先知指责百姓的罪恶
看哪，耶和华的膀臂并非过短，不能拯救， 耳朵并非发沉，不能听见，Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2但你们的罪孽使你们与神隔绝， 你们的罪恶使他转脸不听你们。But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
3因你们的手掌被血沾染， 你们的指头被罪玷污， 你们的嘴唇说谎言， 你们的舌头出恶语。For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
4无人按公义控诉， 也无人凭诚实辩白； 却倚靠虚妄，口说谎言， 怀毒害，生罪孽。None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
5他们孵毒蛇蛋， 结蜘蛛网。 凡吃这蛋的必死， 蛋一打破，就孵出蛇来。They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
6所结的网不能当衣服， 无法掩盖自己所作所为。 他们的行为全是邪恶， 手所做的尽都残暴。Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
7他们的脚奔跑行恶， 急速流无辜者的血； 他们的思想全是恶念， 走过的路尽是破坏与毁灭。Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
8平安的路，他们不知道， 所行的事无一公平。 他们为自己修筑弯曲的路， 凡走这路的都不得平安。百姓悔罪
The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
9因此，公平离我们甚远， 公义追不上我们。 我们指望光亮，看哪，却只有黑暗， 指望光明，却行在幽暗中。Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
10我们用手摸墙，好像盲人， 四处摸索，如同失明的人； 中午时我们绊倒，如在黄昏一样， 在强壮的人中，我们好像死人一般。We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
11我们全都咆哮如熊， 哀鸣如鸽子； 指望公平，却得不着； 指望救恩，它却远离。We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
12我们的过犯在你面前增加， 罪恶作证控告我们； 过犯与我们同在。 至于我们的罪孽，我们都知道：For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
13就是悖逆，否认耶和华， 转去不跟从我们的神， 口说欺压和叛逆的话， 心怀谎言，随即说出；In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14公平转而退后， 公义站在远处， 诚实仆倒在广场上， 正直不得进入；And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
15诚实少见， 离弃邪恶的人反成掠物。耶和华拯救他的子民
那时，耶和华见没有公平， 就不喜悦。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.
16他见无人， 竟无一人代求，甚为诧异， 就用自己的膀臂拯救他， 以公义扶持他。And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
17他穿上公义为铠甲， 戴上救恩为头盔， 穿上报复为衣服， 披戴热心为外袍。For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
18他必按人的行为报应， 恼怒他的敌人， 报复他的仇敌， 向众海岛施行报应。According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
19在日落之处，人必敬畏耶和华的名； 在日出之地，人必敬畏他的荣耀。 他必如湍急的河流冲来， 耶和华的灵催逼他自己。So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
20必有一位救赎主来到锡安， 来到雅各族中离弃过犯的人那里； 这是耶和华说的。And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
21耶和华说：“这就是我与他们所立的约：我加给你的灵，传给你的话，必不离你的口，也不离你后裔与你后裔之后裔的口，从今直到永远；这是耶和华说的。”As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.