Jeremiah 12

1 You [are] righteous, O YHWH, When I plead toward You, Only, let me speak judgments with You, Why did the way of the wicked prosper? All treacherous dealers have been at rest.

Thou indeed, O Lord, art just, if I plead with thee, but yet I will speak what is just to thee: Why doth the way of the wicked prosper: why is it well with all them that transgress, and do wickedly?

2 You have planted them, Indeed, they have taken root, They go on, indeed, they have made fruit, You [are] near in their mouth, And far off from their reins.

Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root: they prosper and bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

3 And You, O YHWH, You have known me, You see me, and have tried my heart with You, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a day of slaughter.

And thou, O Lord, hast known me, thou hast seen me, and proved my heart with thee: gather them together as sheep for a sacrifice, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

4 Until when does the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Beast and bird have been consumed, Because they said, “He does not see our latter end.”

How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field wither for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? The beasts and the birds are consumed: because they have said: He shall not see our last end.

5 “For you have run with footmen, And they weary you, And how you fret yourself with horses! Even in the land of peace, [In which] you are confident—And how will you do in the rising of Jordan?

If thou hast wearied with running with footmen, how canst thou contend with horses? and if thou hast been secure in a land of peace, what wilt thou do in the swelling of the Jordan?

6 For even your brothers and the house of your father, Even they dealt treacherously against you, Even they called after you fully, Do not trust in them when they speak good things to you.

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have fought against thee, and have cried after thee with full voice: believe them not when they speak good things to thee.

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

I have forsaken my house, I have left my inheritance: I have given my dear soul into the land of her enemies.

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

My inheritance is become to me as a lion in the wood: is hath cried out against me, therefore have I hated it.

9 [Is] My inheritance a speckled bird to Me? Is the bird around against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come for food.

Is my inheritance to me as a speckled bird? Is it as a bird died throughout? come ye, assemble yourselves, all the beasts of the earth, make haste to devour.

10 Many shepherds destroyed My vineyard, They have trodden down My portion, They have made My desirable portion Become a wilderness—a desolation.

Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot: they have changed my delightful portion into a desolate wilderness.

11 He has made it become a desolation, The desolation has mourned to Me, All the land has been desolated, But there is no one laying it to heart.

They have laid it waste, and it hath mourned for me. With desolation is all the land made desolate; because there is none that considereth in the heart.

12 Spoilers have come in on all high places in the plain, For the sword of YHWH is consuming, From the end of the land even to the end of the land, There is no peace to any flesh.

The spoilers are come upon all the ways of the wilderness, for the sword of the Lord shall devour from one end of the land to the other end thereof: there is no peace for all flesh.

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

They have sown wheat, and reaped thorns: they have received an inheritance, and it shall not profit them: you shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.

14 Thus said YHWH: “Concerning all My evil neighbors, who are striking against the inheritance that I caused My people—Israel—to inherit: Behold, I am plucking them from off their ground, And I pluck the house of Judah out of their midst.

Thus saith the Lord against all my wicked neighbors, that touch the inheritance that I have shared out to my people Israel: Behold I will pluck them out of their land, and I will pluck the house of Juda out of the midst of them.

15 And it has 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.

And when I shall have plucked them out, I will return, and have mercy on them: and I will bring them back, every man to his inheritance, and every man to his land.

16 And it has come to pass, If they learn the ways of My people well, To swear by My Name, YHWH lives, As they taught My people to swear by Ba‘al, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.

And it shall come to pass, if they will be taught, and will learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name: The Lord liveth, as they have taught my people to swear by baal: that they shall be built up in the midst of my people.

17 And if they do not listen, Then I have plucked up that nation, Plucking up and destroying,” A declaration of YHWH!

But if they will not hear, I will utterly pluck out and destroy that nation, saith the Lord.