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

Phung Ăt Dôk Lŏ Wĭt

¹“Knap mñai yơh kơ phung mgăt biăp bi rai leh anăn prah prŭng hĕ biăp hlăm kdrăn rơ̆k kâo!” Yêhôwa lač. ²Kyuanăn Yêhôwa Aê Diê phung Israel lač snei klei djŏ kơ phung mgăt biăp kiă kriê phung ƀuôn sang kâo: “Diih prah prŭng leh biăp kâo, leh anăn suôt leh digơ̆, leh anăn diih amâo răng kriê digơ̆ ôh. Nĕ anei, kâo srăng bi kmhal diih kyua klei jhat diih ngă leh,” Yêhôwa lač. ³“Leh anăn kâo pô srăng bi kƀĭn biăp kâo ăt dôk kbiă mơ̆ng jih jang čar kâo suôt leh digơ̆, leh anăn atăt wĭt digơ̆ kơ kdrăn rơ̆k digơ̆ pô, leh anăn digơ̆ srăng lŏ mâo anak aneh leh anăn jing lar êngŭm. ⁴Kâo srăng dưm phung mgăt biăp kiă kriê digơ̆ bi jăk, leh anăn digơ̆ amâo srăng lŏ huĭ ôh, kăn êdu ai rei, kăn srăng mâo pô luč rei,” Yêhôwa lač.

⁵ “Nĕ anei, hruê srăng truh,” Yêhôwa lač,
“Tơdah kâo srăng bi čăt kơ Y-Đawit sa ƀĕ Adhan Kpă,
leh anăn gơ̆ srăng jing mtao kiă kriê leh anăn ngă hŏng klei thâo mĭn,
leh anăn srăng ngă klei kpă ênô leh anăn klei djŏ hlăm čar.
⁶Hlăm ênuk gơ̆ phung Yuđa srăng mâo klei bi mtlaih,
leh anăn phung Israel srăng dôk hlăm klei hơĭt.
Anei anăn arăng srăng pia kơ ñu:
‘Yêhôwa Klei Kpă Ênô Drei.’ ”
⁷“Kyuanăn nĕ anei, hruê srăng truh” Yêhôwa lač, “Tơdah phung mnuih amâo srăng lŏ lač ôh, ‘Tui si Yêhôwa dôk hdĭp, pô atăt leh phung ƀuôn sang Israel kbiă mơ̆ng čar Êjip,’ ⁸ƀiădah arăng srăng lač, ‘Tui si Yêhôwa dôk hdĭp, pô atăt leh phung anak čô sang Israel kbiă mơ̆ng čar dưr leh anăn mơ̆ng jih jang čar ñu suôt leh digơ̆,’ leh anăn digơ̆ srăng dôk hlăm čar digơ̆ pô.”

Klei Kčŭt kơ Phung Khua Pô Hưn Êlâo Luar

⁹Klei djŏ kơ phung khua pô hưn êlâo:
Ai tiê kâo mčah leh ti lam,
jih jang klang kâo ktư̆ mgei;
kâo jing msĕ si sa čô mnuih kpiê ruă,
msĕ si sa čô mnuih kpiê ngă leh kơ ñu,
kyua Yêhôwa
leh anăn kyua klei ñu blŭ doh jăk.
¹⁰Kyuadah čar bŏ hŏng phung tlĕ piu;
kyua mâo klei tăm pah, čar kơŭ kyăm,
leh anăn kdrăn rơ̆k hlăm dliê krô leh sơăi.
Diñu êran ngă klei jhat,
leh anăn yua klei ktang diñu čiăng ngă klei amâo djŏ ôh.

¹¹“Wăt phung khua pô hưn êlâo leh anăn phung khua ngă yang amâo mpŭ kơ Aê Diê ôh;
wăt hlăm sang kâo, kâo ƀuh leh klei ƀai diñu ngă,”

¹²“Kyuanăn êlan diñu srăng jing êbhơr,
arăng srăng suôt diñu kơ klei mmăt
leh anăn diñu srăng lĕ buh tinăn.
Kyuadah kâo srăng bi truh klei jhat kơ diñu
hlăm thŭn kâo bi kmhal diñu,”

