¹ Righteous are You, O Jehovah, when I might complain to You, yet let me speak with You of Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all those who deal treacherously at ease?

² You planted them; yea, they take root, they grow, they even make fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

³ But You know me, O Jehovah. You have seen me and tried my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and devote them to the day of slaughter.

⁴ Until when shall the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither from the evil of those who dwell in it? The beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, He will not see our last end.

⁵ If you have run with footmen, and they wore you out, then how can you compete with horses? And if you feel secure in the land of peace, then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?

⁶ For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; even they have fully called after you. Do not believe them, though they speak good things to you.

⁷ I have forsaken My house; I have left My inheritance. I have given the beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.

⁸ My inheritance has become as a lion in the forest to Me; she gave out her voice against Me; on account of this I hated her.

⁹ My inheritance is like a speckled bird to Me; the birds all around are against her. Come, gather all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.

¹⁰ Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My portion under foot; they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

¹¹ One has made it desolate; it mourns to Me. The whole land is a desolation, but no man lays it to heart.

¹² The ravagers have come on all bare heights through the wilderness, for the sword of Jehovah devours from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. There is no peace for any flesh.

¹³ They have sown wheat, but they have reaped thorns. They are worn out, but they do not profit. And they shall be ashamed of your harvests, because of the glow of the anger of Jehovah.

¹⁴ So says Jehovah against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will tear them from their land, and I will tear the house of Judah from among them.

¹⁵ And it shall be, after I have torn them out, I will return and have pity on them and will bring them again, each man to his inheritance and each man to his land.

¹⁶ And it shall be, if they will carefully learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, As Jehovah lives, as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they will be built in the midst of My people.

¹⁷ But if they will not obey, then I will tear and destroy that nation, says Jehovah.