Jeremiah 5

1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in her broad places, if ye can find a man, if there is any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

“Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in its wide places, if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does justly, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.

2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.

Though they say, ‘As the LORD lives,’ surely they swear falsely.”

3 O LORD, are not thy eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

O LORD, do not your eyes 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 said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

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

5 I will go to the great men, and will speak to them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

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 Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out from there shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

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

7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, then they committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops 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 were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife.

They were as fed horses roaming at large. Everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife.

9 Shall I not punish for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Should not I punish them for these things?” says the LORD. “Should not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD’S.

“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 Judah have dealt very treacherously 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 have denied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:

They have denied the LORD, and said, “It is not he. Evil will not come on us. We will not see sword or famine.

13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.

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

14 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them.

15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far away, house of Israel,” says the LORD. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and do not understand what they say.

16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men.

17 And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish with the sword thy fortified cities, in which thou didst trust.

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

18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.

“But even in those days,” says the LORD, “I will not make a full end of you.

19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Why doeth the LORD our God all these things to us? then shalt thou answer them, As ye have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so shall ye serve 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, ‘Just as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’

20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and proclaim it in Judah, saying,

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

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

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

22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though its waves toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

Do not you fear me?’ says the LORD; ‘Will not you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it? Though its waves toss themselves, yet they cannot prevail. Though they roar, they still cannot pass over it.’

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

“But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart. They have revolted and gone.

24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in its season: he reserveth to us the appointed weeks of harvest.

They do not say in their heart, ‘Let’s 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 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld 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 found wicked men: they lie in wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

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

27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they have become great, and have grown rich.

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

28 They have become fat, they shine: yea, they exceed the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

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 defend the rights of the needy.

29 Shall I not punish for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

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

30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;

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

31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in its end?

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?