1. Then the bones of the dead kings of Judah and their officials will be dug up, along with the bones of the priests, the prophets, and everyone else in Jerusalem
2. who loved and worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. These bones will be scattered and left lying on the ground like rubbish, where the sun and moon and stars can shine on them.
3. Some of you people of Judah will be left alive, but I will force you to go to foreign countries, and you will wish you were dead. I, the Lord God All-Powerful, have spoken.
4. The Lord said:People of Jerusalem,when you stumble and fall,you get back up,and if you take a wrong road,you turn round and go back.
5. So why do you refuseto come back to me?Why do you hold so tightlyto your false gods?
6. I listen carefully,but none of you admitthat you've done wrong.Without a second thought,you run down the wrong roadlike cavalry troopscharging into battle.
7. Storks, doves, swallows,and thrushesall know when it's timeto fly away for the winterand when to come back.But you, my people,don't know what I demand.
8. You say, “We are wisebecause we have the teachingsand laws of the Lord.”But I say that your teachershave turned my wordsinto lies!
9. Your wise menhave rejected what I say,and so they have no wisdom.Now they will be trappedand put to shame;they won't know what to do.
10. I'll give their wives and fieldsto strangers.Everyone is greedy and dishonest,whether poor or rich.Even the prophets and priestscannot be trusted.
11. All they ever offerto my deeply wounded peopleare empty hopes for peace.
12. They should be ashamedof their disgusting sins,but they don't even blush.And so, when I punish Judah,they will end up on the ground,dead like everyone else.
13. I will wipe them out.They are vines without grapes;fig trees without figs or leaves.They have not done a thingthat I told them!I, the Lord, have spoken.
14. The people of Judahsay to each other,“What are we waiting for?Let's run to a town with wallsand die there.We rebelled against the Lord,and we were sentenced to dieby drinking poison.
15. We had hoped for peaceand a time of healing,but all we got was terror.
16. Our enemies have reachedthe town of Dan in the north,and the snorting of their horsesmakes us tremble with fear.The enemy will destroy Jerusalemand our entire nation.No one will survive.”
17. “Watch out!” the Lord says.“I'm sending poisonous snakesto attack you,and no one can stop them.”
18. I'm burdened with sorrowand feel like giving up.
19. In a foreign landmy people are crying.Listen! You'll hear them say,“Has the Lord deserted Zion?Is he no longer its king?”I hear the Lord reply,“Why did you make me angryby worshipping useless idols?”
20. The people complain,“Spring and summerhave come and gone,but still the Lordhasn't rescued us.”
21. My people are crushed,and so is my heart.I am horrified and mourn.