¹³“Kâo ƀuh sa klei kâo amâo khăp ôh
hlăm phung khua pô hưn êlâo čar Samari:
diñu hưn êlâo hŏng anăn yang Baal,
leh anăn atăt phung ƀuôn sang kâo Israel klah đuĕ.
¹⁴ Ƀiădah kâo ƀuh sa klei jhat snăk
hlăm phung khua pô hưn êlâo ƀuôn Yêrusalem:
diñu tlĕ piu leh anăn êbat hlăm klei luar,
diñu bi ktang kngan phung ngă ƀai,
snăn mơh amâo mâo pô wir đuĕ mơ̆ng klei ƀai diñu ôh;
kâo yap jih jang diñu jing leh msĕ si ƀuôn Sôdôm,
leh anăn phung ƀuôn sang diñu msĕ si ƀuôn Gômôrơ.”
¹⁵Kyuanăn snei Yêhôwa kơ phung kahan lač djŏ kơ phung khua pô hưn êlâo:
“Nĕ anei, kâo srăng čiêm diñu hŏng kyâo phĭ,
leh anăn brei diñu mnăm êa kêč kam,
kyuadah mơ̆ng phung khua pô hưn êlâo ƀuôn Yêrusalem
klei amâo mpŭ kơ Aê Diê nao leh tar ƀar čar.”
¹⁶Snei Yêhôwa kơ phung kahan lač:
“Đăm dôk hmư̆ ôh klei phung khua pô hưn êlâo blŭ,
phung hưn kơ diih klei čang hmăng hơăi mang;
diñu blŭ klei bi ƀuh tui si klei mĭn diñu pô,
amâo djŏ mơ̆ng ƀăng êgei Yêhôwa ôh.
¹⁷Diñu lač nanao kơ phung bi êmut kơ kâo,
‘Yêhôwa blŭ diih srăng mâo klei êđăp ênang,’
leh anăn diñu lač kơ grăp čô tui hlue klei ai tiê khăng diñu pô čiăng,
‘Amâo mâo klei jhat srăng truh kơ diih ôh.’
¹⁸Ƀiădah hlei pô hlăm phung diñu tuôm thâo săng leh klei Yêhôwa kčĕ,
čiăng ksiêm leh anăn hmư̆ klei ñu blŭ?
Amâodah hlei tuôm mđing leh anăn dôk hmư̆ klei ñu blŭ?
¹⁹Nĕ anei, angĭn êbŭ mơ̆ng Yêhôwa!
Klei ñu ngêñ kbiă nao leh,
sa angĭn đrŭng ktang;
klei anăn srăng truh bhiâo riâo rit kơ boh kŏ phung ƀai.
²⁰Klei Yêhôwa ăl amâo srăng kdŭn ôh
tơl ñu ngă leh anăn bi truh klei ñu mĭn čiăng ngă.
Hlăm ênuk knhal tuč
diih srăng thâo săng mngač klei anăn.
²¹Kâo amâo tuôm tiŏ nao phung khua pô hưn êlâo anăn ôh,
ƀiădah ăt diñu êran nao;
kâo amâo tuôm blŭ kơ diñu ôh,
ƀiădah ăt diñu hưn êlâo.
²²Ƀiădah tơdah diñu dôk leh hlăm klei kâo kčĕ,
snăn diñu srăng hưn klei kâo blŭ kơ phung ƀuôn sang kâo,
leh anăn bi wir digơ̆ đuĕ mơ̆ng êlan soh digơ̆,
wăt mơ̆ng klei jhat digơ̆ ngă mơh.”

