And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. {laden: Heb. of heaviness} {gone...: Heb. alienated, or, separated}

And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching {them}, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction. {back: Heb. neck}

The fear of the LORD {is} the beginning of knowledge: {but} fools despise wisdom and instruction. {the beginning: or, the principal part}

She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. {correction: or, instruction}

Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be {any} that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

O LORD, {are} not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, {but} they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

The good {man} is perished out of the earth: and {there is} none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. {good: or, godly, or, merciful}

I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, {and} corrupted all their doings.

The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

And they bend their tongues {like} their bow {for} lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because {there is} no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. {depart: Heb. be loosed, or, disjointed}

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

O LORD, {are} not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, {but} they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Yea, truth faileth; and he {that} departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw {it}, and it displeased him that {there was} no judgment. {maketh...: or, is accounted mad} {it displeased...: Heb. it was evil in his eyes}

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because {there is} no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.