Allof them are stubbornlyrebellious,Goingabout as a talebearer.[They are] bronzeand iron;They, allof them, are corrupt.
The foolhas saidin his heart,"Thereis noGod."They are corrupt,they have committedabominabledeeds;Thereis noonewho doesgood.
"You sitand speakagainst your brother;You slanderyour own mother'sson.
He who concealshatred[has] lyinglips,And he who spreadsslanderis a fool.
Returnto Him from whomyou have deeplydefected,O sonsof Israel.
Then they said,"Comeand let us deviseplansagainstJeremiah.Surelythe lawis not going to be lostto the priest,norcounselto the sage,northe [divine] wordto the prophet!Comeon and let us strikeat him with [our] tongue,and let us givenoheedto anyof his words."
For I have heardthe whisperingof many,"Terroron everyside!Denounce[him]; yes, let us denouncehim!" Allmy trustedfriends,Watchingfor my fall,say: "Perhapshe will be deceived,so that we may prevailagainst him And takeour revengeon him."
But thispeoplehasa stubbornand rebelliousheart;They have turnedasideand departed.
They callthem rejectedsilver,Becausethe LORDhas rejectedthem.
"You shall sayto them, 'Thisis the nationthat did not obeythe voiceof the LORDtheir Godor acceptcorrection;truthhas perishedand has been cutofffrom their mouth.
"They bendtheir tongue[like] their bow;Liesand not truthprevailin the land;For they proceedfrom evilto evil,And they do not knowMe," declaresthe LORD.
"Let everyonebe on guardagainsthis neighbor,And do not trustanybrother;Becauseeverybrotherdealscraftily,And everyneighborgoesabout as a slanderer.
"But you shall speakMy wordsto them whetherthey listenornot, for they are rebellious.
"In your filthinessis lewdness.BecauseI [would] have cleansedyou, Yet you are not clean,You will not be cleansedfrom your filthinessagainUntilI have spentMy wrathon you.
"If,however, the markbreaksout againin the houseafterhe has tornout the stonesand scrapedthe house,and afterit has been replastered,
You shall not goabout as a slandereramong your people,and you are not to actagainstthe lifeof your neighbor;I am the LORD.
"And the nationswere enraged,and Your wrathcame,and the time[came] for the deadto be judged,and [the time] to rewardYour bond-servantsthe prophetsand the saintsand thosewho fearYour name,the smalland the great,and to destroythosewho destroythe earth."
BECAUSEHIS JUDGMENTSARE true AND RIGHTEOUS;for He has judgedthe greatharlotwhowas corruptingthe earthwith her immorality,and HE HAS AVENGEDTHE BLOODOF HIS BOND-SERVANTSON HER."
