Read the Bible

¹ How terrible for the wicked, stubborn city of Jerusalem,
    which hurts its own people.
² It obeys no voice;
    it can't be taught to do right.
It doesn't trust the Lord;
    it doesn't worship its God.
³ Its officers are like roaring lions.
    Its rulers are like hungry wolves that attack in the evening,
    and in the morning nothing is left of those they attacked.
⁴ Its prophets are proud;
    they are people who cannot be trusted.
Its priests don't respect holy things;
    they break God's teachings.
⁵ But the Lord is good, and he is there in that city.
    He does no wrong.
Every morning he governs the people fairly;
    every day he can be trusted.
    But evil people are not ashamed of what they do.

⁶ "I have destroyed nations;
    their towers were ruined.
I made their streets empty
    so no one goes there anymore.
Their cities are ruined;
    no one lives there at all.
⁷ I said, ‘Surely now Jerusalem will respect me
    and will accept my teaching.'
Then the place where they lived would not be destroyed,
    and I would not have to punish them.
But they were still eager
    to do evil in everything they did.
⁸ Just wait," says the Lord.
    "Someday I will stand up as a witness.
I have decided that I will gather nations
    and assemble kingdoms.
I will pour out my anger on them,
    all my strong anger.
My anger will be like fire
    that will burn up the whole world.

⁹ "Then I will give the people of all nations pure speech
    so that all of them will speak the name of the Lord
    and worship me together.
¹⁰ People will come from where the Nile River begins;
    my scattered people will come with gifts for me.
¹¹ Then Jerusalem will not be ashamed
    of the wrongs done against me,
because I will remove from this city
    those who like to brag;
there will never be any more proud people
    on my holy mountain in Jerusalem.
¹² But I will leave in the city
    the humble and those who are not proud,
    and they will trust in the Lord.
¹³ Those who are left alive in Israel won't do wrong or tell lies;
    they won't trick people with their words.
They will eat and lie down
    with no one to make them afraid."

¹⁴ Sing, Jerusalem.
    Israel, shout for joy!
Jerusalem, be happy
    and rejoice with all your heart.
¹⁵ The Lord has stopped punishing you;
    he has sent your enemies away.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is with you;
    you will never again be afraid of being harmed.
¹⁶ On that day Jerusalem will be told,
    "Don't be afraid, city of Jerusalem.
    Don't give up.
¹⁷ The Lord your God is with you;
    the mighty One will save you.
He will rejoice over you.
    You will rest in his love;
    he will sing and be joyful about you."

¹⁸ "I will take away the sadness planned for you,
    which would have made you very ashamed.
¹⁹ At that time I will punish
    all those who harmed you.
I will save my people who cannot walk
    and gather my people who have been thrown out.
I will give them praise and honor
    in every place where they were shamed.
²⁰ At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring you back home.
I will give you honor and praise
    from people everywhere
when I make things go well again for you,
    as you will see with your own eyes," says the Lord.