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3:1  ·How terrible for [L Woe to] the ·wicked, stubborn [rebellious and polluted/defiled] ·city of Jerusalem [L city], which ·hurts its own people [oppresses].
3:2  It obeys no voice; it ·can’t be taught to do right [receives/accepts no correction]. It doesn’t trust the Lord; it doesn’t ·worship [L draw near to] its God.
3:3  Its ·officers [princes] are like roaring lions. Its ·rulers [or judges] are ·like hungry wolves that attack in the evening [L evening wolves], and in the morning ·nothing is left of those they attacked [L there is no gnawing].
3:4  Its prophets are proud; they are ·people who cannot be trusted [treacherous people]. Its priests ·don’t respect [profane] ·holy things [or the sanctuary]; they ·break [L do violence to] God’s ·teachings [law; L Torah].
3:5  But the Lord is ·good [righteous; just], and he is there in that city. He does no ·wrong [iniquity; injustice]. Every morning he ·governs the people fairly [provides justice]; ·every day [L at the light/dawn] he ·can be trusted [never fails]. But evil people ·are not ashamed of what they do [know no shame].
3:6  “I have ·destroyed [L cut off] nations; their ·towers [fortresses; strongholds] were ruined. I made their streets ·empty [deserted] so no one ·goes there [passes through] anymore. Their cities are ·ruined [desolate]; no one lives there at all.
3:7  I said, ‘Surely now ·Jerusalem [L you] will ·respect [fear] me [Prov. 1:7] and will accept my ·teaching [correction].’ Then the place where they lived would not be destroyed, and I would not have to punish them. But they were still eager to ·do evil [act corruptly] in everything they did.
3:8  Just ·wait [be patient],” says the Lord. “Someday I will stand up ·as a witness [to testify; or to plunder]. I have decided that I will gather nations and assemble kingdoms. I will pour out my ·anger [wrath; indignation] on them, all my ·strong [fierce; burning] anger. My anger will be like fire that will ·burn up [consume; devour] the whole world.
3:9  “Then I will ·give [restore to] the ·people of all nations [L nations] pure ·speech [L lips; C pure because they worship God instead of idols] so that all of them will ·speak [call on] the name of the Lord and worship me ·together [as one; side-by-side].
3:10  People will come from ·where the Nile River begins [L the rivers of Cush/Ethiopia]; my worshipers, ·my scattered people [L the daughter of my dispersed ones] will come with ·gifts [offerings] for me.
3:11  ·Then [L On that day] Jerusalem will not be ashamed of the ·wrongs [rebellious deeds] done against me, because I will remove from this city those who ·like to brag [arrogantly boast]; there will never be any more ·proud people [haughty] on my holy ·mountain in Jerusalem [L mountain; hill; C Zion, the location of the Temple].
3:12  But I will leave in ·the city [L your midst] the humble and ·those who are not proud [meek; lowly], and they will ·trust [or find refuge] in the [L name of the] Lord.
3:13  ·Those who are left alive in [L The remnant of] Israel won’t do wrong or tell lies; ·they won’t trick people with their words [No deceitful tongue will be found in their mouth]. They will ·eat [or graze; feed their flocks] and lie down with no one to make them afraid.”
3:14  ·Sing [or Shout joyfully], Jerusalem. Israel, shout ·for joy [out]! ·Jerusalem [L Daughter Jerusalem], be happy and rejoice with all your heart.
3:15  The Lord has ·stopped punishing you [taken away your judgments]; he has ·sent [swept; cleared; turned] your enemies away. The King of Israel, the Lord, is with you; you will never again be afraid of ·being harmed [disaster; evil].
3:16  On that day Jerusalem will be told, “Don’t be afraid, ·city of Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]. Don’t ·give up [L let your hands grow weak/hang limp].
3:17  The Lord your God is ·with you [in your midst]; the mighty One will save you. He will ·rejoice over you [take delight in you]. ·You will rest [or He will quiet you; or He won’t rebuke you] in his love; he will sing and be joyful about you.”
3:18  “I will take away the sadness ·planned for you [or over the loss of your appointed festivals], which would have made you very ashamed.
3:19  At that time I will ·punish [L deal with] all those who ·harmed [oppressed] you. I will ·save my people who cannot walk [rescue the lame] and gather ·my people who have been thrown out [the scattered; C perhaps shepherd imagery]. I will give them praise and ·honor [fame; renown] in every place where they were shamed.
3:20  At that time I will gather you; at that time I will ·bring you back home [gather you]. I will give you ·honor [fame; renown] and praise ·from people everywhere [L among all the peoples/nations of the earth] when I ·make things go well again for you [restore your fortunes; or return your exiles], ·as you will see with your own [L before your] eyes,” says the Lord.