18 What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind themwith ropes made of lies,who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!
19 They even mock God and say,“Hurry up and do something!We want to see what you can do.Let the Holy One of Israel carry out his plan,for we want to know what it is.”
20 What sorrow for those who saythat evil is good and good is evil,that dark is light and light is dark,that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
21 What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyesand think themselves so clever.
22 What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wineand boast about all the alcohol they can hold.
23 They take bribes to let the wicked go free,and they punish the innocent.
24 Therefore, just as fire licks up stubbleand dry grass shrivels in the flame,so their roots will rotand their flowers wither.For they have rejected the law of the lord of Heaven’s Armies;they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.