Rampant Transgression

1 Truly, the Lord's hand has not become short, so that he is unable to give salvation; and his ear is not shut from hearing:

1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

1 Behold, (A)the Lord’s hand is not so shortThat it cannot save;(B)Nor is His ear so dullThat it cannot hear.

1 Indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save,(A)and His ear is not too deaf to hear.

1 "See, the LORD's hand is not too short to save, nor are his ears too dull to hear.

2 But your sins have come between you and your God, and by your evil doings his face has been veiled from you, so that he will give you no answer.

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

2 But your (C)iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,And your sins have hidden His (a)face from you so that He does (D)not hear.

2 But your iniquities(B) have built barriersbetween you and your God,and your sins have made Him hide His face from you(C)so that He does not listen.(D)

2 Instead, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have concealed his face from you so that he won't listen.

3 For your hands are unclean with blood, and your fingers with sin; your lips have said false things, and your tongue gives out deceit.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

3 For your (E)hands are defiled with bloodAnd your fingers with iniquity;Your lips have spoken (F)falsehood,Your tongue mutters wickedness.

3 For your hands are defiled with bloodand your fingers, with iniquity;your lips have spoken lies,and your tongues mutter injustice.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your tongue mutters wickedness.

4 No one puts forward an upright cause, or gives a true decision: their hope is in deceit, and their words are false; they are with child with sin, and give birth to evil.

4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

4 (G)No one sues righteously and (H)no one pleads (b)honestly.They (I)trust in confusion and speak lies;They (J)conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.

4 No one makes claims justly;no one pleads honestly.They trust in empty and worthless words;they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.(E)

4 No one brings a lawsuit fairly, and no one goes to law honestly; they have relied on empty arguments and they tell lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

5 They give birth to snake's eggs, and make spider's threads: whoever takes their eggs for food comes to his death, and the egg which is crushed becomes a poison-snake.

5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.

5 They hatch adders’ eggs and (K)weave the spider’s web;He who eats of their eggs dies,And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.

5 They hatch viper’s eggsand weave spider’s webs.Whoever eats their eggs will die;crack one open, and a viper is hatched.

5 They hatch adders' eggs and weave a spider's web; whoever eats their eggs dies, and any crushed egg hatches out futility.

6 Their twisted threads will not make clothing, and their works will give them nothing for covering themselves: their works are works of sin, and violent acts are in their hands.

6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.

6 Their webs will not become clothing,Nor will they (L)cover themselves with their works;Their (M)works are works of iniquity,And an (N)act of violence is in their (c)hands.

6 Their webs cannot become clothing,and they cannot cover themselves with their works.Their works are sinful works,and violent acts are in their hands.

6 Their cobwebs cannot become clothing, they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are deeds of iniquity, and acts of violence fill their hands.

7 Their feet go quickly to evil, and they take delight in the death of the upright; their thoughts are thoughts of sin; wasting and destruction are in their ways.

7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

7 (O)Their feet run to evil,And they hasten to shed innocent blood;(P)Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,Devastation and destruction are in their highways.

7 Their feet run after evil,(F)and they rush to shed innocent blood.(G)Their thoughts are sinful thoughts;(H)ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

7 Their feet rush to evil, and they are quick to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; ruin, destruction, and violence are in their paths.

8 They have no knowledge of the way of peace, and there is no sense of what is right in their behaviour: they have made for themselves ways which are not straight; whoever goes in them has no knowledge of peace.

8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

8 They do not know the (Q)way of peace,And there is (R)no justice in their tracks;They have made their paths crooked,(S)Whoever treads on (d)them does not know peace.

8 They have not known the path of peace,(I)and there is no justice in their ways.They have made their roads crooked;no one who walks on them will know peace.(J)

8 The pathway of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their courses. They have made their roads crooked; no one who walks in them will know peace."

The People Confess Their Sin

9 For this cause our right is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us: we are looking for light, but there is only the dark; for the shining of the sun, but our way is in the night.

9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

9 Therefore (T)justice is far from us,And righteousness does not overtake us;We (U)hope for light, but behold, darkness,For brightness, but we walk in gloom.

9 Therefore justice is far from us,and righteousness does not reach us.We hope for light, but there is darkness;for brightness, but we live in the night.

9 "So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We wait for light, but look there is darkness; we wait for brightness, but we walk in deep darkness.

10 We go on our way, like blind men feeling for the wall, even like those who have no eyes: we are running against things in daylight as if it was evening; our place is in the dark like dead men.

10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

10 We (V)grope along the wall like blind men,We grope like those who have no eyes;We (W)stumble at midday as in the twilight,Among those who are vigorous we are (X)like dead men.

10 We grope along a wall like the blind;we grope like those without eyes.(K)We stumble at noon as though it were twilight;we are like the dead among those who are healthy.

10 Let's grope along the wall like the blind; let us grope like those who have no eyes. We stumble at midday as if it were twilight, in desolate places like dead people.

11 We make noises of grief, like bears, and sad sounds like doves: we are looking for our right, but it is not there; for salvation, but it is far from us.

11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

11 All of us growl like bears,And (Y)moan sadly like doves;We hope for (Z)justice, but there is none,For salvation, but it is far from us.

