People are good at doing bad things with both hands. Officials ask for bribes. Judges take money to change their decisions in court. “Important leaders” do whatever they want to do.
Trouble will come to those who make plans to sin. They lie on their beds making their evil plans. Then when the morning light comes, they do what they planned, because they have the power to do what they want.
Jeremiah, look toward the north and speak this message: “‘Come back, you faithless people of Israel.’ This message is from the Lord. ‘I will stop frowning at you. I am full of mercy.’ The Lord says, ‘I will not be angry with you forever.
I will not accuse my people forever. I will not always be angry. If I continued to show my anger, then the human spirit, the life I gave them, would die before me.
The people of Judah went the wrong way. But why do the people of Jerusalem continue going the wrong way? They believe their own lies. They refuse to turn around and come back.
I have listened to them very carefully, but they don’t say what is right. They are not sorry for their sins. They don’t think about the evil they have done. They do things without thinking. They are like horses running into a battle.