Jeremiah 9
1. Oh that * my head were waters,and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep * day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people !
2. Oh that * I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men * ; that I might leave * my people, and go * from them! for they be all adulterers * , an assembly of treacherous men * .
3. And they bend * their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant * for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed * from evil to evil,and they know * not me, saith * the LORD.
4. Take ye heed * every one of his neighbour, and trust * ye not in any brother:for every brother will utterly * supplant * , and every neighbour will walk * with slanders.
5. And they will deceive * every one his neighbour, and will not speak * the truth: they have taught * their tongue to speak * lies, and weary * themselves to commit iniquity * .
6. Thine habitation * is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse * to know * me, saith * the LORD.
7. Therefore thus saith * the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt * them, and try * them; for how shall I do * for the daughter of my people?
8. Their tongue is as an arrow shot out * ; it speaketh * deceit: one speaketh * peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth * his wait.
9. Shall I not visit * them for these things? saith * the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged * on such a nation as this?
10. For the mountains will I take up * a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up * , so that none can pass * through them; neither can men hear * the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled * ; they are gone * .
11. And I will make * Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make * the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant * .
12. Who is the wise man, that may understand * this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken * , that he may declare * it, for what the land perisheth * and is burned up * like a wilderness, that none passeth through * ?
13. And the LORD saith * , Because they have forsaken * my law which I set * before them, and have not obeyed * my voice, neither walked * therein;
14. But have walked * after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught * them:
15. Therefore thus saith * the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed * them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink * .
16. I will scatter * them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known * : and I will send * a sword after them, till I have consumed * them.
17. Thus saith * the LORD of hosts,Consider * ye, and call * for the mourning women * , that they may come * ; and send * for cunning women, that they may come * :
18. And let them make haste * , and take up * a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down * with tears, and our eyelids gush out * with waters.
19. For a voice of wailing is heard * out of Zion, How are we spoiled * ! we are greatly confounded * , because we have forsaken * the land, because our dwellings have cast us out * .
20. Yet hear * the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive * the word of his mouth, and teach * your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
21. For death is come up * into our windows, and is entered * into our palaces,to cut off * the children from without, and the young men from the streets.
22. Speak * , Thus saith * the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall * as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman * , and none shall gather * them.
23. Thus saith * the LORD, Let not the wise man glory * in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory * in his might, let not the rich man glory * in his riches:
24. But let him that glorieth * glory * in this, that he understandeth * and knoweth * me, that I am the LORD which exercise * lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight * , saith * the LORD.
25. Behold, the days come * , saith * the LORD, that I will punish * all them which are circumcised * with the uncircumcised;
26. Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost * corners, that dwell * in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
