Jeremiah 12

New American Standard Bible

12 ^(A)Righteous are You, Lord, when I plead my case with You;
Nevertheless I would ^(B)discuss matters of justice with You:
Why has the ^(C)way of the wicked prospered?
Why are all those who ^(D)deal in treachery at ease?
² You have ^(E)planted them, they have also taken root;
They grow, they have also produced fruit.
You are ^(F)near ^[a]to their lips
But far from their ^[b]mind.
³ But You ^(G)know me, Lord;
You see me
And ^(H)examine my heart’s attitude toward You.
Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter,
And ^[c]set them apart for a ^(I)day of slaughter!
⁴ How long is the ^(J)land to mourn,
And the ^(K)vegetation of the ^[d]countryside to dry up?
Due to the ^(L)wickedness of those who live in it,
^(M)Animals and birds have been snatched away,
Because people have said, “He will not see our final ^(N)end.”

⁷ “I have ^(R)forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have handed the ^(S)beloved of My soul
Over to her enemies.
⁸ My inheritance has become to Me
Like a lion in the forest;
She has ^[e](T)roared against Me;
Therefore I have come to ^(U)hate her.
⁹ Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?
Are the ^(V)birds of prey against her on every side?
Go, gather all the ^(W)animals of the field,
Bring them to devour!
¹⁰ Many ^(X)shepherds have ruined My ^(Y)vineyard,
They have ^(Z)trampled down My field;
They have made My ^(AA)pleasant field
A desolate wilderness.
^11 [f]It has been made a desolation;
Desolate, it ^(AB)mourns ^[g]before Me;
The ^(AC)whole land has been made desolate,
Because no one ^(AD)takes it to heart.
¹² On all the ^[h](AE)bare heights in the wilderness
Destroyers have come,
For the ^(AF)sword of the Lord is devouring
From one end of the land even to the ^[i]other;
There is ^(AG)no peace for ^[j]anyone.
¹³ They have ^(AH)sown wheat but have harvested thorns,
They have ^(AI)strained themselves ^[k]to no profit.
So be ashamed of your ^(AJ)produce
Because of the ^(AK)fierce anger of the Lord.”