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Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,
and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof,
if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment,
that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
And though they say, The Lord liveth;
surely they swear falsely.
O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth?
thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved;
thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction:
they have made their faces harder than a rock;
they have refused to return.
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish:
for they know not the way of the Lord,
nor the judgment of their God.
I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them;
for they have known the way of the Lord,
and the judgment of their God:
but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them,
and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them,
a leopard shall watch over their cities:
every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces:
because their transgressions are many,
and their backslidings are increased.

How shall I pardon thee for this?
thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods:
when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery,
and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
They were as fed horses in the morning:
every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife.
Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord:
and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy;
but make not a full end:
take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah
have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.
12 They have belied the Lord, and said,
It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us;
neither shall we see sword nor famine:
13 and the prophets shall become wind,
and the word is not in them:
thus shall it be done unto them.
14 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts,
Because ye speak this word,
behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire,
and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far,
O house of Israel, saith the Lord:
it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation,
a nation whose language thou knowest not,
neither understandest what they say.
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre,
they are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread,
which thy sons and thy daughters should eat:
they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds:
they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees:
they shall impoverish thy fenced cities,
wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.

19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

20 Declare this in the house of Jacob,
and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, O foolish people,
and without understanding;
which have eyes, and see not;
which have ears, and hear not:
22 fear ye not me? saith the Lord:
will ye not tremble at my presence,
which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea
by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it:
and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail;
though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart;
they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart,
Let us now fear the Lord our God,
that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season:
he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things,
and your sins have withholden good things from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men:
they lay wait, as he that setteth snares;
they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit:
therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
28 They are waxen fat, they shine:
yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked:
they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper;
and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord:
shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
31 the prophets prophesy falsely,
and the priests bear rule by their means;
and my people love to have it so:
and what will ye do in the end thereof?

The Justice of God’s Judgment

Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,
    see now and know;
    seek in the open places
if you can find a man,
    if there is any who executes justice, who seeks the truth,
    that I may pardon her.
Though they say, “The Lord lives,”
    surely they swear falsely.

O Lord, are not Your eyes upon the truth?
    You have stricken them, but they have not grieved.
    You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction.
They have made their faces harder than a rock;
    they have refused to return.
Therefore I said, “Surely these are the poor.
    They are foolish;
for they know not the way of the Lord
    or the judgment of their God.
I will go to the great men
    and will speak to them,
for they have known the way of the Lord
    and the judgment of their God.”
But these have altogether broken the yoke
    and burst the bonds.
Therefore a lion out of the forest will slay them,
    and a wolf from the deserts will destroy them;
a leopard will watch over their cities.
    Everyone who goes out from there will be torn in pieces,
because their transgressions are many
    and their backslidings have increased.

How shall I pardon you for this?
    Your children have forsaken Me
    and sworn by those who are not gods.
When I had fed them to the full,
    then they committed adultery
    and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
They were as fed horses in the morning;
    everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife.
Shall I not punish for these things? says the Lord,
    and shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Go up upon her walls and destroy,
    but make not a full end.
Take away her battlements.
    For they are not the Lord’s.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah
    have dealt very treacherously against Me,
    says the Lord.

12 They have lied about the Lord,
    and said, “Not He.
Neither shall evil come upon us,
    nor shall we see sword or famine.”
13 And the prophets shall become wind,
    and the word is not in them.
    Thus it shall be done to them!

14 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Hosts:

Because you speak this word,
    indeed I will make My words in your mouth fire
    and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Truly, I will bring a nation upon you from far,
    O house of Israel, says the Lord.
It is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation,
    a nation whose language you do not know,
    nor do you understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulcher,
    they all are mighty men.
17 They will eat up your harvest and your bread
    which your sons and your daughters should eat.
They will eat up your flocks and your herds;
    they will eat up your vines and your fig trees;
they will impoverish your fenced cities,
    in which you trusted, with the sword.

18 Nevertheless in those days, says the Lord, I will not make a full end of you. 19 It shall come to pass when they say, “Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?” then you shall answer them, “As you have forsaken Me and served strange gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.”

20 Declare this in the house of Jacob
    and publish it in Judah, saying:
21 Hear this now, O foolish people and without understanding,
    who have eyes but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear.
22 Do you not fear Me? says the Lord.
    Will you not tremble at My presence?
For I have placed the sand for the boundary of the sea
    by a perpetual decree so that it cannot pass over it.
And though the waves toss themselves, yet they cannot prevail;
    though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.
23 But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart;
    they have revolted and gone aside.
24 They do not say in their heart,
    “Let us now fear the Lord our God,
who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season.
    He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things,
    and your sins have withheld good things from you.

