Then Esther spoke to the king again, throwing herself at his feet and crying. She begged him to do something to stop the evil plot that Haman, the descendant of Agag, had made against the Jews.

Why do the nations plan rebellion? Why do people make their useless plots?

Their kings revolt, their rulers plot together against the LORD and against the king he chose.

They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.

You make plans to ruin others; your tongue is like a sharp razor. You are always inventing lies.

The LORD has spoken: "Those who rule Judah are doomed because they rebel against me. They follow plans that I did not make, and sign treaties against my will, piling one sin on another.

You go to court, but you do not have justice on your side. You depend on lies to win your case. You carry out your plans to hurt others.

I will go to the people in power and talk with them. Surely they know what their God requires, what the LORD wants them to do." But all of them have rejected the LORD's authority and refuse to obey him.

Then the people said, "Let's do something about Jeremiah! There will always be priests to instruct us, the wise to give us counsel, and prophets to proclaim God's message. Let's bring charges against him and stop listening to what he says."

How terrible it will be for those who lie awake and plan evil! When morning comes, as soon as they have the chance, they do the evil they planned.

When they want fields, they seize them; when they want houses, they take them. No one's family or property is safe.