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“If you have run with the footmen,
    and they have wearied you,
    then how can you contend with horses?
Though in a land of peace you are secure,
    yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?
For even your brothers, and the house of your father,
    even they have dealt treacherously with you!
    Even they have cried aloud after you!
Don’t believe them,
    though they speak beautiful words to you.

“I have forsaken my house.
    I have cast off my heritage.
    I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest.
    She has uttered her voice against me.
    Therefore I have hated her.
Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey?
    Are the birds of prey against her all around?
Go, assemble all the animals of the field.
    Bring them 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 a desolation.
    It mourns to me, being desolate.
The whole land is made desolate,
    because no one cares.
12 Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness;
    for the sword of Yahweh devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land.
    No flesh has peace.
13 They have sown wheat,
    and have reaped thorns.
They have exhausted themselves,
    and profit nothing.
You will be ashamed of your fruits,
    because of Yahweh’s fierce anger.”

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If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the [a]pride of the Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak [b]fair words unto thee.

I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her. Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them 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 a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. 12 Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace. 13 They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and [c]ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:5 Or, swelling
  2. Jeremiah 12:6 Hebrew good things.
  3. Jeremiah 12:13 Or, be ye ashamed. Or, they shall be ashamed

God’s Answer

“If you have raced with men on foot
    and they have worn you out,
    how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble[a] in safe country,
    how will you manage in the thickets(A) by[b] the Jordan?
Your relatives, members of your own family—
    even they have betrayed you;
    they have raised a loud cry against you.(B)
Do not trust them,
    though they speak well of you.(C)

“I will forsake(D) my house,
    abandon(E) my inheritance;
I will give the one I love(F)
    into the hands of her enemies.(G)
My inheritance has become to me
    like a lion(H) in the forest.
She roars at me;
    therefore I hate her.(I)
Has not my inheritance become to me
    like a speckled bird of prey
    that other birds of prey surround and attack?
Go and gather all the wild beasts;
    bring them to devour.(J)
10 Many shepherds(K) will ruin my vineyard
    and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
    into a desolate wasteland.(L)
11 It will be made a wasteland,(M)
    parched and desolate before me;(N)
the whole land will be laid waste
    because there is no one who cares.
12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
    destroyers will swarm,
for the sword(O) of the Lord(P) will devour(Q)
    from one end of the land to the other;(R)
    no one will be safe.(S)
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
    they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.(T)
They will bear the shame of their harvest
    because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”(U)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:5 Or you feel secure only
  2. Jeremiah 12:5 Or the flooding of