"Were they ashamedbecauseof the abominationthey had done?They certainlywere not ashamed,And they did not knowhow to blush;Thereforethey shall fallamong those who fall;At the timeof their punishmentthey shall be broughtdown,"Saysthe LORD.
On the followingday,the firstbornsaidto the younger,"Behold,I laylastnightwith my father;let us make him drinkwinetonightalso;then you goin and liewith him, that we may preserveour familythroughour father."
Whydo you boastin evil,O mightyman?The lovingkindnessof God[endures] alldaylong.
"Behold,the manwho would not makeGodhis refuge,But trustedin the abundanceof his riches[And] was strongin his [evil] desire."
And the peoplewill be like the priest,the servantlike his master,the maidlike her mistress,the buyerlike the seller,the lenderlike the borrower,the creditorlike the debtor.
The expressionof their facesbearswitnessagainst them, And they displaytheir sinlike Sodom;They do not [even] conceal[it]. Woeto them! For they have broughtevilon themselves.
They are worthless,a workof mockery;In the timeof their punishmentthey will perish.
"Thereforethussaysthe LORDconcerningthe prophetswho are prophesyingin My name,although it was not I who sentthem-- yet they keep saying,'There will be noswordor faminein thisland--by swordand faminethoseprophetsshall meettheir end!
"Thereforetheir waywill be like slipperypathsto them, They will be drivenawayinto the gloomand falldownin it; For I will bringcalamityupon them, The yearof their punishment,"declaresthe LORD.
"Therefore the showershave been withheld,And there has beennospringrain.Yet you hada harlot'sforehead;You refusedto be ashamed.
"But they have not becomecontriteeven to thisday,norhave they fearednorwalkedin My lawor My statutes,whichI have setbeforeyou and beforeyour fathers."'
"Were they ashamedbecauseof the abominationthey have done?They were not evenashamedat all;They did not evenknowhow to blush.Thereforethey shall fallamong those who fall;At the timethat I punishthem, They shall be castdown,"saysthe LORD.
Therefore,thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am layingstumblingblocksbeforethispeople.And they will stumbleagainst them, Fathersand sonstogether;Neighborand friendwill perish."
"She uncoveredher harlotriesand uncoveredher nakedness;then I becamedisgustedwith her, as I had becomedisgustedwith her sister.
Ephraimwill becomea desolationin the dayof rebuke;Among the tribesof IsraelI declarewhat is sure.
The LORDis righteouswithinher; He will donoinjustice.EverymorningHe bringsHis justiceto light;He does not fail.But the unjustknowsnoshame.
Vengeanceis Mine, and retribution,In due timetheir footwill slip;For the dayof their calamityis near,And the impendingthingsare hasteningupon them.'
whoseendis destruction,whosegodis [their] appetite,and [whose] gloryis in their shame,who set their mindson earthly things.
