<p class="poetry">Justice is driven back;p> <p class="poetry">godliness<n id="1" /> stands far off.p> <p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="2" /> honesty stumbles in the city squarep> <p class="poetry">and morality is not even able to enter.p>

<p class="poetry">Does it make you any more of a kingp> <p class="poetry">that you outstrip everyone else in<n id="1" /> building with cedar?p> <p class="poetry">Just think about your father.p> <p class="poetry">He was content that he had food and drink.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He did what was just and right.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">So things went well with him.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise<n id="1" /> that a new time will certainly come<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">when I will raise up for them a righteous branch,<n id="3" /> a descendant of David.p> <p class="poetry">He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and will do what is just and right in the land.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But if the wicked person turns from all the sin he has committed and observes all my statutes and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

May the <sc>Lordsc> your God be praised because he favored<n id="1" /> you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.&#8221;<n id="2" />

May the <sc>Lordsc> your God be praised because he favored<n id="1" /> you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf!<n id="2" /> Because of your God&#8217;s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them,<n id="3" /> he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.&#8221;<n id="4" />

I responded to them by saying, &#8220;The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding.<n id="1" /> But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">If people want to boast, they should boast about this:p> <p class="poetry">They should boast that they understand and know me.p> <p class="poetry">They should boast that they know and understandp> <p class="poetry">that I, the <sc>Lordsc>, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earthp> <p class="poetry">and that I desire people to do these things,&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those<n id="1" /> who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows.<n id="2" /> Do not kill innocent people<n id="3" /> in this land.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Yet you say, &#8216;Why should the son not suffer<n id="1" /> for his father&#8217;s iniquity?&#8217; When the son does what is just and right, and observes all my statutes and carries them out, he will surely live.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Put away violence and destruction, and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people,<n id="1" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.