3 It will be very bad for the city!
It is like something that is dirty.
Its people will not obey me. They like to fight weak people. They also like to do bad things.
2 They do not listen to anyone's voice.
Nobody can warn them that they are doing wrong things.
They do not trust in the Lord .
They do not come near to their God.
3 The rulers of the city make a very loud noise with their voices like big wild animals.
Its judges are like hungry wolves.
They are like wolves that have even eaten all an animal's bones before morning.
4 Its prophets do not know what to think.
People cannot trust them.
Its priests have done wrong things,
even in God's holy house.
They have also made changes to God's rules.
They have made changes that they want.
5 But the Lord is among all the people in the city. [ a ]
He will do what is right.
He is always the honest judge.
He never fails.
But the bad people do not know how to be ashamed.
6 ‘I have destroyed nations,’ the Lord says.
‘There is nobody in their strong towers now.
I have made their streets empty, so no people are there.
I have destroyed their cities.
So nobody lives in them now.
7 I said, “Now people in the city will respect me!
Now they will agree when people warn them.”
The people would have been safe if they had accepted it.
Then I would not have to destroy them.
But it did not happen. I had to punish them.
Still, the people got up early to do bad things.
8 So wait for me,
I will stand up and I will punish the nations.
I have decided to bring together the nations and the people that kings rule over.
Then I will punish them very, very much.
They will see how angry I am.
They will see it because, on that day, I will burn all the earth.’
That is what the Lord says.
9 ‘Then I will give to people lips that I have made pure.
With those lips, they will call me Lord . [ b ]
And then, all the people will agree to work together for me.’
10 ‘Some people live a long way beyond the rivers of Cush.
Yes, my people who pray went away to many other countries.
They will return and they will carry their gifts to me.
11 At that time, you will not have to be ashamed
of the wrong things that you have done against me.
But I will take away those who do not see anything wrong in themselves.
Those people will not call each other
“the people who live on God's holy mountain”.
12 But I will let the poor people remain there.
These are the people who have had bad times.
These are the people who will trust me. And they will call me Lord .
13 I will let those people stay there.
They will not do any bad things.
They will only say things that are true.
They will say honest things.
They will eat well and they will sleep well.
Nobody will make them afraid.’
14 Sing, you people in Zion. You are my own people, like my own daughter.
Shout, you people in Israel!
Be very, very happy, my people in Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has not punished you as he would have done.
He has sent your enemy away.
I, the King of Israel, am with you!
The bad times have gone.
They will not happen again!
16 On that special day, this will be my message for Jerusalem.
‘Do not be afraid now! Do not be weak now!
17 The Lord , your God, is with you.
He is strong. He will save you.
He will be very happy about you!
He will quietly love you.
He will sing, because he is so happy about you!
18 I will bring together those people among you who want to meet together again.
You want to meet again to pray. And you want to meet again to praise God.
You have had enough cruel words from your enemies.
19 Look! At that time, I will punish
all those people who hurt you.
I will save those who cannot walk well.
I will bring back the people that the enemy has sent away.
I will cause people in every country to know about you. I will cause them to praise you.
20 At that time, I will bring you back to your home.
I will bring you back together.
I will give you a good name among all the people on the earth.
That is what I will do. I will stop your troubles. And you will see it happen.’
That is what the Lord says.
3 Jerusalem, your people fought against God. They hurt other people, and you have been stained with sin. 2 They didn’t listen to me or accept my teachings. Jerusalem didn’t trust the Lord . Jerusalem didn’t go to her God. 3 Jerusalem’s leaders are like roaring lions. Her judges are like hungry wolves that come in the evening to attack the sheep—and in the morning nothing is left. 4 Her prophets are always making secret plans to get more and more. Her priests have treated holy things as if they were not holy. They have done bad things to God’s teachings. 5 But the Lord is still in that city, and he continues to be good. He does not do anything wrong. He continues to help his people. Morning after morning he makes good decisions for them. Not a day passes without his justice. He never gives a decision that is crooked or is something to be ashamed of.
6 The Lord says, “I have destroyed whole nations and their defense towers. I destroyed their streets and now no one goes there anymore. Their cities are empty—no one lives there anymore. 7 I tell you this so that you will learn a lesson. I want you to fear and respect me. If you do this, your home will not be destroyed, and I will not have to punish you the way I planned.” But those evil people only wanted to do more of the same evil things they had already done!
