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33  Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes ♦︎
   and I shall keep it to the end.
34  Give me understanding and I shall keep your law; ♦︎
   I shall keep it with my whole heart.
35  Lead me in the path of your commandments, ♦︎
   for therein is my delight.
36  Incline my heart to your testimonies ♦︎
   and not to unjust gain.
37  Turn away my eyes lest they gaze on vanities; ♦︎
   O give me life in your ways.
38  Confirm to your servant your promise, ♦︎
   which stands for all who fear you.
39  Turn away the reproach which I dread, ♦︎
   because your judgements are good.
40  Behold, I long for your commandments; ♦︎
   in your righteousness give me life.
41  Let your faithful love come unto me, O Lord, ♦︎
   even your salvation, according to your promise.
42  Then shall I answer those who taunt me, ♦︎
   for my trust is in your word.
43  O take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, ♦︎
   for my hope is in your judgements.
44  So shall I always keep your law; ♦︎
   I shall keep it for ever and ever.
45  I will walk at liberty, ♦︎
   because I study your commandments.
46  I will tell of your testimonies, even before kings, ♦︎
   and will not be ashamed.
47  My delight shall be in your commandments, ♦︎
   which I have greatly loved.
48  My hands will I lift up to your commandments,
      which I love, ♦︎
   and I will meditate on your statutes.
49  Remember your word to your servant, ♦︎
   on which you have built my hope.
50  This is my comfort in my trouble, ♦︎
   that your promise gives me life.
51  The proud have derided me cruelly, ♦︎
   but I have not turned aside from your law.
52  I have remembered your everlasting judgements, O Lord, ♦︎
   and have been comforted.
53  I am seized with indignation at the wicked, ♦︎
   for they have forsaken your law.
54  Your statutes have been like songs to me ♦︎
   in the house of my pilgrimage.
55  I have thought on your name in the night, O Lord, ♦︎
   and so have I kept your law.
56  These blessings have been mine, ♦︎
   for I have kept your commandments.

Healing after Punishment

33The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard: ²Thus says the Lord who made the earth,^* the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: ³Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. ⁴For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defence against the siege-ramps and before the sword:^{* 5}The Chaldeans are coming in to fight^* and to fill them with the dead bodies of those whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their wickedness. ⁶I am going to bring it recovery and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them abundance^* of prosperity and security. ⁷I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. ⁸I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. ⁹And this city^* shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

10 Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without human beings or animals’, in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without inhabitants, human or animal, there shall once more be heard ¹¹the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank-offerings to the house of the Lord:
‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
   for the Lord is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever!’
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

12 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In this place that is waste, without human beings or animals, and in all its towns there shall again be pasture for shepherds resting their flocks. ¹³In the towns of the hill country, of the Shephelah, and of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places around Jerusalem, and in the towns of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the Lord.

Taming the Tongue

3Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,^* for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ²For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. ³If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ⁶And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature,^* and is itself set on fire by hell.^{* 7}For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters,^* this ought not to be so. ¹¹Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters,^* yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. ¹⁴But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. ¹⁵Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. ¹⁶For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for^* those who make peace.