23

Cov kws poob tebchaws yuav rov lug

¹Yawmsaub has tas, “Cov kws yug yaaj yuav raug txom nyem lauj! Puab yog cov kws ua rua kuv paab yaaj puam tsuaj tawg rw quas sua huv kuv lub tshaav zaub.” ²Vem le nuav, Yawmsaub kws yog Yixayee tug Vaajtswv has le nuav txug cov yug yaaj kws saib kuv cov tuabneeg tas, “Mej muab kuv paab yaaj ua tawg rw quas sua hab muab puab lawv tswv taag, hab mej kuj tsw mob sab saib puab. Saib maj, kuv yuav ua tuab zoo saib mej vem tej kev phem kws mej ua.” Yawmsaub has le nuav ntaag. ³“Mas kuv yuav sau kuv paab yaaj kws tseed tshuav nyob tawm huv txhua lub tebchaws kws kuv lawv puab moog nyob rov qaab lug, hab kuv yuav coj puab rov lug txug puab lub nkuaj mas puab yuav muaj mivnyuas coob hab fuam vaam tuaj. ⁴Kuv yuav tsaa cov yug yaaj lug kaav puab yog cov kws mob sab saib puab hab puab yuav tsw ntshai le lawm, yuav tsw poob sab nthaav hab tsw muaj ib tug pluj le.” Yawmsaub has le nuav ntaag.
⁵Yawmsaub has tas, “Saib maj, lub caij lub nyoog saamswm lug yuav txug mas kuv yuav tsaa Tavi caaj ceg ib tug ceg kws ncaaj nceeg mas tug hov yuav ua vaajntxwv kaav hab muaj tswvyim ua txhua yaam hab txav txem ncaaj hab ua ncaaj nceeg rua huv lub tebchaws. ⁶Thaus nwg ua vaajntxwv kaav, Yuta yuav tau kev dim hab Yixayee yuav nyob tso sab plhuav. Yuav hu nwg lub npe has tas ‘Yawmsaub kws yog peb txujkev ncaaj nceeg.’ ”
⁷Vem le nuav Yawmsaub has tas, “Lub caij lub nyoog saamswm lug yuav txug mas tuabneeg yuav tsw twv has tas ‘Muaj Yawmsaub tug muaj txujsa nyob kws coj cov Yixayee tawm huv Iyi tebchaws lug pum,’ ⁸tassws yuav has tas, ‘Muaj Yawmsaub tug muaj txujsa nyob kws coj cov Yixayee tawm huv tebchaws saab peg hab huv txhua lub tebchaws kws nwg muab puab lawv moog nyob lawm rov lug pum.’ Mas puab yuav tau nyob huv lub tebchaws kws yeej yog puab le.”

