Chapter 12

¹ Righteous art thou, O Lord, that I may make my defence to thee, yea, I will speak to thee of judgments. Why is it that the way of ungodly men prospers? that all hat deal very treacherously are flourishing? ² Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root; they have begotten children, and become fruitful; thou art near to their mouth, and far from their reins. ³ But thou, Lord, knowest me; thou hast proved my heart before thee; purify them for the day of their slaughter. ⁴ How long shall the land mourn, and the grass of the field

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wither, for the wickedness of them, that dwell in it? the beasts and birds are utterly destroyed; because the people said, God shall not see our ways.

⁵ Thy feet run, and they cause thee to faint; how wilt thou prepare ¹to ride upon horses? and thou hast been confident in the land of thy peace? how wilt thou do in the roaring of Jordan? ⁶ For even thy brethren and the house of thy father, even these have ²dealt treacherously with thee; and they have cried out, they are gathered together in pursuit of thee; trust not thou in them, though they shall speak fair words to thee.

⁷ I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given ³my beloved one into the hands of her enemies. ⁸ My inheritance has become to me as a lion in a forest; she has uttered her voice against me; therefore have I hated her. ⁹ Is not my inheritance to me a ⁴hyæna's cave, or a cave round about her? Go ye, gather together all the wild beasts of the field, and let them come to devour her.

¹⁰ Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have defiled my portion, they have made my desirable portion a trackless wilderness; ¹¹ it is made a complete ruin: for my sake the whole land has been utterly ruined, because there is none that lays the matter to heart. ¹² The ravagers are come to every passage in the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord will devour from one end of the land to the other: no flesh has any peace. ¹³ Sow wheat, and reap thorns; their portions shall not profit them: be ashamed of your boasting, because of reproach before the Lord.

¹⁴ For thus saith the Lord, concerning all the evil neighbours that touch mine inheritance, which I have divided to my people Israel; Behold, I will draw them away from their land, and I will cast out Juda from the midst of them.

¹⁵ And it shall come to pass, after I have cast them out, that I will return, and have mercy upon them, and will cause them to dwell every one in his inheritance, and every one is his land. ¹⁶ And it shall be, if they will indeed learn the way of my people, to swear by my name, saying, The Lord lives; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall that nation be built in the midst of my people. ¹⁷ But if they will not return, then will I cut off that nation with utter ruin and destruction.