1 Israel, don't celebrateor make noisy shoutslike other nations.You have been unfaithfulto your God.Wherever grain is threshed,you behave like prostitutesbecause you enjoythe money you receive.
2 But you will run shortof grain and wine,
3 and you will have to leavethe land of the Lord.Some of you will go to Egypt;others will go to Assyriaand eat unclean food.
4 You won't be able to offersacrifices of wineto the Lord.None of your sacrificeswill please him—they will be uncleanlike food offered to the dead.Your food will only be usedto satisfy your hunger;none of it will be broughtto the Lord's temple.
5 You will no longer be ableto celebrate the festivalof the Lord.
6 Even if you escape alive,you will end up in Egyptand be buried in Memphis.Your silver treasureswill be lost among weeds;thorns will sprout in your tents.
7 Israel, the time has come.You will get what you deserve,and you will know it.“Prophets are fools,” you say.“And God's messengersare crazy.”Your terrible guilthas filled you with hatred.
8 Israel, the Lord sent meto look after you.But you trap his prophetsand flood his templewith your hatred.
9 You are brutal and corrupt,as were the men of Gibeah.But God remembers your sin,and you will be punished.
10 Israel, when I, the Lord,found you long agoit was like findinggrapes in a barren desertor tender young figs.Then you worshiped Baal Peor,that disgusting idol,and you became as disgustingas the idol you loved.
11 And so, Israel, your glorywill fly away like birds—your women will no longerbe able to give birth.
12 Even if you do have children,I will take them alland leave you to mourn.I will turn away,and you will sink downin deep trouble.
13 Israel, when I first met you,I thought of you as palm treesgrowing in fertile ground.Now you lead your people out,only to be slaughtered.
14 Our Lord, do just one thingfor your people—make their women unableto have childrenor to nurse their babies.
15 Israel, I first beganto hate you becauseyou did evil at Gilgal.Now I will chase youout of my house.No longer will I love you;your leaders betrayed me.
16 Israel, you are a vinewith dried-up rootsand fruitless branches.Even if you had more childrenand loved them dearly,I would slaughter them all.
17 Israel, you disobeyed my God.Now he will force you to roamfrom nation to nation.