1 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,

look around and consider,

search through her squares.

If you can find but one person

who deals honestly and seeks the truth,

I will forgive this city.

2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’

still they are swearing falsely.”

3 Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?

You struck them, but they felt no pain;

you crushed them, but they refused correction.

They made their faces harder than stone

and refused to repent.

4 I thought, “These are only the poor;

they are foolish,

for they do not know the way of the Lord,

the requirements of their God.

5 So I will go to the leaders

and speak to them;

surely they know the way of the Lord,

the requirements of their God.”

But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke

and torn off the bonds.

1 Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

look and take note!

Search her squares to see

if you can find a man,

one who does justice

and seeks truth,

that I may pardon her.

2 Though they say, “As the Lord lives,”

yet they swear falsely.

3 O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?

You have struck them down,

but they felt no anguish;

you have consumed them,

but they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

they have refused to repent.

4 Then I said, “These are only the poor;

they have no sense;

for they do not know the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.

5 I will go to the great

and will speak to them,

for they know the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.”

But they all alike had broken the yoke;

they had burst the bonds.

1 “Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord.

“Look high and low; search throughout the city!

If you can find even one just and honest person,

I will not destroy the city.

2 But even when they are under oath,

saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’

they are still telling lies!”

3 Lord, you are searching for honesty.

You struck your people,

but they paid no attention.

You crushed them,

but they refused to be corrected.

They are determined, with faces set like stone;

they have refused to repent.

4 Then I said, “But what can we expect from the poor?

They are ignorant.

They don’t know the ways of the Lord.

They don’t understand God’s laws.

5 So I will go and speak to their leaders.

Surely they know the ways of the Lord

and understand God’s laws.”

But the leaders, too, as one man,

had thrown off God’s yoke

and broken his chains.

1 “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem;

See now and know;

And seek in her open places

If you can find a man,

If there is anyone who executes judgment,

Who seeks the truth,

And I will pardon her.

2 Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’

Surely they swear falsely.”

3 O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth?

You have stricken them,

But they have not grieved;

You have consumed them,

But they have refused to receive correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

They have refused to return.

4 Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor.

They are foolish;

For they do not know the way of the Lord,

The judgment of their God.

5 I will go to the great men and speak to them,

For they have known the way of the Lord,

The judgment of their God.”

But these have altogether broken the yoke

And burst the bonds.

1 The Lord says, “Walk up and down the streets of Jerusalem.

Look around and discover these things.

Search the public squares of the city.

If you can find one person who does honest things,

who searches for the truth,

I will forgive this city.

2 Although the people say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’

they don’t really mean it.”

3 Lord, don’t you look for truth in people?

You struck the people of Judah,

but they didn’t feel any pain.

You crushed them,

but they refused to learn what is right.

They became more stubborn than a rock;

they refused to turn back to God.

4 But I thought,

“These are only the poor, foolish people.

They have not learned the way of the Lord

and what their God wants them to do.

5 So I will go to the leaders of Judah

and talk to them.

Surely they understand the way of the Lord

and know what God wants them to do.”

But even the leaders had all joined together to break away from the Lord;

they had broken their ties with him.

1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her. 2 And though they say, As Jehovah liveth; surely they swear falsely. 3 O Jehovah, do not thine eyes look upon truth? thou hast stricken them, but they were not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

4 Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God: 5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, and the law of their God. But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broadways thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justice, that seeketh fidelity; and I will pardon it. 2 And if they say, As Jehovah liveth! surely they swear falsely. 3 Jehovah, are not thine eyes upon fidelity? Thou hast smitten them, but they are not sore; thou hast consumed them, they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. 4 And I said, Surely these are the wretched ones, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God. 5 I will go unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God; but these have altogether broken the yoke, have burst the bonds.

1 Walk around the streets of Jerusalem. 

Look around, and think about these things. 

Search the city squares. 

See if you can find anyone 

who does what is right and seeks the truth. 

Then I will forgive Jerusalem. 

