Jeremiah 17:5–15

The One Who Trusts in Humankind Contrasted With the One Who Trusts in Yahweh

⁵Thus says Yahweh,

“Cursed is the person who trusts in humankind

and makes flesh his strength,^c

and turns aside his heart from Yahweh.

⁶And he will be like a juniper in the wilderness,^d

and he will not see when good comes,

and he will dwell in the parched places in the desert,^e

in a land of salt flats,^f where no one lives.

⁷Blessed be the person who trusts in Yahweh,

and Yahweh is his trust.

⁸For he will be like a tree planted by water,

and to the stream it sends its roots,

and it will not fear when heat comes,

and its leaves^g will be luxuriant,

and in the year of drought it will not be anxious,

and it will not cease from the bearing of fruit.

⁹The heart is deceitful more than anything else,

and it is disastrous. Who can understand it?

¹⁰I, Yahweh, examine the mind,^h

I test the heart,ⁱ

and give to each one according to his way,

according to the fruit of his deeds.

¹¹Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay

is one who amasses wealth without justice.

In the middle of his days it will leave him,

and at his end he will prove to be a fool.”

The Fountain of Living Water

¹²A lofty throne of glory from the beginning

is the place of our sanctuary.

¹³O Yahweh, the hope of Israel,

all those who forsake you will be put to shame,

and those who turn aside from you in the earth will be recorded,

for they have forsaken the fountain of living water, Yahweh.

¹⁴Heal me, O Yahweh, and I will be healed,

save me, and I will be saved,

for you are my praise.

¹⁵Look, they are saying to me,

“Where is the word of Yahweh?

Please let it come.”