3 Then they will say, “We have no king

because we did not revere the Lord.

But even if we had a king,

what could he do for us?”

4 They make many promises,

take false oaths

and make agreements;

therefore lawsuits spring up

like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

3 For now they shall say, We have no king,

Because we feared not the Lord;

What then should a king do to us?

4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant:

Thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

3 Then they will say, “We have no king

because we didn’t fear the Lord.

But even if we had a king,

what could he do for us anyway?”

4 They spout empty words

and make covenants they don’t intend to keep.

So injustice springs up among them

like poisonous weeds in a farmer’s field.

3 For now they say,

“We have no king,

Because we did not fear the Lord.

And as for a king, what would he do for us?”

4 They have spoken words,

Swearing falsely in making a covenant.

Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.

3 Then they will say, “We have no king,

because we didn’t honor the Lord.

As for the king,

he couldn’t do anything for us.”

4 They make many false promises

and agreements which they don’t keep.

So people sue each other in court;

they are like poisonous weeds growing in a plowed field.

3 Surely now shall they say, We have no king; for we fear not Jehovah; and the king, what can he do for us?

4 They speak vain words, swearing falsely in making covenants: therefore judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

3 For now they will say, We have no king, for we feared not Jehovah; and a king, what can he do for us? 4 They speak mere words, swearing falsely in making a covenant; therefore shall judgment spring up as hemlock in the furrows of the fields.

3 So they’ll say, 

“We have no king because we didn’t fear the Lord. 

Even if we had a king, he couldn’t do anything for us.” 

4 They say many things. They lie when they take oaths, 

and they make promises they don’t intend to keep. 

That’s why lawsuits spring up 

like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field. 

3 In fact, they are now saying,

“We have no king!

For we do not fear the Lord.

What can a king do for us?”

4 They speak mere words,

taking false oaths while making covenants.

So lawsuits break out

like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.

3 For now they will say:

“We have no king,

for we do not fear the Lord,

and a king—what could he do for us?”

4 They utter mere words;

with empty oaths they make covenants;

so litigation springs up like poisonous weeds

in the furrows of the field.

3 For now they will say,

“We have no king;

indeed, we did not fear Yahweh,

and what can a king do for us?”

4 They utter words of vain oaths

when making covenants,

and judgment blossoms like a poisonous plant

on the furrows of the field.

3 Then they’ll say, “We don’t have a king.

That’s because we didn’t have

any respect for the Lord.

But suppose we did have a king.

What could he do for us?”

4 They make a lot of promises.

They make agreements among themselves.

They take oaths they don’t mean to keep.

So court cases spring up

like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

3 Surely now they will say, “We have no king,

For we do not revere the Lord.

As for the king, what can he do for us?”

4 They speak mere words,

With worthless oaths they make covenants;

And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.