1Righteous[H6662] art thou, O LORD[H3068], when I plead[H7378] with thee: yet let me talk[H1696] with thee of thy judgments[H4941]: Wherefore doth the way[H1870] of the wicked[H7563]prosper?[H6743] wherefore are all they happy[H7951] that deal very[H899]treacherously?[H898]
2
Thou hast planted[H5193] them, yea, they have taken root[H8327]: they grow[H3212], yea, they bring forth[H6213]fruit[H6529]: thou art near[H7138] in their mouth[H6310], and far from[H7350] their reins[H3629].
3
But thou, O LORD[H3068], knowest[H3045] me: thou hast seen[H7200] me, and tried[H974] mine heart[H3820] toward thee: pull them out[H5423] like sheep[H6629] for the slaughter[H2878], and prepare[H6942] them for the day[H3117] of slaughter[H2028].
4
How long shall the land[H776]mourn[H56], and the herbs[H6212] of every field[H7704]wither[H3001], for the wickedness[H7451] of them that dwell[H3427] therein? the beasts[H929] are consumed[H5595], and the birds[H5775]; because they said[H559], He shall not see[H7200] our last end[H319].
5
If thou hast run[H7323] with the footmen[H7273], and they have wearied[H3811] thee, then how canst thou contend[H8474] with horses?[H5483] and if in the land[H776] of peace[H7965], wherein thou trustedst[H982], they wearied[H3811] thee, then how wilt thou do[H6213] in the swelling[H1347] of Jordan?[H3383]
6
For even thy brethren[H251], and the house[H1004] of thy father[H1], even they have dealt treacherously[H898] with thee; yea, they have called[H7121] a multitude[H4392]after[H310] thee: believe[H539] them not, though they speak[H1696] fair words[H2896] unto thee.
7
I have forsaken[H5800] mine house[H1004], I have left[H5203] mine heritage[H5159]; I have given[H5414] the dearly beloved[H3033] of my soul[H5315] into the hand[H3709] of her enemies[H341].
8
Mine heritage[H5159] is unto me as a lion[H738] in the forest[H3293]; it crieth out[H5414] against me: therefore have I hated[H8130] it.
9
Mine heritage[H5159] is unto me as a speckled[H6641]bird[H5861], the birds[H5861] round about[H5439] are against her; come[H3212] ye, assemble[H622] all the beasts[H2416] of the field[H7704], come[H857] to devour[H402].
10Many[H7227]pastors[H7462] have destroyed[H7843] my vineyard[H3754], they have trodden[H947] my portion[H2513] under foot[H947], they have made[H5414] my pleasant[H2532]portion[H2513] a desolate[H8077]wilderness[H4057].
11
They have made[H7760] it desolate[H8076], and being desolate[H8077] it mourneth[H56] unto me; the whole land[H776] is made[H7760]desolate[H8074], because no man[H376]layeth[H7760] it to heart[H3820].
12
The spoilers[H7703] are come[H935] upon all high places[H8205] through the wilderness[H4057]: for the sword[H2719] of the LORD[H3068] shall devour[H398] from the one end[H7097] of the land[H776] even to the other end[H7097] of the land[H776]: no flesh[H1320] shall have peace[H7965].
13
They have sown[H2232]wheat[H2406], but shall reap[H7114]thorns[H6975]: they have put themselves to pain[H2470], but shall not profit[H3276]: and they shall be ashamed[H954] of your revenues[H8393] because of the fierce[H2740]anger[H639] of the LORD[H3068].
14
Thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] against all mine evil[H7451]neighbours[H7934], that touch[H5060] the inheritance[H5159] which I have caused my people[H5971]Israel[H3478] to inherit[H5157]; Behold, I will pluck them out[H5428] of their land[H127], and pluck out[H5428] the house[H1004] of Judah[H3063] from among[H8432] them.
15
And it shall come to pass, after[H310] that I have plucked them out[H5428] I will return[H7725], and have compassion[H7355] on them, and will bring them again[H7725], every man[H376] to his heritage[H5159], and every man[H376] to his land[H776].
16
And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently[H3925]learn[H3925] the ways[H1870] of my people[H5971], to swear[H7650] by my name[H8034], The LORD[H3068]liveth[H2416]; as they taught[H3925] my people[H5971] to swear[H7650] by Baal[H1168]; then shall they be built[H1129] in the midst[H8432] of my people[H5971].
17
But if they will not obey[H8085], I will utterly[H5428] pluck up[H5428] and destroy[H6] that nation[H1471], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].