3 ‘They make ready their tonguelike a bow, to shoot lies;it is not by truththat they triumph in the land.They go from one sin to another;they do not acknowledge me,’declares the Lord.
4 ‘Beware of your friends;do not trust anyone in your clan.For every one of them is a deceiver,and every friend a slanderer.
5 Friend deceives friend,and no one speaks the truth.They have taught their tongues to lie;they weary themselves with sinning.
6 You live in the midst of deception;in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,’declares the Lord.
7 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says:‘See, I will refine and test them,for what else can I dobecause of the sin of my people?
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow;it speaks deceitfully.With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbours,but in their hearts they set traps for them.
9 Should I not punish them for this?’declares the Lord.‘Should I not avenge myselfon such a nation as this?’