English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1“If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver,

1"Israel, if you return to me," declares the LORD, "Return to me, remove your detestable idols from my presence, and don't waver.

2and if you swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.”

2If you swear, 'as surely as the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations will be blessed by him, and in him they will boast."

3For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, "Break up your unplowed ground, and don't sow among thorns.

4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”

4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD and remove the foreskin of your heart, you men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem, or else my wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to put it out, because of your evil deeds."

5Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, “Blow the trumpet through the land; cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble, and let us go into the fortified cities!’

5Declare in Judah, make known in Jerusalem, by saying, "Blow the trumpet in the land, cry out, and say, 'Gather together and let's go to the fortified cities!'

6Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction.

6Raise a standard in the direction of Zion. Flee! Don't stand around! For I'm bringing calamity from the north, along with great destruction.

7A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant.

7A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to make your land a waste. Your cities will be ruined, and without inhabitants.

8For this put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned back from us.”

8So, put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, because the burning anger of the LORD has not turned away from us."

9“In that day, declares the LORD, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.”

9"On that day," declares the LORD, "the courage of the king and the leaders will fail. The priests will be appalled and the prophets astounded."

10Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,’ whereas the sword has reached their very life.”

10Then I replied, "Ah, Lord GOD, you have completely deceived this people and Jerusalem when you said, 'You will have peace,' while the sword is at their throat!"

11At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse,

11At that time, it will be told this people and to Jerusalem, "A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert is coming toward my people, and it's not for winnowing or cleansing.

12a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.”

12A wind too strong for that is coming at my bidding. Now I'm judging them as I speak."

13Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles— woe to us, for we are ruined!

13Look, he comes up like clouds, and his chariots are like a whirlwind. His horses are as swift as eagles. Woe to us—we're destroyed!

14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?

14Jerusalem, wash your evil from your heart so that you may be delivered. How long will you harbor evil schemes within you?

15For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim.

15For a voice announces from Dan and declares disaster from Mount Ephraim.

16Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, “Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah.

16"Tell the nations, 'Here they come!' Proclaim to Jerusalem, 'The besieging forces are coming from a distant land. They cry out against the cities of Judah.

17Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she has rebelled against me, declares the LORD.

17They have surrounded her like those guarding a field because they have rebelled against me,'" declares the LORD.

18Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your doom, and it is bitter; it has reached your very heart.”

18"Your lifestyles and your actions have brought these things on you. This is your calamity—it is indeed bitter, for it has reached your heart!"

19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

19"My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the aching of my heart! My heart pounds within me; I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm for war.

20Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment.

20Disaster upon disaster is proclaimed, for the entire land is devastated. Suddenly, my tent is destroyed, in a moment my curtains.

21How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?

21How long will I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?

22“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

22"For my people are foolish, they don't know me. They're stupid children, they have no understanding. They're skilled at doing evil, but how to do good, they don't know."

23I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.

23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void, at the heavens, and there was no light there.

24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.

24I looked at the mountains; they were quaking, and all the hills moved back and forth.

25I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled.

25I looked, and no people were there. All the birds of the sky had gone.

26I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.

26I looked, and the fruitful land had become a desert. All its towns were broken down because of the LORD, because of his burning anger.

27For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

27For this is what the LORD says: "The entire land will be devastated, but I won't completely destroy it.

28“For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”

28Because of this, the land will mourn, and the heavens above will be dark. Because I have spoken and decided, I won't turn back from doing it."

29At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them.

29At the sound of the horseman and the archer the entire city flees. Its residents go into the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned, and no one lives in them.

30And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.

30You are ruined! What are you doing dressing in scarlet, putting on golden ornaments, and highlighting your eyes with makeup? You are making yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers reject you— they're out to kill you.

31For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”

31I heard a cry like that of a woman in labor, anguish like one giving birth to her firstborn, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for air, stretching out her hand: "Woe is me! I'm about to faint in front of killers!"

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