Roamשׁוֹטְטוּthrough the streetsבְּחוּצוֹתof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִַםand look,וּרְאוּplease,נָאand know,וּדְעוּand searchוּבַקְשׁוּin its squares,בִרְחוֹבוֹתֶיהָifאִםyou can findתִּמְצְאוּa man,אִישׁifאִםthere isיֵשׁone who doesעֹשֶׂהjustice,מִשְׁפָּטwho seeksמְבַקֵּשׁfaithfulness,אֱמוּנָהand I will pardon her.וְאֶסְלַח לָהּ
And thoughוְאִםthey say,יֹאמֵרוּ‘As YHWH lives,’חַי יְהֹוָהeven soלָכֵןthey swearיִשָּׁבֵעוּfalsely.לַשֶּׁקֶר
YHWH,יְהֹוָהare notהֲלוֹאyour eyesעֵינֶיךָon faithfulness?לֶאֱמוּנָהYou struck them,הִכִּיתָה אֹתָםbut they did notוְלֹאfeel pain;חָלוּyou consumed them,כִּלִּיתָםbut they refusedמֵאֲנוּto takeקַחַתcorrection.מוּסָרThey madeחִזְּקוּtheir facesפְנֵיהֶםharder than rock;מִסֶּלַעthey refusedמֵאֲנוּto return.לָשׁוּב
And Iוַאֲנִיsaid,אָמַרְתִּי“Surelyאַךְthese areהֵםpoor;דַּלִּיםthey act foolishly,נוֹאֲלוּforכִּיthey do notלֹאknowיָדְעוּthe wayדֶּרֶךְof YHWH,יְהוָהthe justiceמִשְׁפַּטof their Elohim.אֱלֹהֵיהֶם
I will goאֵלֲכָה לִּיto the greatאֶל הַגְּדֹלִיםand speak with them,וַאֲדַבְּרָה אוֹתָםforכִּיtheyהֵמָּהknowיָדְעוּthe wayדֶּרֶךְof YHWH,יְהוָהthe justiceמִשְׁפַּטof their Elohim.”אֱלֹהֵיהֶםBut theyאַךְ הֵמָּהall alikeיַחְדָּוhad brokenשָׁבְרוּthe yoke,עֹלhad torn offנִתְּקוּthe bonds.מוֹסֵרוֹת
Thereforeעַל כֵּןa lionאַרְיֵהfrom the forestמִיַּעַרwill strike them,הִכָּםa wolfזְאֵבof the steppesעֲרָבוֹתwill devastate them,יְשָׁדְדֵםa leopardנָמֵרis watchingשֹׁקֵדover their cities;עַל עָרֵיהֶםeveryoneכָּלwho goes outהַיּוֹצֵאof themמֵהֵנָּהwill be torn to pieces,יִטָּרֵףforכִּיtheir transgressionsפִּשְׁעֵיהֶםare many,רַבּוּtheir apostasiesמְשׁוּבוֹתֵיהֶםare mighty.עָצְמוּ
“Whyאֵיshould I pardonאֶסְלַחyouלָךְfor this?לָזֹאתYour childrenבָּנַיִךְhave forsaken meעֲזָבוּנִיand swornוַיִּשָּׁבְעוּby what is notבְּלֹאElohim.אֱלֹהִיםI fed them to the full,וָאַשְׂבִּעַ אוֹתָםand they committed adultery,וַיִּנְאָפוּand at the houseוּבֵיתof a prostituteזוֹנָהthey crowded together.יִתְגֹּדָדוּ
Well-fedמְיֻזָּנִיםhorsesסוּסִיםin heatמַשְׁכִּיםthey have become;הָיוּeachאִישׁneighsיִצְהָלוּafterאֶלhis neighbor’sרֵעֵהוּwife.אֵשֶׁת
Shall I notהַ לוֹאpunishאֶפְקֹדfor these things?עַל אֵלֶּהdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהֹוָהAnd on a nationוְאִם בְּגוֹיsuch as thisאֲשֶׁר כָּזֶהshall my soulנַפְשִׁיnotלֹאavenge itself?תִתְנַקֵּם
Go upעֲלוּthrough her vine rowsבְשָׁרוֹתֶיהָand destroy,וְשַׁחֵתוּbut a full endוְכָלָהdo notאַלmake;תַּעֲשׂוּremoveהָסִירוּher branches,נְטִישׁוֹתֶיהָforכִּיtheyהֵמָּהare notלוֹאYHWH’s.לַיהוָה