8 The Lord said, “So just wait! Wait for me to stand and judge you. I have the right to bring people from many nations and use them to punish you. I will use them to show my anger against you. I will use them to show how upset I am—and the whole country will be destroyed. 9 Then I will change people from other nations so that they can speak the language clearly and call out the name of the Lord . They will all worship me together, shoulder to shoulder, as one people. 10 People will come all the way from the other side of the river in Ethiopia. My scattered people will come to me. My worshipers will come and bring their gifts to me.
11 “Then, Jerusalem, you will no longer be ashamed of the wrong things your people do against me. That is because I will remove all the bad people from Jerusalem. I will take away all the proud people. There will not be any of them on my holy mountain. [ a ] 12 I will let only meek and humble people stay in my city, and they will trust the Lord ’s name. 13 The survivors of Israel will not do bad things or tell lies. They will not try to trick people with lies. They will be like sheep that eat and lie down in peace—and no one will bother them.”
14 Jerusalem, sing and be happy!
Israel, shout for joy!
Jerusalem, be happy and have fun!
15 The Lord stopped your punishment.
He destroyed your enemies’ strong towers.
King of Israel, the Lord is with you.
You don’t need to worry about anything bad happening.
16 At that time Jerusalem will be told,
“Be strong, don’t be afraid!
17 The Lord your God is with you.
He is like a powerful soldier.
He will save you.
He will show how much he loves you
and how happy he is with you.
He will laugh and be happy about you,
18 like people at a party.
I will take away your shame.
I will make them stop hurting you. [ b ]
19 At that time I will punish those who hurt you.
I will save my hurt people
and bring back those who were forced to leave.
I will give them praise and honor everywhere,
even in places where they suffered shame.
20 At that time I will lead you back home.
I will bring your people back together.
I will cause people everywhere to honor and praise you.
You will see me bring back all the blessings you once had.”
This is what the Lord said.
3 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord ; she drew not near to her God.
3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.
4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord , until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord , to serve him with one consent.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord .
13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord , is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord .
3 Woe to her who is ( A ) rebellious and ( B ) defiled,
The ( C ) oppressive city!
2 She ( D ) obeyed no voice,
She ( E ) accepted no discipline.
She did not ( F ) trust in the Lord ,
She did not ( G ) approach her God.
3 Her ( H ) leaders within her are roaring lions,
Her judges are ( I ) wolves at evening;
They have no bones to gnaw in the morning.
4 Her prophets are ( J ) insolent, treacherous men;
Her ( K ) priests have profaned the sanctuary.
They have done violence to the Law.
5 The Lord is ( L ) righteous ( M ) within her;
He will ( N ) do no injustice.
( O ) Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He [ a ] does not fail.
But the [ b ] criminal ( P ) knows no shame.
6 “I have eliminated nations;
Their corner towers are deserted.
I have ( Q ) laid waste their streets,
With no one passing by;
Their ( R ) cities have been laid waste,
Without a person, ( S ) without an inhabitant.
7 I said, ‘You will certainly revere Me,
You will ( T ) accept discipline.’
So her dwelling will ( U ) not be eliminated
In accordance with everything that I have stipulated for her.
Instead, they were eager to ( V ) corrupt all their deeds.
8 “Therefore ( W ) wait for Me,” declares the Lord ,
“For the day when I rise up as a witness.
Indeed, My decision is to ( X ) gather nations,
To assemble kingdoms,
To pour out on them My indignation,
All My burning anger;
For ( Y ) all the earth will be devoured
By the fire of My zeal.
9 For then I will [ c ] restore to the peoples ( Z ) pure lips,
So that all of them may ( AA ) call on the name of the Lord ,
To serve Him [ d ] shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of ( AB ) Ethiopia
My worshipers, [ e ] My dispersed ones,
Will ( AC ) bring My offerings.
11 On that day you will ( AD ) feel no shame
Because of all your deeds
By which you have rebelled against Me;
For then I will remove from your midst
Your ( AE ) proud, arrogant ones,
And you will never again be haughty
On My ( AF ) holy mountain.
