Yesaya 59:14

59:14 Justice is driven back;

godliness ¹  stands far off.

Indeed, ²  honesty stumbles in the city square

and morality is not even able to enter.

Yeremia 4:2

4:2 You must be truthful, honest and upright

when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ ³ 

If you do, ⁴  the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are

and will make him the object of their boasting.” ⁵ 

[59:14]  ¹ tn Or “righteousness” (ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); KJV, NAB “justice.”

[59:14]  ² tn Or “for” (KJV, NRSV).

[4:2]  ³ tn Heb “If you [= you must, see the translator’s note on the word “do” later in this verse] swear/take an oath, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, justice, and righteousness…”

[4:2]  ⁴ tn 4:1-2a consists of a number of “if” clauses, two of which are formally introduced by the Hebrew particle אִם (’im) while the others are introduced by the conjunction “and,” followed by a conjunction (“and” = “then”) with a perfect in 4:2b which introduces the consequence. The translation “You must…. If you do,” was chosen to avoid a long and complicated sentence.

[4:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “bless themselves in him and make their boasts in him.”