1. Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, The tyrannical city!
2. She heeded no voice, She accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the Lord, She did not draw near to her God.
3. Her princes within her are roaring lions, Her judges are wolves at evening; They leave nothing for the morning.
4. Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
5. The Lord is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.
6. "I have cut off nations; Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, With no one passing by; Their cities are laid waste, Without a man, without an inhabitant.
7. "I said, 'Surely you will revere Me, Accept instruction.' So her dwelling will not be cut off According to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
8. "Therefore wait for Me," declares the Lord, "For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal.
9. "For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
10. "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, Will bring My offerings.
11. "In that day you will feel no shame Because of all your deeds By which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst Your proud, exulting ones, And you will never again be haughty On My holy mountain.
12. "But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.