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¹ You are righteous, O Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet would I reason the cause with you: why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all those at ease that deal very treacherously?² You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bring forth fruit: you are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.³ But you, O Yahweh, know me; you see me, and try my heart toward you: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.⁴ How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of those that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.⁵ If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? and though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?⁶ For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; even they have cried aloud after you: don't believe them, though they speak fair words to you.

⁷ I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.⁸ My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest: she has uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her.⁹ Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.¹⁰ Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.¹¹ They have made it a desolation; it mourns to me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man lays it to heart.¹² Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Yahweh devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh has peace.¹³ They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out, and profit nothing. And be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Yahweh.

¹⁴ Thus says Yahweh against all my evil neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: look, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.¹⁵ And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.¹⁶ And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Yahweh lives; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then they shall be built up in the midst of my people.¹⁷ But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, says Yahweh.