Jeremiah 5:3–4

3 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.

4 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.

3 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.

4 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.

3 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.

4 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.

3 O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth?

You have stricken them,

But they have not grieved;

You have consumed them,

But they have refused to receive correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

They have refused to return.

4 Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor.

They are foolish;

For they do not know the way of the Lord,

The judgment of their God.

3 Lord, don’t you look for truth in people?

You struck the people of Judah,

but they didn’t feel any pain.

You crushed them,

but they refused to learn what is right.

They became more stubborn than a rock;

they refused to turn back to God.

4 But I thought,

“These are only the poor, foolish people.

They have not learned the way of the Lord

and what their God wants them to do.

3 O Jehovah, do not thine eyes look upon truth? thou hast stricken them, but they were 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.

4 Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:

3 Jehovah, are not thine eyes upon fidelity? Thou hast smitten them, but they are not sore; thou hast consumed them, they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. 4 And I said, Surely these are the wretched ones, they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, the judgment of their God.

3 Lord, your eyes look for the truth. 

You strike these people, but they don’t feel it. 

You crush them, but they refuse to be corrected. 

They are more stubborn than rocks. 

They refuse to turn back. 

4 I thought, “These are poor, foolish people. 

They don’t know the way of the Lord 

and the justice that God demands. 

3 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.

4 Then I thought:

They are just the poor;

they have played the fool.

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

the justice of their God.

3 O Lord, do your eyes not look for truth?

You have struck them,

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 turn back.

4 Then I said, “These are only the poor;

they have no sense,

for they do not know the way of the Lord,

the law of their God.

3 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.

4 Then I said, “They are just simple people,

they are foolish,

for they know not the way of Yahweh,

the law of their God.

3 Lord, don’t your eyes look for truth?

You struck your people down.

But they didn’t feel any pain.

You crushed them.

But they refused to be corrected.

They made their faces harder than stone.

They refused to turn away from their sins.

4 I thought, “The people of

Jerusalem are foolish.

They don’t know how the Lord wants them to live.

They don’t know what their God requires of them.

3 O Lord, do not Your eyes look for truth?

You have smitten them,

But they did not weaken;

You have consumed them,

But they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

They have refused to repent.

4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,

They are foolish;

For they do not know the way of the Lord

Or the ordinance of their God.