1
Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wickedprosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal verytreacherously?
3
But thou, O LORD,knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4
How long shall the landmourn, and the herbs of every fieldwither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last 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, wherein thou trustedst, 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; yea, they have called a multitudeafter thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
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: no flesh shall have peace.
13
They have sownwheat, but shall reapthorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierceanger of the LORD.
14
Thus saith the LORD against all mine evilneighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my peopleIsrael 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, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16
And it shall come to pass, if they will diligentlylearn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORDliveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.