Jeremiah 9:2–9

At times I wish I had a wilderness hut,

a backwoods cabin,

Where I could get away from my people

and never see them again.

They’re a faithless, feckless bunch,

a congregation of degenerates.

^3–6“Their tongues shoot out lies

like a bow shoots arrows—

A mighty army of liars,

the sworn enemies of truth.

They advance from one evil to the next,

ignorant of me.”

God’s Decree.

“Be wary of even longtime neighbors.

Don’t even trust your grandmother!

Brother schemes against brother,

like old cheating Jacob.

Friend against friend

spreads malicious gossip.

Neighbors gyp neighbors,

never telling the truth.

They’ve trained their tongues to tell lies,

and now they can’t tell the truth.

They pile wrong upon wrong, stack lie upon lie,

and refuse to know me.”

God’s Decree.

^7–9Therefore, God-of-the-Angel-Armies says:

“Watch this! I’ll melt them down

and see what they’re made of.

What else can I do

with a people this wicked?

Their tongues are poison arrows!

Deadly lies stream from their mouths.

Neighbor greets neighbor with a smile,

‘Good morning! How’re things?’

while scheming to do away with him.

Do you think I’m going to stand around and do nothing?”

God’s Decree.

“Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures

against a people like this?