Jeremiah’s Questions
1   Righteous are you, O LORD, when I plead with you: yet let me talk with you of your judgments: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
2   You  have  planted  them,  yea,  they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: you are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
3   But you, O LORD, know me: you have seen me, and tested my heart toward you: pull them out  like  sheep  for  the  slaughter, and  prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4   How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell in it? the animals are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.

God’s Answer
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 jungle of the Jordan?
6   For even your brethren, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; yea, they have called a multitude after you:  believe  them  not,  though  they speak  fair words unto 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.
8   My heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it cries out against me: therefore have I hated it.
9   My heritage is unto me like a speckled bird of prey, the birds round about are against her; come you, assemble all the animals of the field, come to devour.
10   Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot,  they  have  made  my  pleasant  portion  a desolate wilderness.
11   They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourns unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man lays it to heart.
12   The plunderers have come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
13   They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns:  they  have  put  themselves  to  pain,  but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
14   Thus says the LORD: Against all my evil neighbors,  that  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.
15   And it shall come to pass, after I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16   And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  they  will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD lives; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
17   But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, says the LORD.