1. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2. Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?
3. You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don’t feed the sheep.
4. You haven’t strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor you have ruled over them.
5. They were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field, and were scattered.
6. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill: yes, my sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth; and there was no one who searched or sought.
7. Therefore, you shepherds, hear Yahweh’s word:
8. As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn’t feed my sheep;
9. therefore, you shepherds, hear Yahweh’s word:
10. Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.
11. For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.