Jeremiah 5

1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broadways thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that doeth justice, that seeketh fidelity; and I will pardon it.

“Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.

2 And if they say, [As] Jehovah liveth! surely they swear falsely.

Though they say, ‘As the LORD lives,’ surely they swear falsely.”

3 Jehovah, are not thine eyes upon fidelity? Thou hast smitten them, but they are not sore; thou hast consumed them, they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

O LORD, don’t your eyes look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

4 And I said, Surely these are the wretched ones, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God.

Then I said, “Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they don’t know the LORD’s way, nor the law of their God.

5 I will go unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God; but these have altogether broken the yoke, have burst the bonds.

I will go to the great men and will speak to them, for they know the way of the LORD, and the law of their God.” But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

6 Therefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall waste them; the leopard lurketh against their cities, every one that goeth out thence is torn in pieces: for their transgressions are multiplied, their backslidings are increased.

Therefore a lion out of the forest will kill them. A wolf of the evenings will destroy them. A leopard will watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backsliding has increased.

7 Wherefore should I pardon thee? Thy children have forsaken me, and swear by them that are not God. I have satiated them, and they have committed adultery, and they troop to the harlots' house.

“How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes’ houses.

8 [As] well fed horses, they roam about, every one neigheth after his neighbour's wife.

They were as fed horses roaming at large. Everyone neighed after his neighbour’s wife.

9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah, and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says the LORD. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Go up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end; take away her battlements, for they are not Jehovah's.

“Go up on her walls, and destroy, but don’t make a full end. Take away her branches, for they are not the LORD’s.

11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith Jehovah.

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me,” says the LORD.

12 They have denied Jehovah, and say, He is not; and evil shall not come upon us, nor shall we see sword nor famine;

They have denied the LORD, and said, “It is not he. Evil won’t come on us. We won’t see sword or famine.

13 and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.

The prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them.”

14 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts: Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them.

15 Behold, I bring a nation upon you from afar, house of Israel, saith Jehovah: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest thou what they say.

Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far away, house of Israel,” says the LORD. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don’t know and don’t understand what they say.

16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; they are all mighty men.

Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men.

17 And they shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, they shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds, they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall destroy with the sword thy strong cities, wherein thou trustedst.

They will eat up your harvest and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They will eat up your flocks and your herds. They will eat up your vines and your fig trees. They will beat down your fortified cities in which you trust with the sword.

18 Nevertheless in those days, saith Jehovah, I will not make a full end with you.

“But even in those days,” says the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.

19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore hath Jehovah our God done all these things unto us? then shalt thou say to them, As ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

It will happen when you say, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’

20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

“Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

21 Hear now this, O foolish and heartless people, who have eyes and see not; who have ears, and hear not.

‘Hear this now, foolish people without understanding, who have eyes, and don’t see, who have ears, and don’t hear:

22 Will ye not fear me? saith Jehovah. Will ye not tremble at my presence, who have set the sand a bound for the sea by a perpetual decree, and it shall not pass it? and its waves toss themselves, but they do not prevail; and they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

Don’t you fear me?’ says the LORD; ‘Won’t you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it can’t pass it? Though its waves toss themselves, yet they can’t prevail. Though they roar, they still can’t pass over it.’

23 But this people hath a stubborn and a rebellious heart; they have turned aside and are gone.

“But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart. They have revolted and gone.

24 And they say not in their heart, Let us now fear Jehovah our God, that giveth rain, both the early and the latter, in its season; who preserveth unto us the appointed weeks of harvest.

They don’t say in their heart, ‘Let’s now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season, who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.’

25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden from you what is good.

“Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.

26 For among my people are found wicked [men]: they lay wait, as fowlers stoop down; they set a trap, they catch men.

For wicked men are found amongst my people. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.

27 As a cage full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and have enriched themselves.

As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich.

28 They are become fat, they shine, yea, they surpass in deeds of wickedness; they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not adjudge.

They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They don’t plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they don’t defend the rights of the needy.

29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

“Shouldn’t I punish for these things?” says the LORD. “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 An appalling and horrible thing is committed in the land:

“An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land.

31 the prophets prophesy falsehood, and the priests rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so. But what will ye do in the end thereof?

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?