Jeremiah 5:1-13 ▼

1 “Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And see now and know, And seek in her open squares, If you can find a man, If there is one who does justice, who seeks faithfulness, Then I will pardon her.

2 And if they say, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ Then they swear to a lie.”

3 O Yahweh, do not Your eyes look for faithfulness? You have struck them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to receive discipline. They have made their faces stronger than rock; They have refused to repent.

4 Then I said, “They are only the poor; They are foolish; For they do not know the way of Yahweh Or the legal judgment of their God.

5 Let me go to the great And let me speak to them, For they know the way of Yahweh And the legal judgment of their God.” But they too, altogether, have broken the yoke And torn apart the bonds.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest will strike them down; A wolf of the deserts will devastate them; A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces Because their transgressions are many; Their acts of faithlessness are mighty.

7 “Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods. I had satisfied them to the full, Then they committed adultery And trooped to the harlot’s house.

8 They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife.

9 Shall I not punish these people,” declares Yahweh, “And on a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?

10 “Go up through her vine rows and make them a ruin, But do not make a complete destruction; Remove her branches, For they are not Yahweh’s.

11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares Yahweh.

12 They have dealt falsely about Yahweh And said, “Not He; Calamity will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine.

13 The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them!”