Jeremiah 5

¹ ‘Rove to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look, now, and learn, search her squares; if you can find a man, one man who does right and seeks the truth, then I will pardon her, says Yahweh.’

² But though they say, ‘As Yahweh lives’, they are, in fact, uttering a false oath.

⁴ ‘Only the ordinary people’ I thought ‘behave stupidly, because they do not know what Yahweh requires, nor the ruling of their God.

⁵ I will approach the men in power and speak to them, for these will know what Yahweh requires, and the ruling of their God.’ But these, too, had broken the yoke, had burst the bonds.

⁶ And this is why a lion from the forest strikes them down, a desert wolf makes havoc of them, a leopard lurks round their towns: whoever goes out is torn to pieces – because of their countless crimes, their ever increasing apostasies.

⁷ ‘Why should I pardon you? Your sons have abandoned me, to swear by gods that are not gods at all. I fed them full, and they became adulterers, they haunted the brothel.

⁸ They were well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbour’s wife.

⁹ And am I not to punish them for such things – it is Yahweh who speaks – or from such a nation exact my vengeance?

¹⁰ Scale her terraces! Destroy! Make an end of her! Strip off her branches, Yahweh does not own them.

¹¹ Treacherously indeed has she betrayed me, this House of Israel – it is Yahweh who speaks.

¹² ‘They have disowned Yahweh: they have said, “He is nothing; no evil will overtake us, we shall not see sword or famine.

¹⁵ Now I will bring on you all a nation from afar, House of Israel – it is Yahweh who speaks – an invincible nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose tongue you do not know, whose language you cannot understand.

¹⁶ Their quiver is an open tomb; heroes all of them.

¹⁷ They will devour your harvest and your food, devour your sons and daughters, devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees, bring down your fortified towns in which you put your trust.

¹⁸ ‘Yet even in those days – it is Yahweh who speaks – I shall not completely destroy you.

¹⁹ ‘And when they ask, “Why has Yahweh our God done all this to us?” you are to give them this answer, “As you abandoned me to serve alien gods in your own land, so you must serve aliens in a land that is not your own”.

²⁰ ‘Announce this in the House of Jacob, proclaim it in Judah, and say:

²¹ “Now listen to this, stupid and thoughtless people – they have eyes and do not see, they have ears and do not hear!

²² Have you no fear of me? – it is Yahweh who speaks – Will you not tremble at my presence, who set the sands as limit to the sea, as an everlasting barrier it can not pass: it storms but can do nothing, its waves may roar but do not pass beyond.

²³ But this people has a rebellious, unruly heart; they have rebelled – being good at this!

²⁴ They have not said in their hearts: Come, we must fear Yahweh our God who gives the rain, the early rain and the later, at the right time of year, who assures us of weeks appointed for harvest.

²⁵ Your crimes have made all this go wrong, your sins have deprived you of these favours.

²⁶ “Yes, there are wicked men among my people who spread their nets; like fowlers they set snares, but it is men they catch.

²⁷ Like a cage full of birds so are their houses full of loot; they have grown rich and powerful because of it,

²⁸ fat and sleek. Yes, in wickedness they go to any lengths, they have no respect for rights, for orphans’ rights, to support them; they do not uphold the cause of the poor.

²⁹ And must I not punish them for such things – it is Yahweh who speaks – or from such a nation exact my vengeance?

³⁰ Monstrous, horrible things are happening in the land:

³¹ the prophets prophesy falsely, the priests teach whatever they please. And my people love it! But when the end comes, what will you do?