23

The Branch of Righteousness

¹“Woe ⚓to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. ²Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. ⚓Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. ³“But ⚓I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. ⁴I will set up ⚓shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.
⁵“Behold, ⚓the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
⚓And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
⁶⚓In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel ⚓will dwell safely;
Now ⚓this is His name by which He will be called:

⁷“Therefore, behold, ⚓the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ ⁸but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country ⚓and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own ⚓land.”

False Prophets and Empty Oracles

⁹My heart within me is broken
Because of the prophets;
⚓All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord,
And because of His holy words.
¹⁰For ⚓the land is full of adulterers;
For ⚓because of a curse the land mourns.
⚓The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course of life is evil,
And their might is not right.
¹¹“For ⚓both prophet and priest are profane;
Yes, ⚓in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
¹²“Therefore⚓ their way shall be to them
Like slippery ways;
In the darkness they shall be driven on
And fall in them;
For I ⚓will bring disaster on them,
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
¹³“And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria:
⚓They prophesied by Baal
And ⚓caused My people Israel to err.
¹⁴Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
⚓They commit adultery and walk in lies;
They also ⚓strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one turns back from his wickedness.
All of them are like ⚓Sodom to Me,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
¹⁵“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:
‘Behold, I will feed them with ⚓wormwood,
And make them drink the water of gall;
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ”
¹⁶Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
⚓They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
¹⁷They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘The Lord has said, ⚓“You shall have peace” ’;
And to everyone who ⚓walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say,
⚓‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”
¹⁸For ⚓who has stood in the counsel of the Lord,
And has perceived and heard His word?
Who has marked His word and heard it?
¹⁹Behold, a ⚓whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
²⁰The ⚓anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
⚓In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
²¹“I⚓ have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
²²But if they had stood in My counsel,
And had caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have ⚓turned them from their evil way
And from the evil of their doings.
²³“Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord,
“And not a God afar off?
²⁴Can anyone ⚓hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the Lord;
⚓“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.
²⁵“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ ²⁶How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, ²⁷who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, ⚓as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.
²⁸“The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.
²⁹“Is not My word like a ⚓fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
³⁰“Therefore behold, ⚓I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. ³¹Behold, I am⚓against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ ³²Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their ⚓lies and by ⚓their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not ⚓profit this people at all,” says the Lord.
³³“So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is ⚓the oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, ‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. ³⁴“And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. ³⁵Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁶And the oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have ⚓perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. ³⁷Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁸But since you say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” ³⁹therefore behold, I, even I, ⚓will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. ⁴⁰And I will bring ⚓an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual ⚓shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”

