Yirmeyahu 12 ירמיהו י״ב

Right wouldst Thou be, O Lord, if I were to contend with Thee: yet I will reason these points of justice with Thee: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Thou hast planted them, indeed, they have taken root: they grow, indeed they bring forth fruit: Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their inward parts.

But Thou, O Lord, knowst me: Thou hast seen me, and tried my heart towards Thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole field wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell there, the beasts and the birds are consumed; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And dost thou feel secure in the land of peace? how wilt thou do in the wild country of the Yarden?

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they deal treacherously with thee: indeed, they are in full cry after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words to thee.

I have forsaken my house, I have left my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest; it cries out against me: therefore have I hated it.

My inheritance is a long clawed eagle to me. But the eagle is round about her! Come, assemble together all the wild beasts of the field, bring them to devour.

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

They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourns to me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man lays it to heart.

The spoilers are come upon all high hills through the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord devours from the one end of the land to the other end of the land: no flesh has peace.

They have sown wheat, but have reaped thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: be then ashamed of your harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

Thus says the Lord against all my evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Yisra᾽el to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Yehuda from among them.

And it shall come to pass, after I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them back, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As the Lord lives; just as they taught my people to swear by the Ba῾al; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, says the Lord.