[1] You are in the right, O Lord, when I put my cause before you: still let
me take up with you the question of your decisions: why does the evil-doer
do well? why are the workers of deceit living in comfort? [2] They have
been planted by you, they have taken root; they go on and give fruit: you
are near in their mouths but far from their thoughts. [3] But you, O Lord,
have knowledge of me; you see me, searching and testing how my heart is
with you: let them be pulled out like sheep to be put to death, make them
ready for the day of death. [4] How long will the land have grief, and the
plants of all the land be dry? because of the sins of the people living in
it, destruction has overtaken the beasts and the birds; because they said,
God does not see our ways. [5] If running with the fighting-men has made
you tired, how will you be able to keep up with horses? and if in a land of
peace you go in flight, what will become of you in the thick growth of
Jordan? [6] For even your brothers, your father's family, even they have
been untrue to you, crying loudly after you: have no faith in them, though
they say fair words to you. [7] I have given up my house, I have let my
heritage go; I have given the loved one of my soul into the hands of her
haters. [8] My heritage has become like a lion in the woodland to me; her
voice has been loud against me; so I have hate for her. [9] My heritage is
like a brightly coloured bird to me; the cruel birds are attacking her on
every side: go, get together all the beasts of the field, make them come
for destruction. [10] The keepers of sheep have been the destruction of my
vine-garden, crushing my heritage under their feet; they have made my fair
heritage an unplanted waste; [11] They have made it waste; it is weeping to
me, being wasted; all the land is made waste, because no man takes it to
heart. [12] Those who make waste have come on all the open hilltops in the
waste land; for the sword of the Lord sends destruction from one end of the
land to the other end of the land: no flesh has peace. [13] Though good
grain was planted, they have got in thorns: they have given themselves pain
without profit: they will be shamed on account of their produce, because of
the burning wrath of the Lord. [14] This is what the Lord has said against
all my evil neighbours, who put their hands on the heritage which I gave my
people Israel: See, I will have them uprooted from their land, uprooting
the people of Judah from among them. [15] And it will come about that,
after they have been uprooted, I will again have pity on them; and I will
take them back, every man to his heritage and every man to his land. [16]
And it will be that, if they give their minds to learning the ways of my
people, using my name in their oaths, By the living Lord; as they have been
teaching my people to take oaths by the Baal; then their place will be made
certain among my people. [17] But if they will not give ear, then I will
have that nation uprooted, and given to destruction, says the Lord.
