The godlypersonhas perishedfrom the land,And thereis noupright[person] among men.Allof them liein waitfor bloodshed;Eachof them huntsthe otherwith a net.
He lurksin a hidingplaceas a lionin his lair;He lurksto catchthe afflicted;He catchesthe afflictedwhen he drawshim into his net.
Help,LORD,for the godlymanceasesto be, For the faithfuldisappearfrom among the sonsof men.
They speakfalsehoodto oneanother;With flatteringlipsand with a doubleheartthey speak.
They have prepareda netfor my steps;My soulis boweddown;They duga pitbeforeme; They [themselves] have falleninto the midstof it. Selah.
Ifthey say,"Comewith us, Let us liein waitfor blood,Let us ambushthe innocentwithoutcause;
The wordsof the wickedliein waitfor blood,But the mouthof the uprightwill deliverthem.
And the peoplewill be oppressed,Eachoneby another,and eachoneby his neighbor;The youthwill stormagainst the elderAnd the inferioragainst the honorable.
The righteousmanperishes,and nomantakesit to heart;And devoutmenare takenaway,while nooneunderstands.For the righteousmanis takenawayfrom evil,
Their feetrunto evil,And they hastento shedinnocentblood;Their thoughtsare thoughtsof iniquity,Devastationand destructionare in their highways.
By the furyof the LORDof hoststhe landis burnedup, And the peopleare like fuelfor the fire;Nomanspareshis brother.
"Behold,I am going to sendfor manyfishermen,"declaresthe LORD,"and they will fishfor them; and afterwardsI will sendfor manyhunters,and they will huntthem from everymountainand everyhilland from the cleftsof the rocks.
"Their quiveris like an opengrave,Allof them are mightymen.
For wickedmenare foundamong My people,They watchlike fowlerslyingin wait;They seta trap,They catchmen.
"I have listenedand heard,They have spokenwhatis not right;Nomanrepentedof his wickedness,Saying,'Whathave I done?'Everyoneturnedto his course,Like a horsecharginginto the battle.
They huntedour stepsSothat we could not walkin our streets;Our enddrewnear,Our dayswere finishedFor our endhad come.
"In you they have takenbribesto shedblood;you have takeninterestand profits,and you have injuredyour neighborsfor gainby oppression,and you have forgottenMe," declaresthe LordGOD.
Therefore,thussaysthe LordGOD,"Woeto the bloodycity,To the potin whichthere is rustAnd whose rusthas not goneout of it! Takeout of it pieceafter piece,Withoutmakinga choice.
Hearthis,O priests!Giveheed,O houseof Israel!Listen,O houseof the king!For the judgmentapplies to you, For you have beena snareat MizpahAnd a netspreadout on Tabor.
And as raiderswaitfor a man,[So] a bandof priestsmurderon the wayto Shechem;Surelythey have committedcrime.
"RecentlyMy peoplehave arisenas an enemy--You stripthe robeoffthe garmentFrom unsuspectingpassers-by,[From] those returnedfrom war.
Who buildZionwith bloodshedAnd Jerusalemwith violentinjustice.
"You who hategoodand loveevil,Who tearofftheir skinfrom them And their fleshfrom their bones,
"For I will nolongerhavepityon the inhabitantsof the land,"declaresthe LORD;"but behold,I will cause the mento fall,eachinto another'spowerand into the powerof his king;and they will strikethe land,and I will not deliver[them] from their power."
The Jewsalsojoined in the attack,assertingthat these thingswere so.
"Now, my father,see!Indeed,seethe edgeof your robein my hand!For in that I cutoffthe edgeof your robeand did not killyou, knowand perceivethat thereis noevilor rebellionin my hands,and I have not sinnedagainst you, though you are lyingin waitfor my lifeto takeit.
"Nowthen, do not let my bloodfallto the groundawayfrom the presenceof the LORD;for the kingof Israelhas comeout to searchfor a singleflea,justas one huntsa partridgein the mountains."
