Jeremiah 12

1You 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?

1Righteous art thou, Jehovah, when I plead with thee; yet will I speak with thee of [thy] judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? [wherefore] are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?

1Righteous <FI>art<Fi> Thou, O Jehovah, When I plead towards thee, Only, judgments do I speak with Thee, Wherefore did the way of the wicked prosper? At rest have been all treacherous dealers.

2They 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.

2Thou hast planted them, they also have taken root: they advance, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins.

2Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root, They go on, yea, they have made fruit, Near <FI>art<Fi> Thou in their mouth, And far off from their reins.

3But 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.

3But thou, Jehovah, knowest me; thou hast seen me, and proved my heart toward thee. Drag them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

3And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known me, Thou seest me, and hast tried my heart with Thee, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a day of slaughter.

4How 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.

4How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of all the fields wither? Because of the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts and the birds perish; for they say, He will not see our end.

4Till when doth the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Consumed have been beast and fowl, Because they said, `He doth not see our latter end.'

5If 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?

5If thou hast run with footmen, and they have wearied thee, how wilt thou then contend with horses? And if in a land of peace thou thinkest thyself in security, how wilt thou then do in the swelling of the Jordan?

5For--with footmen thou hast run, And they weary thee, And how dost thou fret thyself with horses! Even in the land of peace, <FI>In which<Fi> thou art confident--And how dost thou in the rising of Jordan!

6For 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.

6For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee, even they have cried aloud after thee. Believe them not, though they speak good [words] unto thee.

6For even thy brethren and the house of thy father, Even they dealt treacherously against thee, Even they--they called after thee fully, Trust not in them, when they speak to thee good things.

7I 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.

7I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage, I have given the beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

7I have forsaken My house, I have left Mine inheritance, I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.

8My heritage has become like a lion in the woodland to me; her voice has been loud against me; so I have hate for her.

8My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest; it hath raised its voice against me: therefore have I hated it.

8Mine inheritance hath been to Me as a lion in a forest, She gave forth against Me with her voice, Therefore I have hated her.

9My 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.

9My heritage is unto me [as] a speckled bird of prey; the birds of prey round about are against her. Go, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.

9A speckled fowl <FI>is<Fi> Mine inheritance to Me? Is the fowl round about against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come ye for food.

10The 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;

10Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness:

10Many shepherds did destroy My vineyard, They have trodden down My portion, They have made My desirable portion Become a wilderness--a desolation.

11They have made it waste; it is weeping to me, being wasted; all the land is made waste, because no man takes it to heart.

11they have made it a desolation; desolate, it mourneth unto me: the whole land is made desolate, for no man layeth it to heart.

11He hath made it become a desolation, The desolation hath mourned unto Me, Desolated hath been all the land, But there is no one laying it to heart.

12Those 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.

12Spoilers are come upon all heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the [other] end of the land: no flesh hath peace.

12On all high places in the plain have spoilers come in, For the sword of Jehovah is consuming, From the end of the land even unto the end of the land, There is no peace to any flesh.

13Though 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.

13They have sown wheat, and they reap thorns; they have put themselves to pain, [and] do not profit. Be ye therefore ashamed of your revenues, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.

13They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick--they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.

14This 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.

14Thus saith Jehovah against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

14Thus said Jehovah concerning all my evil neighbours, who are striking against the inheritance that I caused my people--Israel--to inherit: `Lo, I am plucking them from off their ground, And the house of Judah I pluck out of their midst.

15And 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.

15And it shall come to pass, after I have plucked them up, I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them back, each one to his inheritance, and each one to his land.

15And it hath been, after My plucking them out, I turn back, and have pitied them, And I have brought them back, Each to his inheritance, and each to his land.

16And 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.

16And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, [As] Jehovah liveth — even as they taught my people to swear by Baal — they shall be built up in the midst of my people.

16And it hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, `Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.

17But if they will not give ear, then I will have that nation uprooted, and given to destruction, says the Lord.

17And if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith Jehovah.

17And if they do not hearken, Then I have plucked up that nation, Plucking up and destroying, An affirmation of Jehovah!'