³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood^(A) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, ⁴ you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed^(B) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.^(C) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn^(D) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.^{(E) 5} Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.^(F)

⁶ “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.^{(G) 7} In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;^(H) in you they have oppressed the foreigner^(I) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.^{(J) 8} You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.^{(K) 9} In you are slanderers^(L) who are bent on shedding blood;^(M) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines^(N) and commit lewd acts.^{(O) 10} In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;^(P) in you are those who violate women during their period,^(Q) when they are ceremonially unclean.^{(R) 11} In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife,^(S) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,^(T) and another violates his sister,^(U) his own father’s daughter.^{(V) 12} In you are people who accept bribes^(W) to shed blood; you take interest^(X) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.^(Y) And you have forgotten^(Z) me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AA)

²⁵ There is a conspiracy^(A) of her princes^[a] within her like a roaring lion^(B) tearing its prey; they devour people,^(C) take treasures and precious things and make many widows^(D) within her. ²⁶ Her priests do violence to my law^(E) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;^(F) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;^(G) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned^(H) among them.^{(I) 27} Her officials^(J) within her are like wolves^(K) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people^(L) to make unjust gain.^{(M) 28} Her prophets whitewash^(N) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.^(O) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.^{(P) 29} The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;^(Q) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,^(R) denying them justice.^(S)

³⁰ “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall^(T) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.^(U)

²⁵ Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you eat^(A) meat with the blood^(B) still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?^(C)

²⁶ You rely on your sword, you do detestable things,^(A) and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife.^(B) Should you then possess the land?’