3. Her officials within herare roaring lions;her judges are evening wolvesthat leave nothing till the morning.
4. Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy;they do violence to the law.
5. The Lord within her is righteous;he does no injustice;every morning he shows forth his justice;each dawn he does not fail;but the unjust knows no shame.
6. “I have cut off nations;their battlements are in ruins;I have laid waste their streets so that no one walks in them;their cities have been made desolate,without a man, without an inhabitant.
7. I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction.Then your dwelling would not be cut offaccording to all that I have appointed against you.’But all the more they were eagerto make all their deeds corrupt.
8. “Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord,“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey.For my decision is to gather nations,to assemble kingdoms,to pour out upon them my indignation,all my burning anger;for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.
9. “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoplesto a pure speech,that all of them may call upon the name of the Lordand serve him with one accord.
10. From beyond the rivers of Cushmy worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,shall bring my offering.