17. This nation will eat your cropsand livestock;they will leave no fruiton your vines or trees.And although you feel safebehind thick walls,your towns will be destroyedand your children killed.
18. The Lord said:Jeremiah, the enemy army won't kill everyone in Judah.
19. And the people who survive will ask, “Why did the Lord our God do such terrible things to us?” Then tell them:I am the Lord,but you abandoned meand worshipped other godsin your own land.Now you will be slavesin a foreign country.
20. Tell these things to each other,you people of Judah,you descendants of Jacob.
21. You fools! Why don't you listenwhen I speak?Why can't you understand
22. that you should worship mewith fear and trembling?I'm the one who made the shoreto hold back the ocean.Waves may crash on the beach,but they can come no further.
23. You stubborn people have rebelledand turned your backs on me.
24. You refuse to say,“Let's worship the Lord!He's the one who sends rainin spring and autumnand gives us a good harvest.”
25. That's why I cannot bless you!
26-27. A hunter traps birdsand puts them in a cage,but some of you trap humansand make them your slaves.You are evil, and you lie and cheatto make yourselves rich.You are powerful
28. and prosperous,but you refuse to help the poorget the justice they deserve.
29. You need to be punished,and so I will take revenge.
30. Look at the terrible thingsgoing on in this country.I am shocked!
31. Prophets give their messagesin the name of a false god,my priests don't wantto serve me,and you—my own people—like it this way!But on the day of disaster,where will you turn for help?