1. Roam through the streets of Jerusalem.Look and take note;search in her squares.If you find one person, any who acts justly,who seeks to be faithful,then I will forgive her.
2. When they say, “As the Lord lives,” they are swearing falsely.
3. Lord, don’t Your eyes look for faithfulness? You have struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off,but they refused to accept discipline. They made their faces harder than rock, and they refused to return.
4. Then I thought:They are just the poor;they have played the fool.For they don’t understand the way of the Lord, the justice of their God.
5. I will go to the powerfuland speak to them.Surely they know the way of the Lord,the justice of their God. However, these also had broken the yokeand torn off the chains.
6. Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down. A wolf from an arid plain will ravage them.A leopard keeps watch over their cities.Anyone who leaves them will be torn to piecesbecause their rebellious acts are many, their unfaithful deeds numerous.
7. Why should I forgive you?Your children have abandoned Meand sworn by those who are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery; they gashed themselves at the prostitute’s house.
8. They are well-fed, eager stallions, each neighing after someone else’s wife.