Forכִּיthe houseבֵּיתof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלand the houseוּבֵיתof Judahיְהוּדָהhave utterly betrayedבָגוֹד בָּגְדוּme,בִּיdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.יְהוָה
They have deniedכִּחֲשׁוּYHWHבַּיהוָהand said,וַיֹּאמְרוּ‘Notלֹאhe!הוּאAnd noוְלֹאevilרָעָהwill comeתָבוֹאupon us,עָלֵינוּand swordוְחֶרֶבand famineוְרָעָבwe will notלוֹאsee.נִרְאֶה
And the prophetsוְהַנְּבִיאִיםwill becomeיִהְיוּwind,לְרוּחַand the wordוְהַדִּבֵּרis notאֵיןin them;בָּהֶםthusכֹּהit will be doneיֵעָשֶׂהto them.’”לָהֶם
ThereforeלָכֵןthusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהוָהElohimאֱלֹהֵיTsevaot:צְבָאוֹת“Becauseיַעַןyou have spokenדַּבֶּרְכֶםthis word,אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּהlook, Iהִנְנִיam makingנֹתֵןmy wordsדְּבָרַיin your mouthבְּפִיךָfire,לְאֵשׁand this peopleוְהָעָם הַזֶּהwood,עֵצִיםand it will devour them.וַאֲכָלָתַם
Look, Iהִנְנִיam bringingמֵבִיאagainst youעֲלֵיכֶםa nationגּוֹיfrom far away,מִמֶּרְחָקhouseבֵּיתof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH;יְהֹוָהit isהוּאan enduringאֵיתָןnation,גּוֹיit isהוּאan ancientמֵעוֹלָםnation,גּוֹיa nationגּוֹיwhose languageלְשֹׁנוֹyou do notלֹאknow,תֵדַעand you will notוְלֹאunderstandתִשְׁמַעwhatמַהthey say.יְדַבֵּר
Their quiverאַשְׁפָּתוֹis like an openכְּ פָּתוּחַgrave;קֶבֶרthey are allכֻּלָּםmighty men.גִּבּוֹרִים
And they will eat upוְאָכַלyour harvestקְצִירְךָand your bread;וְלַחְמֶךָthey will eat upיֹאכְלוּyour sonsבָּנֶיךָand your daughters;וּבְנוֹתֶיךָthey will eat upיֹאכַלyour flocksצֹאנְךָand your herds;וּבְקָרֶךָthey will eat upיֹאכַלyour vineגַּפְנְךָand your fig tree;וּתְאֵנָתֶךָthey will shatterיְרֹשֵׁשׁwith the swordבֶּחָרֶבyour fortifiedמִבְצָרֶיךָcitiesעָרֵיin whichאֲשֶׁר בָּהֵנָּהyouאַתָּהtrust.בּוֹטֵחַ
But evenוְגַםin those days,בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּהdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH,יְהֹוָהI will notלֹאmakeאֶעֱשֶׂהa full endכָּלָהof you.אִתְּכֶם
And it will happen,וְהָיָהwhenכִּיyou say,תֹאמְרוּ‘Whyתַּחַת מֶהhas YHWHיְהֹוָהour Elohimאֱלֹהֵינוּdoneעָשָׂהallאֶת כָּלthese thingsאֵלֶּהto us?’לָנוּyou will say to them,וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם‘Asכַּאֲשֶׁרyou have forsaken meעֲזַבְתֶּם אוֹתִיand servedוַתַּעַבְדוּforeignנֵכָרgodsאֱלֹהֵיin your land,בְּאַרְצְכֶםsoכֵּןyou will serveתַּעַבְדוּstrangersזָרִיםin a landבְּאֶרֶץthat is notלֹאyours.’לָכֶם
Declareהַגִּידוּthisזֹאתin the houseבְּבֵיתof Jacob,יַעֲקֹבand proclaim itוְהַשְׁמִיעוּהָin Judah,בִיהוּדָהsaying,לֵאמֹר
