Jeremiah 12 Parallel Bible Translations

Jeremiah 12 ▼
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1 O LORD, even if I would argue my case with you, you would always be right. Yet, I want to talk to you about your justice. Why do wicked people succeed? Why do treacherous people have peace and quiet? Righteous are you, O LORD, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? 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 plant them, and they take root. They grow, and they produce fruit. They speak well of you with their lips, but their hearts are far from you. You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their heart. 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 You know me, O LORD. You see me and test my devotion to you. Drag them away like sheep to be slaughtered. Prepare them for the day of slaughter. But you, O LORD, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. 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 mourn? How long will the plants in every field remain dried up? The animals and the birds are dying, because people are wicked. They think that God doesn't know what they are doing. How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, “He will not see our latter end.” 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 against others on foot, and they have tired you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in open country, how can you live in the jungle along the Jordan River? “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan? “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 Even your relatives and members of your father's household betray you. They have also formed a mob to find you. Don't trust them when they say good things about you. For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; they are in full cry after you; do not believe them, though they speak friendly words to you.” 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 have abandoned my nation. I have left my own people. I have handed the people I love over to their enemies. “I have forsaken my house; I have abandoned my heritage; I have given the beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies. “I will forsake my house, abandon my inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies.
8 My people have turned on me like a lion in the forest. They roar at me, so I hate them. My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice against me; therefore I hate her. My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest. She roars at me; therefore I hate her.
9 My people are like a colorful bird of prey. Other birds of prey surround it. Go, gather all the animals in the field, and bring them to devour it. Is my heritage to me like a hyena’s lair? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the wild beasts; bring them to devour. 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 have destroyed my vineyard. They've trampled my property. They've turned my pleasant property into a wasteland. Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard; they have trampled down my portion; they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. Many shepherds will ruin my vineyard and trample down my field; they will turn my pleasant field into a desolate wasteland.
11 They've left it a wasteland. Devastated, it mourns in my presence. The whole land is destroyed, but no one takes this to heart. They have made it a desolation; desolate, it mourns to me. The whole land is made desolate, but no man lays it to heart. 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 Looters swarm all over the bare hills in the desert. The LORD's sword destroys them from one end of the land to the other. No one will be safe. Upon all the bare heights in the desert destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the land to the other; no flesh has peace. 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 My people planted wheat, but they harvested thorns. They worked until they became sick, but they gained nothing by it. They were disappointed by their harvests because of the burning anger of the LORD. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the LORD.” 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 I, the LORD, say about all my evil neighbors who take the inheritance that I gave my people Israel: I am going to uproot those neighbors from their lands. I will also uproot the people of Judah from among them. Thus says the LORD concerning all my evil neighbors who touch the heritage that I have given my people Israel to inherit: “Behold, I will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. 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 After I've uprooted them, I will have compassion on them again. I will return them to their inheritance and to their lands. And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, and I will bring them again each to his heritage and each to his land. 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 Suppose they learn carefully the ways of my people. Suppose they take an oath in my name, 'As the LORD lives...' as they taught my people to take an oath in [the name of] Baal. Then they will build homes among my people. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up in the midst of my people. 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 suppose they don't listen. Then I will uproot that nation and destroy it,| declares the LORD. But if any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares the LORD.” But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the LORD.
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