¹You are righteous , LORD ,

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?

²You 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 .

³But you , LORD , know me .

You see me , and test my heart towards you .

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter ,

and prepare them for the day of slaughter .

⁴How 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 ?

⁶For 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.

⁸My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest .

She has uttered her voice against me .

Therefore I have hated her .

⁹Is 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.

¹⁰Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard .

They have trodden my portion under foot.

They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness .

¹¹They have made it a desolation .

It mourns to me , being desolate .

The whole land is made desolate ,

because no one cares .

¹²Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness ;

for the sword of the LORD devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land.

No flesh has peace .

¹³They have sown wheat ,

and have reaped thorns .

They have exhausted themselves ,

and profit nothing .

You will be ashamed of your fruits ,

because of the LORD ’s fierce anger .”

¹⁴The LORD says , “Concerning all my evil neighbours , 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 amongst them .

¹⁵It 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 .

¹⁶It will happen , if they will diligently learn the ways of my people , to swear by my name , ‘As the LORD lives ;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal , then they will be built up in the middle of my people .

¹⁷But if they will not hear , then I will pluck up that nation , plucking up and destroying it ,” says the LORD .