Jeremiah 12
1. Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead * with thee: yet let me talk * with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper * ? wherefore are all they happy * that deal very treacherously * ?
2. Thou hast planted * them, yea, they have taken root * : they grow * , yea, they bring forth * fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
3. But thou, O LORD, knowest * me: thou hast seen * me, and tried * mine heart toward thee: pull them out * like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare * them for the day of slaughter.
4. How long shall the land mourn * , and the herbs of every field wither * , for the wickedness of them that dwell * therein? the beasts are consumed * , and the birds; because they said * , He shall not see * our last end.
5. If thou hast run * with the footmen, and they have wearied * thee, then how canst thou contend * with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst * , they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do * in the swelling of Jordan?
6. For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously * with thee; yea, they have called * a multitude after thee: believe * them not, though they speak * fair words unto thee.
7. I have forsaken * mine house, I have left * mine heritage; I have given * the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies * .
8. Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out * against me: therefore have I hated * it.
9. Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come * ye, assemble * all the beasts of the field, come * to devour.
10. Many pastors * have destroyed * my vineyard, they have trodden * my portion under foot * , they have made * my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11. They have made * it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth * unto me; the whole land is made desolate * , because no man layeth * it to heart.
12. The spoilers * are come * upon 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 shall reap * thorns: they have put themselves to pain * , but shall not profit * : and they shall be ashamed * of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
14. Thus saith * the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch * the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit * ; Behold, I will pluck them out * of their land, and pluck out * the house of Judah from among them.
15. And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out * I will return * , and have compassion * on them, and will bring them again * , every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently * learn * the ways of my people, to swear * by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught * my people to swear * by Baal; then shall they be built * in the midst of my people.
17. But if they will not obey * , I will utterly * pluck up * and destroy * that nation, saith * the LORD.
