1. If you return, Israel—oracle of the Lord—return to me.If you put your detestable things out of my sight,and do not stray,
2. And swear, “As the Lord lives,”in truth, in judgment, and in justice,Then the nations shall bless themselves in himand in him glory.
3. For to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, thus says the Lord:Till your untilled ground,and do not sow among thorns.
4. Be circumcised for the Lord,remove the foreskins of your hearts,people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;Or else my anger will break out like fire,and burn so that no one can quench it,because of your evil deeds.
5. Proclaim it in Judah,in Jerusalem announce it;Blow the trumpet throughout the land,call out, “Fill the ranks!”Say, “Assemble, let us marchto the fortified cities.”
6. Raise the signal—to Zion!Seek refuge! Don’t stand there!Disaster I bring from the north,and great destruction.
7. Up comes the lion from its lair,the destroyer of nations has set out,has left its place,To turn your land into a desolation,your cities into an uninhabited waste.
8. So put on sackcloth,mourn and wail:“The blazing anger of the Lordhas not turned away from us.”
9. In that day—oracle of the Lord—The king will lose heart, and the princes;the priests will be horrified,and the prophets stunned.
10. “Ah! Lord God,” they will say,“You really did deceive usWhen you said: You shall have peace,while the sword was at our very throats.”
11. At that time it will be saidto this people and to Jerusalem,A scorching wind from the bare heights comesthrough the wilderness toward my daughter, the people.Not to winnow, not to cleanse,
12. a strong wind from there comes at my bidding.Now I too pronouncesentence upon them.
13. See! like storm clouds he advances,like a whirlwind, his chariots;Swifter than eagles, his horses:“Woe to us! we are ruined.”
14. Cleanse your heart of evil, Jerusalem,that you may be saved.How long will you entertainwicked schemes?
15. A voice proclaims it from Dan,announces wickedness from Mount Ephraim:
16. “Make this known to the nations,announce it against Jerusalem:Besiegers are coming from the distant land,shouting their war cry against the cities of Judah.”
17. Like watchers in the fields they surround her,for she has rebelled against me—oracle of the Lord.
18. Your conduct, your deeds, have done this to you;how bitter is this evil of yours,how it reaches to your very heart!
19. My body! my body! how I writhe!The walls of my heart!My heart beats wildly,I cannot be still;For I myself have heard the blast of the horn,the battle cry.
20. Ruin upon ruin is reported;the whole land is laid waste.In an instant my tents are ravaged;in a flash, my shelters.
21. How long must I see the signal,hear the blast of the horn!
22. My people are fools,they do not know me;They are senseless children,without understanding;They are wise at evil,but they do not know how to do good.
23. I looked at the earth—it was waste and void;at the heavens—their light had gone out!
24. I looked at the mountains—they were quaking!All the hills were crumbling!
25. I looked—there was no one;even the birds of the air had flown away!
26. I looked—the garden land was a wilderness,with all its cities destroyedbefore the Lord, before his blazing anger.
27. For thus says the Lord:The whole earth shall be waste,but I will not wholly destroy it.
28. Because of this the earth shall mourn,the heavens above shall darken;I have spoken, I will not change my mind,I have decided, I will not turn back.
29. At the shout of rider and archereach city takes to flight;They shrink into the thickets,they scale the rocks:All the cities are abandoned,no one lives in them.
30. You now who are doomed, what are you doingdressing in purple,bedecking yourself with gold,Enlarging your eyes with kohl?You beautify yourself in vain!Your lovers reject you,they seek your life.
31. Yes, I hear the cry, like that of a woman in labor,like the anguish of a mother bearing her first child—The cry of daughter Zion gasping,as she stretches out her hands:“Ah, woe is me! I sink exhaustedbefore my killers!”