Jeremiah 12

1 [Too] righteous art thou, O Lord, that I could plead with thee; yet must I speak of [the principles of] justice with thee: Wherefore is the way of the wicked happy? do all those prosper that deal treacherously?

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?

2 Thou hast planted them; they have also taken root; they grow; they also bring forth fruit: thou art near, in their mouth, and far from their mind.

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.

3 But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and probest my heart toward thee; set them apart like sheep for the slaughter, and destine them for the day of slaying.

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

4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of all the field wither? Because of the wickedness of those that dwell therein are wholly removed the beasts and the birds; because they said, He will not see our last end.

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.

5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, how then canst thou contend with the horses? and if in the land of peace, [wherein] thou trustedst, [they wearied thee, ] how then wilt thou do in the swelling of the Jordan?

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?

6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, even they have called forth a crowd of men after thee: believe them not, though they speak kindly unto thee.

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.

7 I have forsaken my house, I have abandoned my heritage; I have given up the most dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

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

8 My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest; it sent forth its voice against me: therefore do I hate it.

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

9 Is my heritage become unto me as a bird of prey stained with blood? so that the birds of prey are all around it? Come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them hither to devour.

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.

10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden under foot my field, they have rendered my pleasant field a desolate wilderness.

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

11 They have made it a desert, and being desolate it mourneth before me: the whole land is made desolate, because no man laid it to heart.

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.

12 Over all the mountain-peaks in the wilderness did the destroyers come; for the sword of the Lord devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: there is no peace to any flesh.

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.

13 They have sown wheat, but they reap thorns; they have put themselves to pain [but] have no profit; be therefore ashamed of your products, because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

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

14 Thus hath said the Lord against all my bad neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit, Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and the house of Judah will I pluck out from the midst of them.

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.

15 And it shall come to pass, that, after I have plucked them out, and I will again have mercy on them, and will restore them, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

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.

16 And it shall come to pass, if they will truly learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As the Lord liveth; as they had taught my people to swear by Ba'al: that they shall then be built up in the midst of my people.

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.

17 But if they will not hearken, then will I pluck out that nation, plucking out and exterminating [them], saith the Lord.

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