¹ And he said unto me, Son of man, eat what thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.

² So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.

³ And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll which I give thee. And I ate, and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

⁴ And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.

⁵ For thou art not sent to a people of strange language, and of difficult speech, [but] to the house of Israel;

⁶ not to many peoples of strange language and of difficult speech, whose words thou canst not understand: had I sent thee to them, would they not hearken unto thee?

⁷ But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee, for none of them will hearken unto me. For all the house of Israel are hard of forehead and stiff of heart.

⁸ Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.

⁹ As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead. Fear them not, neither be dismayed at them, for they are a rebellious house.

¹⁰ And he said unto me, Son of man, all my words which I shall speak unto thee, receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears;

¹¹ and go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, -- whether they will hear or whether they will forbear.

¹² And the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the sound of a great rushing, [saying,] Blessed be the glory of Jehovah from his place!

¹³ -- and the sound of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great rushing.

¹⁴ And the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me.

¹⁵ And I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and I sat where they sat; and I sat there astonied among them seven days.

¹⁶ And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

¹⁷ Son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and give them warning from me.

¹⁸ When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt certainly die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, that he may live: the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand.

¹⁹ But if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

²⁰ And when a righteous [man] doth turn from his righteousness, and do what is wrong, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous acts which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand.

²¹ And if thou warn the righteous [man], that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall certainly live, for he hath taken warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.

²² And the hand of Jehovah was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the valley, and there I will talk with thee.

²³ And I arose, and went forth into the valley, and behold, the glory of Jehovah stood there, like the glory which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

²⁴ And the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet; and he spoke with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thy house.

²⁵ And thou, son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee therewith, and thou shalt not go out among them.

²⁶ And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house.

²⁷ And when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

¹ ALEPH. Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the law of Jehovah.

² Blessed are they that observe his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart;

³ Who also do no unrighteousness: they walk in his ways.

⁴ Thou hast enjoined thy precepts, to be kept diligently.

⁵ Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

⁶ Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

⁷ I will give thee thanks with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

⁸ I will keep thy statutes: forsake me not utterly.

⁹ BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his path? by taking heed according to thy word.

¹⁰ With my whole heart have I sought thee: let me not wander from thy commandments.

¹¹ Thy ùword have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

¹² Blessed art thou, Jehovah! teach me thy statutes.

¹³ With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as [much as] in all wealth.

¹⁵ I will meditate upon thy precepts, and have respect unto thy paths.

¹⁶ I delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.

¹⁷ GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant [and] I shall live; and I will keep thy word.

¹⁸ Open mine eyes, and I shall behold wondrous things out of thy law.

¹⁹ I am a stranger in the land; hide not thy commandments from me.

²⁰ My soul breaketh for longing after thy judgments at all times.

²¹ Thou hast rebuked the proud [that are] cursed, who wander from thy commandments.

²² Roll off from me reproach and contempt; for I observe thy testimonies.

²³ Princes also did sit [and] talk together against me: thy servant doth meditate in thy statutes.

²⁴ Thy testimonies also are my delight [and] my counsellors.

²⁵ DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken me according to thy word.

²⁶ I have declared my ways, and thou hast answered me: teach me thy statutes.

²⁷ Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate upon thy wondrous works.

²⁸ My soul melteth for sadness: strengthen me according to thy word.

²⁹ Remove from me the way of falsehood, and graciously grant me thy law.

³⁰ I have chosen the way of faithfulness; thy judgments have I set [before me].

³¹ I cleave unto thy testimonies; Jehovah, let me not be ashamed.

³² I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

³³ HE. Teach me, O Jehovah, the way of thy statutes, and I will observe it [unto] the end.

³⁴ Give me understanding, and I will observe thy law; and I will keep it with [my] whole heart.

³⁵ Make me to walk in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

³⁶ Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to gain.

³⁷ Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; quicken me in thy way.

³⁸ Establish thy ùword unto thy servant, who is [devoted] to thy fear.

³⁹ Turn away my reproach which I fear; for thy judgments are good.

⁴⁰ Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

⁴¹ VAU. And let thy loving-kindness come unto me, O Jehovah, -- thy salvation according to thy ùword.

⁴² So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me; for I confide in thy word.

⁴³ And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; because I have hoped in thy judgments.

⁴⁴ Then will I keep thy law continually, for ever and ever;

⁴⁵ And I will walk at liberty, for I have sought thy precepts;

⁴⁶ And I will speak of thy testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed;

⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved;

⁴⁸ And I will lift up my hands unto thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.

⁴⁹ ZAIN. Remember the word for thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

⁵⁰ This is my comfort in mine affliction; for thy ùword hath quickened me.

⁵¹ The proud have derided me beyond measure: I have not declined from thy law.

⁵² I remembered thy judgments of old, O Jehovah, and have comforted myself.

⁵³ Burning indignation hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked who forsake thy law.

⁵⁴ Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

⁵⁵ I have remembered thy name, O Jehovah, in the night, and have kept thy law.

⁵⁶ This I have had, because I have observed thy precepts.