Tshev cov cuav xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug

⁹Tej lug has txug cov xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug.
Kuv sab ntsws puag taag,
kuv tej pob txhaa tshee quas nyo huvsw,
kuv zoo yaam nkaus le tug qaug cawv,
zoo yaam nkaus le tug qaug cawv txwv maab tsw meej pem,
vem yog Yawmsaub hab tej lug dawb huv kws nwg has.
¹⁰Cov kws ua nkauj ua nraug muaj puv nkaus huv lub tebchaws.
Vem tej lug kws Yawmsaub foom tsw zoo
lub tebchaws txhad quaj ntsuag,
hab tej tshaav zaub huv tebchaws moj saab qhua kuj qhuav taag.
Puab ua tej kws phem kawg le,
hab puab swv puab tug fwjchim ua tsw ncaaj.
¹¹“Txawm yog cov xwbfwb cev kuv lug hab cov pov thawj
los kuj tsw fwm kuv,
txawm yog huv kuv lub tuam tsev
los kuv kuj pum puab ua phem.”
Yawmsaub has le nuav ntaag.
¹²“Vem le hov mas puab txujkev
yuav zoo yaam le txujkev nplua
rua thaus tsaus ntuj,
puab yuav raug muab lawv rua huv txujkev ntawd
hab qaug taag hov ntawd.
Kuv yuav coj xwm txheej phem lug raug puab
rua xyoo kws rau txem rua puab.”
Yawmsaub has le nuav ntaag.
¹³“Cov xwbfwb cev kuv lug huv Xamali
mas kuv pum muaj kev phem kev qas.
Puab tuav daab Npa‑aa lub npe cev lug
hab ua rua kuv cov tuabneeg Yixayee yuam kev.
¹⁴Tassws cov xwbfwb cev kuv lug huv Yeluxalee
mas kuv pum muaj tej kws ntxwm ntxub kawg le.
Puab ua nkauj ua nraug, hab pheej pem txwv,
puab tseed txhawb cov tuabneeg ua phem tug zug,
txhad tsw muaj ib tug tig hlo ntawm nwg txujkev limham rov lug.
Kuv pum puab suavdawg zoo yaam le lub moos Xauntoo
hab cov tuabneeg huv Yeluxalee
zoo yaam nkaus le lub moos Kaumaula.”
¹⁵Vem le nuav Yawmsaub kws muaj fwjchim luj kawg nkaus has le nuav txug cov xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug tas,
“Saib maj, kuv yuav muab zaub ab zaub daw rua puab noj
hab muab dej muaj taug rua puab haus,
vem qhov kws tsw fwm kuv tub tawm ntawm cov xwbfwb
cev Vaajtswv lug huv Yeluxalee
nthuav moog thoob tebchaws lawm.”
¹⁶Yawmsaub kws muaj fwjchim luj kawg nkaus has le nuav tas, “Mej tsw xob noog tej lug kws cov xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug has rua mej, ua rua mej muaj sab vaam qhuav qhuav xwb. Puab has tej zaaj yug quas toog kws puab xaav huv puab lub sab xwb tsw yog tawm huv Yawmsaub lub qhov ncauj lug. ¹⁷Puab has tsw tu rua cov kws saib tsw taug Yawmsaub tej lug tas, ‘Mej yuav noj qaab nyob zoo,’ hab has rua txhua tug kws tawv ncauj ua lawv le puab lub sab xwb tas, ‘Yuav tsw muaj xwm txheej phem lug raug mej le.’ ”
¹⁸“Cov xwbfwb hov muaj tug twg tau sawv
huv cov tuabneeg kws nrug Yawmsaub sablaaj
es pum hab nov Yawmsaub tej lug,
hab leejtwg tau noog nwg tej lug
hab tig ntsej ncuv tog noog?
¹⁹Saib maj, Yawmsaub tej cua daaj cua dub
kws yog nwg txujkev npau tawg tawm moog lawm,
yog lub khaub zeeg cua kws ntswj pis leeg
yuav tawg sau cov tuabneeg limham taubhau.
²⁰Yawmsaub txujkev chim yuav tsw thim rov qaab
moog txug thaus nwg ua kuas tav
lawv le nwg lub sab xaav tseg lawm.
Yaav tom hauv ntej
mej yuav nkaag sab zaaj nuav meej.
²¹Kuv tub tsw khaiv cov xwbfwb cev lug ntawd moog,
los puab dha puab moog xwb.
Kuv tub tsw tau has rua puab
los puab cev puab le lug xwb.
²²Yog puab tau sawv huv cov tuabneeg kws nrug kuv sablaaj
mas puab tub cev kuv tej lug rua kuv cov tuabneeg,
hab ua rua puab tig ntawm puab tej kev phem
hab tso tej kws puab ua phem tseg lawm.”