23

Tơlơi Čang Rơmang Kơ Rơnŭk Pơanăp

¹Yahweh pơhiăp tui anai, “Răm ƀăm yơh kơ ƀing wai triu jing ƀing pơrai hăng pơčơlah hĭ tơpul triu amăng đang rơ̆k Kâo! ²Hơnŭn yơh, anai jing tơlơi Kâo, Yahweh, Ơi Adai ƀing Israel, pơhiăp hăng ƀing wai triu jing ƀing khŏm wai lăng ƀing ană plei Kâo tui anai: Ƀing gih hơmâo pơčơlah hĭ laih tơpul triu Kâo, puh pơđuaĭ hĭ laih ƀing gơñu laih anŭn ƀu răk rong brơi ƀing gơñu ôh. Tui anŭn, Kâo či pơkơhma̱l hĭ ƀing gih yua mơ̆ng tơlơi sat ƀai ƀing gih hơmâo ngă laih.” Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhaih laih. ³“Kâo pô či pơƀut glaĭ tơpul triu dŏ so̱t Kâo mơ̆ng abih bang lŏn čar, jing anih lŏn Kâo hơmâo puh pơđuaĭ hĭ laih ƀing gơñu. Giŏng anŭn, Kâo či ba glaĭ ƀing gơñu pơ đang rơ̆k gơñu pô, jing anih ƀing gơñu či đĭ kơyar lar lu dơ̆ng amăng anih anŭn yơh. ⁴Kâo ăt či pha brơi ƀing wai phrâo kơ ƀing gơñu mơ̆n, jing ƀing či wai lăng ƀing gơñu tŏng ten. Tui anŭn, tơpul triu Kâo ƀu či huĭ hyưt ƀôdah huĭ bra̱l dơ̆ng tah laih anŭn amăng ƀing gơñu kŏn hơmâo hlơi pô či rơngiă hĭ lơi.” Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih.
⁵Yahweh pơhiăp dơ̆ng tui anai, “Khul hrơi či truh,
jing hrơi tơdang Kâo či ruah mă pơtao mơ̆ng ană tơčô pơtao Dawid, anăn ñu jing Čơnŭh Tơpă Hơnơ̆ng,
jing Pơtao či git gai wai lăng rơgơi
laih anŭn ngă tơlơi djơ̆ hăng tơpă amăng anih lŏn anŭn yơh.⚓
⁶Amăng rơnŭk pơtao ñu anih lŏn Yudah či tơklaih hĭ mơ̆ng rŏh ayăt gơñu,
laih anŭn ƀing Israel či hơdip rơnŭk hơđơ̆ng yơh.
Arăng či pơanăn kơ ñu tui anai:
Yahweh Jing Pô Tơpă Hơnơ̆ng Ta.”
⁷Yahweh pơhiăp tui anai dơ̆ng, “Tui anŭn, amăng rơnŭk anŭn, tơdang arăng kiăng ƀuăn rơ̆ng ñu ƀu či laĭ tui anai dơ̆ng tah, ‘Kâo ƀuăn rơ̆ng amăng anăn Yahweh, jing Pô hơdip hăng ba tơbiă laih ƀing Israel mơ̆ng lŏn čar Êjip.’ ⁸Kơđai glaĭ ñu či pơhiăp tui anai, ‘Kâo ƀuăn rơ̆ng amăng anăn Yahweh jing Pô hơdip hăng ba tơbiă ƀing Israel mơ̆ng lŏn čar gah dư̱r laih anŭn mơ̆ng abih bang lŏn čar jing khul anih lŏn Ñu hơmâo pơčơlah hĭ laih ƀing gơñu.’ Amăng rơnŭk anŭn, ƀing gơñu či hơdip amăng anih lŏn gơñu pô yơh.”

Ƀing Pô Pơala Ƀlŏr

⁹Anai yơh jing tơlơi Yirmeyah pơhiăp djơ̆ kơ ƀing pô pơala,
“Jua pơmĭn kâo rŭng răng hĭ.
Sĭt abih bang khul tơlang kâo tơtư̆ tơtơ̆ng yơh.
Yuakơ hơdôm tơlơi Yahweh ngă laih laih anŭn yuakơ hơdôm boh hiăp rơgoh hiam Ñu yơh,
kâo jing kar hăng sa čô mơnuih măt tơpai,
jing kar hăng sa čô mơnuih mơñum lu tơpai ƀu thâo pơmĭn rơđah dơ̆ng tah.
¹⁰Anih lŏn anai jing bă hăng ƀing ƀu dŏ tŏng ten hăng Yahweh jing kar hăng ƀing klĕ pyu yơh.
Anih lŏn anai jing hĭ thu krô laih anŭn khul đang rơ̆k amăng tơdron ha̱r gliu krô hĭ,
yuakơ tơlơi Ơi Adai hơtŏm păh yơh.
Ƀing pô pơala ƀlŏr đuaĭ tui hăng hơdră sat ƀai
laih anŭn yua tơlơi dưi gơñu hăng hơdră ƀu tơpă hơnơ̆ng yơh.”

¹¹Yahweh pơhiăp tui anai, “Abih dua pô pơala hăng pô khua ngă yang jing ƀing ƀu tui gưt kơ Kâo ôh.
Wơ̆t tơdah amăng sang yang Kâo, Kâo ăt ƀuh ƀing gơñu ngă tơlơi sat ƀai.”
Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih.
¹²“Hơnŭn yơh jơlan ƀing gơñu đuaĭ tui či jing kar hăng jơlan tơbơr amăng tơlơi kơnăm mơmŏt,
laih anŭn pơ anŭn yơh ƀing gơñu či rơbuh hĭ kar hăng arăng kiaŏ mă ƀing gơñu.
Kâo či brơi rai tơlơi truh sat ƀơi ƀing gơñu
jing amăng hrơi Kâo pơkơhma̱l hĭ ƀing gơñu yơh.”
Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp pơhaih laih.