‘Hearשִׁמְעוּnowנָאthis,זֹאתsenselessסָכָלpeopleעַםwithoutוְאֵיןheart,לֵבwho have eyesעֵינַיִם לָהֶםbut do notוְלֹאsee,יִרְאוּwho have earsאָזְנַיִם לָהֶםbut do notוְלֹאhear.יִשְׁמָעוּ
Do you notהַ לֹאfearתִירָאוּme?אוֹתִיdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.יְהֹוָהDo you notאִם לֹאtrembleתָחִילוּbefore me,מִפָּנַיwhoאֲשֶׁרplacedשַׂמְתִּיthe sandחוֹלas the boundaryגְּבוּלfor the sea,לַיָּםan eternalעוֹלָםdecree,חָקand it cannotוְלֹאpass beyond it?יַעַבְרֶנְהוּAnd they toss,וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּbut they cannotוְלֹאprevail;יוּכָלוּand its wavesגַלָּיוroar,וְהָמוּbut they cannotוְלֹאpass beyond it.יַעַבְרֻנְהוּ
But this peopleוְלָעָם הַזֶּהhasהָיָהa stubbornסוֹרֵרand rebelliousוּמוֹרֶהheart;לֵבthey have turned asideסָרוּand gone away.וַיֵּלֵכוּ
And they have notוְלֹאsaidאָמְרוּin their heart,בִלְבָבָם“Let us fearנִירָאnowנָאYHWHאֶת יְהוָהour Elohim,אֱלֹהֵינוּwho givesהַנֹּתֵןrain,גֶּשֶׁםthe earlyיוֹרֶהand the late,וּמַלְקוֹשׁin its season,בְּעִתּוֹwho keepsיִשְׁמָרfor usלָנוּthe appointedחֻקּוֹתweeksשְׁבֻעוֹתof harvest.”קָצִיר
Your iniquitiesעֲוֺנוֹתֵיכֶםhave turned awayהִטּוּthese things,אֵלֶּהand your sinsוְחַטֹּאותֵיכֶםhave withheldמָנְעוּgoodהַטּוֹבfrom you.מִכֶּם
Forכִּיamong my peopleבְעַמִּיare foundנִמְצְאוּwicked men;רְשָׁעִיםthey watchיָשׁוּרlike the crouchingכְּשַׁךְof fowlers;יְקוּשִׁיםthey setהִצִּיבוּa trap;מַשְׁחִיתthey catchיִלְכֹּדוּmen.אֲנָשִׁים
Like a cageכִּכְלוּבfullמָלֵאof birds,עוֹףsoכֵּןtheir housesבָּתֵּיהֶםare fullמְלֵאִיםof deceit;מִרְמָהthereforeעַל כֵּןthey have become greatגָּדְלוּand grown rich.וַיַּעֲשִׁירוּ
They have grown fat,שָׁמְנוּthey are sleek;עָשְׁתוּthey alsoגַּםgo beyondעָבְרוּthe deedsדִבְרֵיof evil;רָעthe causeדִּיןthey do notלֹאplead,דָנוּthe causeדִּיןof the fatherless,יָתוֹםthat they may prosper;וְיַצְלִיחוּand the justiceוּמִשְׁפַּטof the needyאֶבְיוֹנִיםthey do notלֹאdefend.שָׁפָטוּ
Shall I notהַ לֹאpunishאֶפְקֹדfor these things?עַל אֵלֶּהdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.יְהֹוָהOn a nationאִם בְּגוֹי אֲשֶׁרsuch as thisכָּזֶהshall my soulנַפְשִׁיnotלֹאavenge itself?תִתְנַקֵּם
A horrorשַׁמָּהand a horrible thingוְשַׁעֲרוּרָהhas happenedנִהְיְתָהin the land:בָּאָרֶץ
the prophetsהַנְּבִיאִיםprophesyנִבְּאוּfalsely,בַשֶּׁקֶרand the priestsוְהַכֹּהֲנִיםruleיִרְדּוּby their own hand,עַל יְדֵיהֶםand my peopleוְעַמִּיlove itאָהֲבוּso.כֵןBut whatוּמַהwill you doתַּעֲשׂוּat its end?’”לְאַחֲרִיתָהּ