Yahweh Has an Indictment

4 Hear the word of Yahweh, O children of Israel,

for Yahweh has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land.

There is no faithfulness or loyalty,

there is no knowledge of God in the land.

2 Swearing and lying,

murdering and stealing,

and adultery break out,a

and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

3 Therefore the land mourns,

and all those living in it languish

with the animals of the field,

and the birds of the heaven,

and even the fish of the sea

are being swept away.

4 Yet, let no one contend,

and let no one accuse,

for with you, O priest, is my contention.b

5 You will stumble by day,

and the priest also will stumble

with you at night.

And I will destroy your mother;

6 My people are destroyed

for lack of knowledge;

because you have rejected knowledge,

I reject you from acting as a priest for me.c

And since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I will also forget your children.d

7 When they became many, their sin increased against me;

they changede their glory into shame.

8 ⌊They feed on the sin of my people⌋,f

⌊they are greedy⌋g for their iniquity.

9 And it will be like people, like priest;

I will punish themh for theiri ways,

and I will requite themj for theirk deeds.

10 They will eat and not be satisfied;

they will play the whore and not multiply,

because they have forsaken Yahweh ⌊to devote themselves to