3-6 “Their tongues shoot out lies
    like a bow shoots arrows—
A mighty army of liars,
    the sworn enemies of truth.
They advance from one evil to the next,
    ignorant of me.”
        God’s Decree.
“Be wary of even longtime neighbors.
    Don’t even trust your grandmother!
Brother schemes against brother,
    like old cheating Jacob.
Friend against friend
    spreads malicious gossip.
Neighbors gyp neighbors,
    never telling the truth.
They’ve trained their tongues to tell lies,
    and now they can’t tell the truth.
They pile wrong upon wrong, stack lie upon lie,
    and refuse to know me.”
        God’s Decree.

7-9 Therefore, God-of-the-Angel-Armies says:

“Watch this! I’ll melt them down
    and see what they’re made of.
What else can I do
    with a people this wicked?
Their tongues are poison arrows!
    Deadly lies stream from their mouths.
Neighbor greets neighbor with a smile,
    ‘Good morning! How’re things?’
    while scheming to do away with him.
Do you think I’m going to stand around and do nothing?”
    God’s Decree.
“Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures
    against a people like this?

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你的住处在诡诈的人中,他们因行诡诈,不肯认识我。”这是耶和华说的。

所以万军之耶和华如此说:“看哪,我要将他们熔化熬炼,不然我因我百姓的罪该怎样行呢? 他们的舌头是毒箭,说话诡诈,人与邻舍口说和平话,心却谋害他。”

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You[a] live in the midst of deception;(A)
    in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will refine(B) and test(C) them,
    for what else can I do
    because of the sin of my people?
Their tongue(D) is a deadly arrow;
    it speaks deceitfully.
With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors,(E)
    but in their hearts they set traps(F) for them.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:6 That is, Jeremiah (the Hebrew is singular)

Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord.

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?

Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

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