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1They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, 2and they do not know me, declares the LORD.
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3Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every 4brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor 5goes about as a slanderer.
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Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity.
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Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, 6they refuse to know me, declares the LORD.
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Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: "Behold, 7I will refine them and 8test them, for what else can I do, 9because of my people?
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10Their tongue is a deadly arrow; 11it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth 12each speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart 13he plans an ambush for him.
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14Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD, and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?
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"I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains, and a lamentation for 15the pastures of the wilderness, 16because they are laid waste so that no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard; 17both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled and are gone.
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18I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, 19a lair of jackals, 20and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant."
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21Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined 22and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?
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And the LORD says: 23"Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it,