Jeremiah 12:5-13

New International Version

God’s Answer

⁵“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?
⁶Your 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)

⁷“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)
⁸My inheritance has become to me
    like a lion^(H) in the forest.
She roars at me;
    therefore I hate her.^(I)
⁹Has 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)
¹⁰Many shepherds^(K) will ruin my vineyard
    and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
    into a desolate wasteland.^(L)
¹¹It 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.
¹²Over 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)
¹³They 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

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

Jeremiah 12:5-13

English Standard Version

The Lord Answers Jeremiah

⁵“If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,
    how will you compete with horses?
And if in a safe land you are so trusting,
    what will you do in ^(A)the thicket of the Jordan?
⁶For ^(B)even your brothers and the house of your father,
    ^(C)even they have dealt treacherously with you;
    they are in full cry after you;
^(D)do not believe them,
    though they speak friendly words to you.”

⁷“I have forsaken my house;
    I have abandoned ^(E)my heritage;
I have given ^(F)the beloved of my soul
    into the hands of her enemies.
⁸^(G)My heritage has become to me
    like a lion in the forest;
she has lifted up her voice against me;
    therefore I hate her.
⁹Is ^(H)my heritage to me like ^(I)a hyena's lair?
    Are the ^(J)birds of prey against her all around?
Go, ^(K)assemble all the wild beasts;
    bring them to devour.
¹⁰Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard;
    ^(L)they have trampled down my portion;
they have made my pleasant portion
    a desolate wilderness.
¹¹They have made it a desolation;
    desolate, ^(M)it mourns to me.
The whole land is made desolate,
    ^(N)but no man lays it to heart.
¹²Upon all the bare heights in the desert
    destroyers have come,
for the sword of the Lord devours
    from one end of the land to the other;
    no flesh has peace.
¹³^(O)They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns;
    ^(P)they have tired themselves out but profit nothing.
They shall be ashamed of their^[a] harvests
    ^(Q)because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”