- 1
- Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee;
yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?
- 2
- Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root;
they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
- 3
- But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me;
thou seest me, and triest my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
- 4
- How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither?
for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.
- 5
- If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?
and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan?
- 6
- For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee;
even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
- 7
- I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
- 8
- My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me;
therefore I have hated her.
- 9
- Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey?
are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.
- 10
- Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
- 11
- They have made it a desolation;
it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
- 12
- Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness;
for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace.
- 13
- They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns;
they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.
- 14
- Thus saith Jehovah against all mine evil neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.
- 15
- And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them;
and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
- 16
- And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth;
even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.
- 17
- But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, saith Jehovah.
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