5. The just Lord resides within her;he commits no unjust acts.Every morning he reveals his justice.At dawn he appears without fail.Yet the unjust know no shame.
6. “I destroyed nations;their walled cities are in ruins.I turned their streets into ruins;no one passes through them.Their cities are desolate;no one lives there.
7. I thought, ‘Certainly you will respect me!Now you will accept correction!’If she had done so, her home would not be destroyedby all the punishments I have threatened.But they eagerly sinnedin everything they did.
8. Therefore you must wait patiently for me,” says the Lord,“for the day when I attack and take plunder.I have decided to gather nations togetherand assemble kingdoms,so I can pour out my fury on them – all my raging anger.For the whole earth will be consumedby my fiery anger.
9. Know for sure that I will then enablethe nations to give me acceptable praise.All of them will invoke the Lord’s name when they pray,and will worship him in unison.
10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,those who pray to me will bring me tribute.
11. In that day you will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me,for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast,and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.
12. I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people,and they will find safety in the Lord’s presence.
13. The Israelites who remain will not act deceitfully.They will not lie,and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth.Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep and lie down;no one will terrify them.”
14. Shout for joy, Daughter Zion!Shout out, Israel!Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!
15. The Lord has removed the judgment against you;he has turned back your enemy.Israel’s king, the Lord, is in your midst!You no longer need to fear disaster.
16. On that day they will say to Jerusalem,“Don’t be afraid, Zion!Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic!