¶ Run ye¹ to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek² in the broad places thereof, if ye can³ find a man, if there⁴ be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh⁵ the truth; and I will pardon it.

And though⁶ they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.

O LORD, are not thine⁷ eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken⁸ them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made⁹ their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

¹⁰Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

I will get me¹¹ unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these¹² have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

Wherefore a lion¹³ out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf¹⁴ of the evenings¹⁵ shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because¹⁶ their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased¹⁷.

How shall¹⁸ I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by¹⁹ them that are no gods²⁰: when I had fed²¹ them to the full, they then²² committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops²³ in the harlots' houses.

They were as fed horses in the morning: every one²⁴ neighed after his neighbour's wife.

Shall I not visit²⁵ for these things? saith the LORD: and shall²⁶ not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

¶ Go ye up²⁸ upon her walls, and destroy; but make²⁹ not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not³¹ the LORD'S.

For the house³² of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.

They have belied³³ the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither³⁴ shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:

And the prophets³⁵ shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.

Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make³⁶ my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Lo, I will³⁷ bring a nation upon you from far, O house³⁸ of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty³⁹ nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation⁴⁰ whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

⁴¹Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

And they⁴² shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish⁴³ thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make⁴⁴ a full end with you.

And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore⁴⁵ doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as⁴⁶ ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

¶ Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

Hear now this, O foolish⁴⁷ people, and without understanding⁴⁸; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

Fear ye not⁴⁹ me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble⁵⁰ at my presence, which have placed⁵¹ the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

But this people hath a revolting⁵² and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

Neither say they in their heart, Let us now⁵³ fear the LORD our God, that giveth⁵⁴ rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed⁵⁵ weeks of the harvest.

¶⁵⁶Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

For⁵⁷ among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait⁵⁸, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch⁵⁹ men.

As a cage⁶⁰ is full of birds, so are⁶¹ their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

They are waxen⁶² fat, they shine: yea, they overpass⁶³ the deeds of the wicked: they judge⁶⁴ not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet⁶⁵ they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

⁶⁶Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

¶ A wonderful and horrible thing⁶⁷ is committed in the land;

The prophets⁶⁸ prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule⁶⁹ by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what⁷⁰ will ye do in the end thereof?