyKnowsher seasons;And the turtledoveand the swiftand the thrushObservethe timeof their migration;But My peopledo not knowThe ordinanceof the LORD.
Her adversarieshave becomeher masters,Her enemiesprosper;For the LORDhas causedher griefBecauseof the multitudeof her transgressions;Her littleoneshave goneaway As captivesbeforethe adversary.
"You builtyourself a highplaceat the topof everystreetand madeyour beautyabominable,and you spreadyour legsto everypasser-byto multiplyyour harlotry.
"Her princeswithinher are like wolvestearingthe prey,by sheddingblood[and] destroyinglivesin orderto getdishonestgain.
"Yet she multipliedher harlotries,rememberingthe daysof her youth,whenshe playedthe harlotin the landof Egypt.
"The first[was] like a lionand had [the] wingsof an eagle.I keptlookinguntilits wingswere plucked,and it was liftedup from the groundand madeto standon two feetlike a man;a humanmindalso was givento it.
"AfterthisI keptlooking,and behold,anotherone, like a leopard,whichhad on its backfourwingsof a bird;the beastalso had fourheads,and dominionwas givento it.
For I [will be] like a lionto EphraimAnd like a younglionto the houseof Judah.I, even I, will tearto pieces and goaway, I will carryaway, and therewill be noneto deliver.
"Their horsesare swifterthanleopardsAnd keenerthanwolvesin the evening.Their horsemencomegalloping,Their horsemencomefrom afar;They flylike an eagleswooping[down] to devour.
Her princeswithinher are roaringlions,Her judgesare wolvesat evening;They leavenothingfor the morning.
"Now behold,you have risenup in your fathers'place,a broodof sinfulmen,to addstillmoreto the burningangerof the LORDagainstIsrael.
And the beastwhichI sawwas likea leopard,and his feetwere like[those] of a bear,and his mouthlikethe mouthof a lion.And the dragongavehim his powerand his throneand greatauthority.
