1 You are righteous, Yahweh,

when I contend with you;

yet I would like to plead a case with you.

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?

Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?

2 You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root.

They grow. Yes, they produce fruit.

You are near in their mouth,

and far from their heart.

3 But you, Yahweh, know me.

You see me, and test my heart toward you.

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,

and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

4 How long will the land mourn,

and the herbs of the whole country wither?

Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein,

the animals and birds are consumed;

because they said,

"He won’t see our latter end."

5 "If you have run with the footmen,

and they have wearied you,

then how can you contend with horses?

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 beautiful 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 all around?

Go, assemble all the animals 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 one cares.

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 exhausted themselves,

and profit nothing.

You will be ashamed of your fruits,

because of Yahweh’s fierce anger."

14 Yahweh says, "Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. 15 It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. 16 It will happen, 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 will be built up in the middle of my people. 17 But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it," says Yahweh.

1 Regverdig is U, o HERE, as ek met U sou twis. Tog wil ek oor regsake met U spreek: Waarom is die weg van die goddelose voorspoedig? Waarom lewe hulle rustig, almal wat ontrou bedrywe?

2 U het hulle geplant, ook het hulle wortel geskiet; hulle groei, ook dra hulle vrugte. U is naby in hulle mond, maar ver van hulle niere.

3 Maar U, o HERE, ken my; U sien my en toets my hart by U. Ruk hulle weg soos slagskape, en heilig hulle vir die dag van slagting.

4 Hoe lank sal die land treur en die plante van die hele veld verdor? Vanweë die boosheid van die wat daarin woon, vergaan diere en voëls; omdat hulle sê: Hy sal ons einde nie sien nie!

5 As jy met voetgangers loop, maak hulle jou moeg: hoe sal jy dan wedywer met die perde? En in 'n land van vrede voel jy jou veilig: hoe sal jy dan maak in die pronkbosse van die Jordaan?

6 Want ook jou broers en die huis van jou vader, ook hulle het troueloos teen jou gehandel; ook hulle roep jou hardop agterna. Glo hulle nie as hulle vriendelik met jou spreek nie.

7 Ek het my huis verlaat, Ek het my erfenis verwerp, Ek het die beminde van my siel in die hand van haar vyande gegee.

8 My erfenis het vir My geword soos 'n leeu in die bos; dit het sy stem teen My verhef; daarom het Ek dit gehaat.

9 Is my erfenis dan vir My 'n bont roofvoël? Is daar roofvoëls rondom teen hom? Kom, maak al die wilde diere van die veld bymekaar, laat hulle kom om te eet.

10 Baie herders het my wingerd verniel, hulle het my stuk land vertrap, hulle het my begeerlike stuk land 'n woeste wildernis gemaak,

11 hulle het dit 'n wildernis gemaak; dit treur voor My, verwoes; die hele land is verwoes, omdat daar niemand is wat dit ter harte neem nie.

12 Op al die kaal heuwels in die woestyn het verwoesters gekom, want die swaard van die HERE verteer van die een end van die land tot die ander end van die land; daar is geen vrede vir enige vlees nie.

13 Hulle het koring gesaai, maar dorings gemaai; hulle het hul uitgeput sonder om baat te vind. Staan dan beskaamd oor julle inkomste, vanweë die toorngloed van die HERE.

14 So sê die HERE: Aangaande al my goddelose bure wat die erfenis aantas wat Ek my volk Israel laat erf het -- kyk, Ek ruk hulle uit hul land uit, en die huis van Juda sal Ek uit hulle midde wegruk.

15 Maar nadat Ek hulle uitgeruk het, sal Ek My weer oor hulle ontferm; en Ek sal hulle terugbring, elkeen na sy erfenis en elkeen na sy land.

16 En as hulle ywerig die weë van my volk leer om te sweer by my Naam: So waar as die HERE leef, soos hulle my volk geleer het om te sweer by Baäl -- dan sal hulle onder my volk gebou word.

17 Maar as hulle nie luister nie, dan sal Ek die nasie heeltemal uitruk en tot niet maak, spreek die HERE.