26 For among My people are found wicked men.
    They lie in wait, as he who sets snares;
    they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds,
    so are their houses full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and rich.
28     They are fat, they are sleek.
Indeed, they excel in deeds of wickedness.
    They do not judge the cause of the fatherless,
so that they may prosper;
    and the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?
    says the Lord.
Shall not My soul be avenged
    on such a nation as this?

30 An appalling and horrible thing
    has been committed in the land.
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
    and the priests rule by their own authority;
and My people love to have it so.
    Yet what will you do in the end?

Impiedad de Jerusalén y de Judá

Recorred las calles de Jerusalén, y mirad ahora, e informaos; buscad en sus plazas a ver si halláis hombre, si hay alguno que haga justicia, que busque verdad; y yo la perdonaré. Aunque digan: Vive Jehová, juran falsamente. Oh Jehová, ¿no miran tus ojos a la verdad? Los azotaste, y no les dolió; los consumiste, y no quisieron recibir corrección; endurecieron sus rostros más que la piedra, no quisieron convertirse.

Pero yo dije: Ciertamente estos son pobres, han enloquecido, pues no conocen el camino de Jehová, el juicio de su Dios. Iré a los grandes, y les hablaré; porque ellos conocen el camino de Jehová, el juicio de su Dios. Pero ellos también quebraron el yugo, rompieron las coyundas.

Por tanto, el león de la selva los matará, los destruirá el lobo del desierto, el leopardo acechará sus ciudades; cualquiera que de ellas saliere será arrebatado; porque sus rebeliones se han multiplicado, se han aumentado sus deslealtades.

¿Cómo te he de perdonar por esto? Sus hijos me dejaron, y juraron por lo que no es Dios. Los sacié, y adulteraron, y en casa de rameras se juntaron en compañías. Como caballos bien alimentados, cada cual relinchaba tras la mujer de su prójimo. ¿No había de castigar esto? dijo Jehová. De una nación como esta, ¿no se había de vengar mi alma? 10 Escalad sus muros y destruid, pero no del todo; quitad las almenas de sus muros, porque no son de Jehová. 11 Porque resueltamente se rebelaron contra mí la casa de Israel y la casa de Judá, dice Jehová. 12 Negaron a Jehová, y dijeron: Él no es, y no vendrá mal sobre nosotros, ni veremos espada ni hambre; 13 antes los profetas serán como viento, porque no hay en ellos palabra; así se hará a ellos.

14 Por tanto, así ha dicho Jehová Dios de los ejércitos: Porque dijeron esta palabra, he aquí yo pongo mis palabras en tu boca por fuego, y a este pueblo por leña, y los consumirá. 15 He aquí yo traigo sobre vosotros gente de lejos, oh casa de Israel, dice Jehová; gente robusta, gente antigua, gente cuya lengua ignorarás, y no entenderás lo que hablare. 16 Su aljaba como sepulcro abierto, todos valientes. 17 Y comerá tu mies y tu pan, comerá a tus hijos y a tus hijas; comerá tus ovejas y tus vacas, comerá tus viñas y tus higueras, y a espada convertirá en nada tus ciudades fortificadas en que confías.

18 No obstante, en aquellos días, dice Jehová, no os destruiré del todo. 19 Y cuando dijeren: ¿Por qué Jehová el Dios nuestro hizo con nosotros todas estas cosas?, entonces les dirás: De la manera que me dejasteis a mí, y servisteis a dioses ajenos en vuestra tierra, así serviréis a extraños en tierra ajena.

