Yahweh Questions His People

• 4 “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus asks[fn] Yahweh:“Do men fall and not stand up?
  • If one turns away does he not return?
  • 5 in enduring apostasy? They have kept hold of deceit, they have refused to return.[fn]
  • 6  and I have listened.
• They do not speak honestly,
  • there is no man who regrets his wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’
• All of them are turning to their ways of running,
  • like a horse plunging into battle.
  • 7 the stork in heaven knows its appointed time, and the turtledove, and the swallow, and the song bird,
• they observe the time of their coming.
  • But my people do not know the ordinance[fn] of Yahweh.
  • 8 are wise and the law of Yahweh is with us’? Look, surely[fn] has made it a lie.
  • 9 The wise will be put to shame, they will be dismayed,
  • and they will get taken.
• Look, they have rejected the word of Yahweh,
  • and what is wisdom to them?
  • 10  their fields to conquerors,
• because from the smallest to the greatest,
  • all of them make profit for unlawful gain,
• from prophet to priest,
  • all of them practice deceit.
  • 11 [fn] ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.
  • 12  What’s worse,[fn] they were not ashamed at all,
• and they did not know to feel humiliated.
  • [fn] they will fall among those who fall;
  • at the time of their punishment they will stumble,” says Yahweh.
• 13 [fn][fn] Yahweh. “There are no grapes on the vine,
  • and there are no figs on the fig tree,
• and the leaves wither,
  • and what I gave to them passed over them.” ’ ”