05:001

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her

05:002

And though they say: 'As HaShem liveth', surely they swear falsely

05:003

O HaShem, are not Thine eyes upon truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they were not affected; Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return

05:004

And I said: 'Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they know not the way of HaShem, nor the ordinance of their G-d

05:005

I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of HaShem, and the ordinance of their G-d.' But these had altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bands

05:006

Wherefore a lion out of the forest doth slay them, a wolf of the deserts doth spoil them, a leopard watcheth over their cities, every one that goeth out thence is torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, their backslidings are increased

05:007

Wherefore should I pardon thee? The children have forsaken Me, and sworn by no-gods; and when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlots' houses

05:008

They are become as well-fed horses, lusty stallions; every one neigheth after his neighbour's wife

05:009

Shall I not punish for these things? saith HaShem; and shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this

05:010

Go ye up into her rows, and destroy, but make not a full end; take away her shoots; for they are not HaShem'S

05:011

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against Me, saith HaShem

05:012

They have belied HaShem, and said: 'It is not He, neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine

05:013

And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them; thus be it done unto them.

05:014

Wherefore thus saith HaShem, the G-d of hosts: Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make My words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them

05:015

Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith HaShem; it is an enduring nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say

05:016

Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men

05:017

And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy bread, they shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds, they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall batter thy fortified cities, wherein thou trusteth, with the sword

05:018

But even in those days, saith HaShem, I will not make a full end with you

05:019

And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say: 'Wherefore hath HaShem our G-d done all these things unto us?' then shalt Thou say unto them: 'Like as ye have forsaken Me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

05:020

Declare ye this in the house of Jacob, and announce it in Judah, saying

05:021

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding, that have eyes, and see not, that have ears, and hear not

05:022

Fear ye not Me? saith HaShem; will ye not tremble at My presence? who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, an everlasting ordinance, which it cannot pass; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it

05:023

But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted, and gone

05:024

Neither say they in their heart: 'Let us now fear HaShem our G-d, that giveth the former rain, and the latter in due season; that keepeth for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

05:025

Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you

05:026

For among My people are found wicked men; they pry, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men

05:027

As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit; therefore they are become great, and waxen rich

05:028

They are waxen fat, they are become sleek; yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they might make it to prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge

05:029

Shall I not punish for these things? saith HaShem; shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this

05:030

An appalling and horrible thing is come to pass in the land

05:031

The prophets prophesy in the service of falsehood, and the priests bear rule at their beck; and My people love to have it so; what then will ye do in the end thereof