1. “In that day,” says the lord, “the enemy will break open the graves of the kings and officials of Judah, and the graves of the priests, prophets, and common people of Jerusalem.
2. They will spread out their bones on the ground before the sun, moon, and stars—the gods my people have loved, served, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up again or buried but will be scattered on the ground like manure.
3. And the people of this evil nation who survive will wish to die rather than live where I will send them. I, the lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!
4. “Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the lord says:“‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again?When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?
5. Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path?Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back?They cling tightly to their liesand will not turn around.
6. I listen to their conversationsand don’t hear a word of truth.Is anyone sorry for doing wrong?Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”?No! All are running down the path of sinas swiftly as a horse galloping into battle!
7. Even the stork that flies across the skyknows the time of her migration,as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane.They all return at the proper time each year.But not my people!They do not know the lord’s laws.
8. “‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the lord,”when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?
9. These wise teachers will fallinto the trap of their own foolishness,for they have rejected the word of the lord.Are they so wise after all?
10. I will give their wives to othersand their farms to strangers.From the least to the greatest,their lives are ruled by greed.Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that.They are all frauds.