Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods, for in the thing in which they dealt proudly against them he has destroyed them.” ¹ 

You must not profane my holy name, and I will be sanctified in the midst of the Israelites. I am the Lord who sanctifies you,

He must be with the one who bought him ¹  like a yearly hired worker. ²  The one who bought him ³  must not rule over him harshly in your sight.

If a decision is not made, ¹  when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, ²  my son Solomon and I ³  will be considered state criminals.” ⁴ 

The people I call my own ¹  have turned on me like a lion ²  in the forest. They have roared defiantly ³  at me. So I will treat them as though I hate them. ⁴ 

She had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet instead of getting better, she grew worse.

when people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world’s dirt and scum, even now.

as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying and yet – see! – we continue to live; as those who are scourged ¹  and yet not executed;

For how ¹  were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant ¹  man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief,

and they ¹  made the Israelites serve rigorously. ² 

Arrows ¹  do not make it flee; slingstones become like chaff to it.

I wear sackcloth and they ridicule me. ¹ 

Then he will judge ¹  your people fairly, and your oppressed ones ²  equitably.

The Lord does what is fair, and executes justice for all the oppressed. ¹ 

because ¹  you neglected ²  all my advice, and did not comply ³  with my rebuke,

Do not accuse ¹  anyone ²  without legitimate cause, ³  if he has not treated you wrongly.

If a king judges the poor in truth, ¹  his throne ²  will be established forever.

Here is ¹  another ²  enigma ³  that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, ⁴  and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. ⁵  I said, “This also is an enigma.”

You make us like filthy scum ¹  in the estimation ²  of the nations.