8. The Lord God has told uswhat is rightand what he demands:“See that justice is done,let mercy be your first concern,and humbly obey your God.”
9. I am the Lord,and it makes sense to respectmy power to punish.So listen to my messagefor the city of Jerusalem:
10. You store up stolen treasuresand use dishonest scales.
11. But I, the Lord, will punish youfor cheating with weightsand with measures.
12. You rich people are violent,and everyone tells lies.
13. Because of your sins,I will wound you and leave youruined and defenceless.
14. You will eat,but still be hungry;you will store up goods,but lose everything—I, the Lord, will let it allbe captured in war.
15. You won't harvest what you plantor use the oilfrom your olive treesor drink the winefrom grapes you grow.
16. Jerusalem, this will happenbecause you followedthe sinful exampleof kings Omri and Ahab.Now I will destroy youand your property.Then the people of every nationwill make fun and insult you.