1“The sin of Judah is engraved with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond; upon the tablets of their hearts, and upon the horns of their altars, 2Even their children remember their altars and their idols beneath the green trees on the high hills. 3My mountain within the land, along with your wealth and treasures, I will give as plunder, along with your high places that you set aside for sin throughout your land. 4And through your own fault, you shall lose the wonderful possessions that I gave you for your heritage; and I will make you slaves of your enemies in a land you do not know; for you have kindled a fire in My anger, which shall burn forever.”

5Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is anyone who trusts in man, relies on mere flesh, and whose heart turns from the LORD. 6For he shall be like a stunted shrub in the parched desert, with no hope of prospering, but shall live in the wilderness, in a desolate salt land. 7But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose confidence is in the LORD. 8For he shall be like a tree planted by the water, that spreads its roots out by the river, and shall not suffer when heat comes; its leaf shall be green; and shall not worry in the year of drought, nor fail to yield its fruit.”

9“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it? 10I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the conscience, in order to reward every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

11As a partridge that sits on another’s eggs, which do not hatch, so is he that gains riches by unjust means: he shall leave them in mid-life, and at his end shall prove to be a fool.

12A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed, and they who depart from You shall be buried in the dust, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

14Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for You alone do I praise. 15They scoff at me, saying “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it be fulfilled now.” 16But I have not run from being Your shepherd; nor have I urged You to send disaster. You know all that came out of my lips was open before You. 17Do not be a terror to me; for You are my hope and my refuge in the day of evil. 18Let my persecutors be confounded; but do not let me be confounded; let them be dismayed, but do not let me be dismayed; bring upon them the day of disaster, and bring double destruction upon them!

19The LORD said to me, “Go and stand in the gated of Jerusalem, first the one through which the kings of Judah come and go, and then in all its other gates, 20And say to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who pass through these gates. 21Thus says the LORD; “Take heed that you do not bear any burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22Do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but observe the Sabbath day as I commanded your fathers.”’”

23Yet they did not obey, nor pay attention; but stiffened their neck, to avoid hearing and receiving instruction. 24“If you diligently obey Me”, says the LORD, “To carry no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep and hallow the Sabbath day, and do no work in it, 25Then kings who sit upon the throne of David shall go in and out through the gates of this city riding in chariots and on horses; and they - and officials, men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of this city shall remain forever. 26And they shall come from other cities of Judah, and from all around Jerusalem - from the land of Benjamin, the Arabah, the mountains, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, meal offerings, incense, and sacrifices of praise, to the Temple of the LORD. 27But if you will not obey Me, to keep and hallow the Sabbath day, and not refrain from carrying burdens when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in its gates, which shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.”