13. You are the one in whom Israel may find hope.All who leave you will suffer shame.Those who turn away from you will be consigned to the nether world.For they have rejected you, the Lord, the fountain of life.
14. Lord, grant me relief from my sufferingso that I may have some relief.Rescue me from those who persecute meso that I may be rescued.
15. Listen to what they are saying to me.They are saying, “Where are the things the Lord threatens us with?Come on! Let’s see them happen!”
16. But I have not pestered you to bring disaster.I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation.You know that.You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken.
17. Do not cause me dismay!You are my source of safety in times of trouble.
18. May those who persecute me be disgraced.Do not let me be disgraced.May they be dismayed.Do not let me be dismayed.Bring days of disaster on them.Bring on them the destruction they deserve.”
19. The Lord told me, “Go and stand in the People’s Gate through which the kings of Judah enter and leave the city. Then go and stand in all the other gates of the city of Jerusalem.
20. As you stand in those places announce, ‘Listen, all you people who pass through these gates. Listen, all you kings of Judah, all you people of Judah and all you citizens of Jerusalem. Listen to what the Lord says.
21. The Lord says, ‘Be very careful if you value your lives! Do not carry any loads in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
22. Do not carry any loads out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day. But observe the Sabbath day as a day set apart to the Lord, as I commanded your ancestors.
23. Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or to respond to any discipline.’
24. The Lord says, ‘You must make sure to obey me. You must not bring any loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day. You must set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not do any work on that day.
25. If you do this, then the kings and princes who follow in David’s succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to enter through these gates, as well as their officials and the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. This city will always be filled with people.
26. Then people will come here from the towns in Judah, from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin, from the western foothills, from the southern hill country, and from the southern part of Judah. They will come bringing offerings to the temple of the Lord: burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and incense along with their thank offerings.
27. But you must obey me and set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not carry any loads in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. If you disobey, I will set the gates of Jerusalem on fire. It will burn down all the fortified dwellings in Jerusalem and no one will be able to put it out.’”