17 The sin of Judah is engraved
with an iron stylus.
It is inscribed with a diamond point
on the tablet of their heart
        and on the horns of their^[a] altars.
² When their sons remember,
    they remember their altars^[b] and their Asherah poles^[c]
        beside green trees on the high hills.
³ My mountain in the field, your wealth and your treasures
    I’ll give as spoil;
along with your high places as the price of your sin
    throughout your territory.
⁴ You will let go of your inheritance
    which I gave you,
and I’ll make you serve your enemies
    in a land that you don’t know.
For with my anger you have started a fire
    that will burn forever.

⁵ This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the person who trusts in mankind,
    who makes flesh his strength,
        and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
⁶ He will be like a bush in the desert,
    and he won’t see when good comes.
He will dwell in parched places in the wilderness,^[d]
    a land of salt, without inhabitants.
⁷ Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord,
    making the Lord his trust.
⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by a stream.
He won’t fear when the heat comes,
    and his leaves will be green.
In a year of drought he won’t be concerned,
    nor will he stop producing fruit.”

⁹ “The heart is more deceitful than anything.
    It is incurable—
        who can know it?
¹⁰ I am the Lord who searches the heart,
    who tests the inner depths
to give to each person
    according to what he deserves,^[e]
        according to the fruit of his deeds.
¹¹ As a partridge gathers together eggs
    that it didn’t lay,
so is a person who amasses wealth unjustly.
    In the middle of his life^[f] it will leave him,
        and in the end he will prove to be a fool.”

¹² A glorious throne exalted from the beginning
    is the place of our sanctuary.
¹³ Lord, you are the hope of Israel;
    all who forsake you will be put to shame.
Those who turn aside from you^[g] will be
    written in the dust,^[h]
because they have forsaken the Lord,
    the spring of living water.

¹⁴ Heal me, Lord, and I’ll be healed;
    deliver me, and I’ll be delivered,
        because you are my praise.
¹⁵ Look, they’re saying to me,
    “Where is the message from the Lord?
        Let it come about!”
¹⁶ I haven’t run away from being your shepherd,^[i]
    and I haven’t longed for the day of sickness.^[j]
You know what comes out from my lips,
    it’s open before you.^[k]
17 Don’t be a terror to me.
    You are my refuge in a day of trouble.
¹⁸ Let those who pursue me be put to shame,
    but don’t put me to shame.
Let them be terrified,
    but don’t let me be terrified.
Bring the day of judgment^[l] on them,
    and destroy them with double destruction!