1 Behold, Yahweh’s hand is not shortened, that it can’t save; neither his
ear heavy, that it can’t hear: 2 but your iniquities have separated
between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so
that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your
fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters
wickedness. 4 None sues in righteousness, and none pleads in truth: they
trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth
iniquity. 5 They hatch adders’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he who
eats of their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover
themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act
of violence is in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they make
haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
desolation and destruction are in their paths. 8 The way of peace they
don’t know; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them
crooked paths; whoever goes therein does not know peace. 9 Therefore is
justice far from us, neither does righteousness overtake us: we look for
light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind; yes, we grope as those who have
no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among those who are lusty
we are as dead men. 11 We roar all like bears, and moan sore like doves:
we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from
us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins
testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our
iniquities, we know them: 13 transgressing and denying Yahweh, and turning
away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and
uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 Justice is turned away
backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the
street, and uprightness can’t enter. 15 Yes, truth is lacking; and he who
departs from evil makes himself a prey. Yahweh saw it, and it displeased him
who there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered
that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation to
him; and his righteousness, it upheld him. 17 He put on righteousness as a
breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; and he put on garments of
vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle. 18 According
to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries,
recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense. 19 So
shall they fear the name of Yahweh from the west, and his glory from the
rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of
Yahweh drives. 20 A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from
disobedience in Jacob, says Yahweh. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with
them, says Yahweh: my Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in
your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your
seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed, says Yahweh, from henceforth
and forever.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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