"For My peopleare foolish,They knowMe not; They are stupidchildrenAnd havenounderstanding.They are shrewdto doevil,But to dogoodthey do not know."
So she lefthis garmentbesideher untilhis mastercamehome.
But Amnonhad a friendwhose namewas Jonadab,the sonof Shimeah,David'sbrother;and Jonadabwas a veryshrewdman.
The wordsof his mouthare wickednessand deceit;He has ceasedto be wise[and] to dogood.
He planswickednessupon his bed;He setshimself on a paththat is not good;He does not despiseevil.
Havethe workersof wickednessnoknowledge,Who eatup My people[as though] they atebreadAnd have not calledupon God?
They do not knownordo they understand;They walkabout in darkness;Allthe foundationsof the earthare shaken.
Evilmendo not understandjustice,But those who seekthe LORDunderstandallthings.
"An oxknowsits owner,And a donkeyits master'smanger,[But] Israeldoes not know,My peopledo not understand."
When its limbsare dry,they are brokenoff; Womencome[and] makea firewith them, For they are not a peopleof discernment,Thereforetheir Makerwill not havecompassionon them. And their Creatorwill not be graciousto them.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
"Can the Ethiopianchangehis skinOr the leopardhis spots?[Then] you alsocandogoodWho are accustomedto doingevil.
"The priestsdid not say,'Whereis the LORD?'And those who handlethe lawdid not knowMe; The rulersalso transgressedagainst Me, And the prophetsprophesiedby BaalAnd walkedafterthings that did not profit.
Howlongmust I seethe standardAnd hearthe soundof the trumpet?
Nowhearthis,O foolishand senselesspeople,Who have eyesbut do not see;Who have earsbut do not hear.
Then I said,"They are onlythe poor,They are foolish;For they do not knowthe wayof the LORD[Or] the ordinanceof their God.
Ohthat I hadin the desertA wayfarers'lodgingplace;That I might leavemy peopleAnd gofrom them! For allof them are adulterers,An assemblyof treacherousmen.
"They bendtheir tongue[like] their bow;Liesand not truthprevailin the land;For they proceedfrom evilto evil,And they do not knowMe," declaresthe LORD.
"Everyonedeceiveshis neighborAnd does not speakthe truth,They have taughttheir tongueto speaklies;They wearythemselves committinginiquity.
"Howlanguishingis your heart,"declaresthe LordGOD,"while you doallthesethings,the actionsof a bold-facedharlot.
Listento the wordof the LORD,O sonsof Israel,For the LORDhas a caseagainstthe inhabitantsof the land,Becausethereis nofaithfulnessor kindnessOr knowledgeof Godin the land.
My peopleare destroyedfor lackof knowledge.Becauseyou have rejectedknowledge,I also will rejectyou from being My priest.Since you have forgottenthe lawof your God,I alsowill forgetyour children.
Their deedswill not allowthem To returnto their God.For a spiritof harlotryis withinthem, And they do not knowthe LORD.
"But they do not knowhow to dowhatis right,"declaresthe LORD,"these who hoardup violenceand devastationin their citadels."
Woeto those who schemeiniquity,Who workout evilon their beds!When morningcomes, they doit, For it is in the powerof their hands.
Concerningevil,both handsdoit well.The princeasks,also the judge,for a bribe,And a greatmanspeaksthe desireof his soul;So they weaveit together.
"And his masterpraisedthe unrighteousmanagerbecausehe had actedshrewdly;for the sonsof thisageare more shrewdin relationto their ownkindthanthe sonsof light.
"These thingsthey will dobecausethey have not knownthe FatherorMe.
Professingto be wise,they became fools,
And justas they did not see fitto acknowledgeGodany longer, Godgave them overto a depravedmind,to dothosethings which are not proper,
For the report of your obediencehas reachedto all;thereforeI am rejoicingoveryou, but I wantyou to be wisein what is goodand innocentin what is evil.
THERE IS NONEWHO UNDERSTANDS,THERE IS NONEWHO SEEKSFOR GOD;
Brethren,do not be childrenin your thinking;yetin evilbe infants,but in your thinkingbe mature.
"For they are a nationlackingin counsel,And thereis nounderstandingin them.
"Do you thusrepaythe LORD,O foolishand unwisepeople?Is not He your Fatherwho has boughtyou? He has madeyou and establishedyou.