²³Yawmsaub has tas, “Kuv yog tug Vaajtswv kws nyob ze mej, tsw yog tug Vaajtswv kws nyob deb mej los tsw yog?” ²⁴Yawmsaub has tas, “Leejtwg yuav moog tswv nraim kuv ua rua kuv tsw pum nwg tau lov?” Yawmsaub has tas, “Kuv tsw nyob thoob plawg sau lub ntuj hab huv lub nplajteb lov? ²⁵Kuv tub nov cov xwbfwb kws tuav kuv lub npe cev lug daag, has tas, ‘Kuv ua npau suav, kuv ua npau suav pum.’ ²⁶Tej lug daag yuav nyob huv cov xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug lub sab moog ntev le caag? Puab pheej cev lug daag lawv le puab lub sab daag ntxag. ²⁷Puab pheej xaav has tas muab tej kws puab ua npau suav pum pav ib leeg dhau ib leeg es yuav ua rua kuv cov tuabneeg nov qaab kuv lub npe, ib yaam le puab tej laug nov qaab kuv lub npe moog teev daab Npa‑aa lawm. ²⁸Ca cov xwbfwb kws ua npau suav pav puab tej npau suav, huas ca cov kws muaj kuv tej lug pav kuv tej lug ncaaj ncaaj. Tej quav nyaab puas thooj le tej ntsab mog?” Yawmsaub has le nuav ntaag. ²⁹Yawmsaub has tas, “Kuv tej lug zoo le suavtawg hab zoo le raab rauj kws tsoo pob zeb tawg ua tej dwb daim.” ³⁰Yawmsaub has tas, “Vem le nuav, saib maj, kuv tawm tsaam cov xwbfwb cev lug kws nyag kuv tej lug ib tug dhau ib tug.” ³¹Yawmsaub has tas, “Saib maj, kuv tawm tsaam cov xwbfwb cev lug kws swv puab tug nplaig los tseed has tas, ‘Yawmsaub has le nuav.’ ” ³²Yawmsaub has tas, “Saib maj, kuv tawm tsaam cov kws cev tej lug npau suav daag. Puab qha tej npau suav hov hab coj kuv haiv tuabneeg yuam kev vem yog tim puab tej lug daag hab tej lug kws puab has ua dog ua dig. Kuv tub tsw tau khaiv puab hab kuas puab ua. Vem le nuav puab tsw muaj qaabhau daabtsw rua haiv tuabneeg nuav le.” Yawmsaub has le nuav ntaag.
³³“Thaus muaj tug pejxeem twg lossws xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug twg lossws tug pov thawj twg nug koj has tas, ‘Yawmsaub lub nraa⚓ yog daabtsw?’ koj ca le teb nwg tas, ‘Yawmsaub has tas, Mej yog Yawmsaub lub nraa nyaav ntaag, mas kuv yuav muab mej laim pov tseg.’ ³⁴Yog cov xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug hab cov pov thawj hab cov pejxeem tug twg laam has tas, ‘Yawmsaub lub nraa,’ mas kuv yuav rau txem rua tug ntawd hab nwg tsev tuabneeg.
³⁵“Mej yuav tsum has le nuav txhua tug nyag has rua nyag tej phoojywg hab nyag has rua nyag tej kwvtij tas, ‘Yawmsaub teb le caag maj?’ lossws ‘Yawmsaub has le caag lawm maj?’ ³⁶Mej tsw xob laam moog has txug ‘Yawmsaub lub nraa,’ dua le lawm, tsua qhov lub nraa hov yog tej lug kws txhua tug nyag has nyag xwb, hab mej muab Vaajtswv kws muaj txujsa nyob, yog Yawmsaub tug muaj fwjchim luj kawg nkaus kws yog peb tug Vaajtswv tej lug ntxeev dua rua ib qho lawm. ³⁷Mej yuav tsum has le nuav rua cov xwbfwb cev Vaajtswv lug tas, ‘Yawmsaub teb mej le caag maj?’ lossws ‘Yawmsaub has le caag maj?’ ³⁸Tassws yog mej cov xwbfwb laam has tas, ‘Yawmsaub lub nraa yog le nuav,’ mas Yawmsaub has tas, Mej has tej lug nuav has tas, ‘Yawmsaub lub nraa,’ rua thaus kuv xaa xuv rua mej has tas, ‘Mej tsw xob has tas Yawmsaub lub nraa.’
³⁹“Vem le nuav, saib maj, kuv yuav muab mej nqaa⚓ laim pov tseg tawm ntawm kuv lub xubndag tag tag le, muab hlo mej hab lub nroog kws kuv pub rua mej hab mej tej laug lawm huvsw. ⁴⁰Hab kuv yuav ca mej raug txaaj muag ib txhws hab raug thuaj moog ib txhws le, yuav tsw nov qaab le.”

23

The Righteous Branch

¹“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. ²Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. ³“I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.
⁵“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David⚓ a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
⁶In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
⁷“So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ ⁸but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

Lying Prophets

⁹Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me;
all my bones tremble.
I am like a drunken man,
like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
and his holy words.
¹⁰The land is full of adulterers;
because of the curse⚓ the land lies parched
and the pastures in the wilderness are withered.
The prophets follow an evil course
and use their power unjustly.

¹¹“Both prophet and priest are godless;
even in my temple I find their wickedness,”

¹²“Therefore their path will become slippery;
they will be banished to darkness
and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
in the year they are punished,”

¹³“Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal
and led my people Israel astray.
¹⁴And among the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen something horrible:
They commit adultery and live a lie.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.
They are all like Sodom to me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”
¹⁵Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:
“I will make them eat bitter food
and drink poisoned water,
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”
¹⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the Lord.
¹⁷They keep saying to those who despise me,
‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts
they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’
¹⁸But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord
to see or to hear his word?
Who has listened and heard his word?
¹⁹See, the storm of the Lord
will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.
²⁰The anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand it clearly.
²¹I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.
²²But if they had stood in my council,
they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.

²³“Am I only a God nearby,”

“and not a God far away?
²⁴Who can hide in secret places
so that I cannot see them?”

“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”

²⁵“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ ²⁶How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? ²⁷They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship. ²⁸Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. ²⁹“Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
³⁰“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. ³¹Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ ³²Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

³³“When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake you, declares the Lord.’ ³⁴If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ I will punish them and their household. ³⁵This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁶But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God. ³⁷This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁸Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ ³⁹Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. ⁴⁰I will bring on you everlasting disgrace—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”