 1 You are righteous, Lord, when I complain+ to you. You let me speak with you about your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all those happy who deal treacherously? 2 You have planted them. Yes, they take root. They grow, yes, they make fruit. You are near in their mouth and far from their reins. 3 But you, Lord, know me. You have seen me and tried my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter and assign+ them to the day of slaughter. 4 How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither from the evil of those who live in it? The beasts and the birds have been destroyed, because they said, He will not see our last end. 5 If you have run with soldiers+ and they wore you out, then how can you compete with horses? If you feel secure in the land of peace, then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan? 6 For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you. Yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, though they speak good things to you. 7 I have forsaken my house; I have left my inheritance. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. 8 My inheritance is to me as a lion in the forest. It cries out against me. Therefore I have hated it. 9 My inheritance is like a speckled bird to me. The birds all around are against her. Go, gather all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour. 10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. They have trampled my portion under foot. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. 11 One has made it a desolation, it mourns to me. The whole land is made desolate because no man lays it to heart. 12 The ravagers have come on all high places through the wilderness. For the sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh shall have peace. 13 They have sown wheat, but will reap thorns. They are worn out, but they do not profit. They will be ashamed of your harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord. 14 Thus says the Lord against all my evil neighbors who touch the inheritance that I have caused my people Israel to inherit. I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 After I have plucked them out, I will return and have pity on them and will bring them again, each man to his inheritance and each man to his land. 16 If they will carefully learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As the Lord lives. As they taught the people to swear by Baal. Then they will be built in the midst of my people. 17 But if they will not obey, I will uproot and destroy that nation, says the Lord.
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