| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Woe to this filthy, polluted, and oppressive city! | 1The filthy, stained city is as good as dead; the city filled with oppressors is finished! |
| 2It won't obey anyone. It won't accept discipline. It does not trust in the LORD. It does not approach God. | 2She is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the LORD; she does not seek the advice of her God. |
| 3Its national officials are roaring lions; its judges are like wolves of the night that don't leave the bones for the morning. | 3Her princes are as fierce as roaring lions; her rulers are as hungry as wolves in the desert, who completely devour their prey by morning. |
| 4Its prophets are arrogant and treacherous. Its priests have contaminated the sanctuary. They give perverse interpretations of the Law. | 4Her prophets are proud; they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; they break God's laws. |
| 5The righteous LORD who lives within her will do no wrong; he will bring justice to light morning by morning. He never fails, but the unjust are shameless. | 5The 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 have destroyed nations— their fortifications are deserted. I have turned their main thoroughfares into wastelands where no one will travel. Their cities are desolate; as a result, not one man remains— no, not even a single resident. | 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. |
| 7I have said, 'If only you would fear me, if only you would take my instructions to heart.' Then their houses would not have been torn down. I have chastened them, but they were eager to corrupt everything they were doing." | 7I thought, 'Certainly you will respect me! Now you will accept correction!' If she had done so, her home would not be destroyed by all the punishments I have threatened. But they eagerly sinned in everything they did. |
| 8"Just you wait!" declares the LORD. "The day will come when I stand up as a prosecutor, for I am determined to assemble the nations and to gather the kingdoms, in order to pour out my indignation upon them— all of my fierce anger. All the earth will be consumed by the fire of my jealousy. | 8Therefore you must wait patiently for me," says the LORD, "for the day when I attack and take plunder. I have decided to gather nations together and assemble kingdoms, so I can pour out my fury on them--all my raging anger. For the whole earth will be consumed by my fiery anger. |
| 9Indeed, then I will return my people to a pure language so that they all may call upon the name of the LORD, serving him with a united will. | 9Know for sure that I will then enable the 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 Sudan my worshipers — including my dispersed people— will present offerings to me. | 10From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, those who pray to me will bring me tribute. |
| 11When this happens, you will not be ashamed of your actions by which you sinned against me, because I will remove from among you those who revel in pride. Arrogance will have no place in my holy mountain. | 11In 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. |
| 12I will keep a humble and gentle people among you, and they will trust in the name of the LORD. | 12I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people, and they will find safety in the LORD's presence. |
| 13The survivors of Israel will not practice lawlessness nor tell lies, nor will a deceitful message be found in their mouths, because they will eat and rest, with no one to cause fear." | 13The 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"Sing aloud, daughter of Zion! Shout out, Israel! Rejoice with all of your heart, daughter of Jerusalem! | 14Shout for joy, Daughter Zion! Shout out, Israel! Be happy and boast with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! |
| 15The LORD has acquitted you; turning back your adversaries. Israel's king, the LORD, is among you; you will not fear disaster anymore. | 15The 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"When all of this happens, it will be told Jerusalem, 'Don't be afraid!" and to Zion, 'Don't lose courage!" | 16On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion! Your hands must not be paralyzed from panic! |
| 17The LORD your God among you is powerful— he will save and he will take joyful delight in you. In his love he will renew you with his love; he will celebrate with singing because of you. | 17The LORD your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver. He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you." |
| 18I will gather the afflicted from the solemn assembly; those who were with you, who were bearing a burden of disgrace. | 18"As for those who grieve because they cannot attend the festivals--I took them away from you; they became tribute and were a source of shame to you. |
| 19"Watch how I deal with everyone who oppresses you! At that time I will rescue the one who is lame, and I will draw to me the one who has been driven away. I will honor them with praise and with a good reputation in every land where they have been put to shame. | 19Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you. I will rescue the lame sheep and gather together the scattered sheep. I will take away their humiliation and make the whole earth admire and respect them. |
| 20At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. Indeed, I will give you a good reputation, making you praiseworthy among all of the people of the world, when I restore your prosperity before your eyes," says the LORD. | 20At that time I will lead you--at the time I gather you together. Be sure of this! I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you when you see me restore you," says the LORD. |
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