"For the richmenof [the] city are fullof violence,Her residentsspeaklies,And their tongueis deceitfulin their mouth.
Delivermy soul,O LORD,from lyinglips,From a deceitfultongue.
For they do not speakpeace,But they devisedeceitfulwordsagainstthose whoare quietin the land.
But they deceivedHim with their mouthAnd liedto Him with their tongue.
Your rulersare rebelsAnd companionsof thieves;Everyonelovesa bribeAnd chasesafter rewards.They do not defendthe orphan,Nordoes the widow'spleacomebeforethem.
For Jerusalemhas stumbledand Judahhas fallen,Becausetheir speechand their actionsare againstthe LORD,To rebelagainst His gloriouspresence.
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.
"Their tongueis a deadlyarrow;It speaksdeceit;With his mouthone speakspeaceto his neighbor,But inwardlyhe setsan ambushfor him.
When I would healIsrael,The iniquityof Ephraimis uncovered,And the evildeedsof Samaria,For they dealfalsely;The thiefentersin, Banditsraidoutside,
Woeto them, for they have strayedfrom Me! Destructionis theirs, for they have rebelledagainst Me! I would redeemthem, but they speakliesagainstMe.
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Judahand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey rejectedthe lawof the LORDAnd have not keptHis statutes;Their liesalso have ledthem astray,Those afterwhichtheir fatherswalked.
Those who reclineon bedsof ivoryAnd sprawlon their couches,And eatlambsfrom the flockAnd calvesfrom the midstof the stall,
"And I will punishon that dayallwho leapon the [temple] threshold,Who fillthe houseof their lordwith violenceand deceit.
Her princeswithinher are roaringlions,Her judgesare wolvesat evening;They leavenothingfor the morning.
The Jewsalsojoined in the attack,assertingthat these thingswere so.
"THEIR THROATIS AN OPENGRAVE,WITH THEIR TONGUESTHEY KEEP DECEIVING,""THE POISONOF ASPSIS UNDERTHEIR LIPS";
