Woe to him who builds his house by
unrighteousness,
and his upper rooms by injustice;
who makes his neighbors work for
nothing
and does not give them wages;
who says," I will build myself a
spacious house
with large upper rooms,"
and who cuts out windows for it,
paneling it with cedar,
and painting it with vermillion.
Are you a king
because you compete in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
and do justice and righteousness?
Then it was well with him.
He judged the cause of the poor
and needy;
then it was well.
Is not this to know me?
says the Lord.
But your eyes and heart
are only on your dishonest gain,
for shedding innocent blood,
and for practicing oppression and
violence.
Therefore thus says the Lord concerning King Jekoiakim son of Joshua of Judah:
They shall not lament for him, saying,
"Alas, my brother!", or "Alas, sister!"
They shall not lament for him, saying,
"Alas, lord!" or "Alas, his majesty!'
With the burial of a donkey he shall
be buried--
dragged off and thrown out beyond
the gates of Jerusalem.
Go up to Lebanon, and cry out,
and lift up your voice in Bashan;
cry out from Abarim,
for all your lovers are crushed.
I spoke to you in your prosperity
but you said, "I will not listen."
This has been your way from
your youth,
for you have not obeyed my voice.
The wind shall shepherd all your
shepherds,
and your lovers shall go into
captivity;
then you will be ashamed and
dismayed
because of all your wickedness.
O inhabitants of Lebanon,
nestled among the cedars,
how will you groan when pangs
come upon you,
pain as of a woman in labor!
