21. Death has climbed in through our windowsand has entered our strong cities.Death has taken away our children who play in the streetsand the young men who meet in the city squares.
22. Say, “This is what the Lord says:‘The dead bodies of people will liein the open field like dung.They will lie like grain a farmer has cut,but there will be no one to gather them.’ ”
23. This is what the Lord says:“The wise must not brag about their wisdom.The strong must not brag about their strength.The rich must not brag about their money.
24. But if people want to brag, let them bragthat they understand and know me.Let them brag that I am the Lord,and that I am kind and fair,and that I do things that are right on earth.This kind of bragging pleases me,” says the Lord.
25. The Lord says, “The time is coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh:
26. the people of Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and the desert people who cut their hair short. The men in all those countries are not circumcised. And the whole family of Israel does not give itself to serving me.”