⁵⁷ CHETH. My portion, O Jehovah, I have said, is to keep thy words.

⁵⁸ I have sought thy favour with [my] whole heart: be gracious unto me according to thy ùword.

⁵⁹ I have thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

⁶⁰ I have made haste, and not delayed, to keep thy commandments.

⁶¹ The bands of the wicked have wrapped me round: I have not forgotten thy law.

⁶² At midnight I rise up to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.

⁶³ I am the companion of all that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

⁶⁴ The earth, O Jehovah, is full of thy loving-kindness: teach me thy statutes.

⁶⁵ TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Jehovah, according to thy word.

⁶⁶ Teach me good discernment and knowledge; for I have believed in thy commandments.

⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy ùword.

⁶⁸ Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

⁶⁹ The proud have forged falsehood against me: I will observe thy precepts with [my] whole heart.

⁷⁰ Their heart is as fat as grease: as for me, I delight in thy law.

⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.

⁷² The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

⁷³ YOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments.

⁷⁴ They that fear thee will see me, and rejoice; because I have hoped in thy word.

⁷⁵ I know, Jehovah, that thy Judgments are righteousness, and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me.

⁷⁶ Oh let thy loving-kindness be for my comfort, according to thy ùword unto thy servant.

⁷⁷ Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live; for thy law is my delight.

⁷⁸ Let the proud be ashamed; for they have acted perversely towards me with falsehood: as for me, I meditate in thy precepts.

⁷⁹ Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that know thy testimonies.

⁸⁰ Let my heart be perfect in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.

⁸¹ CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation; I hope in thy word.

⁸² Mine eyes fail for thy ùword, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

⁸³ For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; I do not forget thy statutes.

⁸⁴ How many shall be the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?

⁸⁵ The proud have digged pits for me, which is not according to thy law.

⁸⁶ All thy commandments are faithfulness. They persecute me wrongfully: help thou me.

⁸⁷ They had almost consumed me upon the earth; but as for me, I forsook not thy precepts.

⁸⁸ Quicken me according to thy loving-kindness, and I will keep the testimony of thy mouth.

⁸⁹ LAMED. For ever, O Jehovah, thy word is settled in the heavens.

⁹⁰ Thy faithfulness is from generation to generation: thou hast established the earth, and it standeth.

⁹¹ By thine ordinances they stand this day; for all things are thy servants.

⁹² Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

⁹³ I will never forget thy precepts; for by them thou hast quickened me.

⁹⁴ I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

⁹⁵ The wicked have awaited me to destroy me; [but] I attend unto thy testimonies.

⁹⁶ I have seen an end of all perfection: thy commandment is exceeding broad.

⁹⁷ MEM. Oh how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

⁹⁸ Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me.

⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged, because I have observed thy precepts.

¹⁰¹ I have refrained my feet from every evil path, that I might keep thy word.

¹⁰² I have not departed from thy judgments; for it is thou that hast taught me.

¹⁰³ How sweet are thy ùwords unto my taste! more than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴ From thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false path.

¹⁰⁵ NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

¹⁰⁶ I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much; O Jehovah, quicken me according to thy word.

¹⁰⁸ Accept, I beseech thee, Jehovah, the voluntary-offerings of my mouth, and teach me thy judgments.

¹⁰⁹ My life is continually in my hand; but I do not forget thy law.

¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me; but I have not wandered from thy precepts.

¹¹¹ Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

¹¹² I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes for ever, unto the end.

¹¹³ SAMECH. The double-minded have I hated; but thy law do I love.

¹¹⁴ Thou art my hiding-place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

¹¹⁵ Depart from me, ye evil-doers; and I will observe the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to thy ùword, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

¹¹⁷ Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

¹¹⁸ Thou hast set at nought all them that wander from thy statutes; for their deceit is falsehood.

¹¹⁹ Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth [like] dross; therefore I love thy testimonies.

¹²⁰ My flesh shuddereth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

¹²¹ AIN. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.

¹²² Be surety for thy servant for good; let not the proud oppress me.

¹²³ Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the ùword of thy righteousness.

¹²⁴ Deal with thy servant according to thy loving-kindness, and teach me thy statutes.

¹²⁵ I am thy servant; give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies.

¹²⁶ It is time for Jehovah to work: they have made void thy law.

¹²⁷ Therefore I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.

¹²⁸ Therefore I regard all [thy] precepts concerning all things to be right: I hate every false path.

¹²⁹ PE. Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore doth my soul observe them.

¹³⁰ The entrance of thy words giveth light, giving understanding unto the simple.

¹³¹ I opened my mouth wide and panted; for I longed for thy commandments.

¹³² Turn unto me, and be gracious unto me, as thou art wont to do unto those that love thy name.

¹³³ Establish my steps in thy ùword; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

¹³⁴ Deliver me from the oppression of man; and I will keep thy precepts.

¹³⁵ Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.

¹³⁶ Mine eyes run down with streams of water, because they keep not thy law.

¹³⁷ TZADE. Righteous art thou, Jehovah, and upright are thy judgments.

