Jeremiah 5
1. Run ye to and fro * through the streets of Jerusalem, and see * now, and know * , and seek * in the broad places thereof, if ye can find * a man, if there be any that executeth * judgment, that seeketh * the truth; and I will pardon * it.
2. And though they say * , The LORD liveth; surely they swear * falsely.
3. O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken * them, but they have not grieved * ; thou hast consumed * them, but they have refused * to receive * correction: they have made their faces harder * than a rock; they have refused * to return * .
4. Therefore I said * , Surely these are poor; they are foolish * : for they know * not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
5. I will get * me unto the great men, and will speak * unto them; for they have known * the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken * the yoke, and burst * the bonds.
6. Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay * them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil * them, a leopard shall watch * over their cities: every one that goeth out * thence shall be torn in pieces * : because their transgressions are many * , and their backslidings are increased * .
7. How shall I pardon * thee for this? thy children have forsaken * me, and sworn * by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full * , they then committed adultery * , and assembled themselves by troops * in the harlots * ' houses.
8. They were as fed * horses in the morning * : every one neighed * after his neighbour's wife.
9. Shall I not visit * for these things? saith * the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged * on such a nation as this?
10. Go ye up * upon her walls, and destroy * ; but make * not a full end:take away * her battlements; 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 * the LORD.
12. They have belied * the LORD, and said * , It is not he; neither shall evil come * upon us; neither shall we see * sword nor famine:
13. And the prophets shall become wind, and the word * is not in them: thus shall it be done * unto them.
14. Wherefore thus saith * the LORD 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.
15. Lo, I will bring * a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith * the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest * not, neither understandest * what they say * .
16. Their quiver is as an open * sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17. And they shall eat up * thine harvest,and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat * : they shall eat up * thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up * thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish * thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst * , with the sword.
18. Nevertheless in those days, saith * the LORD, I will not make * a full end with you.
19. And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say * , Wherefore doeth * the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer * them, Like as ye have forsaken * me, and served * strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve * strangers * in a land that is not yours.
20. Declare * this in the house of Jacob, and publish * it in Judah, saying * ,
21. Hear * now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see * not; which have ears, and hear * not:
22. Fear * ye not me? saith * the LORD: will ye not tremble * at my presence, which have placed * the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass * it: and though the waves thereof toss * themselves, yet can they not prevail * ; though they roar * , yet can they not pass over * it?
23. But this people hath a revolting * and a rebellious * heart; they are revolted * and gone * .
24. Neither say * they in their heart, Let us now fear * the LORD our God, that giveth * rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth * unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25. Your iniquities have turned away * these things, and your sins have withholden * good things from you.
26. For among my people are found * wicked men: they lay wait * , as he that setteth * snares; they set * a trap, they catch * men.
27. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great * , and waxen rich * .
28. They are waxen fat * , they shine * : yea, they overpass * the deeds of the wicked: they judge * not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper * ; and the right of the needy do they not judge * .
29. Shall I not visit * for these things? saith * the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged * on such a nation as this?
30. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed * in the land;
31. The prophets prophesy * falsely, and the priests bear rule * by their means; and my people love * to have it so: and what will ye do * in the end thereof?
