- 1
- Right wouldest Thou be, O LORD, were I to contend with Thee, yet will I reason with Thee: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?
Wherefore are all they secure 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 reins.
- 3
- But Thou, O LORD, 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 field wither?
For the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds;
because they said: "He seeth not our 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 thickets 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 have I hated her.
- 9
- Is My heritage unto Me as a speckled bird of prey?
Are the birds of prey against her round about?
Come 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
- Upon all the high hills in the wilderness spoilers are come;
for the sword of the LORD 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, they profit not;
be ye then ashamed of your increase, because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
- 14
- Thus saith the LORD: As for all Mine evil neighbours, 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 again have compassion on them;
and I will bring them back, 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 the LORD 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 hearken, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, saith the LORD.
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