Jeremiah 9:2–6

Oh that I had in the desert

a travelers’ lodging place,

that I might leave my people

and go away from them!

For they are all adulterers,

a company of treacherous men.

They bend their tongue like a bow;

falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land;

for they proceed from evil to evil,

and they do not know me, declares the Lord.

Let everyone beware of his neighbor,

and put no trust in any brother,

for every brother is a deceiver,

and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.

Everyone deceives his neighbor,

and no one speaks the truth;

they have taught their tongue to speak lies;

they weary themselves committing iniquity.

Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,

they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.

Oh, that I had in the desert

a lodging place for travelers,

so that I might leave my people

and go away from them;

for they are all adulterers,

a crowd of unfaithful people.

“They make ready their tongue

like a bow, to shoot lies;

it is not by truth

that they triumph in the land.

They go from one sin to another;

they do not acknowledge me,”

declares the Lord.

“Beware of your friends;

do not trust anyone in your clan.

For every one of them is a deceiver,

and every friend a slanderer.

Friend deceives friend,

and no one speaks the truth.

They have taught their tongues to lie;

they weary themselves with sinning.

You live in the midst of deception;

in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”

declares the Lord.

If only I had a traveler’s lodging place

in the wilderness,

I would abandon my people

and depart from them,

for they are all adulterers,

a solemn assembly of treacherous people.

They bent their tongues like their bows;

lies and not faithfulness prevail in the land,

for they proceed from one evil to another,

and they do not take me into account.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Everyone has to be on guard against his friend.

Don’t trust any brother,

for every brother will certainly deceive,

and every friend spread slander.

Each one betrays his friend;

no one tells the truth.

They have taught their tongues to speak lies;

they wear themselves out doing wrong.

You live in a world of deception.

In their deception they refuse to know me.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

 Oh, that I could go away and forget my people

and live in a travelers’ shack in the desert.

For they are all adulterers—

a pack of treacherous liars.

“My people bend their tongues like bows

to shoot out lies.

They refuse to stand up for the truth.

They only go from bad to worse.

They do not know me,”

says the Lord.

“Beware of your neighbor!

Don’t even trust your brother!

For brother takes advantage of brother,

and friend slanders friend.

They all fool and defraud each other;

no one tells the truth.

With practiced tongues they tell lies;

they wear themselves out with all their sinning.

They pile lie upon lie

and utterly refuse to acknowledge me,”

says the Lord.

Oh that I had in the desert a place of overnight lodging for travelers,

that I may leave my people and go from them,

for all of them are adulterers,

a band of traitors.

And they bend their tongue like their bow,

for falsehood and not truth is superior in the land,

for they go forth from evil to evil,

and they do not know me,” declares Yahweh.

“Let everyone be on your guard against his neighbor,

and you must not trust in any brother,

for everyone surely betrays,

and every neighbor goes about with slander.

And everyone deceives his neighbor,

and they do not speak the truth,

they have taught their tongues to speak lies,

they are tired from going astray.

Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit,

upon deceit they refuse to know me,” declares Yahweh.

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men;

That I might leave my people, and go from them!

For they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies:

But they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth;

For they proceed from evil to evil,

And they know not me, saith the Lord.

Take ye heed every one of his neighbour,

And trust ye not in any brother:

For every brother will utterly supplant,

And every neighbour will walk with slanders.

And they will deceive every one his neighbour,

And will not speak the truth:

They have taught their tongue to speak lies,

And weary themselves to commit iniquity.

Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit;

Through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord.