Jeremiah 9:3-9

Common English Bible

³ They bend their tongues like bows
        to spew out lies;
    they are renowned in the land,
        but not for truth.
They go from bad to worse.
    They don’t know me!
        declares the Lord.
⁴ Be wary of your friends!
    Don’t trust your sibling!^[a]
    Every sibling is a cheater,
        and every friend traffics in slander.
⁵ One cheats the other;
    no one tells the truth;
        they train themselves to lie;
        they wear themselves out by doing wrong.
⁶ You live in a world of deceit,
    and in their deceit
    they refuse to know me,^[b]
        declares the Lord.
⁷ Therefore, the Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
I’m going to refine and test them,
    for what else can I do with my people?
⁸ Their tongue is a lethal arrow;
    their words are deceitful.
They wish their neighbors well,
    but in their hearts plot their ruin.
⁹ Shouldn’t I punish them for this?
        declares the Lord;
    shouldn’t I avenge such a nation?