“They (A)bend their tongues like their bows;
Lies and not truth prevail in the land;
For they (B)proceed from evil to evil,
And they (C)do not know Me,” declares the Lord.
“Let everyone (D)be on guard against his neighbor,
And (E)do not trust any brother;
Because every (F)brother utterly [a]betrays,
And every neighbor (G)goes about as a slanderer.
Everyone (H)deceives his neighbor
And does not speak the truth.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They (I)weary themselves committing wrongdoing.
Your (J)dwelling is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they (K)refuse to know Me,” declares the Lord.

Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says:

“Behold, I will refine them and (L)put them to the test;
For (M)what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?
Their (N)tongue is a deadly arrow;
It speaks deceit;
With his mouth one (O)speaks peace to his neighbor,
But inwardly he (P)sets an ambush for him.
(Q)Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord.
“Shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:4 I.e., like Jacob (a play on words)

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,
    and they do not know me, says the Lord.

Let every one beware of his neighbor,
    and put no trust in any brother;
for every brother is a supplanter,
    and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.
Every one deceives his neighbor,
    and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongue to speak lies;
    they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent.[b]
Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
    they refuse to know me, says the Lord.

Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Behold, I will refine them and test them,
    for what else can I do, because of my people?
Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
    it speaks deceitfully;
with his mouth each speaks peaceably to his neighbor,
    but in his heart he plans an ambush for him.
Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord;
    and shall I not avenge myself
    on a nation such as this?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:3 Gk: Heb and not for truth they have grown strong
  2. Jeremiah 9:5 Cn Compare Gk: Heb your dwelling