²³“Amâo djŏ hĕ kâo jing Aê Diê dôk giăm”, Yêhôwa lač,
“Amâo djŏ ôh Aê Diê dôk kbưi?”
²⁴“Dưi mơ̆ sa čô mdăp ñu pô hlăm anôk hgăm
tơl kâo amâo dưi ƀuh ñu ôh?” Yêhôwa lač.
“Amâo djŏ hĕ kâo bi bŏ phung adiê wăt lăn ala mơh?” Yêhôwa lač.
²⁵“Kâo hmư̆ leh klei phung khua pô hưn êlâo lač, phung hưn êlâo klei luar hlăm anăn kâo, lač, ‘Kâo êpei leh, kâo êpei leh!’ ²⁶Dŭm boh sui srăng mâo klei luar hlăm ai tiê phung khua pô hưn êlâo hưn klei luar, phung hưn êlâo klei mplư tui si ai tiê diñu pô? ²⁷Diñu mĭn čiăng brei phung ƀuôn sang kâo wơr bĭt anăn kâo hŏng klei diñu êpei, klei anăn diñu hưn hdơ̆ng diñu, msĕ si phung ama diñu wơr bĭt anăn kâo čiăng hdơr kơ yang Baal. ²⁸Brei khua pô hưn êlâo mâo leh sa klei êpei hưn klei êpei anăn, ƀiădah brei hlei pô mâo leh klei kâo blŭ, blŭ bĕ klei kâo hŏng klei sĭt suôr. Ya yuôm adrăng tơdah bi msĕ hŏng mdiê?” Yêhôwa lač. ²⁹“Amâo djŏ hĕ klei kâo blŭ jing msĕ si pui,” Yêhôwa lač, “leh anăn msĕ si kmŭt bi mčah hĕ đơ điêt boh tâo?”
³⁰“Kyuanăn nĕ anei, kâo bi kdơ̆ng hŏng phung khua pô hưn êlâo, phung tlĕ klei kâo blŭ hdơ̆ng diñu pô,” Yêhôwa lač. ³¹“Nĕ anei, kâo bi kdơ̆ng hŏng phung khua pô hưn êlâo,” Yêhôwa lač, “Phung yua êlah diñu leh anăn lač, ‘Snei Yêhôwa blŭ.’ ³²Nĕ anei, kâo bi kdơ̆ng hŏng phung hưn êlâo klei êpei luar,” Yêhôwa lač, “Leh anăn phung hưn klei anăn leh anăn atăt phung ƀuôn sang kâo wơr dliê hŏng klei diñu luar leh anăn ngă pliă plia, tơdah kâo amâo tuôm tiŏ diñu amâodah mtă kơ diñu ôh; snăn diñu amâo mâo klei tŭ dưn ôh kơ phung ƀuôn sang anei,” Yêhôwa lač.
³³“Tơdah sa čô hlăm phung ƀuôn sang anei, amâodah sa čô khua pô hưn êlâo, amâodah sa čô khua ngă yang êmuh kơ ih, ‘Ya klei ktrŏ Yêhôwa čiăng lač?’ brei ih lač kơ diñu, ‘diih jing klei ktrŏ Ñu? Leh anăn kâo srăng hngah diih,’ Yêhôwa lač. ³⁴Bi kơ khua pô hưn êlâo, khua ngă yang, amâodah sa čô hlăm phung ƀuôn sang lač, ‘Snei klei Yêhôwa bi ktrŏ,’ kâo srăng bi kmhal pô anăn mbĭt hŏng phung hlăm pưk sang ñu. ³⁵Snei diih srăng lač grăp čô kơ pô riêng gah ñu leh anăn grăp čô kơ ayŏng adei ñu, ‘Ya klei Yêhôwa lŏ wĭt lač leh?’ amâodah ‘Ya klei Yêhôwa blŭ leh?’ ³⁶Ƀiădah đăm diih srăng lŏ bâo ôh, ‘Klei Yêhôwa bi ktrŏ,’ kyuadah klei ktrŏ jing klei grăp čô blŭ, leh anăn diih bi msoh leh kơ klei blŭ mơ̆ng Aê Diê hdĭp, Yêhôwa kơ phung kahan, Aê Diê drei blŭ. ³⁷Snei ih srăng lač kơ khua pô hưn êlâo, ‘Ya klei Yêhôwa lŏ wĭt lač leh kơ ih?’ amâodah ‘Ya klei Yêhôwa blŭ leh?’ ³⁸Ƀiădah tơdah diih lač, ‘Klei Yêhôwa bi ktrŏ,’ snei Yêhôwa lač, ‘Kyuadah diih lač leh boh blŭ anei, “Klei Yêhôwa bi ktrŏ,”’ tơdah kâo tiŏ nao arăng kơ diih, lač, ‘Đăm brei diih lač ôh, “Klei Yêhôwa bi ktrŏ.”’ ³⁹Kyuanăn nĕ anei, sĭt nik kâo srăng wơr bĭt diih leh anăn hngah diih mơ̆ng anăp kâo, diih wăt ƀuôn kâo brei leh kơ diih wăt kơ phung aê diih. ⁴⁰Leh anăn kâo srăng bi truh kơ diih klei ƀuah leh anăn klei hêñ nanao, arăng amâo srăng tuôm wơr bĭt ôh.”