¹³“Kâo ƀuh laih ƀing pô pơala amăng plei phŭn Samaria pơhiăp tơlơi hơƀak drak tui anai:
Ƀing gơñu laĭ lui hlâo amăng anăn yang Baal
laih anŭn dui ba laih ƀing ană plei Kâo, jing ƀing Israel, jrôk hĭ jơlan.
¹⁴Samơ̆ Kâo ƀuh laih ƀing pô pơala amăng plei phŭn Yerusalaim ngă tơlơi hơƀak drak hloh tui anai:
Ƀing gơñu klĕ pyu laih anŭn pơhiăp ƀlŏr yơh.
Ƀing gơñu pơtrŭt ƀing ngă sat ƀai jai ngă sat ƀai lu hloh,
tơl ƀu hơmâo hlơi pô ôh wĕh đuaĭ hĭ mơ̆ng tơlơi sat ƀai ñu.
Ƀing pô pơala anŭn jing kar hăng ƀing sat plei Sedôm yơh kơ Kâo.
Laih anŭn ƀing ană plei Yerusalaim jing kar hăng ƀing ƀai plei Gomôrrah yơh.”⚓
¹⁵Hơnŭn yơh, anai yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh Dưi Kơtang pơhiăp kơ tơlơi ƀing pô pơala anŭn:
“Kâo či pơgŏ̱ ƀing gơñu ƀơ̆ng gơnam ƀơ̆ng phĭ̱
laih anŭn mơñum ia akăm,
yuakơ mơ̆ng ƀing pô pơala amăng plei Yerusalaim
tơlơi ƀu tui gưt kơ Kâo hơmâo lar laih pơ djŏp djang amăng anih lŏn Yudah.”
¹⁶Anai yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh Dưi Kơtang pơhiăp hăng ƀing ană plei plei Yerusalaim:
“Anăm pơđi̱ng hơmư̆ ôh kơ tơlơi ƀing pô pơala anŭn hlak laĭ lui hlâo kơ ƀing gih.
Ƀing gơñu pơbă hĭ ƀing gih hăng tơlơi čang rơmang đôč đač yơh.
Ƀing gơñu pơhiăp khul tơlơi mơ̆ng jua pơmĭn gơñu pô,
ƀu djơ̆ mơ̆ng amăng bah Kâo, Yahweh ôh.
¹⁷Ƀing gơñu pơhiăp nanao hăng ƀing djik djak kơ Kâo tui anai,
‘Yahweh laĭ tui anai: Ƀing gih či dŏ rơnŭk rơno̱m yơh.’
Laih anŭn ƀing gơñu laĭ hăng abih bang hlơi pô đuaĭ tui tơlơi khăng pran jua gơñu tui anai,
‘Ƀu hơmâo tơlơi truh sat hơget ôh či truh ƀơi ƀing gih.’
¹⁸Ƀu hơmâo hlơi pô ôh amăng ƀing gơñu bưp Kâo, Yahweh, laih anŭn dŏ dơ̆ng pơhiăp hăng Kâo
kiăng kơ pơđi̱ng hơmư̆ boh hiăp Kâo.
Ƀu hơmâo hlơi pô ôh amăng ƀing gơñu pơđi̱ng hơmư̆ hăng ngă tui laih boh hiăp Kâo.
¹⁹Lăng bĕ, tơlơi hil ƀrŭk Kâo, Yahweh, bluh tơbiă laih kar hăng angĭn rơbŭ,
laih anŭn či lê̆ trŭn ƀơi akŏ ƀing sat ƀai kar hăng angĭn hơkruăh huer trŭn yơh.
²⁰Tơlơi hil nač Kâo, Yahweh, ƀu či kơdŭn glaĭ ôh
tơl Kâo pơgiŏng hĭ hơdôm tơlơi kơñăm jua pơmĭn Kâo yơh.
Amăng khul hrơi pơanăp
ƀing gih či thâo hluh rơđah rơđo̱ng yơh tơlơi bruă Kâo ngă anŭn.
²¹Kâo, Yahweh, ƀu pơkiaŏ nao ƀing pô pơala ƀlŏr anŭn ôh,
samơ̆ ƀing gơñu ngă mă hrup hăng ƀing gơñu pơhiăp boh hiăp Kâo.
Kâo ƀu pơhiăp hăng ƀing gơñu ôh,
samơ̆ ƀing gơñu hơmâo laĭ lui hlâo laih.
²²Samơ̆ tơdah ƀing gơñu hơmâo bưp hăng pơhiăp laih hăng Kâo,
tui anŭn ƀing gơñu dưi pơhaih yơh hơdôm boh hiăp Kâo kơ ƀing ană plei Kâo
laih anŭn dưi pơwĕh hĭ laih ƀing gơ̆ mơ̆ng hơdră jơlan sat ƀai ƀing gơ̆
laih anŭn mơ̆ng khul tơlơi bruă soh sat ƀing gơ̆.

