Chapter 3

1 Woe to her that is rebellious and defiled,

the oppressing city!

2 She listens to no voice,

she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in the Lord,

she does not draw near to her God.

3 Her officials within her

are roaring lions;

her judges are evening wolves

that leave nothing till the morning.

4 Her prophets are wanton,

faithless men;

her priests profane what is sacred,

they do violence to the law.

5 The Lord within her is righteous,

he does no wrong;

every morning he shows forth his justice,

each dawn he does not fail;

but the unjust knows no shame.

6 “I have cut off nations;

their battlements are in ruins;

I have laid waste their streets

so that none walks in them;

their cities have been made desolate,

without a man, without an inhabitant.

7 I said, ‘Surely she will fear me,

she will accept correction;

she will not lose sight*

of all that I have enjoined upon her.’

But all the more they were eager

to make all their deeds corrupt.”

8 “Therefore wait for me,” says the Lord,

“for the day when I arise as a witness.

For my decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

to pour out upon them my indignation,

all the heat of my anger;

for in the fire of my jealous wrath

all the earth shall be consumed.

9 “Yea, at that time I will change the speech of the peoples

to a pure speech,

that all of them may call on the name of the Lord

and serve him with one accord.

10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia

my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones,

shall bring my offering.

11 “On that day you shall not be put to shame

because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;

for then I will remove from your midst

your proudly exultant ones,

and you shall no longer be haughty

in my holy mountain.

12 For I will leave in the midst of you

a people humble and lowly.

They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,

13 those who are left in Israel;

they shall do no wrong

and utter no lies,

nor shall there be found in their mouth

a deceitful tongue.

For they shall pasture and lie down,

and none shall make them afraid.”

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,

he has cast out your enemies.

The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;

you shall fear evil no more.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

“Do not fear, O Zion;

let not your hands grow weak.

17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst,

a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with gladness,

he will renew youi in his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing

18 as on a day of festival.j

“I will remove disasterk from you,

so that you will not bear reproach for it.

19 Behold, at that time I will deal

with all your oppressors.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

20 At that time I will bring you home,

at the time when I gather you together;

yea, I will make you renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes

before your eyes,” says the Lord.