NSB(i)
1 People of Jerusalem, run through your streets! Look around and see for yourselves! Search the marketplaces! Can you find one person who does what is right and tries to be faithful to God? If you can, Jehovah will forgive Jerusalem.
2 Even though you claim to worship Jehovah, you do not mean what you say.
3 Jehovah looks for faithfulness. He struck you, but you paid no attention. He crushed you, but you refused to learn. You were stubborn and would not turn from your sins.
4 I thought: »These are only the poor and ignorant. They are foolish. They do not know what their God requires, what Jehovah wants them to do.
5 »I will go to the great men (leaders) and talk with them. Surely they know what their God requires, what Jehovah wants them to do. But all of them have rejected Jehovah’s authority and refuse to obey him.«
6 That is why lions from the forest will kill them. Wolves from the desert will tear them to pieces, and leopards will prowl through their towns. If those people go out, they will be torn apart because their sins are numerous and time after time they have turned from God.
7 Jehovah asked: Why should I forgive the sins of my people? They have abandoned me and have worshiped gods that are not real. I fed my people until they were full, but they committed adultery and spent their time with prostitutes.
8 They were like well-fed stallions wild with desire, each lusting for his neighbor's wife.
9 »Why should I not punish the people of Judah?« Says Jehovah, »Should I take retribution (vengeance)?«