"It will comeabout at that timeThat I will searchJerusalemwith lamps,And I will punishthe menWho are stagnantin spirit,Who sayin their hearts,'The LORDwill not dogoodor evil!'
Whois the Almighty,that we should serveHim, And whatwould we gainifwe entreatHim?'
The wicked,in the haughtinessof his countenance,does not seek[Him]. Allhis thoughtsare, "Thereis noGod."
The foolhas saidin his heart,"Thereis noGod."They are corrupt,they have committedabominabledeeds;Thereis noonewho doesgood.
They have said,"The LORDdoes not see,Nordoes the Godof Jacobpayheed."
Who say,"Let Him makespeed,let Him hastenHis work,that we may see[it]; And let the purposeof the HolyOneof IsraeldrawnearAnd cometo pass,that we may know[it]!"
"Like a scarecrowin a cucumberfieldare they, And they cannotspeak;They mustbe carried,Becausethey cannotwalk!Do not fearthem, For they can donoharm,Norcan they doanygood."
"Moabhas beenat easesincehis youth;He has also beenundisturbed,[like wine] on its dregs,And he has not been emptiedfrom vesselto vessel,Norhas he goneinto exile.Thereforehe retainshis flavor,And his aromahas not changed.
Then He saidto me, "Sonof man,do you seewhatthe eldersof the houseof Israelare committingin the dark,eachmanin the roomof his carvedimages?For they say,The LORDdoes not seeus; the LORDhas forsakenthe land.'"
The LORDsaidto him, "Gothrough the midstof the city,[even] through the midstof Jerusalem,and puta markon the foreheadsof the menwho sighand groanoverallthe abominationswhich are being committedin its midst."
Then He saidto me, "The iniquityof the houseof Israeland Judahis very,verygreat,and the landis filledwith bloodand the cityis fullof perversion;for they say,'The LORDhas forsakenthe land,and the LORDdoes not see!'
Woeto thosewho are at easein ZionAnd to those who [feel] securein the mountainof Samaria,The distinguishedmen of the foremostof nations,To whomthe houseof Israelcomes.
"O howEsauwill be ransacked,[And] his hiddentreasuressearchedout!
You have weariedthe LORDwith your words.Yet you say,"Howhave we wearied[Him]?" In that you say,"Everyonewho doesevilis goodin the sightof the LORD,and He delightsin them," or,"Whereis the Godof justice?"
and saying,"Whereis the promiseof His coming?For [ever] sincethe fathersfell asleep,allcontinuesjustas it was from the beginningof creation."
And I will killher childrenwith pestilence,and allthe churcheswill knowthat I amHe who searchesthe mindsand hearts;and I will giveto each oneof you accordingto your deeds.
