<h3>Jeremiah’s Complaint</h3>12 <poetry>You are always righteous, <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>, <indent>when I bring a case before you.</indent> Yet I would speak with you about your justice: <indent>Why does the way of the wicked prosper? </indent> <indent>Why do all the faithless live at ease?</indent> </poetry> 2 <poetry>You have planted them, and they have taken root; <indent>they grow and bear fruit. </indent> You are always on their lips <indent>but far from their hearts. </indent> </poetry> 3 <poetry>Yet you know me, <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>; <indent>you see me and test my thoughts about you.</indent> Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! <indent>Set them apart for the day of slaughter! </indent> </poetry> 4 <poetry>How long will the land lie parched <indent>and the grass in every field be withered? </indent> Because those who live in it are wicked, <indent>the animals and birds have perished. </indent> Moreover, the people are saying, <indent>“He will not see what happens to us.”</indent></poetry> <h3>God’s Answer</h3> 5 <poetry>“If you have raced with men on foot <indent>and they have worn you out,</indent> <indent>how can you compete with horses?</indent> If you stumble in safe country, <indent>how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?</indent> </poetry> 6 <poetry>Your relatives, members of your own family— <indent>even they have betrayed you;</indent> <indent>they have raised a loud cry against you. </indent> Do not trust them, <indent>though they speak well of you. </indent><poetry></poetry> 7 <poetry>“I will forsake my house, <indent>abandon my inheritance;</indent> I will give the one I love <indent>into the hands of her enemies. </indent> </poetry> 8 <poetry>My inheritance has become to me <indent>like a lion in the forest.</indent> She roars at me; <indent>therefore I hate her. </indent> </poetry> 9 <poetry>Has not my inheritance become to me <indent>like a speckled bird of prey</indent> <indent>that other birds of prey surround and attack?</indent> Go and gather all the wild beasts; <indent>bring them to devour. </indent> </poetry> 10 <poetry>Many shepherds will ruin my vineyard <indent>and trample down my field;</indent> they will turn my pleasant field <indent>into a desolate wasteland. </indent> </poetry> 11 <poetry>It will be made a wasteland, <indent>parched and desolate before me; </indent> the whole land will be laid waste <indent>because there is no one who cares.</indent> </poetry> 12 <poetry>Over all the barren heights in the desert <indent>destroyers will swarm,</indent> for the sword of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> will devour <indent>from one end of the land to the other; </indent> <indent>no one will be safe. </indent> </poetry> 13 <poetry>They will sow wheat but reap thorns; <indent>they will wear themselves out but gain nothing. </indent> They will bear the shame of their harvest <indent>because of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>’s fierce anger.” </indent></poetry> 14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. 16 And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’ —even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal —then they will be established among my people. 17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 12:1

You are always righteous,<cr>1</cr> <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>, <indent>when I bring a case<cr>2</cr> before you.</indent> Yet I would speak with you about your justice:<cr>3</cr> <indent>Why does the way of the wicked prosper?<cr>4</cr> </indent> <indent>Why do all the faithless live at ease?</indent>

You have planted<cr>1</cr> them, and they have taken root; <indent>they grow and bear fruit.<cr>2</cr> </indent> You are always on their lips <indent>but far from their hearts.<cr>3</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:2

Yet you know me, <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>; <indent>you see me and test<cr>1</cr> my thoughts about you.</indent> Drag them off like sheep<cr>2</cr> to be butchered! <indent>Set them apart for the day of slaughter!<cr>3</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:3

How long will the land lie parched<cr>1</cr> <indent>and the grass in every field be withered?<cr>2</cr> </indent> Because those who live in it are wicked, <indent>the animals and birds have perished.<cr>3</cr> </indent> Moreover, the people are saying, <indent>“He will not see what happens to us.”</indent>

