Jeremiah:11-12

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* The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD , saying : * 'Hear ye the words of this covenant , and speak unto the men of Judah , and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; * and say thou unto them : Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel : Cursed be the man that heareth not the words of this covenant , * which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt , out of the iron furnace , saying : Hearken to My voice , and do them , according to all which I command you ; so shall ye be My people , and I will be your God ; * that I may establish the oath which I swore unto your fathers , to give them a land flowing with milk and honey , as at this day .' Then answered I , and said : 'Amen , O LORD .' * And the LORD said unto me : 'Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah , and in the streets of Jerusalem , saying : Hear ye the words of this covenant , and do them . * For I earnestly forewarned your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt , even unto this day , forewarning betimes and often , saying : Hearken to My voice . * Yet they hearkened not , nor inclined their ear , but walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart ; therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant , which I commanded them to do , but they did them not .' * And the LORD said unto me : 'A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah , and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem . * They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers , who refused to hear My words ; and they are gone after other gods to serve them ; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers . * Therefore thus saith the LORD : Behold , I will bring evil upon them , which they shall not be able to escape ; and though they shall cry unto Me , I will not hearken unto them . * Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer ; but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble . * For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods , O Judah ; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing , even altars to offer unto Baal . * Therefore pray not thou for this people , neither lift up cry nor prayer for them ; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto Me for their trouble .' * What hath My beloved to do in My house , seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many , and the hallowed flesh is passed from thee ? When thou doest evil , then thou rejoicest . * The LORD called thy name a leafy olive-tree , fair with goodly fruit ; with the noise of a great tumult He hath kindled fire upon it , and the branches of it are broken . * For the LORD of hosts , that planted thee , hath pronounced evil against thee , because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah , which they have wrought for themselves in provoking Me by offering unto Baal . * And the LORD gave me knowledge of it , and I knew it ; then Thou showedst me their doings . * But I was like a docile lamb that is led to the slaughter ; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me : 'Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof , and let us cut him off from the land of the living , that his name may be no more remembered .' * But , O LORD of hosts , that judgest righteously , that triest the reins and the heart , let me see Thy vengeance on them ; for unto Thee have I revealed my cause . * Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth , that seek thy life , saying : 'Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the LORD , that thou die not by our hand '; * therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts : Behold , I will punish them ; the young men shall die by the sword , their sons and their daughters shall die by famine ; * And there shall be no remnant unto them ; for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth , even the year of their visitation . * Right wouldest Thou be , O LORD , were I to contend with Thee , yet will I reason with Thee : Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper ? Wherefore are all they secure that deal very treacherously ? * Thou hast planted them , yea , they have taken root ; they grow , yea , they bring forth fruit ; Thou art near in their mouth , and far from their reins . * But Thou , O LORD , knowest me , Thou seest me , and triest my heart toward Thee ; pull them out like sheep for the slaughter , and prepare them for the day of slaughter . * How long shall the land mourn , and the herbs of the whole field wither ? For the wickedness of them that dwell therein , the beasts are consumed , and the birds ; because they said : 'He seeth not our end .' * 'If thou hast run with the footmen , and they have wearied thee , then how canst thou contend with horses ? And though in a land of peace thou art secure , yet how wilt thou do in the thickets of the Jordan ? * For even thy brethren , and the house of thy father , even they have dealt treacherously with thee , even they have cried aloud after thee ; believe them not , though they speak fair words unto thee .' * 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 . * My heritage is become unto Me as a lion in the forest ; she hath uttered her voice against Me ; therefore have I hated her . * Is My heritage unto Me as a speckled bird of prey ? Are the birds of prey against her round about ? Come ye , assemble all the beasts of the field , bring them to devour . * Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard , they have trodden My portion under foot , they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness . * They have made it a desolation , it mourneth unto Me , being desolate ; the whole land is made desolate , because no man layeth it to heart . * Upon all the high hills in the wilderness spoilers are come ; for the sword of the LORD devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land , no flesh hath peace . * They have sown wheat , and have reaped thorns ; they have put themselves to pain , they profit not ; be ye then ashamed of your increase , because of the fierce anger of the LORD . * Thus saith the LORD : As for all Mine evil neighbours , that 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 among them . * And it shall come to pass , after that I have plucked them up , I will again have compassion on them ; and I will bring them back , every man to his heritage , and every man to his land . * And it shall come to pass , if they will diligently learn the ways of My people to swear by My name : 'As the LORD liveth ,' even as they taught My people to swear by Baal ; then shall they be built up in the midst of My people . * But if they will not hearken , then will I pluck up that nation , plucking up and destroying it , saith the LORD . * Thus said the LORD unto me : 'Go , and get thee a linen girdle , and put it upon thy loins , and put it not in water .'

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