Jeremiah:12

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* Righteous are You , O LORD , when I plead with You ; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments . Why does the way of the wicked prosper ? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously ? * You have planted them , yes , they have taken root ; They grow , yes , they bear fruit . You are near in their mouth But far from their mind . * But You , O LORD , know me ; You have seen me , And You have tested my heart toward You . Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter , And prepare them for the day of slaughter . * How long will the land mourn , And the herbs of every field wither ? The beasts and birds are consumed , For the wickedness of those who dwell there , Because they said , "He will not see our final end ." * "If you have run with the footmen , and they have wearied you , Then how can you contend with horses ? And if in the land of peace , In which you trusted , they wearied you , Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan ? * For even your brothers , the house of your father , Even they have dealt treacherously with you ; Yes , they have called a multitude after you . Do not believe them , Even though they speak smooth words to you . * "I have forsaken My house , I have left My heritage ; I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies . * My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest ; It cries out against Me ; Therefore I have hated it . * My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture ; The vultures all around are against her . Come , assemble all the beasts of the field , Bring them to devour ! * "Many rulers have destroyed My vineyard , They have trodden My portion underfoot ; They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness . * They have made it desolate ; Desolate , it mourns to Me ; The whole land is made desolate , Because no one takes it to heart . * The plunderers have come On all the desolate heights in the wilderness , For the sword of the LORD shall devour From one end of the land to the other end of the land ; No flesh shall have peace . * They have sown wheat but reaped thorns ; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit . But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the LORD ." * Thus says the LORD : "Against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit--behold , I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them . * Then it shall be , after I have plucked them out , that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back , everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land . * And it shall be , if they will learn carefully the ways of My people , to swear by My name , "As the LORD lives ,' as they taught My people to swear by Baal , then they shall be established in the midst of My people . * But if they do not obey , I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation ," says the LORD .

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