20 Anunciad esto en la casa de Jacob, y haced que esto se oiga en Judá, diciendo: 21 Oíd ahora esto, pueblo necio y sin corazón, que tiene ojos y no ve, que tiene oídos y no oye:(A) 22 ¿A mí no me temeréis? dice Jehová. ¿No os amedrentaréis ante mí, que puse arena por término al mar, por ordenación eterna la cual no quebrantará? Se levantarán tempestades, mas no prevalecerán; bramarán sus ondas, mas no lo pasarán.(B) 23 No obstante, este pueblo tiene corazón falso y rebelde; se apartaron y se fueron. 24 Y no dijeron en su corazón: Temamos ahora a Jehová Dios nuestro, que da lluvia temprana y tardía en su tiempo, y nos guarda los tiempos establecidos de la siega. 25 Vuestras iniquidades han estorbado estas cosas, y vuestros pecados apartaron de vosotros el bien. 26 Porque fueron hallados en mi pueblo impíos; acechaban como quien pone lazos, pusieron trampa para cazar hombres. 27 Como jaula llena de pájaros, así están sus casas llenas de engaño; así se hicieron grandes y ricos. 28 Se engordaron y se pusieron lustrosos, y sobrepasaron los hechos del malo; no juzgaron la causa, la causa del huérfano; con todo, se hicieron prósperos, y la causa de los pobres no juzgaron. 29 ¿No castigaré esto? dice Jehová; ¿y de tal gente no se vengará mi alma?

30 Cosa espantosa y fea es hecha en la tierra; 31 los profetas profetizaron mentira, y los sacerdotes dirigían por manos de ellos; y mi pueblo así lo quiso. ¿Qué, pues, haréis cuando llegue el fin?

The Justice of God’s Judgment

“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem;
See now and know;
And seek in her open places
(A)If you can find a man,
(B)If there is anyone who executes [a]judgment,
Who seeks the truth,
(C)And I will pardon her.
(D)Though they say, ‘As (E)the Lord lives,’
Surely they (F)swear falsely.”

O Lord, are not (G)Your eyes on the truth?
You have (H)stricken them,
But they have not grieved;
You have consumed them,
But (I)they have refused to receive correction.
They have made their faces harder than rock;
They have refused to return.

Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor.
They are foolish;
For (J)they do not know the way of the Lord,
The judgment of their God.
I will go to the great men and speak to them,
For (K)they have known the way of the Lord,
The judgment of their God.”

But these have altogether (L)broken the yoke
And burst the bonds.
Therefore (M)a lion from the forest shall slay them,
(N)A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them;
(O)A leopard will watch over their cities.
Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces,
Because their transgressions are many;
Their backslidings have increased.

“How shall I pardon you for this?
Your children have forsaken Me
And (P)sworn by those (Q)that are not gods.
(R)When I had fed them to the full,
Then they committed adultery
And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
(S)They were like well-fed lusty stallions;
Every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.
Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord.
“And shall I not (T)avenge Myself on such a nation as this?

10 “Go up on her walls and destroy,
But do not [b]make a (U)complete end.
Take away her branches,
For they are not the Lord’s.
11 For (V)the house of Israel and the house of Judah
Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” says the Lord.

12 (W)They have lied about the Lord,
And said, (X)It is not He.
(Y)Neither will [c]evil come upon us,
Nor shall we see sword or famine.
13 And the prophets become wind,
For the word is not in them.
Thus shall it be done to them.”

14 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts:

“Because you speak this word,
(Z)Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire,
And this people wood,
And it shall devour them.
15 Behold, I will bring a (AA)nation against you (AB)from afar,
O house of Israel,” says the Lord.
“It is a mighty nation,
It is an ancient nation,
A nation whose language you do not know,
Nor can you understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is like an open tomb;
They are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up your (AC)harvest and your bread,
Which your sons and daughters should eat.
They shall eat up your flocks and your herds;
They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;
They shall destroy your fortified cities,
In which you trust, with the sword.

18 “Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I (AD)will not [d]make a complete end of you. 19 And it will be when you say, (AE)‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have (AF)forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so (AG)you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’

20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21 ‘Hear this now, O (AH)foolish people,
Without [e]understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not:
22 (AI)Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord.
‘Will you not tremble at My presence,
Who have placed the sand as the (AJ)bound of the sea,
By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?
And though its waves toss to and fro,
Yet they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.
23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;
They have revolted and departed.
24 They do not say in their heart,
“Let us now fear the Lord our God,
(AK)Who gives rain, both the (AL)former and the latter, in its season.
(AM)He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 (AN)Your iniquities have turned these things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you.

26 ‘For among My people are found wicked men;
They (AO)lie in wait as one who sets snares;
They set a trap;
They catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown (AP)fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they [f]surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead (AQ)the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
(AR)Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 (AS)Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

30 “An astonishing and (AT)horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy (AU)falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people (AV)love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 5:1 justice
  2. Jeremiah 5:10 completely destroy
  3. Jeremiah 5:12 disaster
  4. Jeremiah 5:18 completely destroy
  5. Jeremiah 5:21 Lit. heart
  6. Jeremiah 5:28 Or pass over or overlook