6:1 Flee for safety, O people of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Teko'a, and raise a signal on Beth-hacche'rem; for evil looms out of the north, and great destruction.
6:1 Flee for safety, O children of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looms out of the north, and great destruction.

6:2 The comely and delicately bred I will destroy, the daughter of Zion.
6:2 I have likened daughter Zion to the loveliest pasture.

6:3 Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her; they shall pitch their tents around her, they shall pasture, each in his place.
6:3 Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her. They shall pitch their tents around her; they shall pasture, all in their places.

6:4 "Prepare war against her; up, and let us attack at noon!" "Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of evening lengthen!"
6:4 "Prepare war against her; up, and let us attack at noon!" "Woe to us, for the day declines, the shadows of evening lengthen!"

6:5 "Up, and let us attack by night, and destroy her palaces!"
6:5 "Up, and let us attack by night, and destroy her palaces!"

6:6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "Hew down her trees; cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.
6:6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Cut down her trees; cast up a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.

6:7 As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her wickedness; violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are ever before me.
6:7 As a well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps fresh her wickedness; violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are ever before me.

6:8 Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land."
6:8 Take warning, O Jerusalem, or I shall turn from you in disgust, and make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.

6:9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel; like a grape-gatherer pass your hand again over its branches."
6:9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel; like a grape-gatherer, pass your hand again over its branches.

6:10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn, they take no pleasure in it.
6:10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? See, their ears are closed, they cannot listen. The word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.

6:11 Therefore I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in. "Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also; both husband and wife shall be taken, the old folk and the very aged.
6:11 But I am full of the wrath of the LORD; I am weary of holding it in. Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the gatherings of young men as well; both husband and wife shall be taken, the old folk and the very aged.

6:12 Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together; for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD.
6:12 Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together; for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land, says the LORD.

6:13 "For from the least to the greatest of them, every one is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, every one deals falsely.
6:13 For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

6:14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, `Peace, peace,' when there is no peace.
6:14 They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace.

6:15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown," says the LORD.
6:15 They acted shamefully, they committed abomination; yet they were not ashamed, they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD.

6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, `We will not walk in it.'
6:16 Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, "We will not walk in it."

6:17 I set watchmen over you, saying, `Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, `We will not give heed.'
6:17 Also I raised up sentinels for you: "Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!" But they said, "We will not give heed."

6:18 Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
6:18 Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.

6:19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing evil upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not given heed to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.
6:19 Hear, O earth; I am going to bring disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not given heed to my words; and as for my teaching, they have rejected it.

6:20 To what purpose does frankincense come to me from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
6:20 Of what use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.

6:21 Therefore thus says the LORD: `Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.'"
6:21 Therefore thus says the LORD: See, I am laying before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; parents and children together, neighbor and friend shall perish.

6:22 Thus says the LORD: "Behold, a people is coming from the north country, a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.
6:22 Thus says the LORD: See, a people is coming from the land of the north, a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.

6:23 They lay hold on bow and spear, they are cruel and have no mercy, the sound of them is like the roaring sea; they ride upon horses, set in array as a man for battle, against you, O daughter of Zion!"
6:23 They grasp the bow and the javelin, they are cruel and have no mercy, their sound is like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, equipped like a warrior for battle, against you, O daughter Zion!

6:24 We have heard the report of it, our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in travail.
6:24 "We have heard news of them, our hands fall helpless; anguish has taken hold of us, pain as of a woman in labor.

6:25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk on the road; for the enemy has a sword, terror is on every side.
6:25 Do not go out into the field, or walk on the road; for the enemy has a sword, terror is on every side."

6:26 O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.
6:26 O my poor people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only child, most bitter lamentation: for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

6:27 "I have made you an assayer and tester among my people, that you may know and assay their ways.
6:27 I have made you a tester and a refiner among my people so that you may know and test their ways.

6:28 They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron, all of them act corruptly.
6:28 They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron, all of them act corruptly.

6:29 The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, for the wicked are not removed.
6:29 The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, for the wicked are not removed.

6:30 Refuse silver they are called, for the LORD has rejected them."
6:30 They are called "rejected silver," for the LORD has rejected them.