Evil Rulers and Lying Prophets

1Listen to me,

you rulers of Israel!

You know right from wrong,

2but you prefer to do evil

instead of what is right.

You skin my people alive.

You strip off their flesh,

3break their bones,

cook it all in a pot,

and gulp it down.

4Someday you will beg the Lord

to help you,

but he will turn away

because of your sins.

5You lying prophets promise

security for anyone

who gives you food,

but disaster for anyone

who refuses to feed you.

Here is what the Lord says

to you prophets:

6“You will live in the dark,

far from the sight of the sun,

with no message from me.

7You prophets and fortunetellers

will all be disgraced,

with no message from me.”

8But the Lord has filled me

with power and his Spirit.

I have been given the courage

to speak about justice

and to tell you people of Israel

that you have sinned.

9So listen to my message,

you rulers of Israel!

You hate justice

and twist the truth.

10You make cruelty and murder

a way of life in Jerusalem.

11You leaders accept bribes

for dishonest decisions.

You priests and prophets

teach and preach,

but only for money.

Then you say,

“The Lord is on our side.

No harm will come to us.”

12 And so, because of you,

Jerusalem will be plowed under

and left in ruins.

Thorns will cover the mountain

where the temple now stands.