Exile Threatened

15  Hear and give ear; be not proud,

for the Lord has spoken.

16  fGive glory to the Lord your God

gbefore he brings darkness,

before your feet stumble

on the twilight mountains,

and gwhile you look for light

he turns it into gloom

and makes it hdeep darkness.

17  But if you will not listen,

imy soul will weep in secret for your pride;

my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,

because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.

18  Say to jthe king and jthe queen mother:

“Take a lowly seat,

for kyour beautiful crown

has come down from your head.”

19  lThe cities of the Negeb are shut up,

with none to open them;

all Judah is taken into exile,

wholly taken into exile.

20  “Lift up your eyes mand see

those who come from the north.

Where is the flock that was given you,

your beautiful flock?

21  What will you say when they set as head over you

those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?

nWill not pangs take hold of you

like those of a woman in labor?

22  And if you say in your heart,

o‘Why have these things come upon me?’

it is for the greatness of your iniquity

that pyour skirts are lifted up

and you suffer violence.

23  qCan the Ethiopian change his skin

or qthe leopard his spots?

Then also you can do good

who are accustomed to do evil.

24  I will scatter you1 rlike chaff

driven by the wind from the desert.

25  sThis is your lot,

the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord,

because tyou have forgotten me

and trusted in lies.

26  pI myself will lift up your skirts over your face,

and your shame will be seen.

27  I have seen uyour abominations,

your adulteries and vneighings, your lewd whorings,

won the hills in the field.

Woe to you, O Jerusalem!

How long will it be xbefore you are made clean?”