Thereforethe lawis ignoredAnd justiceis neverupheld.For the wickedsurroundthe righteous;Thereforejusticecomesout perverted.
Then the twoworthlessmencamein and satbeforehim; and the worthlessmentestifiedagainst him, even against Naboth,beforethe people,saying,"NabothcursedGodand the king."So they tookhim outsidethe cityand stonedhim to deathwith stones.
"Whydo the wicked[still] live,Continueon, alsobecomeverypowerful?
Ifthe foundationsare destroyed,Whatcan the righteousdo?"
It is timefor the LORDto act,[For] they have brokenYour law.
Manybullshave surroundedme; Strong[bulls] of Bashanhave encircledme.
For dogshave surroundedme; A bandof evildoershas encompassedme; They piercedmy handsand my feet.
Deliverme from those who doiniquityAnd saveme from menof bloodshed.
For noguiltof [mine], they runand setthemselves against me. ArouseYourself to helpme, and see!
Howlongshall the wicked,O LORD,Howlongshall the wickedexult?
"You shall not followthe massesin doing evil,norshall you testifyin a disputeso as to turnasideaftera multitudein order to pervert[justice];
"You shall not pervertthe justice[due] to your needy[brother] in his dispute.
Woeto those who callevilgood,and goodevil;Who substitutedarknessfor lightand lightfor darkness;Who substitutebitterfor sweetand sweetfor bitter!
For our transgressionsare multipliedbeforeYou, And our sinstestifyagainst us; For our transgressionsare with us, And we knowour iniquities:
Righteousare You, O LORD,that I would plead[my] casewith You; IndeedI would discussmattersof justicewith You: Whyhas the wayof the wickedprospered?[Why] are allthose who dealin treacheryat ease?
"For evenyour brothersand the householdof your father,Eventhey have dealttreacherouslywith you, Eventhey have criedaloudafteryou. Do not believethem, althoughthey may saynicethingsto you."
When Jeremiahfinishedspeakingallthat the LORDhad commanded[him] to speakto allthe people,the priestsand the prophetsand allthe peopleseizedhim, saying,"You mustdie!
"Eventhe storkin the skyKnowsher seasons;And the turtledoveand the swiftand the thrushObservethe timeof their migration;But My peopledo not knowThe ordinanceof the LORD.
Then He saidto me, "The iniquityof the houseof Israeland Judahis very,verygreat,and the landis filledwith bloodand the cityis fullof perversion;for they say,'The LORDhas forsakenthe land,and the LORDdoes not see!'
They speak[mere] words,With worthlessoathsthey makecovenants;And judgmentsproutslike poisonousweedsin the furrowsof the field.
For I knowyour transgressionsare manyand your sinsare great,[You] who distressthe righteous[and] acceptbribesAnd turnasidethe poorin the gate.
[For] those who turnjusticeinto wormwoodAnd castrighteousnessdownto the earth."
He was alsosayingto them, "You are expertsat setting asidethe commandmentof Godin orderto keepyour tradition.
"Which oneof the prophetsdid your fathersnot persecute?They killedthosewho had previously announcedthe comingof the Righteous One,whosebetrayersand murderersyou have nowbecome;
They went on stoningStephenas he calledon [the Lord] and said,"LordJesus,receivemy spirit!"
Do we thennullifythe Lawthroughfaith?May it neverbe! On the contrary,we establishthe Law.
"You shall not distortjustice;you shall not be partial,and you shall not takea bribe,for a bribeblindsthe eyesof the wiseand pervertsthe wordsof the righteous.
