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9^*O that my head were a spring of water,
   and my eyes a fountain of tears,
so that I might weep day and night
   for the slain of my poor people!
^{2 *}O that I had in the desert
   a traveller’s lodging-place,
that I might leave my people
   and go away from them!
For they are all adulterers,
   a band of traitors.
³ They bend their tongues like bows;
   they have grown strong in the land for falsehood, and not for truth;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
   and they do not know me, says the Lord.

⁴ Beware of your neighbours,
   and put no trust in any of your kin;^*
for all your kin^* are supplanters,
   and every neighbour goes around like a slanderer.
⁵ They all deceive their neighbours,
   and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongues to speak lies;
   they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent.^*
6 Oppression upon oppression, deceit^* upon deceit!
   They refuse to know me, says the Lord.

⁷ Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts:
I will now refine and test them,
   for what else can I do with my sinful people?^*
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
   it speaks deceit through the mouth.
They all speak friendly words to their neighbours,
   but inwardly are planning to lay an ambush.
⁹ Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord;
   and shall I not bring retribution
   on a nation such as this?