1 U ncompromisingly righteous and rigidly just are You, O Lord, when I complain against and contend with You. Yet let me plead and reason the case with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all they at ease and thriving who deal very treacherously and deceitfully?

Righteous Thou, O Jehovah, When I plead towards thee, Only, judgments do I speak with Thee, Wherefore did the way of the wicked prosper? At rest have been all treacherous dealers.

2 Y ou have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bring forth fruit. You are near in their mouths but far from their hearts.

Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root, They go on, yea, they have made fruit, Near Thou in their mouth, And far off from their reins.

3 B ut You, O Lord, know and understand me and my devotion to You; You see me and try my heart toward You. pull out like sheep for the slaughter and devote and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known me, Thou seest me, and hast tried my heart with Thee, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a day of slaughter.

4 H ow long must the land mourn and the grass and herbs of the whole country wither? Through the wickedness of those who dwell in it, the beasts and the birds are consumed and are swept away, because men me, saying, He shall not see our final end.

Till when doth the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Consumed have been beast and fowl, Because they said, `He doth not see our latter end.'

5 I f you have raced with men on foot and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses? And if in a land of peace where you feel secure, then what will you do in the swelling and flooding of the Jordan?

For -- with footmen thou hast run, And they weary thee, And how dost thou fret thyself with horses! Even in the land of peace, thou art confident -- And how dost thou in the rising of Jordan!

6 F or even your brethren and the house of your father—even they have dealt treacherously with you; yes, even they are in full cry after you. Believe them not, though they speak fair words and promise good things to you.

For even thy brethren and the house of thy father, Even they dealt treacherously against thee, Even they -- they called after thee fully, Trust not in them, when they speak to thee good things.

7 I have forsaken My house, I have cast off My heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of My life into the hands of her enemies.

I have forsaken My house, I have left Mine inheritance, I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.

8 M y heritage has become to Me like a lion in the forest; she has uttered her voice against Me; therefore I have hated her.

Mine inheritance hath been to Me as a lion in a forest, She gave forth against Me with her voice, Therefore I have hated her.

9 I s My heritage to Me like a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her round about? Go, assemble all the wild beasts of the field; bring them to devour.

A speckled fowl Mine inheritance to Me? Is the fowl round about against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come ye for food.

10 M any shepherds have destroyed My vineyard, they have trampled My portion underfoot; they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Many shepherds did destroy My vineyard, They have trodden down My portion, They have made My desirable portion Become a wilderness -- a desolation.

11 T hey have made it a desolation, and desolate it mourns before Me; the whole land has been made desolate, but no man lays it to heart.

He hath made it become a desolation, The desolation hath mourned unto Me, Desolated hath been all the land, But there is no one laying it to heart.

12 D estroyers have come upon all the bare heights in the desert, for the sword of the Lord devours from one end of the land even to the other; no flesh has peace or can find the means to escape.

On all high places in the plain have spoilers come in, For the sword of Jehovah is consuming, From the end of the land even unto the end of the land, There is no peace to any flesh.

13 T hey have sown wheat but have reaped thorns; they have worn themselves out but without profit. And they shall be ashamed of your harvests and revenues because of the fierce and glowing anger of the Lord.

They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick -- they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.

14 T hus says the Lord against all My evil neighbor who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from their land and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.

Thus said Jehovah concerning all my evil neighbours, who are striking against the inheritance that I caused my people -- Israel -- to inherit: `Lo, I am plucking them from off their ground, And the house of Judah I pluck out of their midst.

15 A nd after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them and will bring them back again, every man to his heritage and every man to his land.

And it hath been, after My plucking them out, I turn back, and have pitied them, And I have brought them back, Each to his inheritance, and each to his land.

16 A nd if these will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, saying, As the Lord lives—even as they taught My people to swear by Baal—then will they be built up in the midst of My people.

And it hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, `Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.

17 B ut if any nation will not hear and obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, says the Lord.

And if they do not hearken, Then I have plucked up that nation, Plucking up and destroying, An affirmation of Jehovah!'