¶ Righteous¹ art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk² with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth³ the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal⁴ very treacherously?

Thou hast⁵ planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow⁶, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

But thou, O LORD, knowest⁷ me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward⁸ thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day⁹ of slaughter.

How long¹⁰ shall the land mourn, and the herbs¹¹ of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts¹² are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He¹³ shall not see our last end.

If thou hast¹⁴ run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst¹⁵ thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling¹⁶ of Jordan?

For even thy brethren¹⁷, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea,¹⁸ they have called¹⁹ a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words²⁰ unto thee.

¶ I have forsaken²¹ mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given²² the dearly beloved²³ of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out²⁴ against me: therefore²⁵ have I hated it.

Mine²⁶ heritage is unto me as a speckled bird²⁷, the birds round about are against her; come ye,²⁸ assemble all the beasts of the field, come²⁹ to devour.

¶ Many pastors³⁰ have destroyed my vineyard³¹, they have trodden³² my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion³³ a desolate wilderness.

They have made it³⁴ desolate, and being desolate it mourneth³⁵ unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth³⁶ it to heart.

The spoilers³⁷ are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword³⁸ of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no³⁹ flesh shall have peace.

They have sown⁴⁰ wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put⁴¹ themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they⁴² shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

¶ Thus saith the LORD against⁴³ all mine evil neighbours, that⁴⁴ touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will⁴⁵ pluck them out of their land, and pluck⁴⁶ out the house of Judah from among them.

And it shall come to pass, after⁴⁷ that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage⁴⁸, and every man to his land.

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name⁴⁹, The LORD liveth; as they⁵⁰ taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built⁵¹ in the midst of my people.

But if⁵² they will not obey, I will utterly pluck⁵³ up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.