Jeremiah 9:3-9

English Standard Version

³^(A)They bend their tongue like a bow;
falsehood and not truth has grown strong^[a] in the land;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
^(B)and they do not know me, declares the Lord.

⁴^(C)Let everyone beware of his neighbor,
    and put no trust in any brother,
for every ^(D)brother is a deceiver,
    and every neighbor ^(E)goes about as a slanderer.
⁵Everyone deceives his neighbor,
    and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongue to speak lies;
    they weary themselves committing iniquity.
⁶Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
    ^(F)they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.

⁷Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, ^(G)I will refine them and ^(H)test them,
    for what else can I do, ^(I)because of my people?
⁸^(J)Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
    ^(K)it speaks deceitfully;
with his mouth ^(L)each speaks peace to his neighbor,
    but in his heart ^(M)he plans an ambush for him.
⁹^(N)Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord,
    and shall I not avenge myself
    on a nation such as this?