Why do you force me to witness injustice? ¹  Why do you put up with wrongdoing? ²  Destruction and violence confront ³  me; conflict is present and one must endure strife. ⁴ 

Remember your covenant promises, ¹  for the dark regions of the earth are full of places where violence rules. ² 

Like cutting off the feet or drinking violence, ¹  so is sending ²  a message by the hand of a fool. ³ 

You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come, ¹  but you establish a reign of violence. ² 

Their webs cannot be used for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are sinful; they commit violent crimes. ¹ 

“They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.) “They store up ¹  the spoils of destructive violence ²  in their fortresses.

How long, Lord, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, “Violence!” But you do not intervene! ¹ 

All of them intend ¹  to do violence; every face is determined. ²  They take prisoners as easily as one scoops up sand. ³ 

“If ¹  I cry out, ²  ‘Violence!’ ³  I receive no answer; ⁴  I cry for help, but there is no justice.

“Because ¹  you violently slaughtered ²  your relatives, ³  the people of Jacob, ⁴  shame will cover you, and you will be destroyed ⁵  forever.

The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; ¹  her inhabitants lie, ²  their tongues speak deceptive words. ³ 

On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, ¹  who fill the house of their master ²  with wealth taken by violence and deceit. ³ 

Do not turn me over to my enemies, ¹  for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me. ² 

Her prophets are proud; ¹  they are deceitful men. Her priests defile what is holy; ²  they break God’s laws. ³ 

So God said ¹  to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, ²  for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am about to destroy ³  them and the earth.

As a well continually pours out fresh water so it continually pours out wicked deeds. ¹  Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it. ²  All I see are sick and wounded people.’ ³ 

The person who lives in Zion says, “May Babylon pay for the violence done to me and to my relatives.” Jerusalem says, “May those living in Babylonia pay for the bloodshed of my people.” ¹ 

Do not lose your courage or become afraid because of the reports that are heard in the land. For a report will come in one year. Another report will follow it in the next. There will be violence in the land with ruler fighting against ruler.”

Sounds of violence ¹  will no longer be heard in your land, or the sounds of ²  destruction and devastation within your borders. You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’ and your gates, ‘Praise.’

For whenever I prophesy, ¹  I must cry out, ²  “Violence and destruction are coming!” ³  This message from the Lord ⁴  has made me an object of continual insults and derision.