"Everyonedeceiveshis neighborAnd does not speakthe truth,They have taughttheir tongueto speaklies;They wearythemselves committinginiquity.
They struckthe menwhowere at the doorwayof the housewith blindness,bothsmalland great,so that they wearied[themselves trying] to findthe doorway.
"Shall your boastssilencemen?And shall you scoffand nonerebuke?
"For your guiltteachesyour mouth,And you choosethe languageof the crafty.
They sharpentheir tonguesas a serpent;Poisonof a viperis undertheir lips.Selah.
"You letyour mouthloosein evilAnd your tongueframesdeceit.
You loveevilmorethangood,Falsehoodmorethanspeakingwhatis right.Selah.
Whohave sharpenedtheir tonguelike a sword.They aimedbitterspeech[as] their arrow,
Behold,he travailswith wickedness,And he conceivesmischiefand bringsforthfalsehood.
The thoughtsof the righteousare just,[But] the counselsof the wickedare deceitful.
For they cannotsleepunlessthey doevil;And they are robbedof sleepunlessthey make [someone] stumble.
Woeto those who draginiquitywith the cordsof falsehood,And sinas if with cartropes;
"You were tiredout by the lengthof your road,[Yet] you did not say,It is hopeless.'You foundrenewedstrength,Thereforeyou did not faint.
"They have sownwheatand have reapedthorns,They have strainedthemselves to noprofit.But be ashamedof your harvestBecauseof the fierceangerof the LORD."
"For evenyour brothersand the householdof your father,Eventhey have dealttreacherouslywith you, Eventhey have criedaloudafteryou. Do not believethem, althoughthey may saynicethingsto you."
"Can the Ethiopianchangehis skinOr the leopardhis spots?[Then] you alsocandogoodWho are accustomedto doingevil.
"For My peopleare foolish,They knowMe not; They are stupidchildrenAnd havenounderstanding.They are shrewdto doevil,But to dogoodthey do not know."
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"The broadwallof Babylonwill be completelyrazedAnd her highgateswill be seton fire;So the peopleswill toilfor nothing,And the nationsbecomeexhausted[only] for fire."
and say,'Justsoshall Babylonsinkdownand not riseagain becauseof the calamitythat I am going to bringupon her; and they will becomeexhausted.'"Thusfarare the wordsof Jeremiah.
"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.
"Their tongueis a deadlyarrow;It speaksdeceit;With his mouthone speakspeaceto his neighbor,But inwardlyhe setsan ambushfor him.
"She has wearied[Me] with toil,Yet her greatrusthas not gonefrom her; [Let] her rust[be] in the fire!
"For the richmenof [the] city are fullof violence,Her residentsspeaklies,And their tongueis deceitfulin their mouth.
"My people,whathave I doneto you, And howhave I weariedyou? AnswerMe.
"Is it not indeedfrom the LORDof hostsThat peoplestoilfor fire,And nationsgrowwearyfor nothing?
"Do we not allhave onefather?Has not oneGodcreatedus? Whydo we dealtreacherouslyeachagainst his brotherso as to profanethe covenantof our fathers?
Therefore,laying asidefalsehood,SPEAKTRUTHEACH ONE[of you] WITH HIS NEIGHBOR,for we are membersof one another.
by meansof the hypocrisyof liarssearedin their ownconscienceas with a branding iron,
Allthat generationalsowere gatheredto their fathers;and there aroseanothergenerationafterthem whodid not knowthe LORD,noryetthe workwhichHe had donefor Israel.
