Chapter 9

Oh that⁴ my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep⁴ day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Oh that⁴ I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men;⁶ that I might leave⁴ my people, and go⁴ from them! for they [be] all adulterers,¹⁸ an assembly of treacherous men.⁶

And they bend⁵⁵ their tongues [like] their bow [for] lies: but they are not valiant¹ for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed¹ from evil to evil, and they know¹ not me, saith⁷ the LORD.

Take ye heed¹⁰ every one of his neighbour, and trust⁴ ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly² supplant,⁴ and every neighbour will walk⁴ with slanders.

And they will deceive¹⁷ every one his neighbour, and will not speak¹⁷ the truth: they have taught¹⁴ their tongue to speak¹⁵ lies, [and] weary⁸ themselves to commit iniquity.⁵³

Thine habitation² [is] in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse¹⁴ to know² me, saith⁷ the LORD.

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt⁶ them, and try¹ them; for how shall I do⁴ for the daughter of my people?

Their tongue [is as] an arrow shot out;⁷ it speaketh¹⁴ deceit: [one] speaketh¹⁷ peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth⁴ his wait.

Shall I not visit⁴ them for these [things]? saith⁷ the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged¹⁰¹ on such a nation as this?

For the mountains will I take up⁴ a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up,⁸ so that none can pass through⁶ [them]; neither can [men] hear¹ the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled;¹ they are gone.¹

And I will make¹ Jerusalem heaps, [and] a den of dragons; and I will make⁴ the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.⁶

Who [is] the wise man, that may understand⁴ this? and [who is he] to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken,¹⁴ that he may declare⁵⁵ it, for what the land perisheth¹ [and] is burned up⁸ like a wilderness, that none passeth through?⁶

And the LORD saith,⁴ Because they have forsaken² my law which I set¹ before them, and have not obeyed¹ my voice, neither walked¹ therein;

But have walked⁴ after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught¹⁴ them:

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed⁵⁶ them, [even] this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.⁵²

I will scatter⁵² them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known:¹ and I will send¹⁴ a sword after them, till I have consumed¹⁵ them.

Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, Consider¹¹² ye, and call³ for the mourning³⁵ women, that they may come;⁴ and send³ for cunning [women], that they may come:⁴

And let them make haste,¹⁷ and take up⁴ a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down⁴ with tears, and our eyelids gush out⁴ with waters.

For a voice of wailing is heard⁸ out of Zion, How are we spoiled!²⁷ we are greatly confounded,¹ because we have forsaken¹ the land, because our dwellings have cast [us] out.⁵²

Yet hear³ the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive⁴ the word of his mouth, and teach¹⁶ your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.

For death is come up¹ into our windows, [and] is entered¹ into our palaces, to cut off⁵³ the children from without, [and] the young men from the streets.

Speak,¹⁶ Thus saith⁷ the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall¹ as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman,⁶ and none shall gather¹⁸ [them].

Thus saith¹ the LORD, Let not the wise [man] glory¹⁰¹ in his wisdom, neither let the mighty [man] glory¹⁰¹ in his might, let not the rich [man] glory¹⁰¹ in his riches:

But let him that glorieth¹⁰² glory¹⁰¹ in this, that he understandeth⁵³ and knoweth² me, that I [am] the LORD which exercise⁶ lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these [things] I delight,¹ saith⁷ the LORD.

Behold, the days come,⁶ saith⁷ the LORD, that I will punish¹ all [them which are] circumcised⁷ with the uncircumcised;

Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all [that are] in the utmost⁷ corners, that dwell⁶ in the wilderness: for all [these] nations [are] uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel [are] uncircumcised in the heart.