Guilt and Punishment of Jerusalem

9 Listen! The Lord calls to the city!

Listen, tribe and assembly of the city!

10 ‘Can I forget the hoarded treasures in the houses of the wicked,

and the accursed scant measure?

11 Can I leave her unpunished because of evil scales,

and the bag of false weights?

12 Whose rich people are full of violence,

her inhabitants liars,

whose tongues speak deceit?

13 ‘But I indeed, have begun to punish you,

to lay you in ruins because of your sins.

14 You will eat but not be satisfied,

your stomach empty within you.

You will store up but lose everything,

because whatever you save I will give to the sword.

15 You will sow but not reap.

You will tread the olives but have no oil for rubbing,

tread grapes but drink no wine!

16 ‘For you have followed the commands of Omri,

and all the practices of the house of Ahab.

You have acted in accord with their counsels,

so I will give you up to ruin,

the city’s inhabitants to derision.

The nations will treat you with contempt!’