3:1  Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, The tyrannical city!

3:2  She heeded no voice, She accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the LORD, She did not draw near to her God.

3:3  Her princes within her are roaring lions, Her judges are wolves at evening; They leave nothing for the morning.

3:4  Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.

3:5  The LORD is righteous within her; He will do no injustice. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He does not fail. But the unjust knows no shame.

3:6  "I have cut off nations; Their corner towers are in ruins. I have made their streets desolate, With no one passing by; Their cities are laid waste, Without a man, without an inhabitant.

3:7  "I said, `Surely you will revere Me, Accept instruction.' So her dwelling will not be cut off {According to} all that I have appointed concerning her. But they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.

3:8  "Therefore wait for Me, declares the LORD, "For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal."

3:9  "For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.

3:10  "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, Will bring My offerings.

3:11  "In that day you will feel no shame Because of all your deeds By which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst Your proud, exulting ones, And you will never again be haughty On My holy mountain.

3:12  "But I will leave among you A humble and lowly people, And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.

3:13  "The remnant of Israel will do no wrong And tell no lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will feed and lie down With no one to make them tremble."

3:14  Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout {in triumph,} O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all {your} heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

3:15  The LORD has taken away {His} judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more.

3:16  In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp.

3:17  "The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

3:18  "I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts-- They came from you, {O Zion;} {The} reproach {of exile} is a burden on them.

3:19  "Behold, I am going to deal at that time With all your oppressors, I will save the lame And gather the outcast, And I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth.

3:20  "At that time I will bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will give you renown and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I restore your fortunes before your eyes, Says the LORD."