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The Degenerate City

²¹ How the faithful city
   has become a whore!
   She that was full of justice,
righteousness lodged in her—
   but now murderers!
²² Your silver has become dross,
   your wine is mixed with water.
²³ Your princes are rebels
   and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
   and runs after gifts.
They do not defend the orphan,
   and the widow’s cause does not come before them.

²⁴ Therefore says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:
Ah, I will pour out my wrath on my enemies,
   and avenge myself on my foes!
²⁵ I will turn my hand against you;
   I will smelt away your dross as with lye
   and remove all your alloy.
²⁶ And I will restore your judges as at the first,
   and your counsellors as at the beginning.
Afterwards you shall be called the city of righteousness,
   the faithful city.

²⁷ Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
   and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
²⁸ But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,
   and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
²⁹ For you shall be ashamed of the oaks
   in which you delighted;
and you shall blush for the gardens
   that you have chosen.
³⁰ For you shall be like an oak
   whose leaf withers,
   and like a garden without water.
³¹ The strong shall become like tinder,
   and their work^* like a spark;
they and their work shall burn together,
   with no one to quench them.