CHAPTER 3
1Woe, sullied and besmirched,
oppressive city!
2She heeded not the voice,
did not accept reproof.
In the LORD she did not trust,
nor drew near to her God.
3Her nobles within her
are roaring lions
Her judges are wolves of the steppes,
they gnawed all the bones by morning.
4Her prophets are unsteady,
men of treachery.
Her priests profaned the holy,
did outrage to the teaching.
5The LORD is righteous in her midst,
He does not do wrong.
Morning after morning He brings His justice to light—
it never lacks.
But the wrongdoer knows no shame.
6I have cut off nations,
their corner-towers are devastated.
I have destroyed their streets
with none passing by.
Their towns are demolished,
with no men, without dwellers.
7I said, “If you but fear Me,
if you accept reproof,
her abode will not be cut off,
all that I had summoned against her.”
Yet they continued acting ruinously
in all their deeds.
8Therefore, wait for Me, said the LORD,
for the day I rise as witness,
for My judgment is to gather in nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
to pour out My wrath upon them,
all my smoldering anger.
all the earth shall be consumed.
9For then will I transform peoples
for them all to call in the name of the LORD,
to serve Him with single intent.
10From beyond the rivers of Cush
they who entreat Me, whom I dispersed,
shall bring My tribute.
11On that day:
You shall not be shamed by all your acts
in which you trespassed against Me,
for then will I remove from your midst
those merry with your pride,
and no longer shall you be haughty
on My holy mountain.
12And I will leave in your midst
and they shall shelter in the LORD’s name.
13They shall do no wrong
nor speak lies,
and there shall be in their mouth
no tongue of deceit,
but they shall graze and bed down,
and none shall make them tremble.
14Sing gladly, Daughter Zion,
shout out, Israel.
Rejoice and delight with whole heart,
O Daughter Jerusalem.
15The LORD has set aside your judgments
removed your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst.
You need no longer fear evil.
16On that day shall it be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion,
let not your hands fall slack.
The LORD your God is in your midst,
a rescuing warrior.
He delights over you with rejoicing,
He exults over you with glad song.
17Those sorrowing from lack of festivals, bearing her disgrace,
I will gather from you.
I am about to deal with all your tormentors at that time.
18And I will rescue the lame,
and the scattered I will gather,
and I will make them a glorious name
through all the land of their shame.
19At that time I will bring you,
at that time gather you,
for I will make you a glorious name
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your eyes.
—said the LORD.