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1. Lord, when I bring my case to you, you are always right. But I want to ask you about the justice you give. Why are evil people successful? Why do dishonest people have such easy lives?
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1. Righteous H6662 art thou H859 , O LORD H3068 , when H3588 I plead H7378 with H413 thee: yet H389 let me talk H1696 with H854 thee of thy judgments H4941 : Wherefore H4069 doth the way H1870 of the wicked H7563 prosper H6743 ? wherefore are all H3605 they happy H7951 that deal very treacherously H898 H899 ?
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2. You have put the evil people here like plants with strong roots. They grow and produce fruit. With their mouths they speak well of you, but their hearts are really far away from you.
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2. Thou hast planted H5193 them, yea H1571 , they have taken root H8327 : they grow H1980 , yea H1571 , they bring forth H6213 fruit H6529 : thou H859 art near H7138 in their mouth H6310 , and far H7350 from their reins H4480 H3629 .
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3. But you know my heart, Lord. You see me and test my thoughts about you. Drag the evil people away like sheep to be butchered. Set them aside for the day of killing.
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3. But thou H859 , O LORD H3068 , knowest H3045 me : thou hast seen H7200 me , and tried H974 mine heart H3820 toward H854 thee : pull them out H5423 like sheep H6629 for the slaughter H2878 , and prepare H6942 them for the day H3117 of slaughter H2028 .
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4. How much longer will the land stay dried up and the grass in every field be dead? The animals and birds in the land have died, because the people are evil. Yes, they are even saying, "God does not see what happens to us."
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4. How long H5704 H4970 shall the land H776 mourn H56 , and the herbs H6212 of every H3605 field H7704 wither H3001 , for the wickedness H4480 H7451 of them that dwell H3427 therein? the beasts H929 are consumed H5595 , and the birds H5775 ; because H3588 they said H559 , He shall not H3808 see H7200 H853 our last end H319 .
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5. "If you get tired while racing against people, how can you race against horses? If you stumble in a country that is safe, what will you do in the thick thornbushes along the Jordan River?
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5. If H3588 thou hast run H7323 with H854 the footmen H7273 , and they have wearied H3811 thee , then how H349 canst thou contend H8474 with H854 horses H5483 ? and if in the land H776 of peace H7965 , wherein thou H859 trustedst H982 , they wearied thee , then how H349 wilt thou do H6213 in the swelling H1347 of Jordan H3383 ?
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6. Even your own brothers and members of your own family are making plans against you. They are crying out against you. Don't trust them, even when they say nice things to you!
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6. For H3588 even H1571 thy brethren H251 , and the house H1004 of thy father H1 , even H1571 they H1992 have dealt treacherously H898 with thee; yea H1571 , they H1992 have called H7121 a multitude H4392 after H310 thee: believe H539 them not H408 , though H3588 they speak H1696 fair words H2896 unto H413 thee.
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7. "I have left Israel; I have left my people. I have given the people I love over to their enemies.
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7. I have forsaken H5800 H853 mine house H1004 , I have left H5203 H853 mine heritage H5159 ; I have given H5414 H853 the dearly beloved H3039 of my soul H5315 into the hand H3709 of her enemies H341 .
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8. My people have become to me like a lion in the forest. They roar at me, so I hate them.
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8. Mine heritage H5159 is H1961 unto me as a lion H738 in the forest H3293 ; it crieth out H5414 H6963 against H5921 me: therefore H5921 H3651 have I hated H8130 it.
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9. My people have become to me like a speckled bird attacked on all sides by hawks. Go, gather the wild animals. Bring them to get something to eat.
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9. Mine heritage H5159 is unto me as a speckled H6641 bird H5861 , the birds H5861 round about H5439 are against H5921 her; come H1980 ye, assemble H622 all H3605 the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 , come H857 to devour H402 .
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10. Many shepherds have ruined my vineyards and trampled the plants in my field. They have turned my beautiful field into an empty desert.
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10. Many H7227 pastors H7462 have destroyed H7843 my vineyard H3754 , they have trodden my portion under foot H947 H853 H2513 , they have made H5414 H853 my pleasant H2532 portion H2513 a desolate H8077 wilderness H4057 .
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11. They have turned my field into a desert that is wilted and dead. The whole country is an empty desert, because no one who lives there cares.
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11. They have made H7760 it desolate H8077 , and being desolate H8076 it mourneth H56 unto H5921 me ; the whole H3605 land H776 is made H6213 desolate H8074 , because H3588 no H369 man H376 layeth H7760 it to H5921 heart H3820 .
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12. Many soldiers have marched over those barren hills. from one end to the other. No one is safe.
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12. The spoilers H7703 are come H935 upon H5921 all H3605 high places H8205 through the wilderness H4057 : for H3588 the sword H2719 of the LORD H3068 shall devour H398 from the one end H4480 H7097 of the land H776 even to H5704 the other end H7097 of the land H776 : no H369 H3605 flesh H1320 shall have peace H7965 .
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13. The people have planted wheat, but they have harvested only thorns. They have worked hard until they were very tired, but they have nothing for all their work. They are ashamed of their poor harvest, because the Lord's terrible anger has caused this."
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13. They have sown H2232 wheat H2406 , but shall reap H7114 thorns H6975 : they have put themselves to pain H2470 , but shall not H3808 profit H3276 : and they shall be ashamed H954 of your revenues H4480 H8393 because of the fierce H4480 H2740 anger H639 of the LORD H3068 .
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14. This is what the Lord said to me: "Here is what I will do to all my wicked neighbors who take the land I gave my people Israel. I will pull them up and throw them out of their land. And I will pull up the people of Judah from among them.
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14. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 against H5921 all H3605 mine evil H7451 neighbors H7934 , that touch H5060 the inheritance H5159 which H834 I have caused H853 my people H5971 H853 Israel H3478 to inherit H5157 ; Behold H2009 , I will pluck them out H5428 of H4480 H5921 their land H127 , and pluck out H5428 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 from among H4480 H8432 them.
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15. But after I pull them up, I will feel sorry for them again. I will bring each person back to his own property and to his own land.
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15. And it shall come to pass H1961 , after that H310 I have plucked them out H5428 H853 I will return H7725 , and have compassion H7355 on them , and will bring them again H7725 , every man H376 to his heritage H5159 , and every man H376 to his land H776 .
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16. I want them to learn their lessons well. In the past they taught my people to swear by Baal's name. But if they will now learn to swear by my name, saying 'As surely as the Lord lives . . .' I will allow them to rebuild among my people.
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16. And it shall come to pass H1961 , if H518 they will diligently learn H3925 H3925 H853 the ways H1870 of my people H5971 , to swear H7650 by my name H8034 , The LORD H3068 liveth H2416 ; as H834 they taught H3925 H853 my people H5971 to swear H7650 by Baal H1168 ; then shall they be built H1129 in the midst H8432 of my people H5971 .
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17. But if a nation will not listen to my message, I will pull it up completely and destroy it," says the Lord.
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17. But if H518 they will not H3808 obey H8085 , I will utterly pluck up H5428 H5428 and destroy H6 H853 that H1931 nation H1471 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 .
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