Jeremiah 12

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Your uprightness is too great, Yahweh, for me to dispute with you. But I should like to discuss somepoints of justice with you: Why is it that the way of the wicked prospers? Why do al treacherous people thrive?	1 Certainly, O Lord, you are just. But if I may contend with you, while still speaking what is just to you: Why does the way of the impious prosper? Why is it well with all those who transgress and act unfairly?
2 You plant them, they take root, they flourish, yes, and bear fruit. You are on their lips, yet far from theirheart.	2 You planted them, and they took root. They are prospering and bearing fruit. You are near to their mouths, but far from their hearts.
3 You know me, Yahweh, you see me, you probe my heart, which is close to yours. Drag them off likesheep for the slaughterhouse, reserve them for the day of butchery.	3 And you, O Lord, have known me well. You have seen me, and you have tested my heart with you. Gather them together like a flock for the sacrifice and sanctify them for the day of slaughter.
4 (How long will the land be in mourning, and the grass wither all over the countryside? The animals andbirds are dying as a result of the wickedness of the inhabitants.) For they say, 'God does not see our fate.'	4 How long shall the earth mourn? And how long shall the plants of every field whither because of the wickedness of the inhabitants within them? It has consumed the wild animals and the birds. For they said: “He will not see our very end.”
5 'If you find it exhausting to race against me on foot, how wil you compete against horses? In a countryat peace you feel secure, but how wil you fare in the thickets of the Jordan?	5 “If you have struggled to run on foot, how will you be able to compete with horses? And if you have been secure in a land of peace, what will you do about the arrogance of the Jordan?
6 'For even your brothers and your own family will betray you. They will pursue you in ful cry. Put no faithin them when they speak you fair!'	6 For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even these have fought against you. And they have cried out after you with loud voice: ‘You should not believe them, when they speak good things to you.’ ”
7 I have abandoned my house, left my heritage, I have delivered what I dearly loved into the clutches ofits enemies.	7 “I have abandoned my house. I have disowned my inheritance. I have given my beloved soul into the hand of its enemies.
8 To me, my heritage has behaved like a lion in the forest, it roared at me ferociously: so I now hate it.	8 My inheritance has become for me like a lion in the forest. It has uttered a voice against me, therefore, I have hated it.
9 I see my heritage as a brightly-coloured bird of prey attacked by birds of prey on every side! Go,assemble al the wild animals, make them come and dine!	9 Is my inheritance to me like a discolored bird? Is it like a bird that has entirely changed color? Approach and assemble, all beasts of the earth! Hurry, so that you may devour!
10 Many shepherds have laid my vineyard waste, have trampled over my plot of land, the plot of landwhich was my joy, reducing my favourite estate to a deserted wilderness.	10 Many pastors have demolished my vineyard. They have trampled my portion. They have made my desirable portion into a desert of solitude.
11 They have made it a waste; wasted, it mourns before me. The whole country has been devastatedand no one takes it to heart.	11 They have squandered it, and it has grieved concerning me. The entire earth has become utterly desolate, because there is no one who understands with the heart.”
12 The devastators have arrived on all the bare heights of the desert (for Yahweh wields a devouringsword); from one end of the country to the other, there is no peace for any living thing.	12 The devastators have arrived, over all the ways of the wilderness. For the sword of the Lord will devour, from one end of the earth even to its furthest limits. There is no peace for all that is flesh.
13 Wheat they have sown, thorns they reap: they have worn themselves out, to no profit. They aredisappointed in their harvests, because of Yahweh's burning anger.	13 They sowed wheat, but they reaped thorns. They received an inheritance, but it will not benefit them. You will be confounded by your own fruits, because of the wrath of the fury of the Lord.
14 Yahweh says this, 'As regards al my evil neighbours who have laid hands on the heritage I grantedmy people Israel, look, I shal uproot them from their soil, (though I shall uproot the House of Judah from amongthem).	14 Thus says the Lord against all my wicked neighbors, who touch the inheritance that I have distributed to my people Israel: “Behold, I will root them out of their own land, and I will root the house of Judah out of their midst.
15 But having uprooted them, I shall take pity on them again and bring them back each to its ownheritage, each to its own country,	15 And when I have rooted them out, I will turn back and take pity on them. And I will lead them back, one man to his inheritance, and another man to his land.
16 and if they carefully learn my people's ways and swear by my name, "As Yahweh lives", as they havetaught my people to swear by Baal, then they wil be re-established among my people.	16 And this shall be: if they are taught and they learn the ways of my people, so that they swear by my name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ just as they had taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the midst of my people.
17 But if any nation refuses to listen, I shall uproot it for ever and destroy it, Yahweh declares.'	17 But if they will not listen, I will uproot that nation unto utter destruction and perdition, says the Lord.”