²³“Kâo yơh kơnơ̆ng jing Ơi Adai dŏ djŏp djang anih,
laih anŭn ƀu djơ̆ Ơi Adai dŏ amăng sa anih đôč ôh.”
Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhaih laih.
²⁴“Hơmâo mơ̆ hlơi pô dŏ kơdŏp amăng khul anih hơgŏm
kiăng kơ Kâo ƀu dưi ƀuh ñu ôh?”
Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih.
“Djơ̆ mơ̆ Kâo dŏ pơ djŏp djang anih amăng adai laih anŭn ƀơi lŏn tơnah?”
Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih.
²⁵Yahweh pơhiăp dơ̆ng tui anai, “Kâo hơmư̆ laih ƀing pô pơala pơhiăp laĭ lui hlâo ƀlŏr amăng anăn Kâo. Ƀing gơñu laĭ kơ tơlơi kâo hơmâo pơhiăp nanao laih hăng ƀing gơñu amăng tơlơi rơpơi. ²⁶Hơbĭn sui dơ̆ng ƀing pô pơala ƀlŏr či laĭ lui hlâo tui anŭn, jing laĭ lui hlâo kơ tơlơi ƀlŏr mơ̆ng jua pơmĭn gơñu pô lĕ? ²⁷Ƀing gơñu pơlaĭ hăng tơdruă hơdôm tơlơi rơpơi gơñu kiăng kơ ngă kơ ƀing ană plei Kâo wơr bĭt hĭ anăn Kâo jing Yahweh hrup hăng ƀing ơi adon gơñu wơr bĭt hĭ laih Kâo hlâo adih tơdang ƀing gơñu nao kơkuh pơpŭ kơ yang Baal yơh. ²⁸Brơi bĕ kơ pô pơala pă hơmâo tơlơi rơpơi pơruai bĕ kơ tơlơi rơpơi ñu anŭn jing kơnơ̆ng tơlơi rơpơi đôč, samơ̆ brơi bĕ pô pơala hơmâo boh hiăp Kâo sĭt pơhiăp boh hiăp djơ̆ anŭn tŏng ten. Sĭt tơlơi pơrơtưh anai jing djơ̆ tơpă: Adrăng pơdai ƀu jing tŭ yua kar hăng pơdai ôh.” Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih. ²⁹Yahweh laĭ dơ̆ng tui anai, “Boh hiăp Kâo jing kar hăng apui ƀơ̆ng hĭ laih anŭn kar hăng mơmu̱t taih pơtâo pơčah brai hĭ yơh.”
³⁰Yahweh pơhiăp dơ̆ng tui anai, “Hơnŭn yơh, Kâo pơkơdơ̆ng glaĭ hăng ƀing pô pơala jing ƀing mă tŭ boh hiăp mơ̆ng tơdruă hăng pơhaih ƀlŏr kơ hơdôm boh hiăp anŭn jing tơbiă rai mơ̆ng Kâo yơh. ³¹Sĭt yơh, Kâo pơkơdơ̆ng glaĭ hăng ƀing pô pơala pă pơhiăp hăng khul boh hiăp gơñu pô samơ̆ pơhaih ƀlŏr kơ hơdôm boh hiăp anŭn jing tơbiă rai mơ̆ng Kâo.” ³²Yahweh pơhiăp dơ̆ng tui anai, “Sĭt yơh, Kâo ăt pơkơdơ̆ng glaĭ mơ̆n hăng ƀing hlơi pô pơruai khul tơlơi rơpơi ƀlŏr samơ̆ pơhaih ƀlŏr kơ hơdôm tơlơi rơpơi anŭn jing tơlơi laĭ lui hlâo. Hăng khul tơlơi ƀlŏr gơñu anŭn, ƀing gơñu dui ba ƀing ană plei Kâo jrôk jơlan wơ̆t tơdah Kâo ƀu pơkiaŏ nao ƀing gơñu ƀôdah pơđar kơ ƀing gơñu nao pơhiăp hăng ană plei Kâo anŭn ôh. Tui anŭn, ƀing gơ̆ ƀu hơmâo tơlơi tŭ yua hơget ôh.” Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih.

