Jeremiah 17:1–9

The Sin of Judah

17“The sin of Judah is written with ^ra pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on ^sthe tablet of their heart, and on ^tthe horns of their altars, ²while ^utheir children remember their altars and their ^vAsherim, ^wbeside every green tree and on the high hills, ^3xon the mountains in the open country. ^yYour wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory. ⁴You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, ^zand I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, ^afor in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.”

⁵Thus says the Lord:

“Cursed is the man ^bwho trusts in man

and makes flesh his strength,¹

whose heart turns away from the Lord.

^6cHe is like a shrub in the desert,

^dand shall not see any good come.

He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,

in ^ean uninhabited salt land.

^7f“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

^gwhose trust is the Lord.

^8hHe is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

⁹The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?