17 Judah’s sin is engraved
    with an iron pen.
It’s etched with a diamond point
    on the tablets of their hearts
        and on the horns of their altars.
² Their children remember their altars and sacred poles^[a]
    by the lush trees and high hills.

³ Because you have committed such sins throughout your country,
    I will give to your enemies
        my mountain in the land,
        as well as your wealth and all that you treasure.^[b]
4 You will lose the inheritance that I gave you.
    I will make you slaves of your enemies
        in a land you don’t know,
            for my anger blazes like a fire
            that won’t go out.

⁵ The Lord proclaims:
Cursed are those who trust in mere humans,
    who depend on human strength
    and turn their hearts from the Lord.
⁶ They will be like a desert shrub
    that doesn’t know when relief comes.
They will live in the parched places of the wilderness,
    in a barren land where no one survives.
⁷ Happy are those who trust in the Lord,
    who rely on the Lord.
⁸ They will be like trees planted by the streams,
    whose roots reach down to the water.
They won’t fear drought when it comes;
    their leaves will remain green.
They won’t be stressed in the time of drought
    or fail to bear fruit.

⁹ The most cunning heart—
    it’s beyond help.
        Who can figure it out?
¹⁰ I, the Lord, probe the heart
    and discern hidden motives,
        to give everyone what they deserve,
        the consequences of their deeds.

¹¹ Like a partridge gathering a brood that is not its own,
    so are those who acquire their wealth corruptly.
        By midlife it will be gone;
        afterward they will look like fools.

¹² Splendid and exalted throne,
    the place of our sanctuary
        from the beginning!
¹³ Lord, the hope of Israel,
        all who forsake you will suffer disgrace;
    those who turn away from you^[c] in the land
        will be written off,^[d]
    for they have abandoned the Lord,
        the fountain of living water.

¹⁴ Heal me, Lord, and I’ll be healed.
    Save me and I’ll be saved,
        for you are my heart’s desire.
¹⁵ See how they harass me:
    “Where’s the Lord’s word?
        Let it come now!”
¹⁶ Yet I didn’t urge you to bring disaster;^[e]
    I didn’t want the calamity to happen.
You know what comes out of my mouth;
    it’s always before you.
¹⁷ Don’t terrorize me;
    you are my refuge in time of disaster.
¹⁸ Let my tormentors be disgraced, but not me;
    let them be terrorized, but not me.
Bring on them the time of disaster,
    as they deserve; destroy them repeatedly.