Daily Bread

⁴ “Prepare for battle against her!
    Arise, let us attack at noon!^(I)
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
    and the shadows of evening grow long.
⁵ So arise, let us attack at night
    and destroy her fortresses!”

“Cut down the trees^(J)
    and build siege ramps^(K) against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
    it is filled with oppression.^(L)
7 As a well pours out its water,
    so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence^(M) and destruction^(N) resound in her;
    her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
⁸ Take warning, Jerusalem,
    or I will turn away^(O) from you
and make your land desolate
    so no one can live in it.”

“Let them glean the remnant^(P) of Israel
    as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
    like one gathering grapes.”

¹⁰ To whom can I speak and give warning?
    Who will listen^(Q) to me?
Their ears are closed^[a](R)
    so they cannot hear.^(S)
The word^(T) of the Lord is offensive to them;
    they find no pleasure in it.
¹¹ But I am full of the wrath^(U) of the Lord,
    and I cannot hold it in.^(V)

“Pour it out on the children in the street
    and on the young men^(W) gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
    and the old, those weighed down with years.^(X)
12 Their houses will be turned over to others,^(Y)
    together with their fields and their wives,^(Z)
when I stretch out my hand^(AA)
    against those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
¹³ “From the least to the greatest,
    all^(AB) are greedy for gain;^(AC)
prophets and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.^(AD)
14 They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.^(AE)
15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
    No, they have no shame at all;
    they do not even know how to blush.^(AF)
So they will fall among the fallen;
    they will be brought down when I punish^(AG) them,”
says the Lord.

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,^(AH)
ask where the good way^(AI) is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest^(AJ) for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
¹⁷ I appointed watchmen^(AK) over you and said,
    ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’^(AL)
    But you said, ‘We will not listen.’^(AM)
18 Therefore hear, you nations;
    you who are witnesses,
    observe what will happen to them.
¹⁹ Hear, you earth:^(AN)
    I am bringing disaster^(AO) on this people,
    the fruit of their schemes,^(AP)
because they have not listened to my words^(AQ)
    and have rejected my law.^(AR)
20 What do I care about incense from Sheba^(AS)
    or sweet calamus^(AT) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;^(AU)
    your sacrifices^(AV) do not please me.”^(AW)

“I will put obstacles before this people.
    Parents and children alike will stumble^(AX) over them;
    neighbors and friends will perish.”

“Look, an army is coming
    from the land of the north;^(AY)
a great nation is being stirred up
    from the ends of the earth.^(AZ)
23 They are armed with bow and spear;
    they are cruel and show no mercy.^(BA)
They sound like the roaring sea^(BB)
    as they ride on their horses;^(BC)
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Zion.^(BD)”

²⁴ We have heard reports about them,
    and our hands hang limp.^(BE)
Anguish^(BF) has gripped us,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(BG)
25 Do not go out to the fields
    or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
    and there is terror on every side.^(BH)
26 Put on sackcloth,^(BI) my people,
    and roll in ashes;^(BJ)
mourn with bitter wailing^(BK)
    as for an only son,^(BL)
for suddenly the destroyer^(BM)
    will come upon us.

²⁷ “I have made you a tester^(BN) of metals
    and my people the ore,
that you may observe
    and test their ways.
²⁸ They are all hardened rebels,^(BO)
    going about to slander.^(BP)
They are bronze and iron;^(BQ)
    they all act corruptly.
²⁹ The bellows blow fiercely
    to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining^(BR) goes on in vain;
    the wicked are not purged out.
³⁰ They are called rejected silver,^(BS)
    because the Lord has rejected them.”^(BT)