<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;This will be your reminder that I have spoken the truth:<n id="2" /> This year you will eat what grows wild,<n id="3" /> and next year<n id="4" /> what grows on its own. But the year after that<n id="5" /> you will plant seed and harvest crops; you will plant vines and consume their produce.<n id="6" />

<p class="poetry">They put it on their shoulder and carry it;p> <p class="poetry">they put it in its place and it just stands there;p> <p class="poetry">it does not<n id="1" /> move from its place.p> <p class="poetry">Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;p> <p class="poetry">it does not deliver him from his distress.p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Look I will raise my hand to the nations;p> <p class="poetry">I will raise my signal flag to the peoples.p> <p class="poetry">They will bring your sons in their armsp> <p class="poetry">and carry your daughters on their shoulders.p>

<p class="poetry">Do not bring any more meaningless<n id="1" /> offerings;p> <p class="poetry">I consider your incense detestable!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,p> <p class="poetry">but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,p> <p class="poetry">wise advisers as in earlier days.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then you will be called, &#8216;The Just City,p> <p class="poetry">Faithful Town.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">The people will treat each other harshly;p> <p class="poetry">men will oppose each other;p> <p class="poetry">neighbors will fight.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Youths will proudly defy the elderlyp> <p class="poetry">and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Those remaining in Zion,<n id="1" /> those left in Jerusalem,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">will be called &#8220;holy,&#8221;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">all in Jerusalem who are destined to live.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">What more can I do for my vineyardp> <p class="poetry">beyond what I have already done?p> <p class="poetry">When I waited for it to produce edible grapes,p> <p class="poetry">why did it produce sour ones instead?p>

I heard the voice of the sovereign master say, &#8220;Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?&#8221;<n id="1" /> I answered, &#8220;Here I am, send me!&#8221;

Here is why this will be so:<n id="1" /> Before the child knows how to reject evil and choose what is right, the land<n id="2" /> whose two kings you fear will be desolate.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">He will take delight in obeying the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He will not judge by mere appearances,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">No one will live there again;p> <p class="poetry">no one will ever reside there again.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">No bedouin<n id="2" /> will camp<n id="3" /> there,p> <p class="poetry">no shepherds will rest their flocks<n id="4" /> there.p>

<p class="poetry">You will not be buried with them,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">because you destroyed your landp> <p class="poetry">and killed your people.p> <p class="poetry">The offspring of the wickedp> <p class="poetry">will never be mentioned again.p>

<p class="poetry">How will they respond to the messengers of this nation?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, the <sc>Lordsc> has made Zion secure;p> <p class="poetry">the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies planned it &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">to dishonor the pride that comes from all her beauty,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">to humiliate all the dignitaries of the earth.p>

<p class="poetry">He said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;You will no longer celebrate,p> <p class="poetry">oppressed<n id="1" /> virgin daughter Sidon!p> <p class="poetry">Get up, travel to Cyprus,p> <p class="poetry">but you will find no relief there.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your treaty with death will be dissolved;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">your agreement<n id="2" /> with Sheol will not last.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">you will be overrun by it.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">You will be shocked and amazed!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You are totally blind!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They are drunk,<n id="3" /> but not because of wine;p> <p class="poetry">they stagger,<n id="4" /> but not because of beer.p>

<p class="poetry">They travel down to Egyptp> <p class="poetry">without seeking my will,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">seeking Pharaoh&#8217;s protection,p> <p class="poetry">and looking for safety in Egypt&#8217;s protective shade.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">On every high mountainp> <p class="poetry">and every high hillp> <p class="poetry">there will be streams flowing with water,p> <p class="poetry">at the time of<n id="1" /> great slaughter when the fortified towers collapse.p>