26 “Among my people are the wicked

who lie in wait like men who snare birds

and like those who set traps to catch people.

27 Like cages full of birds,

their houses are full of deceit;

they have become rich and powerful

28 and have grown fat and sleek.

Their evil deeds have no limit;

they do not seek justice.

They do not promote the case of the fatherless;

they do not defend the just cause of the poor.

29 Should I not punish them for this?”

declares the Lord.

“Should I not avenge myself

on such a nation as this?

30 “A horrible and shocking thing

has happened in the land:

31 The prophets prophesy lies,

the priests rule by their own authority,

and my people love it this way.

But what will you do in the end?

26 For wicked men are found among my people;

they lurk like fowlers lying in wait.

They set a trap;

they catch men.

27 Like a cage full of birds,

their houses are full of deceit;

therefore they have become great and rich;

28 they have grown fat and sleek.

They know no bounds in deeds of evil;

they judge not with justice

the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper,

and they do not defend the rights of the needy.

29 Shall I not punish them for these things?

declares the Lord,

and shall I not avenge myself

on a nation such as this?”

30 An appalling and horrible thing

has happened in the land:

31 the prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule at their direction;

my people love to have it so,

but what will you do when the end comes?

26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. 28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

26 “Among my people are wicked men

who lie in wait for victims like a hunter hiding in a blind.

They continually set traps

to catch people.

27 Like a cage filled with birds,

their homes are filled with evil plots.

And now they are great and rich.

28 They are fat and sleek,

and there is no limit to their wicked deeds.

They refuse to provide justice to orphans

and deny the rights of the poor.

29 Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord.

“Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?

30 A horrible and shocking thing

has happened in this land—

31 the prophets give false prophecies,

and the priests rule with an iron hand.

Worse yet, my people like it that way!

But what will you do when the end comes?

26 There are wicked men among my people.

Like those who make nets for catching birds,

they set their traps to catch people.

27 Like cages full of birds,

their houses are full of lies.

They have become rich and powerful.

28 They have grown big and fat.

There is no end to the evil things they do.

They won’t plead the case of the orphan

or help the poor be judged fairly.

29 Shouldn’t I punish the people of Judah for doing these things?” says the Lord.

“Shouldn’t I give a nation such as this the punishment it deserves?

30 “A terrible and shocking thing

has happened in the land of Judah:

31 The prophets speak lies,

and the priests take power into their own hands,

and my people love it this way.

But what will you do when the end comes?

26 For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxed rich. 28 They are waxed fat, they shine: yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land: 31 the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as fowlers stoop down; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and have enriched themselves. 28 They are become fat, they shine, yea, they surpass in deeds of wickedness; they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not adjudge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 30 An appalling and horrible thing is committed in the land: 31 the prophets prophesy falsehood, and the priests rule by their means; and my people love to have it so. But what will ye do in the end thereof?

26 “Wicked people are found among my people. 

They lie in ambush like bird catchers. 

They set traps and catch people. 

27 Like cages filled with birds, their houses are filled with deceit. 

That is why they become powerful and rich. 

28 They grow big and fat. 

Their evil deeds have no limits. 

They have no respect for the rights of others. 

They have no respect for the rights of orphans. 

But they still prosper. 

They don’t defend the rights of the poor. 

29 I will punish them for these things,” declares the Lord. 

“I will punish this nation. 

30 “Something horrible and disgusting is happening in the land: 

31 Prophets prophesy lies. 

Priests rule under the prophets’ directions, 

and my people love this. 

But what will you do in the end?” 

26 for wicked men live among My people.

They watch like fowlers lying in wait.

They set a trap;

they catch men.

27 Like a cage full of birds,

so their houses are full of deceit.

Therefore they have grown powerful and rich.

28 They have become fat and sleek.

They have also excelled in evil matters.

They have not taken up cases,

such as the case of the fatherless, so they might prosper,

and they have not defended the rights of the needy.

29 Should I not punish them for these things?

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Should I not avenge Myself

on such a nation as this?

30 A horrible, terrible thing

has taken place in the land.

31 The prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule by their own authority.

My people love it like this.

But what will you do at the end of it?

26 For scoundrels are found among my people;

they take over the goods of others.

Like fowlers they set a trap;

they catch human beings.

27 Like a cage full of birds,

their houses are full of treachery;

therefore they have become great and rich,

28 they have grown fat and sleek.

They know no limits in deeds of wickedness;

they do not judge with justice

the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper,

and they do not defend the rights of the needy.

29 Shall I not punish them for these things?

says the Lord,

and shall I not bring retribution

on a nation such as this?

30 An appalling and horrible thing

has happened in the land:

31 the prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule as the prophets direct;

my people love to have it so,

but what will you do when the end comes?

26 For wicked people are found among my people,

they lie in wait like the hiding of fowlers,

they set up a trap,

they catch humans.

27 Like a cage full of birds,

so their houses are full of fraud.

Therefore they have become great,

and they have become rich.

28 They have grown fat,

they have grown sleek,

also, their evil deeds have no limit.

They do not judge with justice,

the legal cause of the orphan,

or allow it to succeed,

and the legal case of the poor,

they do not defend.

29 Because of these things shall I not punish?” declares Yahweh,

“and on a nation who is like this, shall I not take revenge?

30 A horrific event and something horrible has happened in the land.

31 The prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule by their own authority,

and my people love it so much.

But what will you do when the end comes?

26 “Jeremiah, some of my people are evil.

They hide and wait just as people hide to catch birds.

They set traps for men.

27 A hunter uses tricks to fill his cage with birds.

And my people have filled their houses with a lot of goods.

They have become rich and powerful.

28 They have grown fat and heavy.

There is no limit to the evil things they do.

In court they do not state the case

of children whose fathers have died.

They do not stand up for poor people.

29 Shouldn’t I punish them for that?”

announces the Lord.

“Shouldn’t I pay back the

nation that does those things?

30 “Something horrible and shocking

has happened in the land.

31 The prophets prophesy lies.

The priests rule by their own authority.

And my people love it that way.

But what will they do in the end?”

26 ‘For wicked men are found among My people,

They watch like fowlers lying in wait;

They set a trap,

They catch men.

27 ‘Like a cage full of birds,

So their houses are full of deceit;

Therefore they have become great and rich.

28 ‘They are fat, they are sleek,

They also excel in deeds of wickedness;

They do not plead the cause,

The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper;

And they do not defend the rights of the poor.

29 ‘Shall I not punish these people?’ declares the Lord,

‘On a nation such as this

Shall I not avenge Myself?’

30 “An appalling and horrible thing

Has happened in the land:

31 The prophets prophesy falsely,

And the priests rule on their own authority;

And My people love it so!

But what will you do at the end of it?