<p class="poetry">For they do not try to make peace with others,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">All day long they cause me trouble;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they make a habit of plotting my demise.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">for there our captors ask us to compose songs;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">those who mock us demand that we be happy, saying:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Sing for us a song about Zion!&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">If only<n id="1" /> you will respond<n id="2" /> to my rebuke,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">then<n id="4" /> I will pour<n id="5" /> out my thoughts<n id="6" /> to youp> <p class="poetry">and<n id="7" /> I will make<n id="8" /> my words known to you.p>

<p class="poetry">he taught me, and he said to me:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Let your heart lay hold of my words;p> <p class="poetry">keep my commands so that<n id="1" /> you will live.p>

<p class="poetry">The words of a person&#8217;s mouth are like<n id="1" /> deep waters,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and<n id="3" /> the fountain of wisdom<n id="4" /> is like<n id="5" /> a flowing brook.<n id="6" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh; an oracle:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">This<n id="3" /> man says<n id="4" /> to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ukal:<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">The words of the sages are like prods,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails;p> <p class="poetry">they are given by one shepherd.p>

<p class="poetry">At that time<n id="1" /> the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll,p> <p class="poetry">and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied.<n id="1" /> He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.

Then the <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;You have observed correctly. This means<n id="1" /> I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;But just look at you!<n id="1" /> You are putting your confidence in a false belief<n id="2" /> that will not deliver you.<n id="3" />

&#8220;Hear<n id="1" /> the terms of the covenant<n id="2" /> I made with Israel<n id="3" /> and pass them on<n id="4" /> to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem.<n id="5" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> spoke to Jeremiah<n id="2" /> about the drought.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">But if they had stood in my inner circle,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they would have proclaimed my message to my people.p> <p class="poetry">They would have caused my people to turn from their wicked waysp> <p class="poetry">and stop doing the evil things they are doing.p>

My message is like a fire that purges dross!<n id="1" /> It is like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces!<n id="2" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, so affirm it!<n id="3" />

So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="1" /> that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> says, &#8216;You have not listened to what I said.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Micaiah, who was the son of Gemariah and the grandson of Shaphan, heard Baruch read from the scroll everything the <sc>Lordsc> had said.<n id="1" />

You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.