I thirst ¹  for God, for the living God. I say, ²  “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” ³ 

How long, O God, will the adversary hurl insults? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever?

O Lord God, invincible warrior! ¹  How long will you remain angry at your people while they pray to you? ² 

I will walk in ¹  the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. ² 

“How long will you simpletons ¹  love naiveté? ²  How long ³  will mockers ⁴  delight ⁵  in mockery ⁶  and fools ⁷  hate knowledge?

You will say, ¹  “They have struck me, but I am not harmed! They beat me, but I did not know it! ²  When will I awake? I will look for another drink.” ³ 

Therefore my ¹  people will be deported ²  because of their lack of understanding. Their ³  leaders will have nothing to eat, ⁴  their ⁵  masses will have nothing to drink. ⁶ 

“Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil ¹  so that you may yet be delivered. How long will you continue to harbor up wicked schemes within you?

Those prophets are just prophesying lies. They are prophesying the delusions of their own minds. ¹ 

The people of Gaza will shave their heads in mourning. The people of Ashkelon will be struck dumb. How long will you gash yourselves to show your sorrow, ¹  you who remain of Philistia’s power? ² 

One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?”

O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol! My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, ¹  even though they are Israelites!

Then he said to them, “If you agree ¹  that I may bury my dead, ²  then hear me out. ³  Ask ⁴  Ephron the son of Zohar

Indeed, ¹  you had little before I arrived, ²  but now your possessions have increased many times over. ³  The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked. ⁴  But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?” ⁵ 

“How long must I bear ¹  with this evil congregation ²  that murmurs against me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites that they murmured against me.

Then the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and there will be very few of you ¹  among the nations where the Lord will drive you.

I replied, “How long, sovereign master?” He said, “Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated,

The noisy city is full of raucous sounds; the town is filled with revelry. ¹  Your slain were not cut down by the sword; they did not die in battle. ² 

Don’t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob, ¹  men of ²  Israel. I am helping you,” says the Lord, your protector, ³  the Holy One of Israel. ⁴ 

People of Jerusalem, ¹  I have seen your adulterous worship, your shameless prostitution to, and your lustful pursuit of, other gods. ²  I have seen your disgusting acts of worship ³  on the hills throughout the countryside. You are doomed to destruction! ⁴  How long will you continue to be unclean?’”