¹³⁸ Thou hast commanded thy testimonies in righteousness and exceeding faithfulness.

¹³⁹ My zeal destroyeth me, because mine oppressors have forgotten thy words.

¹⁴⁰ Thy ùword is exceeding pure, and thy servant loveth it.

¹⁴¹ I am little and despised: thy precepts have I not forgotten.

¹⁴² Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is truth.

¹⁴³ Trouble and anguish have taken hold upon me: thy commandments are my delights.

¹⁴⁴ The righteousness of thy testimonies is for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live.

¹⁴⁵ KOPH. I have called with [my] whole heart; answer me, O Jehovah: I will observe thy statutes.

¹⁴⁶ I call upon thee; save me, and I will keep thy testimonies.

¹⁴⁷ I anticipate the morning-dawn and I cry: I hope in thy word.

¹⁴⁸ Mine eyes anticipate the night-watches, that I may meditate in thy ùword.

¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice according to thy loving-kindness: O Jehovah, quicken me according to thy judgment.

¹⁵⁰ They have drawn nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.

¹⁵¹ Thou, Jehovah, art near, and all thy commandments are truth.

¹⁵² From thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

¹⁵³ RESH. See mine affliction, and deliver me; for I have not forgotten thy law.

¹⁵⁴ Plead my cause, and redeem me: quicken me according to thy ùword.

¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked; for they seek not thy statutes.

¹⁵⁶ Many are thy tender mercies, O Jehovah; quicken me according to thy judgments.

¹⁵⁷ Many are my persecutors and mine oppressors; I have not declined from thy testimonies.

¹⁵⁸ I beheld them that deal treacherously, and was grieved; because they kept not thy ùword.

¹⁵⁹ See how I have loved thy precepts: quicken me, O Jehovah, according to thy loving-kindness.

¹⁶⁰ The sum of thy word is truth, and every righteous judgment of thine is for ever.

¹⁶¹ SHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause; but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

¹⁶² I have joy in thy ùword, as one that findeth great spoil.

¹⁶³ I hate and abhor falsehood; thy law do I love.

¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing doth stumble them.

¹⁶⁶ I have hoped for thy salvation, O Jehovah, and have done thy commandments.

¹⁶⁷ My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.

¹⁶⁸ I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for all my ways are before thee.

¹⁶⁹ TAU. Let my cry come near before thee, Jehovah: give me understanding according to thy word.

¹⁷⁰ Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy ùword.

¹⁷¹ My lips shall pour forth praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

¹⁷² My tongue shall speak aloud of thy ùword; for all thy commandments are righteousness.

¹⁷³ Let thy hand be for my help; for I have chosen thy precepts.

¹⁷⁴ I have longed for thy salvation, O Jehovah, and thy law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant; for I have not forgotten thy commandments.

¹ Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a signal in Beth-haccerem; for evil appeareth out of the north, and a great destruction.

² The comely and delicate one do I cut off, the daughter of Zion.

³ Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch [their] tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

⁴ Prepare war against her. Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day hath declined, for the shadows of the evening are lengthening.

⁵ Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

⁶ For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said: Hew ye down trees, and cast a mound against Jerusalem. She is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

⁷ As a well poureth forth her waters, so she poureth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction are heard in her; before me continually are grief and wounds.

⁸ Be thou instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee; lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.

⁹ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They shall thoroughly glean like a vine the remnant of Israel: turn back thy hand, as a grape-gatherer unto the baskets.

¹⁰ To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of Jehovah is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

¹¹ And I am full of the fury of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken; the aged with him [that is] full of days.

¹² And their houses shall be turned unto others, [their] fields and wives together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah.

¹³ For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely.

¹⁴ And they have healed the breach of the daughter of my people lightly, saying, Peace, Peace! when there is no Peace.

¹⁵ Are they ashamed that they have committed abomination? Nay, they are not at all ashamed, neither know they what it is to blush. Therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall stumble, saith Jehovah.

¹⁶ Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].

¹⁷ Also I have set watchmen over you: -- Hearken ye to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

¹⁸ Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O assembly, what is among them.

¹⁹ Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts; for they have not hearkened unto my words, and as to my law, they have rejected it.

²⁰ To what purpose should there come to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

²¹ Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall over them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

²² Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation is stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

²³ They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as a man for the battle, against thee, daughter of Zion.

²⁴ We have heard the report thereof: our hands are grown feeble; anguish hath taken hold of us, pain as of a woman that travaileth.

²⁵ Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for [there is] the sword of the enemy, terror is on every side.

²⁶ Daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes: make mourning, [as] for an only son -- bitter lamentation; for the spoiler cometh suddenly upon us.

²⁷ I have set thee among my people as an assayer, a fortress, that thou mayest know and try their way.

²⁸ They are all the most rebellious of rebels, going about with slander: they are bronze and iron; they are all corrupters.

²⁹ The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed by the fire; they have melted, and melted in vain; and the bad are not plucked away.

³⁰ Reprobate silver shall they call them, for Jehovah hath rejected them.