Zechariah 11

1 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

Open your doors, Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars.

2 Wail, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are laid waste: wail, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

Wail, cypress tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down.

3 There is a voice of the wailing of the shepherds; for their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is laid waste.

A voice of the wailing of the shepherds! For their glory is destroyed—a voice of the roaring of young lions! For the pride of the Jordan is ruined.

4 Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;

The LORD my God says: “Feed the flock of slaughter.

5 Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.

Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich;’ and their own shepherds don’t pity them.

6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.

For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land,” says the LORD; “but, behold, I will deliver every one of the men into his neighbour’s hand and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.”

7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took to me two staffs; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

So I fed the flock to be slaughtered, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called “Favour” and the other I called “Union”, and I fed the flock.

8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me.

9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that which dieth, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

Then I said, “I will not feed you. That which dies, let it die; and that which is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let those who are left eat each other’s flesh.”

10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.

I took my staff Favour and cut it apart, that I might break my covenant that I had made with all the peoples.

11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.

It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the LORD’s word.

12 And I said to them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

I said to them, “If you think it best, give me my wages; and if not, keep them.” So they weighed for my wages thirty pieces of silver.

13 And the LORD said to me, Cast it to the potter: a magnificent price that I was valued at by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

The LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter—the handsome price that I was valued at by them!” I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the LORD’s house.

14 Then I cut asunder my other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Then I cut apart my other staff, Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15 And the LORD said to me, Take to thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.

The LORD said to me, “Take for yourself yet again the equipment of a foolish shepherd.

16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who shall not visit those that are cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the meat of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.

17 Woe to the idle shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be wholly dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock! The sword will strike his arm and his right eye. His arm will be completely withered, and his right eye will be totally blinded!”