<p class="poetry">So<n id="1" /> I will pounce on them like a lion;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">like a leopard I will lurk by the path.p>

<p class="poetry">I will deal with the people and priests together:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will punish them both for their ways,p> <p class="poetry">and I will repay them for their deeds.p>

<p class="poetry">The company of priests is like a gang of robbers,p> <p class="poetry">lying in ambush to pounce on a victim.p> <p class="poetry">They commit murder on the road to Shechem;p> <p class="poetry">they have done heinous crimes!p>

<p class="poetry">But you have plowed wickedness;p> <p class="poetry">you have reaped injustice;p> <p class="poetry">you have eaten the fruit of deception.p> <p class="poetry">Because you have depended on your chariots;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you have relied<n id="2" /> on your many warriors.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> also has a covenant lawsuit<n id="1" /> against Judah;p> <p class="poetry">he will punish Jacob according to his waysp> <p class="poetry">and repay him according to his deeds.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Therefore, I will soon<n id="1" /> fence her in<n id="2" /> with thorns;p> <p class="poetry">I will wall her in<n id="3" /> so that<n id="4" /> she cannot find her way.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">The prophet<n id="1" /> is a watchman<n id="2" /> over Ephraim<n id="3" /> on behalf of God,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">yet traps<n id="5" /> are laid for him along all of his paths;<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">animosity rages against him in the land<n id="7" /> of his God.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Who is wise?p> <p class="poetry">Let him discern<n id="1" /> these things!p> <p class="poetry">Who is discerning?p> <p class="poetry">Let him understand them!p> <p class="poetry">For the ways of the <sc>Lordsc> are right;p> <p class="poetry">the godly walk in them,p> <p class="bodytext">but in them the rebellious stumble.p>