9 Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,

you rulers of Israel,

who despise justice

and distort all that is right;

10 who build Zion with bloodshed,

and Jerusalem with wickedness.

11 Her leaders judge for a bribe,

her priests teach for a price,

and her prophets tell fortunes for money.

Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say,

“Is not the Lord among us?

No disaster will come upon us.”

12 Therefore because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob,

And princes of the house of Israel,

That abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

10 They build up Zion with blood,

And Jerusalem with iniquity.

11 The heads thereof judge for reward,

And the priests thereof teach for hire,

And the prophets thereof divine for money:

Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say,

Is not the Lord among us?

None evil can come upon us.

12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field,

And Jerusalem shall become heaps,

And the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

9 Listen to me, you leaders of Israel!

You hate justice and twist all that is right.

10 You are building Jerusalem

on a foundation of murder and corruption.

11 You rulers make decisions based on bribes;

you priests teach God’s laws only for a price;

you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid.

Yet all of you claim to depend on the Lord.

“No harm can come to us,” you say,

“for the Lord is here among us.”

12 Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field;

Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins!

A thicket will grow on the heights

where the Temple now stands.

9 Now hear this,

You heads of the house of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel,

Who abhor justice

And pervert all equity,

10 Who build up Zion with bloodshed

And Jerusalem with iniquity:

11 Her heads judge for a bribe,

Her priests teach for pay,

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on the Lord, and say,

“Is not the Lord among us?

No harm can come upon us.”

12 Therefore because of you

Zion shall be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins,

And the mountain of the temple

Like the bare hills of the forest.

9 Leaders of Jacob and rulers of Israel,

listen to me,

you who hate fairness

and twist what is right.

10 You build Jerusalem by murdering people;

you build it with evil.

11 Its judges take money

to decide who wins in court.

Its priests only teach for pay,

and its prophets only look into the future when they get paid.

But they lean on the Lord and say,

“The Lord is here with us,

so nothing bad will happen to us.”

12 Because of you,

Jerusalem will be plowed like a field.

The city will become a pile of rocks,

and the hill on which the Temple stands will be covered with bushes.

9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel, that abhor justice, and pervert all equity. 10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. 11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us. 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity, 10 that build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with unrighteousness. 11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money; yet do they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us. 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

9 Listen to this, you leaders of the descendants of Jacob, 

you rulers of the nation of Israel. 

You despise justice and pervert everything that is right. 

10 You build Zion on bloodshed and Jerusalem on wickedness. 

11 Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. 

Your priests teach for a price. 

Your prophets tell the future for money. 

But they rely on the Lord when they say, 

“After all, the Lord is with us. 

Nothing bad will happen to us.” 

12 Because of you, 

Zion will be plowed like a field, 

Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, 

and the temple mountain will become a worship site 

covered with trees. 

9 Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel,

who abhor justice

and pervert everything that is right,

10 who build Zion with bloodshed

and Jerusalem with injustice.

11 Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,

her priests teach for payment,

and her prophets practice divination for money.

Yet they lean on the Lord, saying,

“Isn’t the Lord among us?

No disaster will overtake us.”

12 Therefore, because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become ruins,

and the hill of the temple mount

will be a thicket.

9 Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob

and chiefs of the house of Israel,

who abhor justice

and pervert all equity,

10 who build Zion with blood

and Jerusalem with wrong!

11 Its rulers give judgment for a bribe,

its priests teach for a price,

its prophets give oracles for money;

yet they lean upon the Lord and say,

“Surely the Lord is with us!

No harm shall come upon us.”

12 Therefore because of you

Zion shall be plowed as a field;

Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

9 Hear this, O rulers of the house of Jacob

and leaders of the house of Israel,

those detesting justice

and perverting all that is right,

10 he who builds Zion with blood

and Jerusalem with wickedness.

11 Its rulers judge for a bribe;

its priests teach for a price;

its prophets practice divination for money.

But they lean on Yahweh, saying,

“Is not Yahweh in our midst?

Disaster will not come upon us.”

12 Therefore on account of you

Zion will be plowed as a field,

and Jerusalem will be a heap of rubble,

and the temple mount as a high place in a forest.

9 Listen to me, you leaders of Jacob’s people!

Pay attention, you rulers of Israel!

You hate to do what is fair.

You twist everything that is right.

10 You build up Zion by spilling the blood of others.

You build Jerusalem by doing what is evil.

11 Your judges take money from people

who want special favors.

Your priests teach only if they get paid for it.

Your prophets won’t tell fortunes

unless they receive money.

But you still claim to depend on the Lord.

You say, “The Lord is with us.

No trouble will come on us.”

12 So because of what you have done,

Zion will be plowed up like a field.

Jerusalem will be turned into a pile of trash.

The temple hill will be covered with bushes and weeds.

9 Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel,

Who abhor justice

And twist everything that is straight,

10 Who build Zion with bloodshed

And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

11 Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe,

Her priests instruct for a price

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on the Lord saying,

“Is not the Lord in our midst?

Calamity will not come upon us.”

12 Therefore, on account of you

Zion will be plowed as a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,

And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.