The city gates will mourn and cry, and the city itself will be like a woman sitting on the ground, stripped naked.

The kingdom of Israel is doomed! Its glory is fading like the crowns of flowers on the heads of its drunken leaders. Their proud heads are well perfumed, but there they lie, dead drunk.

The land lies idle and deserted. The forests of Lebanon have withered, the fertile valley of Sharon is like a desert, and in Bashan and on Mount Carmel the leaves are falling from the trees.

All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.

The earth will mourn; the sky will grow dark. The LORD has spoken and will not change his mind. He has made his decision and will not turn back.

How long will our land be dry, and the grass in every field be withered? Animals and birds are dying because of the wickedness of our people, people who say, 'God doesn't see what we are doing.' "

And so the land will dry up, and everything that lives on it will die. All the animals and birds, and even the fish, will die."

A day is coming when human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed. Then the LORD alone will be exalted.

On that day the LORD Almighty will humble everyone who is powerful, everyone who is proud and conceited.