"Do they spiteMe?" declaresthe LORD."Is it not themselves [they spite], to their ownshame?"
"Sincethe daysof our fathersto thisdaywe [have been] in greatguilt,and on account of our iniquitieswe, our kings[and] our priestshave been giveninto the handof the kingsof the lands,to the sword,to captivityand to plunderand to openshame,as [it is] thisday.
"Ifyou have sinned,whatdo you accomplishagainst Him? And if your transgressionsare many,whatdo you doto Him?
"But ifyou refuseand rebel,You will be devouredby the sword."Truly,the mouthof the LORDhas spoken.
Thereforethe LordGODof hosts,The MightyOneof Israel,declares,"Ah,I will be relievedof My adversariesAnd avengeMyself on My foes.
They will be putto shameand evenhumiliated,allof them; The manufacturersof idolswill goaway togetherin humiliation.
"She who boreseven[sons] pinesaway;Her breathingis labored.Her sunhas setwhile it was yetday;She has beenshamedand humiliated.So I will giveover their survivorsto the swordBeforetheir enemies,"declaresthe LORD.
"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.
But the LORDis with me like a dreadchampion;Thereforemy persecutorswill stumbleand not prevail.They will be utterlyashamed,becausethey have failed,With an everlastingdisgracethat will not be forgotten.
"The windwill sweepawayallyour shepherds,And your loverswill gointo captivity;Thenyou will surelybe ashamedand humiliatedBecauseof allyour wickedness.
"Yet you have not listenedto Me," declaresthe LORD,"in orderthat you might provokeMe to angerwith the workof your handsto your own harm.
"Let us liedownin our shame,and let our humiliationcoverus; for we have sinnedagainst the LORDour God,we and our fathers,from our youtheven to thisday.And we have not obeyedthe voiceof the LORDour God."
becauseof their wickednesswhichthey committedso as to provokeMe to angerby continuingto burnsacrifices[and] to serveothergodswhomthey had not known,[neither] they, you, noryour fathers.
Behold,listen!The cryof the daughterof my peoplefrom a distantland:"Is the LORDnot in Zion?Is her Kingnot within her?" "Whyhave they provokedMe with their gravenimages,with foreignidols?"
"For a voiceof wailingis heardfrom Zion,Howare we ruined!We are putto greatshame,For we have leftthe land,Becausethey have castdownour dwellings.'"
"You also playedthe harlotwith the Egyptians,your lustfulneighbors,and multipliedyour harlotryto makeMe angry.
Ordo we provokethe Lordto jealousy?We are not strongerthan He, are we?
"They madeHim jealouswith strange[gods]; With abominationsthey provokedHim to anger.
