1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth on the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, said the LORD.
4 Take you heed every one of his neighbor, and trust you not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanders.
5 And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 Your habitation is in the middle of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, said the LORD.
7 Therefore thus said the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaks deceit: one speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he lays his wait.
9 Shall I not visit them for these things? said the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.
11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
12 Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perishes and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passes through?
13 And the LORD said, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
15 Therefore thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
16 I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.
17 Thus said the LORD of hosts, Consider you, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:
18 And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.
20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O you women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation.
21 For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.
22 Speak, Thus said the LORD, Even the carcasses of men shall fall as dung on the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.
23 Thus said the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, said the LORD.
25 Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place for travelers, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies. But they are not mighty for the truth on the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me, says Jehovah.
4 Everyone beware of his neighbor, and do not trust any brother! For every brother will supplant and assail his neighbor, and will walk with slanderers.
5 And everyone will deceive his neighbor and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and they weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me, says Jehovah.
7 Therefore thus says Jehovah of Hosts, Behold, I will refine them and try them; for how else shall I deal with the daughter of My people?
8 Their tongue is a slaughtering arrow; it speaks deceit; one speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lies in wait.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says Jehovah; shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 I will take up a weeping and a wailing for the mountains, and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness; because they are burned up, so that no one can pass through them; nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; they are gone.
11 And I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
12 Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of Jehovah has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?
13 And Jehovah says, Because they have forsaken My Law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, and have not walked in it,
14 but they have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them.
15 Therefore thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and make them drink bitter water.
16 I will also scatter them among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword after them until I have consumed them.
17 Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, Consider carefully, and call for those who lament, that they may come. And send for the wise women, that they may come;
18 and let them make haste and take up a lamentation for us, so that our eyes may run down with tears, and waters flow from our eyelids.
19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion. How we are plundered! We are greatly ashamed, because we have forsaken the land, because they have thrown down our tents.
20 Yet hear the Word of Jehovah, O women, and let your ear receive the Word of His mouth, and teach your daughters a mourning song, and each one teach her neighbor a lamentation.
21 For death has come up into our windows, and has entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from outside and the young men from the streets.
22 Speak, Thus says Jehovah, Even the carcasses of men shall fall as dung on the open field, and as the fallen grain after the reaper; and no one shall gather them.
23 Thus says Jehovah, Let not the wise glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty glory in his might; let not the rich glory in his riches;
24 but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah, doing kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says Jehovah.
25 Behold, the days are coming, says Jehovah, that I will punish all the circumcised along with the uncircumcised;
26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all who are in the remotest quarters, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.