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 Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, even though I dispute with thee: even so, I will speak judgments with thee; Why does the way of the wicked prosper? All those that completely rebel against thee have peace.

2 Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root: they grow, and they bring forth fruit; thou [art] near in their mouth and far from their kidneys.

3 But thou, O LORD, dost know me; thou hast seen me and tried my heart toward thee; pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and mark them for the day of slaughter.

4 How long shall the land be desolate, and the grass of all the field wither, for the wickedness of those that dwell therein? The cattle are lacking, and the birds because they said, He shall not see our latter end.

5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horses? and [if] in the land of peace, [in which] thou didst trust, [they wearied thee], then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee, even they have raised their voice after thee, O congregation; do not believe them, when they speak fair words unto thee.

7 I have forsaken my house, I have left my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

8 My heritage was unto me as a lion in the forest; it cried out against me, therefore I have hated it.

9 My heritage [is] unto me [as] a speckled bird; the birds round about [are] against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour her.

10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard; they have trodden my heritage under foot; they have made my precious heritage a desolate wilderness.

11 They have made it desolate; it cries against me, desolate; the whole land was made desolate because there was no man that would see.

12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the [one] end of the land even to the [other] end of the land; there is no peace for any flesh.

13 They have sown bread, but shall reap thorns; they had the heritage, but they did not profit; and they shall be ashamed because of your fruits, by the [fierce] anger of the LORD.

14 Thus hath the LORD said against all my evil neighbours that touch the heritage which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

15 And it shall come to pass that after I have plucked them out, I will return and have mercy on them, and will cause them to return, each one to his heritage, and each one to his land.

16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear in my name, [saying], [The] LORD lives; as they taught my people to swear by Baal then they shall be prospered in the midst of my people.

17 But if they will not hear, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.: