¹ Čujte ovu reč, naricanje koje podižem za vama, dome Izrailjev.

² Pade, neće više ustati devojka Izrailjeva; bačena je na zemlju svoju, nema nikoga da je podigne.

³ Jer ovako veli Gospod Gospod: U gradu iz kog je izlazila hiljada ostaće stotina, a iz kog je izlazila stotina u njemu će ostati deset domu Izrailjevom.

⁴ Jer ovako veli Gospod domu Izrailjevom: Tražite me, i bićete živi.

⁵ A ne tražite Vetilja, i ne idite u Galgal, i ne prolazite u Virsaveju, jer će Galgal otići u ropstvo, a Vetilj će se obratiti u ništa.

⁶ Tražite Gospoda i bićete živi, da ne obuzme dom Josifov kao oganj i spali i ne bude nikoga da gasi Vetilj.

⁷ Koji obraćate sud u pelen, i pravdu na zemlji obarate.

⁸ Onog tražite koji je stvorio zvezde, kola i štape, i koji pretvara sen smrtni u jutro, a dan u tamnu noć, koji doziva vode morske i proliva ih po zemlji; ime Mu je Gospod.

⁹ Koji podiže pogibao na jakoga, te pogibao dođe na grad.

¹⁰ Mrze na onog koji kara na vratima, i gade se na onog koji govori pravo.

¹¹ Zato što gazite siromaha i uzimate od njega žito u danak, sagradiste kuće od tesanog kamena, ali nećete sedeti u njima; nasadiste lepe vinograde, ali nećete piti vino iz njih.

¹² Jer znam bezakonja vaša, kojih je mnogo, i grehe vaše, koji su veliki, koji mučite pravednika, primate poklone i izvrćete pravdu ubogima na vratima.

¹³ Zato će pravedni ćutati u ovo vreme, jer je zlo vreme.

¹⁴ Tražite dobro a ne zlo, da biste bili živi; i tako će Gospod Bog nad vojskama biti s vama, kako rekoste.

¹⁵ Mrzite na zlo i ljubite dobro, i postavite na vratima sud, ne bi li se Gospod Bog nad vojskama smilovao na ostatak Josifov.

¹⁶ Zato ovako veli Gospod Bog nad vojskama, Gospod: Biće tužnjava po svim ulicama, i po svim putevima govoriće: Jaoh! Jaoh! I zvaće ratare na žalost i na tužnjavu one koji umeju naricati.

¹⁷ I po svim će vinogradima biti tužnjava, jer ću proći posred tebe, govori Gospod.

¹⁸ Teško onima koji žele dan Gospodnji! Šta će vam dan Gospodnji? Tada je mrak a ne videlo.

¹⁹ Kao da bi ko bežao od lava pa bi ga sreo medved; ili kao da bi ko došao u kuću i naslonio se rukom na zid, pa bi ga zmija ujela.

²⁰ Nije li dan Gospodnji mrak, a ne videlo? I tama, bez svetlosti?

²¹ Mrzim na vaše praznike, odbacio sam ih, i neću da mirišem svetkovina vaših.

²² Ako mi prinesete žrtve paljenice i prinose svoje, neću ih primiti, i neću pogledati na zahvalne žrtve od ugojene stoke vaše.

²³ Ukloni od mene buku pesama svojih, i sviranja psaltira tvojih, neću da čujem.

²⁴ Nego sud neka teče kao voda i pravda kao silan potok.

²⁵ Jeste li meni prinosili žrtve i dare u pustinji četrdeset godina, dome Izrailjev?

²⁶ Nego ste nosili šator Moloha svog, i Hijuna, likove svoje, zvezdu boga svog, koje sami sebi načiniste.

²⁷ Zato ću vas preseliti iza Damaska, govori Gospod, kome je ime Bog nad vojskama.

¹ Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

² Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.

³ The glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer's inkhorn by his side.

⁴ Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in its midst.

⁵ To the others he said in my hearing, Go through the city after him, and strike: don't let your eye spare, neither have pity;

⁶ kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don't come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house.

⁷ He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth! They went forth, and struck in the city.

⁸ It happened, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! will you destroy all the residue of Israel in your pouring out of your wrath on Jerusalem?

⁹ Then he said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion: for they say, Yahweh has forsaken the land, and Yahweh doesn't see.

¹⁰ As for me also, my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their way on their head.

¹¹ Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as you have commanded me.