<p class="poetry">As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">As wax melts before fire,p> <p class="poetry">so the wicked are destroyed before God.p>

<p class="poetry">They will perish,p> <p class="poetry">but you will endure.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will wear out like a garment;p> <p class="poetry">like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">When the wicked<n id="1" /> see this, they will worry;p> <p class="poetry">they will grind their teeth in frustration<n id="2" /> and melt away;p> <p class="poetry">the desire of the wicked will perish.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I have wandered off like a lost sheep.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Come looking for your servant,p> <p class="poetry">for I do not forget your commands.p>

<p class="poetry">As a demonstration of your loyal love,<n id="1" /> destroy my enemies!p> <p class="poetry">Annihilate<n id="2" /> all who threaten my life,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">for I am your servant.p>

<p class="poetry">The man<n id="1" /> who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but whoever associates<n id="3" /> with prostitutes wastes<n id="4" /> his wealth.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then that wealth was lost through bad luck;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Wisdom is better than weapons of war,p> <p class="poetry">but one sinner can destroy much that is good.p>

<p class="poetry">Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated;p> <p class="poetry">your adversaries<n id="1" /> will be reduced to nothing<n id="2" /> and perish.p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="1" /> nations or kingdoms that do not serve you will perish;p> <p class="poetry">such nations will be totally destroyed.<n id="2" />p>

But I will completely uproot and destroy any of those nations that will not pay heed,&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> continued,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;In every town in the land I will purge themp> <p class="poetry">like straw blown away by the wind.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will destroy my people.p> <p class="poetry">I will kill off their children.p> <p class="poetry">I will do so because they did not change their behavior.<n id="3" />p>

There are times, Jeremiah,<n id="1" /> when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The leaders of my people are sure to be judged.<n id="2" /> They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">Moab, you are doomed!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You people who worship Chemosh will be destroyed.p> <p class="poetry">Your sons will be taken away captive.p> <p class="poetry">Your daughters will be carried away into exile.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will establish my sovereignty over Elam.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will destroy their king and their leaders,&#8221;<n id="2" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost.p> <p class="poetry">She took another of her cubs<n id="1" /> and made him a young lion.p>

Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey &#8211; shedding blood and destroying lives &#8211; so they can get dishonest profit.

<p class="poetry">Be distressed,<n id="1" /> farmers;p> <p class="poetry">wail, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley.p> <p class="poetry">For the harvest of the field has perished.p>

<p class="poetry">Fast runners will find no place to hide;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">strong men will have no strength left;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">warriors will not be able to save their lives.p>