Jeremiah 12:4

Jeremiah 12:5

“If you have raced with men on foot <indent>and they have worn you out,</indent> <indent>how can you compete with horses?</indent> If you stumble<ft>1</ft> in safe country, <indent>how will you manage in the thickets<cr>1</cr> by<ft>2</ft> the Jordan?</indent>

Your relatives, members of your own family— <indent>even they have betrayed you;</indent> <indent>they have raised a loud cry against you.<cr>1</cr> </indent> Do not trust them, <indent>though they speak well of you.<cr>2</cr> </indent><pb/><poetry>

Jeremiah 12:6

“I will forsake<cr>1</cr> my house, <indent>abandon<cr>2</cr> my inheritance;</indent> I will give the one I love<cr>3</cr> <indent>into the hands of her enemies.<cr>4</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:7

My inheritance has become to me <indent>like a lion<cr>1</cr> in the forest.</indent> She roars at me; <indent>therefore I hate her.<cr>2</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:8

Has not my inheritance become to me <indent>like a speckled bird of prey</indent> <indent>that other birds of prey surround and attack?</indent> Go and gather all the wild beasts; <indent>bring them to devour.<cr>1</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:9

Many shepherds<cr>1</cr> will ruin my vineyard <indent>and trample down my field;</indent> they will turn my pleasant field <indent>into a desolate wasteland.<cr>2</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:10

It will be made a wasteland,<cr>1</cr> <indent>parched and desolate before me;<cr>2</cr> </indent> the whole land will be laid waste <indent>because there is no one who cares.</indent>

Jeremiah 12:11

Over all the barren heights in the desert <indent>destroyers will swarm,</indent> for the sword<cr>1</cr> of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap><cr>2</cr> will devour<cr>3</cr> <indent>from one end of the land to the other;<cr>4</cr> </indent> <indent>no one will be safe.<cr>5</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:12

They will sow wheat but reap thorns; <indent>they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.<cr>1</cr> </indent> They will bear the shame of their harvest <indent>because of the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>’s fierce anger.”<cr>2</cr> </indent>

Jeremiah 12:13

This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance<cr>1</cr> I gave my people Israel, I will uproot<cr>2</cr> them from their lands and I will uproot<cr>3</cr> the people of Judah from among them.

Jeremiah 12:14

But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion<cr>1</cr> and will bring<cr>2</cr> each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country.

Jeremiah 12:15

And if they learn<cr>1</cr> well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’<cr>2</cr> —even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal<cr>3</cr> —then they will be established among my people.<cr>4</cr>

Jeremiah 12:16

But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy<cr>1</cr> it,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 12:17

 1 You are always righteous,  Lord, when I bring a case   before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice:   Why does the way of the wicked prosper?   Why do all the faithless live at ease?  2 You have planted   them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit.   You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.    3 Yet you know me, Lord; you see me and test   my thoughts about you. Drag them off like sheep   to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter!    4 How long will the land lie parched   and the grass in every field be withered?   Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished.   Moreover, the people are saying, “He will not see what happens to us.” 5 “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble  in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets   by  the Jordan?  6 Your relatives, members of your own family— even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you.   Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.    7 “I will forsake   my house, abandon   my inheritance; I will give the one I love   into the hands of her enemies.    8 My inheritance has become to me like a lion   in the forest. She roars at me; therefore I hate her.    9 Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other birds of prey surround and attack? Go and gather all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.    10 Many shepherds   will ruin my vineyard and trample down my field; they will turn my pleasant field into a desolate wasteland.    11 It will be made a wasteland,   parched and desolate before me;   the whole land will be laid waste because there is no one who cares.  12 Over all the barren heights in the desert destroyers will swarm, for the sword   of the Lord   will devour   from one end of the land to the other;   no one will be safe.    13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.   They will bear the shame of their harvest because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”   14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance   I gave my people Israel, I will uproot   them from their lands and I will uproot   the people of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion   and will bring   each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. 16 And if they learn   well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’  —even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal  —then they will be established among my people.   17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy   it,” declares the Lord.

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

jeremiah12 - NIV

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