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The Deceitfulness of the Human Heart

“The heart is more deceitful than anything.
    It is incurable—
        who can know it?
10 I am the Lord who searches the heart,
    who tests the inner depths
to give to each person
    according to what he deserves,[a]
        according to the fruit of his deeds.
11 As a partridge gathers together eggs
    that it didn’t lay,
so is a person who amasses wealth unjustly.
    In the middle of his life[b] it will leave him,
        and in the end he will prove to be a fool.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:10 Lit. according to his way
  2. Jeremiah 17:11 Lit. at half of his days

The heart(A) is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart(B)
    and examine the mind,(C)
to reward(D) each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”(E)

11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
    are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
    and in the end they will prove to be fools.(F)

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