<p class="poetry">Get out of Babylonia quickly, you foreign people.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Flee to save your lives.p> <p class="poetry">Do not let yourselves be killed because of her sins.p> <p class="poetry">For it is time for the <sc>Lordsc> to wreak his revenge.p> <p class="poetry">He will pay Babylonia<n id="2" /> back for what she has done.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Be amazed at this, O heavens!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">Even the soldiers<n id="1" /> from Memphis and Tahpanhesp> <p class="poetry">have cracked your skulls, people of Israel.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">so that you may yet be delivered.p> <p class="poetry">How long will you continue to harbor upp> <p class="poetry">wicked schemes within you?p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I looked at the land and saw<n id="1" /> that it was an empty wasteland.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I looked up at the sky, and its light had vanished.p>

<p class="poetry">They are like lusty, well-fed<n id="1" /> stallions.p> <p class="poetry">Each of them lusts after<n id="2" /> his neighbor&#8217;s wife.p>

<p class="bodytext">I reported,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;All of them are the most stubborn of rebels!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They are as hard as bronze or iron.p> <p class="poetry">They go about telling lies.p> <p class="poetry">They all deal corruptly.p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;Watch out!<n id="1" /> The time is soon coming when I will punish all those who are circumcised only in the flesh.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">I will give away your wealth and your treasures as plunder.p> <p class="poetry">I will give it away free of charge for the sins you have committed throughout your land.p>

<p class="poetry">My blessing is on those people who trust in me,p> <p class="poetry">who put their confidence in me.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The human mind is more deceitful than anything else.p> <p class="poetry">It is incurably bad.<n id="1" /> Who can understand it?p>

So I went down to the potter&#8217;s house and found him working<n id="1" /> at his wheel.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">Cursed be the day I was born!p> <p class="poetry">May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The leaders of my people are sure to be judged.<n id="2" /> They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;I saw the prophets of Samaria<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">doing something that was disgusting.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They prophesied in the name of the god Baalp> <p class="poetry">and led my people Israel astray.<n id="4" />p>

Each of you should merely ask the prophet, &#8216;What answer did the <sc>Lordsc> give you? Or what did the <sc>Lordsc> say?&#8217;<n id="1" />

When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul,<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Moreover,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> says to the people of Zion,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Your injuries are incurable;p> <p class="poetry">your wounds are severe.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> will rescue the descendants of Jacob.p> <p class="poetry">He will secure their release<n id="1" /> from those who had overpowered them.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will provide the priests with abundant provisions.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.&#8221;p>