Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I pleadwiththee: yet let me talkwiththee of thy judgments: Whereforedoth the way of the wickedprosper? wherefore are all theyhappythatdealverytreacherously?
But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thouhastseen me, and triedminehearttowardthee: pullthem out likesheep for the slaughter, and preparethem for the day of slaughter.
How longshall the landmourn, and the herbs of everyfieldwither, for the wickedness of themthatdwelltherein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; becausetheysaid, He shall not see our last end.
If thouhast run with the footmen, and theyhaveweariedthee, then how canstthoucontendwithhorses? and if in the land of peace, whereinthoutrustedst, theyweariedthee, then how wiltthou do in the swelling of Jordan?
For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, eventheyhavedealttreacherouslywiththee; yea, theyhavecalled a multitudeafterthee: believethem not, thoughtheyspeakfairwordsuntothee.
The spoilers are comeupon all highplacesthrough the wilderness: for the sword of the LORDshalldevourfrom the one end of the landeven to the other end of the land: no fleshshallhavepeace.
Theyhavesownwheat, but shallreapthorns: theyhave put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and theyshall be ashamed of yourrevenuesbecause of the fierceanger of the LORD.
Thussaith the LORDagainst all mineevilneighbours, thattouch the inheritancewhich I havecaused my peopleIsrael to inherit; Behold, I willpluckthem out of theirland, and pluck out the house of Judahfromamongthem.
And it shallcome to pass, afterthat I havepluckedthem out I willreturn, and havecompassion on them, and willbringthemagain, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
And it shallcome to pass, if theywilldiligentlylearn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORDliveth; as theytaught my people to swear by Baal; thenshallthey be built in the midst of my people.