12 But I will leave among you
A ( AG ) humble and lowly people,
And they will ( AH ) take refuge in the name of the Lord .
13 The ( AI ) remnant of Israel will ( AJ ) do no wrong
And ( AK ) tell no lies,
Nor will a deceitful tongue
Be found in their mouths;
For they will ( AL ) feed and lie down
With no one to frighten them .”
14 Shout for joy, daughter of Zion!
( AM ) Shout in triumph , Israel!
Rejoice and triumph with all your heart,
Daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away ( AN ) His judgments against you,
He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord , is ( AO ) in your midst;
You will no longer ( AP ) fear disaster.
16 ( AQ ) On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“ ( AR ) Do not be afraid, Zion;
( AS ) Do not let your hands fall limp.
17 The Lord your God is ( AT ) in your midst,
A [ f ] ( AU ) victorious warrior.
He will ( AV ) rejoice over you with joy,
He will [ g ] be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
18 I will gather those who are ( AW ) worried about the appointed feasts—
They [ h ] came from you, Zion ;
The disgrace of exile is a burden on [ i ] them.
19 Behold, I am going to deal at that time
With all your ( AX ) oppressors;
I will save ( AY ) those who limp
And gather the scattered,
And I will turn their ( AZ ) shame into ( BA ) praise and fame
In all the earth.
20 At that time I will ( BB ) bring you in,
Even at the time when I gather you together;
Indeed, I will make you ( BC ) famous and praiseworthy
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I ( BD ) restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
Says the Lord .
3 Woe to the city of oppressors, ( A )
rebellious ( B ) and defiled! ( C )
2 She obeys ( D ) no one,
she accepts no correction. ( E )
She does not trust ( F ) in the Lord ,
she does not draw near ( G ) to her God.
3 Her officials within her
are roaring lions; ( H )
her rulers are evening wolves, ( I )
who leave nothing for the morning. ( J )
4 Her prophets are unprincipled;
they are treacherous people. ( K )
Her priests profane the sanctuary
and do violence to the law. ( L )
5 The Lord within her is righteous; ( M )
he does no wrong. ( N )
Morning by morning ( O ) he dispenses his justice,
and every new day he does not fail, ( P )
yet the unrighteous know no shame. ( Q )
6 “I have destroyed nations;
their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste; ( R )
they are deserted and empty.
7 Of Jerusalem I thought,
‘Surely you will fear me
and accept correction!’ ( S )
Then her place of refuge [ a ] would not be destroyed,
nor all my punishments come upon [ b ] her.
But they were still eager
to act corruptly ( T ) in all they did.
8 Therefore wait ( U ) for me,”
declares the Lord ,
“for the day I will stand up to testify. [ c ]
I have decided to assemble ( V ) the nations, ( W )
to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath ( X ) on them—
all my fierce anger. ( Y )
The whole world will be consumed ( Z )
by the fire of my jealous anger.
9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call ( AA ) on the name of the Lord ( AB )
and serve ( AC ) him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush [ d ] ( AD )
my worshipers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings. ( AE )
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame ( AF )
for all the wrongs you have done to me, ( AG )
because I will remove from you
your arrogant boasters. ( AH )
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill. ( AI )
12 But I will leave within you
the meek ( AJ ) and humble.
The remnant of Israel
will trust ( AK ) in the name of the Lord .
13 They ( AL ) will do no wrong; ( AM )
they will tell no lies. ( AN )
A deceitful tongue
will not be found in their mouths. ( AO )
They will eat and lie down ( AP )
and no one will make them afraid. ( AQ ) ”
14 Sing, Daughter Zion; ( AR )
shout aloud, ( AS ) Israel!
Be glad and rejoice ( AT ) with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord , the King of Israel, is with you; ( AU )
never again will you fear ( AV ) any harm. ( AW )
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp. ( AX )
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves. ( AY )
He will take great delight ( AZ ) in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you, ( BA )
but will rejoice over you with singing.” ( BB )
18 “I will remove from you
all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed ( BC ) you.
I will rescue the lame;
I will gather the exiles. ( BD )
I will give them praise ( BE ) and honor
in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring ( BF ) you home.
I will give you honor ( BG ) and praise ( BH )
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes [ e ] ( BI )
before your very eyes,”
says the Lord .
