² How long,^(B) Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?^(C)
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?^(D)
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate^(E) wrongdoing?^(F)
Destruction and violence^(G) are before me;
    there is strife,^(H) and conflict abounds.
⁴ Therefore the law^(I) is paralyzed,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
    so that justice^(J) is perverted.^(K)

⁵ “Look at the nations and watch—
    and be utterly amazed.^(L)
For I am going to do something in your days
    that you would not believe,
    even if you were told.^(M)
6 I am raising up the Babylonians,^[a](N)
    that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth^(O)
    to seize dwellings not their own.^(P)
7 They are a feared and dreaded people;^(Q)
    they are a law to themselves
    and promote their own honor.
⁸ Their horses are swifter^(R) than leopards,
    fiercer than wolves^(S) at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
    their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
⁹     they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes^[b] advance like a desert wind
    and gather prisoners^(T) like sand.
¹⁰ They mock kings
    and scoff at rulers.^(U)
They laugh at all fortified cities;
    by building earthen ramps^(V) they capture them.
¹¹ Then they sweep past like the wind^(W) and go on—
    guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”^(X)

¹² Lord, are you not from everlasting?^(Y)
    My God, my Holy One,^(Z) you^[c] will never die.^(AA)
You, Lord, have appointed^(AB) them to execute judgment;
    you, my Rock,^(AC) have ordained them to punish.
¹³ Your eyes are too pure^(AD) to look on evil;
    you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.^(AE)
Why then do you tolerate^(AF) the treacherous?^(AG)
    Why are you silent while the wicked
    swallow up those more righteous than themselves?^(AH)
14 You have made people like the fish in the sea,
    like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
¹⁵ The wicked^(AI) foe pulls all of them up with hooks,^(AJ)
    he catches them in his net,^(AK)
he gathers them up in his dragnet;
    and so he rejoices and is glad.
¹⁶ Therefore he sacrifices to his net
    and burns incense^(AL) to his dragnet,
for by his net he lives in luxury
    and enjoys the choicest food.
¹⁷ Is he to keep on emptying his net,
    destroying nations without mercy?^(AM)

3 Woe to the city of oppressors,^(A)
    rebellious^(B) and defiled!^(C)
2 She obeys^(D) no one,
    she accepts no correction.^(E)
She does not trust^(F) in the Lord,
    she does not draw near^(G) to her God.
³ Her officials within her
    are roaring lions;^(H)
her rulers are evening wolves,^(I)
    who leave nothing for the morning.^(J)
4 Her prophets are unprincipled;
    they are treacherous people.^(K)
Her priests profane the sanctuary
    and do violence to the law.^(L)
5 The Lord within her is righteous;^(M)
    he does no wrong.^(N)
Morning by morning^(O) he dispenses his justice,
    and every new day he does not fail,^(P)
    yet the unrighteous know no shame.^(Q)

⁶ “I have destroyed nations;
    their strongholds are demolished.
I have left their streets deserted,
    with no one passing through.
Their cities are laid waste;^(R)
    they are deserted and empty.
⁷ Of Jerusalem I thought,
    ‘Surely you will fear me
    and accept correction!’^(S)
Then her place of refuge^[a] would not be destroyed,
    nor all my punishments come upon^[b] her.
But they were still eager
    to act corruptly^(T) in all they did.
⁸ Therefore wait^(U) for me,”
    declares the Lord,
    “for the day I will stand up to testify.^[c]
I have decided to assemble^(V) the nations,^(W)
    to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath^(X) on them—
    all my fierce anger.^(Y)
The whole world will be consumed^(Z)
    by the fire of my jealous anger.

⁹ “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
    that all of them may call^(AA) on the name of the Lord^(AB)
    and serve^(AC) him shoulder to shoulder.
¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Cush^[d](AD)
    my worshipers, my scattered people,
    will bring me offerings.^(AE)
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame^(AF)
    for all the wrongs you have done to me,^(AG)
because I will remove from you
    your arrogant boasters.^(AH)
Never again will you be haughty
    on my holy hill.^(AI)
12 But I will leave within you
    the meek^(AJ) and humble.
The remnant of Israel
    will trust^(AK) in the name of the Lord.
¹³ They^(AL) will do no wrong;^(AM)
    they will tell no lies.^(AN)
A deceitful tongue
    will not be found in their mouths.^(AO)
They will eat and lie down^(AP)
    and no one will make them afraid.^(AQ)”