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.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,

a wolf from the desert will ravage them,

a leopard will lie in wait near their towns

to tear to pieces any who venture out,

for their rebellion is great

and their backslidings many.

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.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall strike them down;

a wolf from the desert shall devastate them.

A leopard is watching their cities;

everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces,

because their transgressions are many,

their apostasies are great.

2 And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely. 3 O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have 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 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God. 5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

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.

6 So now a lion from the forest will attack them;

a wolf from the desert will pounce on them.

A leopard will lurk near their towns,

tearing apart any who dare to venture out.

For their rebellion is great,

and their sins are many.

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.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them,

A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them;

A leopard will watch over their cities.

Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces,

Because their transgressions are many;

Their backslidings have increased.

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.

6 So a lion from the forest will attack them.

A wolf from the desert will kill them.

A leopard is waiting for them near their towns.

It will tear to pieces anyone who comes out of the city,

because the people of Judah have sinned greatly.

They have wandered away from the Lord many times.

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. 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

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. 

6 That is why a lion from the forest will attack them. 

A wolf from the wilderness will destroy them. 

A leopard will lie in ambush outside their cities. 

All who leave the cities will be torn to pieces, 

because they rebel so often 

and they become more and more unfaithful. 

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.

6 Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down.

A wolf from an arid plain will ravage them.

A leopard keeps watch over their cities.

Anyone who leaves them will be torn to pieces

because their rebellious acts are many,

their unfaithful deeds numerous.

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.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall kill them,

a wolf from the desert shall destroy them.

A leopard is watching against their cities;

everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces—

because their transgressions are many,

their apostasies are great.

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.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them,

A wolf from the desert plains will devastate them.

A leopard is watching their cities,

everyone who goes out from there will be torn,

because their transgressions are many,

their apostasies are numerous.

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.

6 So a lion from the forest will attack them.

A wolf from the desert will destroy them.

A leopard will hide and wait near their towns.

It will tear to pieces anyone who dares to go out.

Again and again they have refused to obey the Lord.

They have turned away from him many times.

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.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them,

A wolf of the deserts will destroy them,

A leopard is watching their cities.

Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,

Because their transgressions are many,

Their apostasies are numerous.