Jeremiah 5

1 Run to and from by the streetes of Ierusalem, and beholde nowe, and knowe, and inquire in the open places thereof, if ye can finde a man, or if there be any that executeth iudgement, and seeketh the trueth, and I will spare it.

"Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places of it, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.

2 For though they say, The Lord liueth, yet doe they sweare falsely.

Though they say, 'As the LORD lives;' surely they swear falsely."

3 O Lord, are not thine eyes vpon the trueth? thou hast striken them, but they haue not sorowed: thou hast consumed them, but they haue refused to receiue correction: they haue made their faces harder then a stone, and haue refused to returne.

O LORD, do your eyes not look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.

4 Therefore I saide, Surely they are poore, they are foolish, for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the iudgement of their God.

Then I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the LORD, nor the law of their God.

5 I will get me vnto the great men, and will speake vnto them: for they haue knowen the way of the Lord, and the iudgement of their God: but these haue altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bondes.

I will go to the great men, and will speak to them; for they know the way of the LORD, and the law of their God." But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

6 Wherefore a lyon out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolfe of the wildernesse shall destroy them: a leopard shall watch ouer their cities: euery one that goeth out thence, shall be torne in pieces, because their trespasses are many, and their rebellions are increased.

Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backsliding is increased.

7 Howe should I spare thee for this? thy children haue forsaken me, and sworne by them that are no gods: though I fed them to the full, yet they committed adulterie, and assembled them selues by companies in the harlots houses.

"How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses.

8 They rose vp in the morning like fed horses: for euery man neyed after his neighbours wife.

They were as fed horses roaming at large: everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife.

9 Shall I not visite for these things, saith the Lord? Shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this?

Shouldn't I punish them for these things?" says the LORD; "and shouldn't my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Clime vp vpon their walles, and destroy them, but make not a full ende: take away their batilments, for they are not the Lords.

"Go up on her walls, and destroy; but do not make a full end. Take away her branches; for they are not the LORD's.

11 For the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah haue grieuously trespassed against me, saith the Lord.

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me," says the LORD.

12 They haue denied the Lord, and saide, It is not he, neither shall the plague come vpon vs, neither shall we see sworde nor famine.

They have denied the LORD, and said, "It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine.

13 And the Prophetes shall be as winde, and the worde is not in them: thus shall it come vnto them.

The prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them."

14 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hostes, Because ye speake such wordes, beholde, I will put my wordes into thy mouth, like a fire, and this people shall be as wood, and it shall deuoure them.

Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, "Because you speak this word, look, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

15 Loe, I will bring a nation vpon you from farre, O house of Israel, saith the Lord, which is a mightie nation, and an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither vnderstandest what they say.

Look, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel," says the LORD. "It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, neither understand what they say.

16 Whose quiuer is as an open sepulchre: they are all very strong.

Their quiver is an open tomb, they are all mighty men.

17 And they shall eate thine haruest and thy bread: they shall deuoure thy sonnes and thy daughters: they shall eate vp thy sheepe and thy bullocks: they shall eate thy vines and thy figge trees: they shall destroy with the sworde thy fenced cities, wherein thou didest trust.

They shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds. They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees. They shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.

18 Neuerthelesse at those dayes, sayth the Lord, I will not make a full ende of you.

"But even in those days," says the LORD, "I will not make a full end with you.

19 And when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God doe these things vnto vs? then shalt thou answere them, Like as ye haue forsaken me and serued strange gods in your land, so shall ye serue strangers in a land that is not yours.

It will happen, when you say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, Just like you have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'

20 Declare this in the house of Iaakob, and publish it in Iudah, saying,

"Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

21 Heare nowe this, O foolish people, and without vnderstanding, which haue eyes and see not, which haue eares and heare not.

'Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and do not see; who have ears, and do not hear:

22 Feare ye not me, saith the Lord? or will ye not be afraide at my presence, which haue placed the sand for the bounds of the sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it, and though the waues thereof rage, yet can they not preuaile, though they roare, yet can they not passe ouer it?

Do you not fear me?' says the LORD 'Won't you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can't pass it? And though its waves toss themselves, yet they can't prevail; though they roar, yet they can't pass over it.'

23 But this people hath an vnfaithfull and rebellious heart: they are departed and gone.

"But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they have revolted and gone.

24 For they say not in their heart, Let vs nowe feare the Lord our God, that giueth raine both early and late in due season: hee reserueth vnto vs the appointed weekes of the haruest.

Neither do they say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.'

25 Yet your iniquities haue turned away these things, and your sinnes haue hindred good things from you.

"Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.

26 For among my people are founde wicked persons, that lay waite as hee that setteth snares: they haue made a pit, to catch men.

For among my people are found wicked men. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.

27 As a cage is full of birdes, so are their houses full of deceite: thereby they are become great and waxen riche.

As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich.

28 They are waxen fat and shining: they doe ouerpasse the deedes of the wicked: they execute no iudgement, no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse: yet they prosper, though they execute no iudgement for the poore.

They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they do not judge the right of the needy.

29 Shall I not visite for these things, sayth the Lord? or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this?

"Shall I not punish for these things?" says the LORD. "Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 An horrible and filthie thing is committed in the land.

"An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land.

31 The Prophets prophesie lies, and ye Priests receiue giftes in their handes, and my people delite therein. What will ye then doe in the ende thereof?

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?