<p class="poetry">The person who gathers wealth by unjust meansp> <p class="poetry">is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;Sure to be judged<n id="1" /> is the king who builds his palace using injusticep> <p class="poetry">and treats people unfairly while adding its upper rooms.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He makes his countrymen work for him for nothing.p> <p class="poetry">He does not pay them for their labor.p>

<p class="poetry">Does it make you any more of a kingp> <p class="poetry">that you outstrip everyone else in<n id="1" /> building with cedar?p> <p class="poetry">Just think about your father.p> <p class="poetry">He was content that he had food and drink.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He did what was just and right.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">So things went well with him.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise<n id="1" /> that a new time will certainly come<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">when I will raise up for them a righteous branch,<n id="3" /> a descendant of David.p> <p class="poetry">He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and will do what is just and right in the land.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob.p> <p class="poetry">I will show compassion on their ruined homes.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Foreigners living there will say,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;We tried to heal her, but she could not be healed.p> <p class="poetry">Let&#8217;s leave Babylonia<n id="2" /> and each go back to his own country.p> <p class="poetry">For judgment on her will be vast in its proportions.p> <p class="poetry">It will be like it is piled up to heaven, stacked up into the clouds.&#8217;<n id="3" />p>

They captured him and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah<n id="1" /> in the territory of Hamath and he passed sentence on him there.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: I &#8211; even I &#8211; am against you,<n id="1" /> and I will execute judgment<n id="2" /> among you while the nations watch.<n id="3" />

The king will mourn and the prince will be clothed with shuddering; the hands of the people of the land will tremble. Based on their behavior I will deal with them, and by their standard of justice<n id="1" /> I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the <sc>Lordsc>!&#8221;p>

so that they may follow my statutes and observe my regulations and carry them out. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.<n id="1" />

does not engage in usury or charge interest,<n id="1" /> but refrains<n id="2" /> from wrongdoing, promotes true justice<n id="3" /> between men,

and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out.<n id="1" /> That man<n id="2" /> is righteous; he will certainly live,<n id="3" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

refrains from wrongdoing,<n id="1" /> does not engage in usury or charge interest, carries out my regulations and follows my statutes. He will not die for his father&#8217;s iniquity;<n id="2" /> he will surely live.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

I gave them my statutes<n id="1" /> and revealed my regulations to them. The one<n id="2" /> who carries<n id="3" /> them out will live by them!<n id="4" />

I did this<n id="1" /> because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;But I said to their children<n id="1" /> in the wilderness, &#8220;Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations,<n id="2" /> nor defile yourselves with their idols.

I did this<n id="1" /> because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on<n id="2" /> their fathers&#8217; idols.

<p class="poetry">A total ruin I will make it!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">It will come to an endp> <p class="poetry">when the one arrives to whom I have assigned judgment.&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have wronged the poor and needy; they have oppressed the foreigner who lives among them and denied them justice.<n id="1" />p>