2 People say, “As the Lord lives …” 

Yet, they lie when they take this oath. 

3 Lord, your eyes look for the truth. 

You strike these people, but they don’t feel it. 

You crush them, but they refuse to be corrected. 

They are more stubborn than rocks. 

They refuse to turn back. 

4 I thought, “These are poor, foolish people. 

They don’t know the way of the Lord 

and the justice that God demands. 

5 Let me go to important people and speak to them. 

They know the way of the Lord 

and the justice that God demands.” 

But they, too, had broken off their yokes

and torn off their chains. 

1 Roam through the streets of Jerusalem.

Look and take note;

search in her squares.

If you find one person,

any who acts justly,

who seeks to be faithful,

then I will forgive her.

2 When they say, “As the Lord lives,”

they are swearing falsely.

3 Lord, don’t Your eyes look for faithfulness?

You have struck them, but they felt no pain.

You finished them off,

but they refused to accept discipline.

They made their faces harder than rock,

and they refused to return.

4 Then I thought:

They are just the poor;

they have played the fool.

For they don’t understand the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.

5 I will go to the powerful

and speak to them.

Surely they know the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.

However, these also had broken the yoke

and torn off the chains.

1 Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

look around and take note!

Search its squares and see

if you can find one person

who acts justly

and seeks truth—

so that I may pardon Jerusalem.

2 Although they say, “As the Lord lives,”

yet they swear falsely.

3 O Lord, do your eyes not look for truth?

You have struck them,

but they felt no anguish;

you have consumed them,

but they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

they have refused to turn back.

4 Then I said, “These are only the poor,

they have no sense;

for they do not know the way of the Lord,

the law of their God.

5 Let me go to the rich

and speak to them;

surely they know the way of the Lord,

the law of their God.”

But they all alike had broken the yoke,

they had burst the bonds.

1 “Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem,

and look please, and take note,

and search at its public squares,

if you can find a person who does justice,

who seeks honesty,

so that I may forgive it.

2 And though they say, ‘As Yahweh lives,’

therefore they swear falsely.”

3 O Yahweh, do not your eyes look for honesty?

You have struck them, but they felt no pain,

you have destroyed them, they refused to take discipline.

They have hardened their faces more than rock,

they have refused to turn back.

4 Then I said, “They are just simple people,

they are foolish,

for they know not the way of Yahweh,

the law of their God.

5 Let me go to the great,

and let me speak with them,

for they know the way of Yahweh,

the law of their God.”

However, they together have broken the yoke,

they have torn to pieces the bonds.

1 The Lord says, “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem.

Look around.

Think about what you see.

Search through the market places.

See if you can find one honest person who tries to be truthful.

If you can, I will forgive this city.

2 They take all of their oaths in my name.

They say, ‘You can be sure that the Lord is alive.’

But their oaths can’t be trusted.”

3 Lord, don’t your eyes look for truth?

You struck your people down.

But they didn’t feel any pain.

You crushed them.

But they refused to be corrected.

They made their faces harder than stone.

They refused to turn away from their sins.

4 I thought, “The people of

Jerusalem are foolish.

They don’t know how the Lord wants them to live.

They don’t know what their God requires of them.

5 So I will go to the leaders.

I’ll speak to them.

They should know how the Lord wants them to live.

They must know what their God requires of them.”

But all of them had broken off the yoke the Lord had put on them.

They had torn off the ropes he had tied them up with.

1 “Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

And look now and take note.

And seek in her open squares,

If you can find a man,

If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth,

Then I will pardon her.

2 “And although they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’

Surely they swear falsely.”

3 O Lord, do not Your eyes look for truth?

You have smitten them,

But they did not weaken;

You have consumed them,

But they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

They have refused to repent.

4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,

They are foolish;

For they do not know the way of the Lord

Or the ordinance of their God.

5 “I will go to the great

And will speak to them,

For they know the way of the Lord

And the ordinance of their God.”

But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke

And burst the bonds.