1 How terrible for the wicked, stubborn city of Jerusalem,which hurts its own people.
2 It obeys no voice;it can’t be taught to do right.It doesn’t trust the Lord;it doesn’t worship its God.
3 Its officers are like roaring lions.Its rulers are like hungry wolves that attack in the evening,and in the morning nothing is left of those they attacked.
4 Its prophets are proud;they are people who cannot be trusted.Its priests don’t respect holy things;they break God’s teachings.
5 But the Lord is good, and he is there in that city.He does no wrong.Every morning he governs the people fairly;every day he can be trusted.But evil people are not ashamed of what they do.
6 “I have destroyed nations;their towers were ruined.I made their streets emptyso no one goes there anymore.Their cities are ruined;no one lives there at all.
7 I said, ‘Surely now Jerusalem will respect meand will accept my teaching.’Then the place where they lived would not be destroyed,and I would not have to punish them.But they were still eagerto do evil in everything they did.