| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Righteous 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? | 1You will be righteous, LORD, even if I bring a case against You. Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease? |
| 2You 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. | 2You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their conscience. |
| 3But 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. | 3As for You, LORD, You know me; You see me. You test whether my heart is with You. Drag the wicked away like sheep to slaughter and set them apart for the day of killing. |
| 4How 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.” | 4How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? Because of the evil of its residents, animals and birds have been swept away, for the people have said, "He cannot see what our end will be." |
| 5“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? | 5If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, what will you do in the thickets of the Jordan? |
| 6For 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. | 6Even your brothers--your own father's household-- even they were treacherous to you; even they have cried out loudly after you. Do not have confidence in them, though they speak well of you. |
| 7“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. | 7I have abandoned My house; I have deserted My inheritance. I have given the love of My life into the hands of her enemies. |
| 8My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest; It cries out against Me; Therefore I have hated it. | 8My inheritance has acted toward Me like a lion in the forest. She has roared against Me. Therefore, I hate her. |
| 9My 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! | 9Is My inheritance like a hyena to Me? Are birds of prey circling her? Go, gather all the wild animals; bring them to devour her. |
| 10“Many rulers have destroyed My vineyard, They have trodden My portion underfoot; They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. | 10Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My plot of land. They have turned My desirable plot into a desolate wasteland. |
| 11They have made it desolate; Desolate, it mourns to Me; The whole land is made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart. | 11They have made it a desolation. It mourns, desolate, before Me. All the land is desolate, but no one takes it to heart. |
| 12The 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. | 12Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the LORD has a sword that devours from one end of the earth to the other. No one has peace. |
| 13They 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.” | 13They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves but have no profit. Be put to shame by your harvests because of the LORD's burning anger. |
| 14Thus 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. | 14This is what the LORD says: "Concerning all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people, Israel, I am about to uproot them from their land, and I will uproot the house of Judah from them. |
| 15Then 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. | 15After I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land. |
| 16And 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. | 16If they will diligently learn the ways of My people--to swear by My name, 'As Yahweh lives,' just as they taught My people to swear by Baal--they will be built up among My people. |
| 17But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the LORD. | 17However, if they will not obey, then I will uproot and destroy that nation." This is the LORD's declaration. |
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