Jeremiah 5:1–5

Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

look and take note!

Search her squares to see

if you can find a man,

one who does justice

and seeks truth,

that I may pardon her.

Though they say, “As the Lord lives,”

yet they swear falsely.

O Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?

You have struck them down,

but they felt no anguish;

you have consumed them,

but they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

they have refused to repent.

Then I said, “These are only the poor;

they have no sense;

for they do not know the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.

I will go to the great

and will speak to them,

for they know the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.”

But they all alike had broken the yoke;

they had burst the bonds.

“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,

look around and consider,

search through her squares.

If you can find but one person

who deals honestly and seeks the truth,

I will forgive this city.

Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’

still they are swearing falsely.”

Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?

You struck them, but they felt no pain;

you crushed them, but they refused correction.

They made their faces harder than stone

and refused to repent.

I thought, “These are only the poor;

they are foolish,

for they do not know the way of the Lord,

the requirements of their God.

So I will go to the leaders

and speak to them;

surely they know the way of the Lord,

the requirements of their God.”

But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke

and torn off the bonds.

Roam through the streets of Jerusalem.

Investigate;

search in her squares.

If you find one person,

any who acts justly,

who pursues faithfulness,

then I will forgive her.

When they say, “As the Lord lives,”

they are swearing falsely.

Lord, don’t your eyes look for faithfulness?

You have struck them, but they felt no pain.

You finished them off,

but they refused to accept discipline.

They made their faces harder than rock,

and they refused to return.

Then I thought:

They are just the poor;

they have been foolish.

For they don’t understand the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.

I will go to the powerful

and speak to them.

Surely they know the way of the Lord,

the justice of their God.

However, these also had broken the yoke

and torn off the chains.

“Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord.

“Look high and low; search throughout the city!

If you can find even one just and honest person,

I will not destroy the city.

But even when they are under oath,

saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’

they are still telling lies!”

Lord, you are searching for honesty.

You struck your people,

but they paid no attention.

You crushed them,

but they refused to be corrected.

They are determined, with faces set like stone;

they have refused to repent.

Then I said, “But what can we expect from the poor?

They are ignorant.

They don’t know the ways of the Lord.

They don’t understand God’s laws.

So I will go and speak to their leaders.

Surely they know the ways of the Lord

and understand God’s laws.”

But the leaders, too, as one man,

had thrown off God’s yoke

and broken his chains.

“Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem,

and look please, and take note,

and search at its public squares,

if you can find a person who does justice,

who seeks honesty,

so that I may forgive it.

And though they say, ‘As Yahweh lives,’

therefore they swear falsely.”

O Yahweh, do not your eyes look for honesty?

You have struck them, but they felt no pain,

you have destroyed them, they refused to take discipline.

They have hardened their faces more than rock,

they have refused to turn back.

Then I said, “They are just simple people,

they are foolish,

for they know not the way of Yahweh,

the law of their God.

Let me go to the great,

and let me speak with them,

for they know the way of Yahweh,

the law of their God.”

However, they together have broken the yoke,

they have torn to pieces the bonds.

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.