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¹ "Strengthen yourselves, sons of Benjamin, || From the midst of Jerusalem, || And blow a horn in Tekoa, || And lift up a flame over Beth-Haccerem, || For evil has been seen from the north, || And great destruction.² I have cut off the lovely and delicate one, || The daughter of Zion.³ Shepherds and their droves come to her, || They have struck tents by her all around, || They have each fed [in] his own station."⁴ "Sanctify the battle against her, || Rise, and we go up at noon. Woe to us, for the day has turned, || For the shades of evening are stretched out,⁵ Rise, and we go up by night, || And we destroy her palaces."⁶ For thus said YHWH of Hosts: "Cut down her wood, || And pour out a mound against Jerusalem, || She [is] the city to be inspected, || She [is] full of oppression in her midst.⁷ As the digging of a well, is [for] its waters, || So she has dug [for] her wickedness, || Violence and spoil is heard in her, || Sickness and striking [are] continually before My face.⁸ Be instructed, O Jerusalem, || Lest My soul be alienated from you, || Lest I make you a desolation, || A land [that is] not inhabited."

⁹ Thus said YHWH of Hosts: "They surely glean, as a vine, the remnant of Israel, || Put your hand back, as a gatherer to the baskets."¹⁰ To whom do I speak, and testify, and they hear? Behold, their ear [is] uncircumcised, || And they are not able to attend. Behold, a word of YHWH has been to them for a reproach, || They do not delight in it.¹¹ And I have been filled with the fury of YHWH || (I have been weary of containing), "To pour [it] on the suckling in the street, || And on the assembly of youths together, || For even husband with wife are captured, || [The] elderly with one full of days,¹² And their houses have been turned to others, || Fields and wives together, || For I stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land," || A declaration of YHWH.¹³ "For from their least to their greatest, || Everyone is gaining dishonest gain, || And from prophet even to priest, || Everyone is dealing falsely,¹⁴ And they heal the breach of the daughter of My people slightly, || Saying, Peace, peace! And there is no peace.¹⁵ They were ashamed when they did abomination! Indeed, they are not at all ashamed, || Indeed, they have not known blushing, || Therefore they fall among those falling, || In the time I have inspected them, || They stumble," said YHWH.¹⁶ Thus said YHWH: "Stand by the ways and see, and ask for paths of old, || Where [is] this—the good way? And go in it, || And find rest for yourselves. And they say, We do not go.¹⁷ And I have raised up watchmen for you, || Attend to the voice of the horn. And they say, We do not attend.

¹⁸ Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, || That which [is] on them.¹⁹ Hear, O earth, behold, I am bringing evil on this people, || The fruit of their plans, || For they gave no attention to My words, || And My law—they kick against it.²⁰ Why [is] this to Me? Frankincense comes from Sheba, || And the sweet cane from a far-off land, || Your burnt-offerings [are] not for acceptance, || And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me."²¹ Therefore, thus said YHWH: "Behold, I give stumbling blocks to this people, || And fathers and sons have stumbled against them together, || The neighbor and his friend perish."²² Thus said YHWH: "Behold, a people has come from a north country, || And a great nation is stirred up from the sides of the earth.²³ They take hold of bow and javelin, || It [is] fierce, and they have no mercy, || Their voice sounds as a sea, || And they ride on horses, || Set in array as a man of war, || Against you, O daughter of Zion."²⁴ We have heard its sound, our hands have been feeble, || Distress has seized us, pain as of a travailing woman.²⁵ Do not go forth to the field, || And do not walk in the way, || For the enemy has a sword, || Fear [is] all around.²⁶ O daughter of my people, || Gird on sackcloth, || And roll yourself in ashes, || Make mourning [as for] an only one, || A most bitter lamentation, || For the spoiler suddenly comes against us.²⁷ "I have given you a watchtower, || A fortress among My people, || And you know, and have tried their way.²⁸ All of them are turned aside by apostates, || Walking slanderously—bronze and iron, || All of them are corrupters.²⁹ The bellows have been burned, || The lead has been consumed by fire, || A refiner has refined in vain, || And the wicked have not been drawn away.³⁰ They have called them rejected silver, || For YHWH has kicked against them!"