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As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid,So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly;In the midst of his days it will forsake him,And in the end he will be a wicked fool."

So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Behold, I am forming calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh turn back, each of you from his evil way, and do good in your ways and your deeds."'

But they will say, ‘It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.'

To make their land an object of horror,An object of perpetual hissing;Everyone who passes by it will be horrifiedAnd shake his head.

Then they said, "Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to perish from the priest, nor counsel to the wise man, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words."

But if I say, "I will not remember HimOr speak anymore in His name,"Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fireShut up in my bones;And I am weary of holding it in,And I cannot prevail.

"Please inquire of Yahweh on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is warring against us; perhaps Yahweh will deal with us according to all His wonderful acts, so that the enemy will go up from us."

Then afterwards," declares Yahweh, "I will give over Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, even those who remain in this city from the pestilence, the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives; and he will strike them down with the edge of the sword. He will not show pity on them nor spare nor have compassion."'

He who inhabits this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as spoil.

O house of David, thus says Yahweh:"Render justice every morning;And deliver the person who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor,Lest My wrath go forth like fireAnd burn with none to extinguish it,Because of the evil of their deeds.

Thus says Yahweh, "Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the sojourner, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

For if you men will indeed do this thing, then kings will enter the gates of this house, sitting for David on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people.

For I will set apart destroyers against you,Each with his weapons;And they will cut down your choicest cedarsAnd throw them on the fire.

Do not weep for the dead or console him,But weep continually for the one who goes away,For he will never returnOr see the land of his birth.

For thus says Yahweh in regard to Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in the place of Josiah his father, who went forth from this place, "He will never return there;

"Woe to him who builds his house without righteousnessAnd his upper rooms without justice,Who uses his neighbor's services without payAnd does not give him his wages,

Therefore thus says Yahweh in regard to Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah,"They will not lament for him:‘Alas, my brother!' or, ‘Alas, sister!'They will not lament for him:‘Alas for the master!' or, ‘Alas for his splendor!'

Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered jar?Or is he an undesirable vessel?Why have he and his seed been hurled outAnd cast into a land that they had not known?

Thus says Yahweh,‘Write this man down childless,A man who will not succeed in his days;For no man of his seed will succeedSitting on the throne of DavidOr ruling again in Judah.'"

In His days Judah will be saved,And Israel will dwell securely;And this is His name by which He will be called,‘Yahweh our righteousness.'