Ƀing Pô Pơala Ƀlŏr Laih Anŭn Khul Tơlơi Laĭ Lui Hlâo Ƀlŏr

³³Yahweh pơhiăp hăng kâo tui anai, “Ơ Yirmeyah hơi, tơdang sa čô amăng ƀing ană plei anai, sa čô pô pơala ƀôdah sa čô khua ngă yang, tơña tui anai, ‘Hơget boh hiăp kơtraŏ Yahweh brơi laih kơ ih lĕ?’ Ih khŏm laĭ glaĭ kơ ƀing gơñu tui anai, ‘Ƀing gih jing tơlơi kơtraŏ kơ Yahweh laih anŭn Ñu laĭ Ñu či đuaĭ lui hĭ ƀing gih yơh.’ ” Anŭn yơh jing tơlơi Yahweh pơhiăp laih. ³⁴“Tơdah sa čô pô pơala, sa čô pô khua ngă yang ƀôdah hlơi pô amăng ƀing ană plei laĭ tui anai, ‘Anai yơh jing boh hiăp kơtraŏ mơ̆ng Yahweh,’ Kâo či pơkơhma̱l hĭ pô anŭn wơ̆t hăng abih sang anŏ ñu yơh. ³⁵Anai yơh jing tơlơi rĭm čô amăng ƀing gih khŏm tơña nanao kơ gơyut ñu ƀôdah adơi ai ñu tui anai, ‘Hơget tơlơi Yahweh laĭ glaĭ lĕ?’ ƀôdah ‘Hơget tơlơi Yahweh hơmâo pơhiăp laih lĕ?’ ³⁶Samơ̆ ƀing gih khŏm anăm laĭ djơ̆ kơ ‘boh hiăp kơtraŏ mơ̆ng Yahweh’ dơ̆ng tah, yuakơ rĭm boh hiăp rĭm čô jing hĭ boh hiăp kơtraŏ mơ̆ng ñu pô yơh, laih anŭn ƀing gih pơwĕ hĭ laih hơdôm boh hiăp Ơi Adai hơdip, jing Yahweh Dưi Kơtang, Ơi Adai ta. ³⁷Anai yơh jing tơlơi ƀing gih khŏm tơña nanao kơ rĭm pô pơala, ‘Hơget tơlơi Yahweh laĭ glaĭ kơ ih lĕ?’ Ƀôdah ‘Hơget Yahweh hơmâo pơhiăp laih lĕ?’ ³⁸Wơ̆t tơdah ƀing gih pơhaih tui anai, ‘Anai jing boh hiăp kơtraŏ mơ̆ng Yahweh,’ tui anŭn Yahweh či pơhiăp tui anai: Wơ̆t tơdah Kâo pơtă laih kơ ƀing gih khŏm anăm pơhaih ôh tui anai, ‘Anai yơh jing boh hiăp kơtraŏ mơ̆ng Yahweh,’ ƀing gih ăt tŏ tui yua hơdôm boh hiăp anŭn mơ̆n. ³⁹Hơnŭn yơh, sĭt Kâo pô či wơr bĭt hĭ ƀing gih laih anŭn puh pơđuaĭ hĭ ƀing gih mơ̆ng anăp Kâo wơ̆t hăng plei Yerusalaim anai, jing plei Kâo pha brơi laih kơ ƀing gih laih anŭn kơ ƀing ơi adon gih. ⁴⁰Kâo či ba rai ƀơi ƀing gih tơlơi mlâo hlŏng lar, jing tơlơi arăng či hơdơr hlŏng lar yơh.”