Jeremias 12

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

O Lord, if I dispute with thee, thou art righteous: yet let mee talke with thee of thy iudgements: wherefore doeth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse?

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.

Thou hast planted them, and they haue taken roote: they grow, and bring forth fruite: thou art neere in their mouth, and farre from their reines.

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

But thou, Lord, knowest me: thou hast seene me, and tried mine heart towarde thee: pull them out like sheepe for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

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.

Howe long shall the lande mourne, and the herbes of euery fielde wither, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein? the beastes are consumed and the birdes, because they sayd, He wil not see our last ende.

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?

If thou hast runne with the footemen and they haue wearied thee, then howe canst thou match thy selfe with horses? and if thou thoughtest thy selfe safe in a peaceable lande, what wilt thou do in the swelling of Iorden?

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.

For euen thy brethren, and the house of thy father, euen they haue delt vnfaithfully with thee, and they haue cryed out altogether vpon thee: but beleeue them not, though they speake faire to thee.

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

I haue forsaken mine house: I haue left mine heritage: I haue giuen the dearely beloued of my soule into the hands of her enemies.

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.

Mine heritage is vnto mee, as a lion in the forest: it crieth out against mee, therefore haue I hated it.

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.

Shall mine heritage bee vnto mee, as a bird of diuers colours? are not the birdes about her, saying, Come, assemble all ye beastes of the fielde, come to eate her?

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

Many pastors haue destroyed my vineyarde, and troden my portion vnder foote: of my pleasant portion they haue made a desolate wildernesse.

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 haue layde it waste, and it, being waste, mourneth vnto me: and the whole lande lyeth waste, because no man setteth his minde on 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 destroyers are come vpon all the high places in the wildernesse: for the sworde of the Lord shall deuoure from the one end of the land, euen to the other ende of the lande: no flesh shall haue peace.

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

They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes: they were sicke, and had no profite: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.

14 For thus says the Lord, concerning all the evil neighbors 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.

Thus sayeth the Lord against all mine euill neighbours, that touch the inheritance, which I haue caused my people Israel to inherite, Beholde, I will plucke them out of their lande, and plucke out the house of Iudah from among them.

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.

And after that I haue plucked them out, I will returne, and haue compassion on them, and will bring againe euery man to his heritage, and euery man to his 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 they will learne the wayes of my people, to sweare by my Name, (The Lord liueth, as they taught my people to sweare by Baal) then shall they be built in the middes of my people.

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

But if they will not obey, then will I vtterly plucke vp, and destroy that nation, sayeth the Lord.