1. People of Judah,your sins cannot be erased.They are written on your heartslike words chiselled in stoneor carved on the cornersof your altars.
4. You will lose the landthat I gave you,and I will make you slavesin a foreign country,because you have made my angerblaze up like a firethat won't stop burning.
5. I, the Lord, have put a curseon those who turn from meand trust in human strength.
6. They will dry up like a bushin salty desert soil,where nothing can grow.
7. But I will bless thosewho trust me.
8. They will be like treesgrowing beside a stream—trees with roots that reachdown to the water,and with leavesthat are always green.They bear fruit every yearand are never worriedby a lack of rain.
9. You people of Judahare so deceitfulthat you even fool yourselves,and you can't change.
10. But I know your deedsand your thoughts,and I will make sureyou get what you deserve.
11. You cheated others,but everything you gainedwill fly away, like birdshatched from stolen eggs.Then you will discoverwhat fools you are.