11 We all growl like bearsand moan like doves.(L)We hope for justice, but there is none;for salvation, but it is far from us.

11 We all growl like bears; we sigh mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but there is none, and for deliverance, but it's far from us.

12 For our evil doings are increased before you, and our sins give witness against us: for our evil doings are with us, and we have knowledge of our sins:

12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

12 For our (AA)transgressions are multiplied before You,And our (AB)sins (e)testify against us;For our transgressions are with us,And (f)we know our iniquities:

12 For our transgressions have multiplied before You,(M)and our sins testify against us.(N)For our transgressions are with us,and we know our iniquities:(O)

12 "For our transgressions before you are many, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we acknowledge them:

13 We have gone against the Lord, and been false to him, turning away from our God, our words have been uncontrolled, and in our hearts are thoughts of deceit.

13 In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

13 Transgressing and (AC)denying the Lord,And turning away from our God,Speaking (AD)oppression and revolt,Conceiving in and (AE)uttering from the heart lying words.

13 transgression and deception against the Lord,turning away from following our God,speaking oppression and revolt,conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.

13 they've rebelled in treachery against the LORD, and are turning away from following our God; and they've spoken oppression and revolt, and are conceiving lying words from the heart.

14 And the right is turned back, and righteousness is far away: for good faith is not to be seen in the public places, and upright behaviour may not come into the town.

14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

14 (AF)Justice is turned back,And (AG)righteousness stands far away;For truth has stumbled in the street,And uprightness cannot enter.

14 Justice is turned back,and righteousness stands far off.For truth has stumbled in the public square,and honesty cannot enter.

14 I'll drive back justice, and righteousness stands at a distance; for truth has fallen in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

Judgment And Redemption

15 Yes, faith is gone; and he whose heart is turned from evil comes into the power of the cruel: and the Lord saw it, and he was angry that there was no one to take up their cause.

15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

15 Yes, truth is lacking;And he who turns aside from evil (AH)makes himself a prey.Now the Lord saw,And it was (g)displeasing in His sight (AI)that there was no justice.

15 Truth is missing,and whoever turns from evil is plundered.The Lord saw that there was no justice,and He was offended.

15 Truth is missing, and whoever turns away from evil becomes a prey." "Then the LORD looked, and it displeased him that there was no justice.

The Lord Prepares To Rescue His People

16 And he saw that there was no man, and was surprised that there was no one to take up their cause: so his arm gave salvation, and he made righteousness his support.

16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

16 And He saw that there was (AJ)no man,And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;Then His (AK)own arm brought salvation to Him,And His righteousness upheld Him.

16 He saw that there was no man—He was amazed that there was no one interceding;(P)so His own arm brought salvation,and His own righteousness supported Him.

16 He saw that there was no one, and was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm brought him victory, and his righteous acts upheld him.

17 Yes, he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and salvation as a head-dress; and he put on punishment as clothing, and wrath as a robe.

17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

17 He put on (AL)righteousness like a breastplate,And a (AM)helmet of salvation on His head;And He put on (AN)garments of vengeance for clothingAnd wrapped Himself with (AO)zeal as a mantle.

17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,and a helmet of salvation on His head;(Q)He put on garments of vengeance for clothing,and He wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak.(R)

17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in fury like a cloak.

18 He will give them the right reward of their doings, wrath to his attackers, punishment to his haters, and even on the sea-lands he will send punishment.

18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

18 (AP)According to their (h)deeds, (i)so He will repay,Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;To the coastlands He will (j)make recompense.

18 So He will repay according to their deeds:(S)fury to His enemies,retribution to His foes,and He will repay the coastlands.

18 So he will repay according to their action: Anger to his enemies, retribution to his foes; to the coastlands he will render their due.

19 So they will see the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the east: for he will come like a rushing stream, forced on by a wind of the Lord.

19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

19 So they will fear the name of the Lord from the (AQ)westAnd His glory from the (AR)rising of the sun,For He will (AS)come like a (k)rushing streamWhich the wind of the Lord drives.

19 They will fear the name of Yahweh in the westand His glory in the east;(T)for He will come like a rushing stream(U)driven by the wind of the Lord.

19 So people will fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glories from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a pent-up stream that the breath of the LORD drives along.

20 And as a saviour he will come to Zion, turning away sin from Jacob, says the Lord.

20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

20 “A (AT)Redeemer will come to Zion,And to those who (AU)turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the Lord.

20 “The Redeemer(V) will come to Zion,and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.”(W)This is the Lord’s declaration.

20 "And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression," says the LORD.

21 And as for me, this is my agreement with them, says the Lord: my spirit which is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, will not go away from your mouth, or from the mouth of your seed, or from the mouth of your seed's seed, says the Lord, from now and for ever.

21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

21 “As for Me, this is My (AV)covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My (AW)Spirit which is upon you, and My (AX)words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your (l)offspring, nor from the mouth of your (m)offspring’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from now and forever.”

21 “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,”(X) says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and My words that I have put in your mouth,(Y) will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouth of your children, or from the mouth of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.

21 "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "And my Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, won't depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children's children, from now on and forever."

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain

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