Jeremias 12

1 Righteous are you, O Lord, that I may make my defence to you, yes, I will speak to you [of] judgements. Why [is it] that the way of ungodly [men] prospers? [that] all that deal very treacherously are flourishing?

Yahweh, whenever I tell you that I am unhappy [about what is happening to me], you [always] act justly/fairly. So now allow me to ask about one more thing [that I do not understand]: Why are wicked people [often] very prosperous? Why do things go very well for dishonest/wicked people?

2 You have planted them, and they have taken root; they have begotten children, and become fruitful; you are near to their mouth, and far from their reins.

You allow them to prosper like [MET] trees that grow tall and bear [a lot of] fruit. They [always] say [MTY] good things about you, but their hearts are [really] far from you.

3 But you, Lord, know me; you have proved my heart before you; purify them for the day of their slaughter.

But Yahweh, as for me, you know what is in my inner being. You see what I [do] and you are able to know what I am thinking. So drag away those [wicked] people, like [people drag away] sheep that they are going to butcher. Set them aside like sheep that are about to be slaughtered!

4 How long shall the land mourn, and the grass of the field wither, for the wickedness of them, that dwell in it? the beasts and birds are utterly destroyed; because [the people] said, God shall not see our ways.

This land is [RHQ] becoming very dry and even the grass is withering. The wild animals and the birds have [all] died because the people are [very] wicked. [All that has happened] because the people have said, “Yahweh does not know what we are doing (OR, what will happen to us)!”

5 Your feet run, and they cause you to faint; how will you prepare [to ride] upon horses? and you have been confident in the land of your peace? how will you do in the roaring of Jordan?

[Then to show me that I needed to be prepared to endure even greater difficulties, Yahweh said to me], [“It is as though] you have become exhausted from racing against men; so how will you be able to race against horses? If you [stumble and] fall when you are running on open/bare/smooth ground, what will happen to you when you are running through the thornbushes near the Jordan [River]?

6 For even your brethren and the house of your father, even these have dealt treacherously with you; and they have cried out, they are gathered together in pursuit of you; trust not you in them, though they shall speak fair [words] to you.

[Already] your brothers and [other members of] your own family oppose you. They (plot against/plan to do evil things to) you and they say bad things about you. So even if they say nice things about you, do not trust them!

7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given my beloved one into the hands of her enemies.

I have abandoned my [Israeli] people, the people whom I chose to belong to me. I have allowed their enemies to conquer the Israeli people, whom I love.

8 My inheritance has become to me as a lion in a forest; she has uttered her voice against me; therefore have I hated her.

My people have become to me like [SIM] a lion in the forest. [It is as though] they roar at me like a lion, so now I hate them.

9 Is not my inheritance to me a hyaena's cave, or a cave round about her? Go you, gather together all the wild beasts of the field, and let them come to devour her.

My chosen people have [RHQ] become like speckled hawks that are surrounded by vultures [waiting to eat their flesh after they are dead]. Tell all the wild animals to come and eat [the flesh of their corpses].

10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have defiled my portion, they have made my desirable portion a trackless wilderness;

Many rulers [from other countries have come with their armies and] devastated/destroyed my people [whom I care for like a farmer takes care of his] vineyard. They have caused my beautiful land to become a barren desert where no one lives.

11 it is made a complete ruin: for my sake the whole land has been utterly ruined, because there is none that lays [the matter] to heart.

They have caused it to become completely empty; [it is as though] I hear the land crying sadly/mournfully. The whole land is desolate, and no one (worries about/pays any attention to) it.

12 The ravagers are come to every passage in the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord will devour from one end of the land to the other: no flesh has any peace.

The soldiers [of our enemies] have marched across all the barren hilltops. But [I], Yahweh, am using those armies [MTY] to punish your land from one end to the other, and no one will escape.

13 Sow wheat, and reap thorns; their portions shall not profit them: be ashamed of your boasting, because of reproach before the Lord.

[It is as though] my people planted wheat, but now they are harvesting thorns. They have become very tired [because of much hard work], but they have gained nothing [from all that work]. They will be very disappointed because their harvests [will be very small], [and that will happen] because [I], Yahweh, am extremely angry [with them].”

14 For thus says the Lord, concerning all the evil neighbours that touch mine inheritance, which I have divided to my people Israel; Behold, I [will] draw them away from their land, and I will cast out Juda from the midst of them.

This is [also] what Yahweh said to me: “[I will punish] the evil nearby nations that have been trying to take away the land that I gave to my Israeli people, and I will force them to leave their own land. But I will throw the people of Judah out of their land, also.

15 And it shall come to pass, after I have cast them out, [that] I will return, and have mercy upon them, and will cause them to dwell every one in his inheritance, and every one in his land.

But later I will act mercifully toward those nations again, and I will bring them back to their own lands again. Each [clan] will come back to its own land.

16 And it shall be, if they will indeed learn the way of my people, to swear by my name, [saying], The Lord lives; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall [that nation] be built in the midst of my people.

And if the people [of the other nations whose armies have invaded Israel] learn the [religious] customs of my people, and if they learn that I [am listening] when they solemnly promise that they will do something good, like they taught my people to believe that [their god] Baal [was listening] when they made solemn promises, I will cause them to become prosperous, and they also will be my people.

17 But if they will not return, then will I cut off that nation with utter ruin and destruction.

But I will expel any nation whose people refuse to obey me, and I will destroy that nation and its people. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”