The Hebrew Prophets

Thus said Jehovah: Stand ye by the ways and see, and ask for paths of old, Where is this--the good way? and go ye in it, And find rest for yourselves. And they say, `We do not go.'

And I have raised up for you watchmen, Attend ye to the voice of the trumpet. And they say, `We do not attend.'

Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O company, That which is upon them.

Hear, O earth, lo, I am bringing evil on this people, The fruit of their devices, For to My words they gave no attention, And My law--they kick against it.

Why is this to Me? frankincense from Sheba cometh, And the sweet cane from a land afar off, Your burnt-offerings are not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me.

Therefore thus said Jehovah: Lo, I do give to this people stumbling blocks, And stumbled against them have fathers and sons together, The neighbour and his friend do perish.

Thus said Jehovah: Lo, a people hath come from a north country, And a great nation is stirred up from the sides of the earth.

Bow and javelin they take hold of, Fierce it is , and they have no mercy, Their voice as a sea doth sound, And on horses they ride, set in array as a man of war, Against thee, O daughter of Zion.

`We have heard its sound, feeble have been our hands, Distress hath seized us, pain as of a travailing woman.

Go not forth to the field, And in the way walk not, For a sword hath the enemy, fear is round about.

O daughter of My people, Gird on sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes, The mourning of an only one make for thee, A lamentation most bitter, For suddenly come doth the spoiler against us.

A watch-tower I have given thee, Among My people a fortress, And thou knowest, and hast tried their way.

All of them are turned aside by apostates, Walking slanderously--brass and iron, All of them are corrupters.

The bellows have been burnt, By fire hath the lead been consumed, In vain hath a refiner refined, And the wicked have not been drawn away.

`Silver rejected,' they have called to them, For Jehovah hath kicked against them!

The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and thou hast proclaimed there this word, and hast said, Hear a word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah, who are coming in at these gates, to bow before Jehovah:

Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Amend your ways, and your doings, And I cause you to dwell in this place.

Do not trust for yourselves Unto the words of falsehood, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, The temple of Jehovah are they!

For, if ye do thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, If ye do judgment thoroughly Between a man and his neighbour,

Sojourner, fatherless, and widow, ye oppress not, And innocent blood do not shed in this place, And after other gods do not walk, for evil to yourselves,

Then I have caused you to dwell in this place, In the land that I gave to your fathers, From age even unto age.

Lo, ye are trusting for yourselves On the words of falsehood, so as not to profit.

Stealing, murdering, and committing adultery, And swearing to falsehood, and giving perfume to Baal, And going after other gods whom ye knew not.

And ye have come in and stood before Me, In this house on which My name is called, And have said, `We have been delivered,' In order to do all these abominations.